BV News and Trends June 2023
A monthly roundup of key developments of interest to business valuation experts.
Reasonable comp at center of dental practice dispute
In a Massachusetts divorce case, the wife argued that the normalization adjustments to her salary from her dental practice were based on unreliable data.
Rothwell v. Rothwell
In an appeal of a Utah divorce case, the court affirmed the district court’s determination of value of the husband’s businesses. The district court allowed the exclusion of personal goodwill (in accordance with Utah case law Sorensen v. Sorensen) but did not allow the deduction of estimated tax to be paid on a hypothetical sale of the business at some future date.
Utah Appellate Court Excludes Personal Goodwill, Disallows Reduction for Taxes on Hypothetical Sale
In an appeal of a Utah divorce case, the court affirmed the district court’s determination of value of the husband’s businesses. The district court allowed the exclusion of personal goodwill (in accordance with Utah case law Sorensen v. Sorensen) but did not allow the deduction of estimated tax to be paid on a hypothetical sale of the business at some future date.
First issue of Willamette’s Perspectives is released
A new digital publication, Perspectives, which will be a quarterly, has replaced Willamette Management Associates’ Insights publication.
What Would a Hypothetical Willing Seller Do? A Complicated Case—A Confounding Decision in Idaho
An inside look by one of the experts in a case that “had it all”: a high-tech startup, a recent historical transaction, the personal goodwill-versus-commercial goodwill debate, a covenant not to compete, a lot of money at stake, and the proverbial “battle of the experts.”
Financial Expert Guide for Family Law Judges and Attorneys, National Edition
April 2023 PDF, Softcover (413 pages)
John Tatlock, Kevin Yeanoplos, Ron Seigneur
Business Valuation Resources, LLC
New case involves dispute over company-specific risk
In a Minnesota shareholder buyout matter, the two opposing valuation experts disagreed over the risk associated with customer concentration.
Massachusetts Trial Court Rejects Wife’s Nonexpert Value of Her Dental Practice—Appeals Court Affirms
The Appeals Court of Massachusetts affirmed the trial court determination of the value of the wife’s dental practice. A large amount and growth of the revenues was from prosthodontics. The wife provided her own value without expert testimony, and the trial court found the methodology not appropriate. The husband’s expert determined the value based on a capitalization of earnings method, with adjustments for compensation to the owner and a 21% discount for goodwill. The appeals court affirmed the decision of the trial court, primarily accepting the valuation of the husband’s expert.
Kwak v. Bosarth
The Appeals Court of Massachusetts affirmed the trial court determination of the value of the wife’s dental practice. A large amount and growth of the revenues was from prosthodontics. The wife provided her own value without expert testimony, and the trial court found the methodology not appropriate. The husband’s expert determined the value based on a capitalization of earnings method, with adjustments for compensation to the owner and a 21% discount for goodwill. The appeals court affirmed the decision of the trial court, primarily accepting the valuation of the husband’s expert.
Husband alleges wife foiled vet practice valuation
In a Kentucky divorce matter, the wife worked for the husband’s veterinary practice that he had purchased prior to their marriage.
'Confounding incongruities' in recent divorce case
A complex divorce case in Idaho included a number of valuation issues, one of which was the personal vs. enterprise goodwill question.
Cummings v. Cummings
In this appeal of a divorce case in Kentucky, the court determined that the family court did not abuse its discretion in its distribution of the proceeds of the sale of the husband’s veterinary practice. The family court determined that most of the proceeds were enterprise goodwill and, thus, marital property.
Kentucky Court Does Not Consider Date of Marriage Value of Veterinary Practice—Most of Value Is Enterprise Goodwill and, Thus, Marital
In this appeal of a divorce case in Kentucky, the court determined that the family court did not abuse its discretion in its distribution of the proceeds of the sale of the husband’s veterinary practice. The family court determined that most of the proceeds were enterprise goodwill and, thus, marital property.
Business Valuation Case Law Yearbook, 2023 Edition
January 2023 PDF, Softcover (195 pages)
BVR (editor)
Business Valuation Resources, LLC
Absent a goodwill analysis, the court does its own
In a Tennessee divorce case involving the husband’s plastic surgery practice, neither valuation expert did an analysis that separated enterprise and personal goodwill.
Lamm v. Preston
This was a divorce case with a complex set of issues regarding the marital estate and the businesses of the parties. This Supreme Court of Idaho case and opinion related to one of the businesses, Black Sage Acquisition LLC, in which the couple owned 25%. The magistrate court determined the value of Black Sage Acquisition as $163,373 based on fair market value. The remaining value was determined to be personal goodwill. The Supreme Court (Idaho) affirmed the decision of the district court, which upheld the magistrate court.
Idaho Supreme Court Affirms Magistrate Judge’s Opinion Regarding Personal Goodwill
This was a divorce case with a complex set of issues regarding the marital estate and the businesses of the parties. This Supreme Court of Idaho case and opinion related to one of the businesses, Black Sage Acquisition LLC, in which the couple owned 25%. The magistrate court determined the value of Black Sage Acquisition as $163,373 based on fair market value. The remaining value was determined to be personal goodwill. The Supreme Court (Idaho) affirmed the decision of the district court, which upheld the magistrate court.
BV News and Trends December 2022
A monthly roundup of key developments of interest to business valuation experts.
Chase v. Chase
On appeal, the husband asked the court to review whether the wife needed alimony given the assets she otherwise received in the equitable distribution and her earning capacity as a pharmacist, whether an award of rehabilitative alimony and alimony in futuro by the trial court was appropriate, and whether the trial court’s valuation of the husband’s medical practice was in error. The appellate court affirmed the trial court in all aspects reviewed and did not award legal fees to either party.
Tennessee Appeals Court Affirms Trial Court Decision on Spousal Support and on the Value of Husband’s Medical Practice
On appeal, the husband asked the court to review whether the wife needed alimony given the assets she otherwise received in the equitable distribution and her earning capacity as a pharmacist, whether an award of rehabilitative alimony and alimony in futuro by the trial court was appropriate, and whether the trial court’s valuation of the husband’s medical practice was in error. The appellate court affirmed the trial court in all aspects reviewed and did not award legal fees to either party.
The Two Most Prevalent Methods for Solving the Goodwill Conundrum
Remarks from a session at the AAML/BVR National Divorce Conference conducted by veteran valuers Jay Fishman (Financial Research Associates) and Ken Pia (Marcum) who were joined by attorney Thomas J. Sasser (Sasser, Cestero & Roy).
Huge turnout for the AICPA FVS conference
At 800 attendees, the AICPA & CIMA Forensic and Valuation Services Conference in Las Vegas was the largest event we’ve been to this year.
Court uses old transaction to value a dental practice
In a North Carolina divorce case, the wife’s stake in a dental practice was valued based on what she paid for it two years before she and her husband separated in 2015 (the valuation date).
Goodwill impairments YTD 2022 are up, per Kroll analysis
Risky financial markets and an uncertain economic environment add up to increased goodwill impairments.