Business Valuations
Do you know what your business is worth?
One of the reasons you go into business is to create value. Knowing the value of your business may be a key component in succession planning, estate and gift taxes, buy-sell agreements, the sale or purchase of a business, or business or marital divorce. Knowing the value of your business is essential to your peace of mind, so entrust it to the valuation professionals at SSB.
What is a business valuation?
A business valuation involves arriving at an opinion of value of an ownership interest in a company.
What are some of the reasons to value a business?
- Estate and Gift Taxes
- Succession Planning
- Buy-Sell Agreements
- Sale of a Business
- Mergers and Acquisitions
- Divorce—business or marital
What steps are essential to the business valuation process?
- Defining the purpose and proper standard of value
- Gathering financial information and other data, including industry comparisons and local economic analysis
- Analyzing financial information, including assessment of current value for tangible assets, unrecorded liabilities, excess compensation, etc.
- Developing proper capitalization and discount rates
- Defining earnings and selection of the appropriate valuation approaches and methods
- Applying premiums and discounts, if applicable, and arriving at a conclusion of value
- Preparing the written report
What is a CVA and why should you engage a CVA to perform your business valuation?
The Certified Valuation Analyst (CVA) designation is a statement to the business, professional and legal communities that an individual is qualified, through academic and practical experience, to meet the high standards and professional expertise required in providing valuation services.
What to look for in a business valuator:
- Professional experience in business valuations
- Reputation, trust and confidentiality
- Specialized training in business valuations
- Certification as a valuation analyst
Whom should you contact at SSB to discuss business valuations?
- Thomas A. O'Neil, CPA, CVA E-mail






