Eton delivers reliable, accurate, and audit-defensible valuations that ensures compliance with tax laws and minimizes tax liabilities.
Rest assured that you are protected at every step of the process and that your estate is in good hands.
Losing a loved one or a business partner is an incredibly challenging time, and dealing with the financial aspects of their estate can add additional stress.
When a business is part of the estate, determining its value for estate tax purposes is crucial.
An incorrect valuation can lead to additional taxes, fines imposed by the IRS, or legal disputes with tax authorities, prolonging the estate settlement process.
A professional business valuation provider like Eton can protect you from these risks.
Eton provides expert estate and gift tax valuation, ensuring our valuations adhere to IRS valuation guide parameters and recognized valuation discounts.
Our clients appreciate the depth with which we grasp their objectives, crafting tailored and rigorous valuation reports to support generational asset preservation strategies.
When you work with us, you’ll get accurate, timely valuations in as short as 10 days at reasonable prices.
While it’s rare, if the IRS audits the valuation, we stand by you throughout the entire process. Our senior staff, who often have prior experience working with auditors, will work with the IRS to ensure the audit is as seamless and stress-free as possible.
With a wealth of experience in diverse scenarios, our valuation experts deliver practical estate and gift tax valuations, offering in-depth, defensible quantitative and qualitative valuation reports that adhere to the requirements of IRC § 6501(c)(9).
Founded by securities lawyers from top law schools / law firms and staffed with finance professionals trained by the Big Four and other prominent financial services firms, Eton brings intellectual and quantitative rigor unmatched by others.
Every estate is unique. We take the time to understand your unique circumstances and use a combination of proven methods and proprietary tools to deliver data-driven valuations.
Every engagement is performed by our team of highly trained lawyers, accountants, and Chartered Financial Analysts, who will answer all your questions and guide you through every step of the process.
The team at Eton is fantastic! Those guys cut their teeth as securities lawyers at premier firms in Silicon Valley so no matter how complex a situation we have presented to them, they are quick on the uptake, and they quickly produce great work. Plus, I can talk to the founder of the firm by simply picking up the phone. Eton truly exceeds our expectations! 
Working with Eton has been a fantastic experience, and they have been a great partner of ours. The team provides us with well-priced services, delivers quickly and is very responsive to our requests and questions, whether those communications are from our board of directors, our outside counsel, or from our financial statement auditors. 
I cannot thank Eton enough for delivering our business enterprise valuation so quickly. We had initially hired a different firm, who didn’t make any progress in three months. Eton provided a thorough and accurate report in five business days. They were amazing to work with, and I will refer them to everyone I know. I am so thankful for Chris and the entire Eton team.
As a fast-growing startup, we needed a valuation partner that could keep up with our dynamic needs. Eton has exceeded our expectations in every way. Their unique combination of legal expertise and financial know-how has made navigating the valuation process a breeze. We couldn't be happier with their service and will continue to rely on them as our go-to valuation firm.
Eton has been supporting us at Joby for more than a decade as we've grown from being a small startup through to the company that we are today.
As a CFO, I know that accurate and reliable valuations are crucial to our company's success. Eton Venture Services has been an invaluable partner in this regard, providing robust and defensible valuation calculations, analyses, and reports. Their deep industry knowledge and ability to navigate complex situations have enabled us to make informed decisions with confidence. Their third-party objectivity and close collaboration with our team and advisors have resulted in fully-documented analyses that comply with relevant valuation standards, mitigating risk and achieving the best possible outcome. Eton sets the benchmark for valuation services, and I highly recommend them to any CFO in need of accurate and reliable valuations.
As a startup founder, I have found Eton Venture Services to be an essential partner in helping me navigate the complexities of valuation. Their team's expertise and deep industry knowledge have enabled them to provide me with clear and comprehensive analyses that are crucial in making informed decisions for my company's future. They work closely with my team and advisors to ensure that all relevant standards are met and that our valuations are defensible. Their emphasis on documentation has been invaluable in mitigating risk and achieving the best possible outcome. I highly recommend Eton Venture Services to any startup founder in need of accurate and reliable valuation services.
As an investor in early-stage technology companies, I know that proper valuation is critical for a company's success. Eton Venture Services has been an essential partner for the companies in which I invest, providing comprehensive and reliable valuations that comply with relevant standards. Their deep industry knowledge and ability to navigate complex situations have been instrumental in helping these companies make informed decisions with confidence. Their commitment to exceptional service and responsiveness to our specific needs have been invaluable in maintaining compliance, mitigating risk, and getting it done right. Eton sets the benchmark for valuation services, and I highly recommend them to any company / investor in need of expert and reliable valuation services. 
Eton Venture Services plays a critical role in our valuation projects, providing deep industry knowledge, expertise, and comprehensive analyses on an aggressive timeline while demonstrating an unwavering commitment to exceptional service and compliance. Their personalized approach and trustworthiness have made them an invaluable partner in maintaining compliance and allowing us to focus on our core business. We are also impressed by Eton's responsiveness to auditor requests, further demonstrating their dedication to client success. Eton's rigorous methodologies and industry knowledge have exceeded our expectations and instilled complete trust in their valuations, allowing us to focus on our core business with peace of mind. 
I have had the pleasure of working with Eton on multiple occasions, and their exceptional service never fails to impress me. The team's ability to provide accurate, thorough, and audit-defensible valuations under extreme time constraints has been vital for our company. Their dedication to understanding our unique business needs and providing tailored solutions sets them apart from other firms. Eton is our go-to choice for valuation services.
