The Mentor Group Blog
Posted on Jan 1, 2023
Based upon a Federal Circuit Court of Appeals ruling, damage experts can no longer rely on a “25% rule of thumb” to support a reasonable royalty rate. This 25% rule had been accepted by ...
Continue reading "ASSESSING IP DAMAGES" »
Posted on Dec 1, 2022
For most companies contemplating some form of seller exit, an ESOP is often discussed as an alternative strategy. Considering an ESOP today is more fraught with some anxiety than ever before. Why? The ...
Continue reading "ESOP: ALTERNATIVE TO A SALE?" »
Posted on Nov 1, 2022
The looming sunset of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (albeit three years out at the end of 2025) has already begun to surface. The significant changes which positively impacted individuals may be ...
Continue reading "SUNSET OR RESET" »
Posted on Oct 1, 2022
Periodically, we perform business and IP valuations in countries outside the U.S. In conjunction with this work, we have developed relations with professionals in various locales, which further ...
Continue reading "INTERNATIONAL VALUATIONS" »
Posted on Sep 1, 2022
The valuation of a universal or whole life insurance policy is needed for at least the following reasons: An asset acquired via the purchase of a company. A transfer of this asset, such as to a ...
Continue reading "VALUING LIFE INSURANCE POLICY" »
Posted on Aug 1, 2022
The latest IRS regulations were promulgated on July 30, 2018.These included detailed definitions of a qualified appraisal and a qualified appraiser. The appraisal must support the value of a stock or ...
Continue reading "CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS" »
Posted on Jul 1, 2022
In prior years, fairness opinions were primarily applicable for publicly held companies. Today, private transactions involving disparate and potentially conflicted parties are often accompanied by ...
Continue reading "FAIRNESS OPINION" »
Posted on Jun 1, 2022
A valuator (business or IP) or appraiser (hard asset: real estate, equipment or inventory) is considered an “expert” when one or more of the following occurs: He is qualified by a court of ...
Continue reading "WHEN IS A VALUATOR APPRAISER AN EXPERT?" »
Posted on May 1, 2022
A SPAC is special purpose acquisition company designed to expedite a merger of a target seller into a publicly traded entity. The incredible expansion of SPAC funds has somewhat saturated U.S. ...
Continue reading "SPAC FAIRNESS OPINION" »
Posted on Apr 1, 2022
Convertible instruments include various forms of debt obligations that are not common stock or member interests in an LLC. However, they are convertible into equity or equity equivalents. The variety ...
Continue reading "CONVERTIBLE INSTRUMENTS VALUATION" »
Posted on Mar 1, 2022
The following is a simplified overview of the need for documentation to support an allocation of the purchase price of a business. In most purchases, the agreement contains a schedule of allocated ...
Continue reading "STOCK vs. ASSET - ALLOCATION OF PURCHASE PRICE" »
Posted on Feb 1, 2022
Taxpayers and savvy professional service providers are often unaware of the differences in discount valuation reports issues by supposedly competent valuators. The Mentor Group approach is unique in ...
Continue reading "WIDE VARIANCE IN DISCOUNT VALUATIONS" »
Posted on Jan 1, 2022
Bless the SEC for they have recently promulgated new guidance for Spring-Loaded Stock Awards (SLSA).In past years, executive stock compensation awards or grants just prior to the announcement of ...
Continue reading "Spring - Loaded Stock Awards" »
Posted on Dec 1, 2021
The Internal Revenue Code allows employees, or startup founders, the option to pay an income tax on the total value of the restricted shares (equity) received at the grant date.To effect this taxable ...
Continue reading "Section 83(b) Election" »
Posted on Nov 1, 2021
The headline reflects the most common corporate conversion, C to S. At the same time, the prevailing tax consequences may also apply to C conversions to LLCs and S corporations buying assets from a C ...
Continue reading "CONVERSION OF C TO S CORPORATION" »
Posted on Oct 1, 2021
The latest IRS regulations were promulgated on July 30, 2018.These included detailed definitions of a qualified appraisal and a qualified appraiser. The appraisal must support the value of a stock or ...
Continue reading "CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS" »
Posted on Sep 1, 2021
No matter the state of the market, business value drivers remain fairly constant. Buyers’ appetite for certain industries or industry segments reflects the current period. Yet, the attributes ...
Continue reading "WHAT ARE THE VALUE DRIVERS?" »
Posted on Aug 1, 2021
This headline is not intended to dissuade any committed business owner from selling. It is a warning that a deal may go sideways or crater at any point in time, even just before the cash is wired to ...
Continue reading "SELLING YOUR COMPANY: ANTICIPATE THE WORST" »
Posted on Jul 1, 2021
One of the most complex valuation exercises is the automobile dealership. These businesses are actually comprised of five distinct operations, with separate financial information for each. New ...
Continue reading "VALUING A CAR DEALERSHIP" »
Posted on Jun 1, 2021
A SPAC is special purpose acquisition company designed to expedite a merger of a target seller into a publicly traded entity. The incredible expansion of SPAC funds has somewhat saturated U.S. ...
Continue reading "SPAC FAIRNESS OPINION" »
Posted on May 1, 2021
Careful consideration should be given to potentially significant tax liability with respect to stock issued to founders, employees and contractors (in lieu of other compensation). Often, startups and ...
Continue reading "Considering an 83(b) Election" »
Posted on Apr 1, 2021
The intellectual property called Right of Publicity (RP), is also known as “Name and Likeness” “Persona,” and “Personality Rights.” Any and all of these terms ...
Continue reading "RIGHT OF PUBLICITY (Name and Likeness)" »
Posted on Mar 1, 2021
Intellectual Property (IP) has been adopted as a catchall for many different types of intangible assets. The valuation of various IP is a unique specialty of The Mentor Group. If a company did not ...
Continue reading "IP VALUE ON FINANCIAL STATEMENTS" »
Posted on Feb 1, 2021
The awareness of using cost segregation to maximize tax depreciation has significantly increased. An added benefit was created by The Tax Act, allowing taxpayers to expense personal property (bonus ...
Continue reading "COST SEGREGATION PITFALLS" »
Posted on Jan 1, 2021
Why is IP so different than other business assets? What are the instances or events which trigger an IP valuation? There are numerous reasons why we value IP. The 10 most prevalent are the following: ...
Continue reading "IP: WHEN SHOULD IT BE VALUED?" »