Engaged to value a Southern California financial advisory practice supporting a multi-year management buyout structure. Our valuation served as the basis for SBA loan negotiation with the lender, supporting both the purchase price and the financing structure ultimately approved.
- Pillar 01 / Certified Business Valuation
Certified Business Valuation & Appraisal Services
Right-sized valuations for owners, advisors, and lenders across Southern California and nationwide. CVA-credentialed. AICPA SSVS No. 1 compliant. Scoped to your scenario — not oversold.
- CVA · NACVA Credentialed
- AICPA SSVS No. 1 Compliant
- San Diego · Orange · LA · Riverside
- National Engagement Capability
- $500K – $50M Revenue Specialization
- In Plain English
What Is a Certified Business Valuation?
A certified business valuation is a formal opinion of value for a privately held business, issued by a credentialed analyst working under recognized professional standards. At TC Advisors, every valuation is performed by a Certified Valuation Analyst (CVA) in compliance with AICPA Statement on Standards for Valuation Services No. 1 (SSVS No. 1) and NACVA Professional Standards. The right type of report depends on why you need it — financial planning, partner buyout, IRS filing, SBA loan, litigation, or sale — and we scope each engagement to the lowest-cost report type that will hold up for its intended use.
Three report types. One principle: don't pay for more than you need.
Preliminary Valuation
Internal planning. 2–3 week turnaround.
Calculation of Value
Defined scope, agreed methodology. 3–4 week turnaround.
Detailed Conclusion of Value
Full scope, defensible for IRS, court, SBA. 4–8 week turnaround.
- The Thesis
A Valuation Is a Diagnostic, Not a Deliverable
Most certified valuation firms hand you a PDF and disappear. We treat the valuation as the start of the relationship — the moment you finally see what your business is worth, where the value comes from, and what’s holding it back.
That diagnostic is the foundation for everything else owners actually need: a roadmap to grow enterprise value, a credible exit plan, and ultimately a transaction executed on your terms. Our four service lines — Valuation, Value Growth Consulting, Exit Planning, and M&A Advisory — are designed as a continuum. You can engage us for any one of them. Most owners eventually engage us for more than one.
This matters at the valuation stage because a CVA who only does valuations writes the report and moves on. A CVA who lives in growth and exit work understands what the number is for. We write reports that account for where you’re going, not just where you are.
If you only need the number, we’ll deliver the number. If you need what comes next, we’re built for that too.
Grow your value
Plan your exit
Sell your business
- Scenario Routing
When Do You Need a Certified
Business Valuation?
The right valuation depends on what triggered the need. Below are the scenarios we handle most often — each links to a dedicated page with the regulatory context, required methodology, and our process for that specific situation.
Transaction-Driven Valuations
Scenario 01
Estate & Gift Tax Business Valuations
Defensible business valuations for Form 706, Form 709, trust funding, and equitable estate distribution. Built to the Adequate Disclosure standard under Treas. Reg. § 301.6501(c)-1.
Scenario 02
Partner Buyout & Buy-Sell Agreement Valuations
Joint engagements for partner buyouts and buy-sell triggering events — including the drafting input, periodic refresh, and triggering-event execution that prevents future disputes.
Scenario 03
Business Succession Valuations
Certified valuations for ownership transitions — family transfers, management buyouts, ESOPs, FLPs, and IDGTs. CVA + CEPA pairing produces reports that withstand IRS scrutiny and connect to a real transition strategy.
Scenario 04
SBA & Acquisition Business Valuations
Independent CVA valuations for buyers using SBA 7(a) financing. Commissioned before the lender’s process — so you negotiate from evidence, structure your equity injection correctly, and avoid the deal-killing late-stage surprise.
Planning & Compliance Valuations
Healthcare Practice Acquisitions (Stark / Anti-Kickback)
Comming soon
California Liquor License Transfer Valuations
Comming soon
Charitable Contribution & DAF Valuations
Comming soon
Investor Visa Valuations (E-2 / L-1A cross-border)
Comming soon
Strategic & Informational Valuations
Pre-Sale Readiness Valuations
For owners considering a sale in the next 1–3 years who need to know the current number and what would move it.
Annual Owner Value Tracking
For owners who want a recurring snapshot of enterprise value as part of their financial planning and exit preparation.
Litigation Support Valuations
Commercial disputes, shareholder oppression. Note: we do not perform divorce valuations.