As a Controller, I understand the importance of accurate and reliable valuations for our company's success. Eton Venture Services has been an invaluable partner, providing us with robust, defensible, and reliable valuation calculations, analyses, and reports. Their deep industry knowledge and ability to navigate complex situations have been instrumental in helping us make informed decisions with confidence. Their third-party objectivity and close collaboration with our team have resulted in fully-documented analyses that comply with relevant valuation standards, mitigating risk and achieving the best possible outcome. I highly recommend Eton Venture Services to any company in need of accurate and reliable valuations.
As a founder / CEO dealing with complex tax compliance valuation matters, I turned to Eton Venture Services for guidance. They played a critical role in our valuation project, providing expertise, deep industry knowledge, and comprehensive analyses on an aggressive timeline. Eton's commitment to exceptional service, responsiveness, and compliance sets a new standard. Their trustworthiness and personalized approach made them an invaluable partner in making sure that we comply with tax law. I highly recommend Eton Venture Services to any founder seeking accurate, reliable, and trustworthy valuations.
Chris and the Eton team are great to work with. They are responsive, thorough, and have deep industry knowledge. Our valuation report was completed on time, and I received status updates throughout the process. As a second time founder, I have worked with several valuation firms in the past - Eton Venture Services has been the best without a doubt.
Eton Venture Services has been a trusted partner for our company's valuation needs. Their deep industry knowledge, expertise, and comprehensive analyses have been instrumental in helping us make informed decisions with confidence. Eton has consistently demonstrated their dedication to client success since day one of our partnership. Their rigorous methodologies and industry knowledge have exceeded our expectations and instilled trust in their valuations, allowing us to focus on our core business. I look forward to our partnership and working with them on future valuation needs.
As a Founder and CEO, it's important to have a reliable partner for our company's valuation needs. Eton Venture Services has been just that, letting us make informed decisions with confidence. Their excellent service and responsiveness have been crucial in maintaining compliance and mitigating risk, and their emphasis on documentation has helped achieve strong outcomes. I would recommend Eton Venture Services to any CEO in need of accurate and reliable valuations.
Eton Venture Services has been a game-changer for our company. Their team's ability to efficiently handle complex financial situations with ease and professionalism is unmatched. I've had the pleasure of working with Eton on multiple valuations, and I can confidently say that their dedication to providing top-quality service is unparalleled. We'll never look elsewhere for our valuation needs!
As the Interim CFO of Definitive Intelligence, a Web3-focused company, I required top-notch, independent valuation services and immediately turned to Eton for their unparalleled service and expertise. I have worked with Eton on several other companies, including Notion, Preset, and Convex, across various valuation needs at different companies and have consistently been amazed by their meticulous approach, swift delivery, and cost-effective solutions for all projects. Eton has always gone above and beyond, offering a unique combination of valuation expertise, legal insight, experience liaising with the C-suites and boards of directors, and seamless collaboration with us on any post-valuation questions. The unparalleled level of comprehensiveness, precision, and reliability in their valuation and advisory services sets them apart from the competition.
When someone who owns a business passes away, the government needs to know how much that business is worth to calculate the estate tax.
Estate tax is a tax on the value of the deceased person’s estate (all the money and property they owned) before it’s passed on to their heirs.
Business valuation for estate tax purposes is the process of determining the fair market value of a business owned by the deceased. This is done to ensure that the estate pays the correct amount of tax based on the actual value of the business.
You need this business valuation for:
It’s important that this valuation is accurate to avoid:
This is why we recommend working with a professional business valuation provider like Eton to protect against these risks.
At Eton, this is our process for valuing a business for estate tax purposes:
Step 1. Information Collection
First, we’ll have a conversation to understand your needs and the specifics of the business.
We’ll tell you exactly what documents we need from you to get started, such as financial statements and details about the business’s assets.
Once you’ve provided these documents, we’ll review them within one day. At this stage, every valuation is assigned a dedicated manager and analyst to ensure accuracy and efficiency.
Step 2. Valuation Modelling and Analysis
We then use our extensive databases and expert analysis skills to draft your business valuation.
This involves detailed financial analysis, market comparisons, asset valuation, and earnings evaluation.
Step 3. Draft Reports Delivered
On day 6 or 7, we’ll send you a draft report that includes the calculation data, methods used, assumptions made, and our conclusions.
This comprehensive exhibit will provide a clear understanding of how we arrived at the business’s value.
Step 4. Client Review and Approval
Next, we’ll invite you to review the draft during a call. Most of our clients (85%) finalize the valuation on the first draft.
If any changes are needed, we’ll make those adjustments within one day and send the revised draft back to you, aiming to finalize everything in two days.
Step 5. IRS Support
While it’s rare, if the IRS audits the valuation, we stand by you throughout the entire process.
Our senior staff, who often have prior experience working with auditors, will work with the IRS to ensure the audit is as seamless and stress-free as possible.
Rest assured, our valuations have a strong track record of withstanding audits.
If you’d like to work with us, please get in touch with me here.
Eton’s valuations typically take ten days but can be expedited should you need it.
We start with a consultation with you and collect all the files and data we need. Then our expert valuation and modeling team works to prepare a draft report detailing your gift & estate tax valuation.
The final step is you’ll review the report, where there’ll be an opportunity to discuss your valuation. We’ll then make the needed changes and finalize it.
The total process takes a maximum of 10 days.
Estate tax valuations vary in cost depending on the speed and complexity of your assets. Please reach out to us for a free consultation to discuss costs.
The alternate valuation for estate tax purposes is an option that allows the estate to be valued at a date six months after the decedent’s death, instead of the date of death. This can only be used if it results in a lower estate value and, consequently, a lower estate tax liability.
If a business’s value drops significantly in the months following the owner’s death due to market conditions, using the alternate valuation date can reduce the estate’s overall tax liability.
