Whether you are selling or buying a business, planning your estate or settling a contract dispute, it’s critical to have a sound, professional valuation opinion from a firm that will stand behind its conclusions.
Business owners frequently make best-guess estimates of business value based on rules of thumb, book value, or an old appraisal report. Relying on these informal, inaccurate or even outdated measures of worth can lead to underestimates of value and costly mistakes.
Lenders, insurers, the courts and government agencies are increasingly insisting on expert opinions to support claims where value is concerned.
We specialize in working with individuals and owner-operated businesses in Portland, Maine and across Southern Maine. As Certified Public Accountants who are Accredited in Business Valuation, we understand the unique business, management and tax needs you face. As business advisors, we provide you, our small-business entrepreneurial clients, with tax planning and management advice.
As Certified Valuation Analysts, we offer you a comprehensive scope of valuation services.
As Certified Business Appraisers, our professional approach combines tax, financial, valuation, systems, financial management and accounting/auditing expertise. This approach, combined with our dedication to quality, provides an exceptional level of credibility to our valuations.
The need for professional and independent valuation services is not limited to the examples below. Before you proceed with any important transaction or planning decision, call us. Taking action without the advice of professionals who are up to date on the latest tax, accounting and industry changes that affect valuations can negatively affect the economic impact of the transaction or decision.
In negotiating a deal, establishing a price for a business or specific assets is critical. Our team of professionals is ready to help you:
When it comes to corporate planning, it is crucial for business owners to know how much their stock or assets are worth. These values, as well as any anticipated changes, will materially affect operations and tax strategies. Many important assets do not even appear on a business’ balance sheet. And those that do appear are valued at historical costs rather than current worth. A valuation may be needed for any number of corporate planning scenarios, such as:
Obtaining funds for growth is frequently a challenge for owner-operated businesses. Rates and terms of loans are dependent upon the value of the collateral that secures them. Increasingly, commercial lenders are looking to independent valuations regarding the worth of collateral and to ascertain the going-concern value of the entire business. With our professionals on your team, you can be sure of receiving the valuation information in a format that will maximize its impact on your lenders’ decision-making process.
Our firm’s professionals have experience in:
Creating and preserving wealth forms the basis of family and estate planning. Proper planning should provide sufficient assets to maintain your family’s lifestyle and assure the distribution of assets to your heirs at minimal tax and administrative costs. Because our valuation and tax professionals work closely with your attorneys, we can help you achieve and implement goals in the areas of:
Our services can help you develop and present precise, objective evidence that clearly shows the merits of a legal position. We can serve as an expert witness and work closely with legal counsel in:
Business valuations may be part of a divorce settlement when business owners are involved. We have experience preparing fair and accurate valuations to support the divorce proceedings.
Our firm understands the laws that apply to partnership/shareholder agreements, and also reasons why disputes occur. We can guide you in terms of the details of your agreement, including taking action to protect yourself. A valuation of your business may be necessary to resolve shareholder disputes.
A falling out among partners, shareholders or business owners can lead to a minority shareholder complaining of shareholder oppression. These situations can lead to legal disputes. A valid business valuation may be required to substantiate claims of loss of income, assets or net worth. Filler & Associates has experience preparing business valuations in preparation for litigation or as part of negotiations used to avoid legal battles.
When businesses decide to initiate an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), a business valuation must be part of the plan. Filler & Associates can help establish the value of the business and advise you on the setup of your new ESOP.
