Business Valuations aren't just for large Fortune 500 companies. Most mid-size and small-size businesses will need a detailed valuation at some point. There are many situations when the value of business assets is needed, such as for Buy-Sell Agreements, a Divorce, or Estate Planning purposes. Whether you need to create a market for the sale of your business, or just provide it tax protection in the event of your death, creating a solid financial landing for your business may be critical to its future.
Without proper planning, at your death the value of your estate is subject to both state and federal estate taxes. Your business assets are part of your taxable estate. Therefore, the higher the value of your business in your estate, the more potential estate taxes you may end up paying. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) will try to value your business at the highest reasonable level, while your heirs will try to minimize the value of your business.
While an exact method for determining the value of a business does not really exist, there are several methods by which a business may be valued. Malleo Financial Services has partners that can offer Informal (no-cost) valuation services, as well as Formal (fee based) valuations. An "Informal Valuation" is best for instances where you need to value your business for a Buy-Sell Agreement, a Key Person policy, an Executive Bonus Plan, or for a Divorce (sometimes Formal may be necessary). A "Formal Valuation" would be required in the following cases: an IRS Audit, taking your company public (Stock Market), or for Estate Tax and Gift Tax purposes.
Our team of specialists has the expertise to provide a valuation of your business using five of the most commonly used valuation methods. These methods are: Book Value, Straight Capitalization, Earning Capitalization, Years’ Purchase, and Discounted Future Earnings. Once we have a more accurate value of your business, we can then help you determine a plan of action to meet your needs. If you’re a business owner, a written business valuation may help in protecting your business.