CALIFORNIA FAMILY LAW
...Business Interests
......Goodwill
.........Date of Valuation
10 Cards On This Topic:
  • Assets are to be valued as near as practicable to the time of trial.
  • Earnings after date of separation are s/p.
  • Court may bifurcate issue of date of valuation.
  • General rule is that goodwill is valued as of date of separation, not date of trial.
  • Goodwill computation may not be based on H’s postseparation income.
  • May not include earnings after separation in goodwill calculations.
  • Improper to value goodwill by any method which utilizes postseparation earnings.
  • Law firm valued at date of trial instead of date of separation because spouse's efforts did not contribute to goodwill.
  • Change in value after separation due to efforts of operating spouse must be apportioned.
  • Where value of professional practice changes after separation due to efforts of owner, must allocate change between parties.