Litigation & Dispute Resolution

April 14, 2020

AICPA Issues New Forensic Services Standard Effective January 1, 2020

Statements on Standards for Forensic Services (“SSFS No. 1”) are issued by the AICPA’s Forensic and Valuation Services Executive Committee. SSFS No. 1 provides guidance and establishes enforceable standards for members performing certain forensic and valuation services, specifically, for litigation and investigation engagements. These engagements are defined by SSFS No. 1 as follows:

  • Litigation. An actual or potential legal or regulatory proceeding before a trier of fact or a regulatory body as an expert witness, consultant, neutral, mediator, or arbitrator in connection with the resolution of disputes between parties. The term litigation as used herein is not limited to formal litigation but is inclusive of disputes and all forms of alternative dispute resolution.
  • Investigation. A matter conducted in response to specific concerns of wrongdoing in which the member is engaged to perform procedures to collect, analyze, evaluate, or interpret certain evidential matter to assist the stakeholders (for example, client, board of directors, independent auditor, or regulator) in reaching a conclusion on the merits of the concerns
Prior to the issuance of these standards, litigation and investigation engagements were covered by the AICPA Statement on Standards for Consulting Services No. 1 and the AICPA Code of Professional Conduct. As the need for forensic services has grown and evolved, SSFS No. 1 serves to protect the public interest and increase the level of consistency across the profession. The issuance of SSFS No. 1 reflects a consolidation of relevant forensic services standards into one single standard. These forensic standards are effective for engagements accepted on or after January 1, 2020. Ensure that your hired expert, if applicable, is aware of these new requirements and is aware of the applicable standards for the engagement. To download the Statement on Standards for Forensic Services click here.
Originally published in Mercer Capital’s Tennessee Family Law Newsletter, Volume 3, No. 1, 2020.
Author
Karolina Calhoun
Senior Vice President
Learn More

Continue Reading

Getting Into the Spirit of Valuation
Getting Into the Spirit of Valuation
When people talk about the “value” of a company, it is easy to assume there is one correct “answer.” In practice, there are many possible answers, and which one is the best answer depends on the purposes of the valuation, the user, and the facts and circumstances at hand. The Internal Revenue Service’s Revenue Ruling 59-60, defines fair market value “as the price at which the property would change hands between a willing buyer and a willing seller when the former is not under any compulsion to buy and the latter is not under any compulsion to sell, both parties having reasonable knowledge of the relevant facts.” This is a great place to begin, but it is only the start.
How to Construct a Lifestyle Analysis
How to Construct a Lifestyle Analysis
A lifestyle analysis is a multifaceted analytical tool that includes several detailed analyses and can be very helpful in marital dissolution engagements. It involves a more in-depth analysis than the financial affidavits typically required in the divorce process.
David Harkins to Teach Advanced Business Valuation Course at the National Family Law Trial Institute
David Harkins to Teach Advanced Business Valuation Course at the National Family Law Trial Institute
Mercer Capital is pleased to share that David Harkins, CFA, CPA, ABV, CFF, will be joining other national business valuation experts in co-teaching the Advanced Business Valuation course at the National Family Law Trial Institute, taking place May 19-21, 2026, at Texas A&M University School of Law in Fort Worth, TX.The National Family Law Trial Institute offers focused training for family law attorneys, jurists, and forensic professionals, with programs centered on trial advocacy and the financial issues that arise in family law matters.The Advanced Business Valuation course provides an in-depth look at valuation issues in divorce and other family law cases, including valuation standards, appraisal approaches, trial strategy, and the role of the financial expert.David Harkins is a Vice President with Mercer Capital and has extensive experience in valuation and litigation support across a wide range of industries. He has worked on hundreds of engagements involving business valuation, family law, commercial litigation, gift and estate tax planning, transaction support, fairness and solvency opinions, and employee stock ownership plans. As a member of Mercer Capital’s Litigation Group, he serves as both a consulting and expert witness in matters involving marital dissolution, shareholder disputes, damages, business litigation, and forensic accounting issues.Mercer Capital regularly supports attorneys and clients with business valuation, income analysis, and litigation support in divorce and related disputes. The firm is proud to support programs that help family law professionals deepen their understanding of business valuation and the role of financial experts in litigation.Additional information about the Advanced Business Valuation course is available on the National Family Law Trial Institute website: https://www.nflti.org/programs/advanced-business-valuation/

Cart

Your cart is empty