Financial planning is a young industry. The InternationalAssociation of Financial Planning--one of the predecessors tothe Financial Planning Association--was formed less than fortyyears ago. But as the profession's first tier of advisers reachesmaturity, the decisions that may be part of transition planning fortheir firms loom large. A sale? A partner buyout? A merger? Nomatter what the choice, its viability hinges on one criticalissue--the value of the firm.Unfortunately, many advisers--whether veteran ornovice--simply don't know the worth of their practice or howto influence it. That's why How to Value, Buy, or Sell aFinancial-Advisory Practice is such an important book. It takesadvisers carefully through the logic and the legwork of coming to atrue assessment of one of their most important personalassets--their business.Renowned for their years of experience helping advisers tackle thedaunting challenges related to the valuation, sale, and purchase ofadvisory firms, Mark C. Tibergien and Owen Dahl offer guidancethat's essential and solutions that work.

Acknowledgments.Introduction.Part 1. Defining Value.1 Uncovering True Worth.2 Evaluating Fiscal Health.3 The Income Approach to Valuation.4 Other Approaches to Valuation.Part 2. Assessing Value.5 Case Study: the Multiple-Partner Firm.6 Case Study: the Solo Practitioner.Part 3. Coming to Terms.7 The Art of Negotiation.8 The Seller's Perspective.9 The Buyer's Perspective.10 Getting All the Way to Yes.Part 4. Ounces of Prevention.11 Essentials of Due Diligence.12 Antidote to the Postmerger Meltdown.13 Making It Legal: A Sequence of Steps.Part 5. Inside Stories.14 Partnering: A Complex Choreography.15 Buy-Sell Agreements: The Path to Happier Endings.Part 6. The Marketplace.16 Intermediaries: Making the Match.17 Finding the Ideal Buyer.18 Building Value: The Firm That Sells Itself.Appendix of Sample Documents.Index.