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Archive for December, 2011

December 27, 2011 Are You Planning to Sell Your Business in 2012?

There was an interesting article in The New York Times this week that said if you’re planning on selling your business sometime in the next few years, 2012 might be the ideal time to do it. Some of the reasons it lists are the expiration of Bush-era tax cuts that could affect after-tax proceeds of [...]

December 22, 2011 More Delays on SEC’s Decision on Whether to Adopt IFRS

Those waiting for a decision by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on whether to adopt the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) will have to wait at least a few more months. According to SEC Chief Accountant James Kroeker at an AICPA National Conference, the SEC will need at least a few more months to [...]

Have a Present Value Christmas

Have a Present Value Christmas Your appraisal time is here I don’t know how it will go But have a cup of cheer Have a Present Value Christmas There’s a comp right down the street Or right next door or second floor We’re sure to be complete Oh ho, it comes in low But we [...]

December 15, 2011 IFRS Loopholes

An article today in the Guardian, a UK-based publication, discussed a think tank report that came out yesterday written by the Adam Smith Institute. The report stated that there are loopholes in the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) that allow banks to falsely inflate their profits and increase employee bonuses. Specifically, there are rules under [...]

December 13, 2011 Massachusetts Attorney General Files Lawsuits Against Banks

Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley has filed suit against five large banks, alleging illegal and deceptive foreclosure practices. The lawsuit named Wells Fargo, JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup, Bank of America, and Ally Financial. In October 2010, it came to light that numerous banks had allegedly signed foreclosure affidavits without conducting the legally required reviews of loan [...]

December 8, 2011 The Importance of Business Valuations During an Acquisition

Overpaying for a company in an acquisition is the “No. 1 Reason Acquisitions Fail,” according to a recent article in Inc. The article argues that the more you overpay for a company, the longer it takes to realize the economic benefits and cause a number of other problems over time, including potentially destroying shareholder value. [...]

December 6, 2011 Federal Housing Administration Loan Limits Increased

In October, Congress decided to lower the top loan amount that the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) could back, but then at the end of last month, they decided to raise it again. This higher loan limit will be valid for the next two years and applies to the country’s priciest real estate markets. In October [...]

December 1, 2011 Fighting the Low-Ball Appraisal

Disagreements over real estate values are nothing new. A real estate appraiser who is familiar with an area, performs due diligence, and takes updates and upgrades into consideration will likely have a much higher valuation of a property than an appraiser who breezes in and cashes a paycheck. Unfortunately, both types of appraiser exist. In [...]