Lucchesi v. Lucchesi
Appeals court upholds ruling that appreciation in value of husband’s interest in family liquor business is marital asset; trial court carefully analyzed husband’s role in company to find he “substantially contributed” to the increase and husband stipulated to wife’s substantial contribution.
Split high court rules on classification of earnout payment in divorce dispute
The parties’ dispute over how to classify earnout payments related to the sale of a valuable marital asset recently prompted a split ruling from the Minnesota Supreme Court. The issue was whether those payments were part of the sales consideration, as the wife argued, or represented future compensation to the husband, as the district court found.
Contentious ruling from Minnesota high court on dealing with earnout payments in divorce
In an important ruling, a divided Minnesota Supreme Court recently ruled on whether earnout payments related to the sale of the husband’s interest in a lucrative company were a marital asset.
Persaud v. Goad
Court affirms divorce valuations for mixed real estate and business assets; even if trial court erred in stating negative value for business that generated no income but carried high annual costs, the error was harmless where court reframed decision as one of fairness rather than finances.
Mix of Real Estate and Business Assets Poses Valuation Challenges for Courts
Court affirms divorce valuations for mixed real estate and business assets; even if trial court erred in stating negative value for business that generated no income but carried high annual costs, the error was harmless where court reframed decision as one of fairness rather than finances.
Divided High Court Says Earn-Out Payments From Company Sale Are a Marital Asset
Earn-out payments related to sale of a marital asset were marital asset and subject to equitable distribution, Supreme Court’s majority says, even though value of the payments was uncertain as of the valuation date and the sale of the husband’s company took place after the valuation date.
Gill v. Gill
Earn-out payments related to sale of a marital asset were marital asset and subject to equitable distribution, Supreme Court’s majority says, even though value of the payments was uncertain as of the valuation date and the sale of the husband’s company took place after the valuation date.
Court Looks to Owner’s ‘Proportionate’ Share in Business to Quantify Appreciation in Value
In quantifying marital portion of appreciation of owner spouse’s separate property, trial court relies on owner’s “proportionate” share in company but also considers expert testimony as to third parties’ efforts and owner’s role in generating revenue; court rejects passive factor analysis.
Herbert v. Joubert
In quantifying marital portion of appreciation of owner spouse’s separate property, trial court relies on owner’s “proportionate” share in company but also considers expert testimony as to third parties’ efforts and owner’s role in generating revenue; court rejects passive factor analysis.
Can a nonprofessional business have personal goodwill? Arkansas court explains
Arkansas is one of the many states that differentiate between enterprise goodwill and personal goodwill. The former is marital property and divisible at divorce; the latter is not. A question that has come up in recent years is whether the owner of a nonprofessional business can claim personal goodwill whose value is excludable from the marital estate.
Using Jensen’s Alpha to Separate Active and Passive Appreciation
The author presents an alternate approach (Jensen’s alpha) to segregating passive from active increases in the value of a marital asset. An example is presented of an automobile dealer.
Hebert v. Cote
In appreciation in value case, court excludes nonowner spouse’s valuation testimony under Daubert, finding expert’s calculation of “minimum marital component” is not a methodology approved under the applicable SSVS for determining fair market value and also violated other SSVS requirements.
Court Rejects Appreciation in Value Calculation, Citing SSVS Violations
In appreciation in value case, court excludes nonowner spouse’s valuation testimony under Daubert, finding expert’s calculation of “minimum marital component” is not a methodology approved under the applicable SSVS for determining fair market value and also violated other SSVS requirements.
Letter to the Editor: Response to Article on Separating Active and Passive Appreciation in the Value of a Marital Asset
The author says there are flaws in Dr. Ashok Abbott’s approach to segregating passive from active increases in the value of a marital asset—and he presents an alternate approach.
Michigan Court Explains How to Handle Retained Earnings in Divorce Cases
In deciding whether, in divorce, retained earnings in a closely held company that is separate property are includible in marital estate, appeals court creates presumption against inclusion and requires trial court to perform totality of circumstances review.
Jensen v. Jensen
In deciding whether, in divorce, retained earnings in a closely held company that is separate property are includible in marital estate, appeals court creates presumption against inclusion and requires trial court to perform totality of circumstances review.
Montana Supreme Court Remands for Failure to Assess Tax Implications
High court says trial court erred when it failed to consider tax implications where its final order appears to make sale of family ranch a necessity; evidence suggests there are no other assets with which to buy wife’s shares of ranch corporation at FMV.
Tax Effects Are Relevant to Equitable Distribution Analysis
Reviewing court says in valuing owner spouse’s auto transport business and performing equitable distribution analysis, trial court erred when it refused to consider tax effects of potential sale of business before assigning asset to owner; case remanded.
Nebraska Supreme Court Adopts Majority View on Appreciation
State Supreme Court adopts active appreciation rule, aligning itself with majority of jurisdiction that finds appreciation of nonmarital asset is marital property to the extent marital efforts caused it, i.e., the owner or nonowner spouse or both.
New Jersey Court’s Inadequate Goodwill Ruling Begets Rebuke and Remand
In a case about lawyer’s equity partner interest in a large firm, appellate court finds prior ruling was grossly deficient; expert testimony suggested the owner spouse’s compensation matched his earning capacity and there was no additional goodwill compon ...
Muszynski v. Muszynski
Trial court adopts valuations of wife’s expert for husband’s 50% interest in waste industry company, finding expert used methods that properly separated out husband’s personal goodwill; court also accepts inclusion of identifiable intangibles shown to belong to company; appeals court affirms.
Court Validates Expert’s Method for Separating Out Owner’s Personal Goodwill
Trial court adopts valuations of wife’s expert for husband’s 50% interest in waste industry company, finding expert used methods that properly separated out husband’s personal goodwill; court also accepts inclusion of identifiable intangibles shown to belong to company; appeals court affirms.
Appreciation Case Highlights Contribution by Nonowner Spouse
Increase in value of owner’s minority interests in companies was due to owner’s efforts, which were “facilitated” by nonowner’s work in home; appreciation was active and marital property; no error in awarding nonowner half of profits from sale of assets.
Court Highlights Role of Community Labor in Goodwill Analysis
Appeals court says record supports nonowner spouse’s claim to a share of owner’s CPA’s practice; business changed from separate to community property, and most of its value consisted of professional goodwill, which was created by community labor.
Montana Supreme Court Remands for Failure to Assess Tax Implications
High court says trial court erred when it failed to consider tax implications where its final order appears to make sale of family ranch a necessity; evidence suggests there are no other assets with which to buy wife’s shares of ranch corporation at FMV.