How would you value a business? The three approaches appraisers use to value a business are essentially a matter of common sense. You start with the balance sheet and adjust the book values of assets and liabilities to their market values. Then you turn to the income statement and evaluate how much cash the business is…

It’s common in divorce cases for an interest in a closely held business or professional practice to be the marital estate’s most valuable asset. In many states, when the owner-spouse brings this asset to the marriage, a valuator may be called upon to distinguish between active appreciation in the business’s value (which is generally subject to…