Valuing founder and employee equity in a pre-IPO company requires a disciplined appraisal framework because there is no public market price to rely on, yet the interest being valued may still have significant economic worth. For business owners, investors, and advisors, the issue is not simply what the company is “worth,” but how to estimate […]
A one-time wealth tax measured on a fixed date changes the valuation conversation quickly because it creates a year-end planning window for owners of privately held businesses. For business owners, the central issue is not politics, it is fair market value. If a tax liability is tied to appraised value on a specific date, then […]
For privately held business interests, discounts for lack of marketability (DLOM) and discounts for lack of control do more than affect stated value, they can determine whether a wealth tax is calculated on a fair, supportable appraisal or on an inflated estimate that ignores real-world transfer restrictions. In a one-time wealth tax regime, such as […]
For founders of closely held businesses, the true valuation issue is not simply what the company is worth on paper, but how an illiquid ownership interest can drive a very real tax exposure. When a taxpayer is subject to a wealth or unrealized appreciation regime, the central question becomes whether the business interest has been […]
Net worth determination for a high-profile tax or reporting framework is not simply a matter of adding up balance sheet totals. In business valuation, net worth must be translated from accounting numbers into fair market value, which means identifying all relevant asset classes, normalizing liabilities, and measuring ownership interests the way a buyer, investor, or […]
Valuing illiquid assets for a wealth tax requires more than a cursory estimate, because privately held holdings, closely held businesses, real estate interests, and other hard-to-sell assets must be appraised using defensible fair market value methods that can stand up to scrutiny. For business owners, the issue is especially important when a one-time tax is […]
When a tax regime reaches unrealized gains in privately held business stakes, valuation becomes more than a transaction support exercise, it becomes the foundation for determining what an owner is actually worth on paper. For business owners, investors, and advisors, the central issue is not simply whether a stake has increased in value, but how […]
California’s proposed one-time 5 percent wealth tax on residents with net worth above $1 billion, measured as of December 31, 2026, would do more than increase a tax bill. It would force ultra-high-net-worth taxpayers, their advisors, and valuation professionals to defend the fair market value of every privately held asset in a net worth calculation. […]
The term “discount for lack of marketability” is often referred to, but it isn’t always fully understood. Markets in which public and private equity stakes (i.e., companies) can be negotiated are not exactly the same; the trading conditions are substantially different, especially in terms of marketability (liquidity). This can and often does have a significant impact on […]