4Thought Blog

Divorce is difficult for all parties. But when there's a family business involved, divorce can be a nightmare. Take a look at a couple of common questions:

Should the enterprise be sold? Selling the business makes it easier to allocate the assets owned by the couple. But that solution is not common, since it generally leaves one or both spouses looking for work. Economic reality may force ex-spouses to try to continue working together, although taking that path obviously has problems of its own.

Shareholder disputes are common occurrences in today's complex business world. These disputes can often be divisive, long-lasting and expensive. They can arise in almost any privately-owned business – sometimes without warning.

Whether you’re looking to buy a McDonald’s restaurant, sell a restaurant, gift some ownership to a Next Gen, or are just plain curious, the question of value is of primary concern. Ask any valuator worth their salt and he or she will tell you, valuation is an art, not a science.

There is no black and white formula for determining what a McDonald’s franchise is worth. However, there are time tested and generally accepted methods within which one can work to derive a fair value.

Businesses currently face numerous uncertainties in the marketplace.

As President Trump and Republican congressional leaders work toward fulfilling their campaign promises, tax laws could substantially change, the estate tax could be repealed, and various laws and regulations – including the Dodd-Frank and Affordable Care Acts – could be repealed or revised.

Interest rates and inflation could both rise. Economic relationships with other countries could also change.

Some of these changes could be good for your business, while others could have negative effects on the value of your business.

Most business owners are reactive when it comes to having their businesses valued. But it sometimes pays to be proactive. Some valuations are necessities, such as for determining the value of the business interest in an estate. Others are obtained for more elective reasons but are helpful to business owners nevertheless.

It is a good to review these common valuation scenarios, so you can identify when it's time to obtain your own valuation. Below are 10 primary reasons to have your business or a business interest valued: