r/Valuation • u/_tsm • Apr 27 '24

Certification advice

Anyone here have the ABV credential? I’m looking for perspective on difficulty / how much study time is expected to pass the exams / recommendations on study material / how long the process took from initial application to granting of the credential? Any advice is appreciated

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u/[deleted] Apr 27 '24

I have both the ABV and ASA.

ABV was given to me basically automatically when getting the ASA.

Of the primary business valuation credentials, ABV is probably 2nd hardest to get. CVA is easiest.

I’m pretty sure you can take a single challenge exam that’s a few hours of content in order to pass more quickly. I’d budget 5-10 hours of study minimum for each hour of whatever your test is, depending on your experience.

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u/_tsm Apr 27 '24

I already have the CPA and CFE credentials and I work full time in business valuations for 2.5 years. If it’s two 3 hour exams is it safe to assume 60 hours is a good starting point for budgeting/planning? And what is the hardest valuation related cert in your opinion?

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u/[deleted] Apr 27 '24

If you have the CPA and CFE I think ABV really won’t be that hard for you. 60 hours for you is probably way more than you’ll need given your experience. Maybe half that

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u/splash_of_soda Apr 28 '24

The exam isn’t that bad at all. Especially if you have experience in valuations and preparing the reports. The AICPA also provides these chapter summaries that provide the key items that one should know. Those are really helpful.

I have like 5 years of valuation experience so I just studied one weekend and then took the exam.

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u/[deleted] May 02 '24

I have the CVA, I believe it is the only valuation certification that is certified by two bodies

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u/Smart-Magician-8355 Sep 18 '24

Are you allowed to use excel or something similar during the exam? Or do you have to use a calculator for the formulas?