Smoothing the path to specialization.

• Position: Accredited in Business Valuation from American Institute of Certified Public Accountants

New avenues open for earning the AICPA's Accredited in Business Valuation (ABV) credential.

Business valuation continues to grow as an area of service provided by CPAs. In response to members' need to demonstrate their qualifications as providers in this competitive area, the AICPA has implemented the Multiple Entry Points System (MEPS) for awarding the Accredited in Business Valuation (ABV) credential. The MEPS is designed to create consistency in qualification and entry requirements among AICPA-supported specialty credentials and to make the credentials more accessible to a broader range of practitioners, some of whom might hold a credential from another accrediting organization.

The AICPA Business Valuation Subcommittee developed an MEPS proposal that would gain the approval of the National Accreditation Commission (NAC) while preserving the integrity and position of the ABV in the marketplace. The proposal has been approved by the NAC and applies to all candidates for the ABV credential beginning January 1, 2003. To obtain the ABV credential under the MEPS, a candidate must hold a valid CPA certificate and accumulate a total of 100 points. Points must be earned in three distinct areas:

Experience (25 points)

To meet the experience requirement, a candidate must demonstrate significant involvement in at least ten engagements or projects. The term project has been added to recognize that CPA valuators in industry generally do not produce written reports. The awarding of points for projects makes the credential more accessible to AICPA members in industry. A detailed explanation of what type of work qualifies for the experience requirement is included in the ABV Handbook, which can be downloaded from the AICPA Web site (www.aicpa.org/abvinfo).

Lifelong Learning (25 points)

To meet this requirement, a candidate must demonstrate attendance at continuing education courses, approved coursework or classroom training, conferences, etc. specifically in the valuation discipline. Points can also be earned by presenting at qualifying national or state conferences, or authoring books or articles on topics of valuation interest. Specific details on point accumulation are included in the ABV Handbook.

Examination (50 points)

Under the...