- Engagement Process
How a TC Advisors Valuation
Engagement Works
01
Scoping Consultation (Complimentary)
We talk through your situation, the trigger for the valuation, who will rely on the report, and what level of defensibility you need. This determines whether you need a Preliminary Valuation, Calculation of Value, or Detailed Conclusion of Value.
02
Engagement & Information Request
Engagement letter executed. We send a tailored document request list — financials, tax returns, customer concentration data, and scenario-specific items (buy-sell agreements, SBA lender requirements, ABC documentation, etc.).
03
Analysis & On-Site Management Interview
We perform the valuation analysis using income, market, and asset approaches as applicable. For Detailed Conclusion of Value engagements, we conduct an on-site management interview at your business location. For Preliminary and Calculation engagements, this is handled remotely.
04
Draft Review
We deliver a draft to you (and, where appropriate, your attorney or CPA) for review of factual assumptions before finalizing. This catches errors before the report goes to a third party.
05
Final Report & Debrief
Final report delivered. We walk you through the conclusions, the value drivers we identified, and — if relevant — what would move the number over the next 1–3 years.
For most engagements, the work between Step 2 and Step 5 takes 2–8 weeks depending on report type. Timelines confirmed in the engagement letter, not estimated after the fact.
- Choosing the Right Report
Choosing the Right Report Type
The biggest cost driver in a business valuation isn’t the size of the business — it’s the type of report. Many firms default to the most expensive report regardless of what the engagement actually requires. We scope to the lowest-cost report that will hold up for its intended use. Here’s how the three types compare.
Not sure which you need? That's what the scoping consultation is for. We won't sell you the higher-tier report unless your scenario requires it.
- Industries
Industries We Specialize In
We work across most privately held industries in the $500K–$50M revenue range. Our deepest expertise sits in four sectors where industry-specific knowledge meaningfully affects the valuation conclusion.
Healthcare Services
Physician practices, home health & hospice, med spas, healthcare staffing, cosmetic health. Regulatory overlay (Stark Law, Anti-Kickback) and payer-mix risk drive valuation conclusions in this sector.
Trades
HVAC, plumbing, electrical, roofing, pest control, construction, engineering. Owner dependency, recurring revenue mix, and crew retention are the value drivers that move multiples.
Home & Personal Services
Cleaning, janitorial, landscaping, staffing, window and power washing. High-turnover labor models require specific normalization adjustments.
Professional Services
CPA firms, law firms, financial advisory firms, consulting firms. Book transferability and partner-track structure are the central valuation questions.
Don’t see your industry? We’ve valued businesses across many sectors. Schedule a consultation to discuss your specific situation.
- Credentials & Standards
Why Credentials and Standards Matter
Anyone can call themselves a “business valuation expert.” Few are credentialed to perform valuations that will survive IRS review, court testimony, or SBA underwriting. The difference shows up the moment your report is reviewed by someone who knows what to look for.
TC Advisors valuations are performed by a Valu Certified Valuation Analyst (CVA), the credential issued by the National Association of Certified Valuators and Analysts (NACVA). Every engagement is conducted in compliance with two standards bodies: AICPA Statement on Standards for Valuation Services No. 1 (SSVS No. 1) — the dominant standard used by reviewers, opposing experts, and IRS engineers — and NACVA Professional Standards, which govern CVA practitioners specifically. Reports cite both.
This matters because most challenges to a business valuation don’t focus on the conclusion — they focus on whether the analyst followed defensible methodology. A report that cites recognized standards, documents its assumptions, and reconciles its conclusions across approaches is hard to attack. A report that doesn’t is easy to dismiss.
- Case Examples
Representative Engagements
Anonymized examples of recent valuation work. Specific details modified to protect client confidentiality.
Case 01 · $5M Home Care Agency
$2.5M Revenue Financial Advisory Practice — Management Buyout
Case 02 · Healthcare Services · Sell-Side
$5M Revenue Healthcare Services Business — Strategic Sale
Engaged on the sell-side to value a healthcare services business in support of LOI negotiation with a strategic buyer. The valuation provided the analytical foundation for negotiating purchase price, deal terms, and earnout structure, with the engagement concluding in a 100% acquisition on terms favorable to the seller.
Additional case examples available on request during your consultation.
- Service Area
Where We Work
TC Advisors is headquartered in Southern California, serving business owners across Valu San Diego, Orange, Los Angeles, and Riverside Counties. For Detailed Conclusion of Value engagements, we conduct on-site management interviews at your business location anywhere in these four counties.
