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Requirements for the ABV Credential
1. Be a member in good standing of the AICPA.
2. Hold a valid and unrevoked CPA certificate or license issued by a legally constituted state authority.
3. Pass a comprehensive Business Valuation Examination (see section titled "The ABV Examination" for new information about this requirement).
The following requirements must be completed before the ABV certificate is awarded but may be completed at any time within 24 months of passing the AICPA ABV Examination.
4. Business Experience Requirements (minimum of 15 points—maximum of 35 points). Provide evidence of Business Experience (BE) of six (6) business valuation engagements/projects or one hundred and fifty (150) hours that demonstrate substantial experience and competence. If experience is documented in engagements, each engagement is valued at two and half (2.5) points. Alternatively, business experience can be documented in valuation hours of which every fifty (50) hours is equal to five (5) points. A minimum of fifteen (15) points or maximum of thirty-five (35) points are required to successfully meet this requirement. Substantial experience required must be obtained during a valuation engagement/project which is defined as: "Sufficient research and analysis to arrive at a conclusion or estimate of value, of an entity, instrument or economic benefit, requiring a documented conclusion."
In order to obtain what is to be considered substantial experience, the candidate must be able to document sufficient experience in the following aspects of valuation science:
· Defining the engagement/project objectives
· Planning the specific procedures appropriate to the engagement/project
· Developing a basis for a conclusion
· Documenting a conclusion
5. Life Long Learning (LLL) Requirements (minimum of 15 points—maximum of 35 points). Earn a minimum of fifteen (15) or a maximum of thirty-five (35) points of Life Long Learning (LLL) related to the business valuation body of knowledge. A candidate will receive one (1) point for every three (3) qualifying hours.
Continuing professional education credit (CPE), approved courses at accredited universities or colleges, other continuing education courses or attendance at trade conferences are eligible for the maximum credit of 105 hours.
Continuing Professional Education. Credit will be given for formal CPE programs of learning in self-study or group study format relevant to the ABV body of knowledge.
Approved Courses at an Accredited University or College. For university or college courses taken in topics relevant to the ABV body of knowledge, each unit of credit shall equal the following hours:
· Semester system: 15 hours (5 points)
· Quarter system: 10 hours (2 points)
For example, an individual that takes a course at a university for 3 semester credits would receive 45 hours (15 points) and a course that is worth 3 quarter credits would receive 30 hours (10 points).
Other Continuing Education Courses. Credit for hours will be given for other continuing education classes not qualifying for CPE in topics relevant to the ABV body of knowledge.
Trade Association Conferences. Credit is earned for attending sessions in topics relevant to the ABV body of knowledge at trade association conferences (conferences for which CPE is not given).
Presenting/lecturing of topics related to the BV body of knowledge is subject to a maximum allowed of 45 hours (15 points). Authoring of articles/publications in topics related to the BV body of knowledge is subject to a maximum allowed of 30 hours (10 points).
Instructors receive credit for both preparation and presentation of CPE courses and technical papers in topics relevant to the body of knowledge. Under CPE guidelines, preparation time up to two times the number of presentation hours, plus presentation time for the first time a course is presented, is allowed. For repeat presentations, instructors receive no credit unless they can demonstrate that the program content involved was substantially changed and that such change required significant additional study or research.
Writers of published articles, books, or CPE programs in topics relevant to the body of knowledge will be given credit for their research and writing time if this time increases professional competence. Under CPE guidelines, credit for writers is measured in contact hours. For a writer to receive credit, the article, book, or CPE program must be formally reviewed and published by a publisher not under control of the writer.
- Pay an application fee of $550.
Download the ABV exam application now (if you have not taken the exam or do not hold an ASA certification)
Download the ABV credential application now (if you have taken the exam or do currently hold an ASA certification)
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