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Court doesn’t appreciate active/passive analysis

An Alaska divorce case illustrates that the analysis of active and passive appreciation of a business during marriage continues to be a tricky one.

Active depreciation charged to business owner in divorce

In a South Carolina divorce case, the business owner (husband) appealed the family court’s decision on the valuation of the family business.

Business Valuation Case Law Yearbook, 2023 Edition

January 2023 PDF, Softcover (195 pages)

BVR (editor)

Business Valuation Resources, LLC

The legal coverage and in-depth analysis from the BVR legal team including an Introduction by Jim Alerding, BVR Legal Editor delivers lessons learned to help appraisers reach better and more defensible valuation conclusions. The 2023 Yearbook illustrates how financial experts helped their side win (and lose) in the courtroom and includes 70 new cases were added to BVLaw in 2022.  Learn more >>

New Toolkit for Passive Appreciation Takes Shape

BVR and Dr. Ashok Abbott (West Virginia University) are developing an automated tool and supporting documentation that embodies his peer-reviewed methodology for separating active from passive appreciation of business assets in a divorce context.

Business Valuation Case Law Yearbook, 2022 Edition

January 2022 PDF, Softcover (177 pages)

BVR (editor)

Business Valuation Resources, LLC

The legal coverage and in-depth analysis from the BVR legal team deliver lessons learned to help appraisers reach better and more defensible valuation conclusions. All the cases featured in this book impart important lessons about applicable legal principles, approved and discredited valuation methodology, and the act (and art) of presenting expert opinions. This must-have collection benefits both the generalist as well as the specialist.

Learn more >>

Asare v. Asare

In this marital dissolution appellate case, the appellate court must resolve a number of issues related to the equitable distribution of the marital estate. On most issues, the appellate court affirmed the trial court. However, the appellate court reversed the trial court on the issue of how much passive appreciation related to an investment account was includable in the marital estate.

North Carolina Appellate Court Reverses Trial Court on Amount of Passive Appreciation in an Investment Account

In this marital dissolution appellate case, the appellate court must resolve a number of issues related to the equitable distribution of the marital estate. On most issues, the appellate court affirmed the trial court. However, the appellate court reversed the trial court on the issue of how much passive appreciation related to an investment account was includable in the marital estate.

Statistical Methodologies for Analyzing Active and Passive Appreciation

A rundown of the existing quantitative models that have been developed that separates the active and passive appreciation of a closely held business involved in a marital dissolution case. The models seek to statistically identify market forces that reasonably cause changes in the value of assets.

Active and Passive Appreciation in Valuation: Finding the Line

Breaking up is hard, but harder still is appropriating the appreciation of the marital estate during the marriage. The most troubling issue with active and passive appreciation in divorce cases is applying a method based on sound theory, good empirical evidence, and a clear common-sense framework. Ashok Abbott demonstrates a methodology and supporting evidence to isolate passive appreciation successfully. By working through a practice-ready example, you’ll be sure to come away with a new appreciation ...

Letter to the Editor: Comments on Using Jensen’s Alpha for Active and Passive Appreciation

This is a Letter to the Editor from Ashok B. Abbott, Ph.D. (West Virginia University), in response to a prior article on segregating passive from active increases in the value of an asset in the context of marital dissolution.

Letter to the Editor: Response to Dr. Abbott’s Comments on Using Jensen’s Alpha for Separating Active and Passive Appreciation

This is a Letter to the Editor from Mark Filler that responds to comments from Dr. Ashok Abbott about Mr. Filler’s prior article on the use of Jensen’s alpha. Dr. Abbott’s comments can be found elsewhere in this issue.

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.

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.

Active-passive categorization skews appreciation analysis, court finds

Valuators may think they know all there’s to know about quantifying the appreciation of nonmarital property by using the active versus passive framework. Think again. A recent Florida divorce case illustrates that the premature categorization of assets may lead to an improper valuation.

Florida court explores scope of active/passive appreciation

A Florida appeals court examines the issue of whether the increased value of stock from a company for which the owning spouse works can be a marital asset and subject to distribution.

Industry-specific empirical support for passive appreciation

A survey is open for respondents to indicate which industries they would like to see analyzed for economic causal factors and their elasticities in order to better determine passive appreciation in business assets in a divorce context. The resulting analyses will be published.

Different Ways to Find No Claim to Enhanced Value of Nonmarital Asset

Appeals court says trial court erred in interpreting prenuptial agreement but reached correct result when it rejected wife’s claim to enhanced value of husband’s separate interest in car dealership by ruling appreciation in value was passive, not active.

Berg v. Young

Appeals court says trial court erred in interpreting prenuptial agreement but reached correct result when it rejected wife’s claim to enhanced value of husband’s separate interest in car dealership by ruling appreciation in value was passive, not active.

Community Deserves Profits From Separate Business Investment

Appellate court affirms trial court’s decision to apportion most of the stock sale proceeds the husband reaped during marriage in connection with a company he set up before marriage to the community under Pereira, finding that during marriage, he became t ...

Goldfarb v. Yelton

Appellate court affirms trial court’s decision to apportion most of the stock sale proceeds the husband reaped during marriage in connection with a company he set up before marriage to the community under Pereira, finding that during marriage, he became t ...

Iacampo v. Oliver-Iacampo

Appellate court affirms expert testimony regarding factors that contributed to active vs. passive appreciation of the marital business; even though his report didn’t make specific conclusions, it did apply a 10% discount for lack of control, which, while ...

Court Subtracts Market From Asset Values to Determine Marital Appreciation: Error?

Divorce court did not err by using asset value to value husband’s separate business at the start of the marriage, and market value to measure the business at the end; the court was also correct in adopting an industry rate of return rather than an implied ...

Rozenman v. Rozenman

Divorce court did not err by using asset value to value husband’s separate business at the start of the marriage, and market value to measure the business at the end; the court was also correct in adopting an industry rate of return rather than an implied ...

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