As the business valuation niche has evolved, it has become more complex, and many valuation experts are beginning to specialize.

A survey of the AICPA Business Valuation and Forensic & Litigation Services Section shows the following breakdown of services:

Business valuation	65%
Litigation support	50
Forensics	25

 Following is a breakdown of sizes of firms with BV/FLS practices:

Sole practitioners	19%
5 or fewer	26
6 to 10	12
11 to 25	16
26 to 100	20
More than 100	06

Certification is available in business valuation from the following:

AICPA
American Society of Appraisers
Canadian Institute of Chartered Business Valuators
Institute of Business Appraisers
National Association of Certified Valuation Analysts

The AICPA offers a six-day course entitled “Business Valuation Essentials.” Visit www.aicpa.org/bvfls for information on the course and for resources, tools, and information about BV/FLS.

From Journal of Accountancy, September 2006. For the complete article, click on the following link: http://www.aicpa.org/pubs/jofa/sep2006/special.htm.