Posts by Cougar Digital

When it’s time to calculate damages, a skillful financial expert can discount future damages to present value, providing the ammunition businesses need to receive a just award.Here is an example focusing on how to ensure a reasonable discount rate. Let’s say a company fires an employee for stealing trade secrets. It goes to court to recover…

Today, most states offer programs that allow you to establish a tax-favored account to cover the qualified expenses of a family member with a disability. These programs were authorized under the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act of 2014, and Congress has subsequently passed legislation that sweetens the deal. Read on to learn how ABLE accounts…

Even the most efficiently run business occasionally encounters some delinquent customers. Your company probably has its own accounts receivable process, of which the final step might be turning over a drastically past-due account to a collection agency.Because some states don’t regulate collection agencies very closely, some of these businesses can engage in unethical activities that could…

There are many reasons that employees stick with an organization long-term. They need to enjoy the work (or at least aspects of it); the pay and benefits must be right; and, yes, they’ve got to get along with their bosses. Many business owners underestimate that last point.Building good relationships between staff members and their supervisors can…

Most business owners and attorneys know the basics of the business valuation process. For example, you might know that there are three approaches to value: the cost, market and income approaches. You might even know some of the methods that fall under these approaches, including the:Adjusted book value,Excess earnings, Guideline public company, Guideline transaction (merger and acquisition), Capitalization of…

Market uncertainties are causing some small businesses to struggle. If you’re among them and are considering filing for bankruptcy, you may need to act fast. A temporary change in the laws that determine which debtors are eligible for certain bankruptcy protections is scheduled to expire in June 2024. Unless Congress passes legislation to extend the higher…

Chances are, you’ve lost a sale that you thought was in the bag.  It happens. The way to improve the odds of success is to learn and follow the five “rules of qualification.” These  are so critical to successful salesmanship that some say for each rule you violate, your chances of closing the deal drops by…

It is common to think about which method a business valuation professional will use and whether discounts might apply when considering how the value of an asset will be determined. However, the valuation’s effective date is a critical factor that may not immediately come to mind.  What’s the Big Deal?One of the main reasons an appraisal’s…

Interest rates on residential mortgage loans have increased significantly over the last few years. If your adult child or another family member needs a mortgage to buy a home, the interest expense may be unaffordable. Plus, skyrocketing home values and low inventories of for-sale properties in most parts of the country are presenting challenges to prospective…