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Goodwill Valuation and Impairment

Goodwill can be found on the balance sheet of many companies whether it is a publically traded or a privately owned company. In simple terms, goodwill is the result of one company obtaining another. In accounting, goodwill is identified as an asset that has future economic benefits, which results from the acquisition of another company’s assets (FASB ASC 350-20-20). This account is shown on the balance sheet of the acquiring company. The excess of purchase price less the book value of the company represents goodwill. The purchase price is also known as the fair value. In other terms, book value is also known as carrying value, which is the book value minus any accumulated impairment amounts. If the acquiring company pays more than the carrying value, there is a premium. Premium is defined as the additional amount that is paid in excess of the ordinary price, similar to the idea of a premium bond. In order to provide consistent and comparable information about goodwill, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) has established Generally Accepted Accounting Standards (GAAP) that are used to measure and valuate the impairment of goodwill for companies operating their businesses in the US. Also the International Accounting Standards Board (ISAB) has established international standards known as IFRS. Both the FASB and the ISAB have created accounting standards to help companies determine the valuation and impairment of goodwill. Goodwill is classified as an asset, specifically in the intangibles section on the balance sheet. Intangible assets are assets that have no physical presence and cannot be touched. Goodwill is acquired through business combinations. Under GAAP standards, in a business combination, the acquiring company recognizes goodwill at the date of acquisition (FASB ASC 350-30-30-1). Generally the amount of

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