We also accept national engagements. For clients outside Southern California, we perform on-site management interviews via travel or, where appropriate for the report type, conduct interviews remotely. Engagement scope, timeline, and fee structure are confirmed before work begins.
- Encinitas Office · HQ
- For Referral Partners
For CPAs, Attorneys, and Advisors
If you’re a CPA, attorney, financial advisor, wealth manager, business broker, or fractional CFO with a client who needs a certified valuation, we work as an extension of your practice. Our reports are written to be reviewed — by IRS engineers, SBA underwriters, opposing counsel, judges, and your client’s other advisors — and we structure engagements so that referring professionals stay in the loop without administrative burden.
We do not solicit your clients for other services without your explicit introduction. Our four-service-line model (Valuation, Value Growth, Exit Planning, M&A) means we can also serve as a long-term advisory resource for clients who eventually need more than a valuation — but that path always runs through you.
If you have a client who needs a valuation, the fastest path is a quick call to scope the engagement together.
- FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions.
Common questions about cost, timeline, defensibility, and which report type is right for your situation.
How much does a certified business valuation cost?
Fees depend on report type, business complexity, industry, and intended use. We scope every engagement during a complimentary consultation and confirm fees in the engagement letter before work begins. We do not publish fee ranges because scoping accurately requires understanding your specific scenario — but we will not propose a higher-tier report than your situation requires.
How long does a business valuation take?
Preliminary Valuations take 2–3 weeks. Calculation of Value engagements take 3–4 weeks. Detailed Conclusion of Value engagements take 4–8 weeks. Timelines are confirmed in the engagement letter and depend on how quickly we receive complete information.
What's the difference between a Calculation of Value and a Conclusion of Value?
A Calculation of Value uses procedures and methodology agreed between the analyst and the client — it’s appropriate when scope can be limited (some internal buyouts, succession planning, early-stage exit discussions). A Conclusion of Value applies all procedures the analyst deems necessary under AICPA SSVS No. 1 and is required for engagements where the report will be relied upon by third parties — IRS, courts, SBA lenders, opposing counsel.
Do I need a CVA, or can my CPA do the valuation?
Most CPAs are not credentialed to perform certified business valuations. Valuation work in this range requires a credentialed valuator holding a recognized business valuation designation — the Certified Valuation Analyst (CVA) issued by NACVA is the credential I hold and the standard I recommend looking for. If your CPA does not hold the CVA or an equivalent recognized valuation credential, they should not be performing the valuation — particularly for any engagement with third-party reliance.
Is your valuation defensible if challenged by the IRS or in court?
Detailed Conclusion of Value reports performed under AICPA SSVS No. 1 are written to be defensible for their intended use, including IRS review and court testimony. Calculation of Value reports are scope-limited and not intended for third-party reliance. Preliminary Valuations are for internal use only. We discuss defensibility requirements during scoping and recommend the appropriate report type for your situation.
Do you serve clients outside Southern California?
Yes. We accept national engagements. For Detailed Conclusion of Value engagements outside our four-county Southern California region (San Diego, Orange, Los Angeles, Riverside), we conduct on-site management interviews via travel. Other report types can be conducted remotely.
What information do I need to provide to start a valuation?
At minimum: 3–5 years of business tax returns, 3–5 years of financial statements (P&L and balance sheet), current year-to-date financials, and a brief description of the business and the reason for the valuation. After engagement, we send a tailored document request list specific to your scenario and report type.
Will you also help me grow value or sell my business after the valuation?
Yes, but only if you want us to. The valuation is a standalone engagement. Many of our clients then engage us for value growth consulting, exit planning, or M&A advisory — but there’s no expectation, and we don’t bundle services. You hire us for what you need, when you need it.
- About Your Analyst
About Your Valuation Analyst
Brandon Bay, CVA
Brandon Bay is a Certified Valuation Analyst credentialed through the National Association of Certified Valuators and Analysts (NACVA). He leads TC Advisors, a Southern California firm providing certified business valuations, value growth consulting, exit planning, and M&A advisory services to business owners in the $500K–$50M revenue range.
Certified Valuation Analyst (CVA) — NACVA
Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA) — Exit Planning Institute
Bachelor of Science — Tufts University, 2017
- Complimentary Scoping Consultation
Schedule a Complimentary
Scoping Consultation.
30 minutes. No cost. We’ll discuss your situation, the type of report your scenario requires, and an honest estimate of fees and timeline.