Entrepreneurs have a wide variety of investments and their company is often their greatest asset. To assess combined personal and business net worth, determine the saleable value of your business.

Factors Affecting Value
The value of a business depends on:

• personal ownership and/or public capitalization
• its real income-generating value
• industry norms
• the cyclic or seasonal nature of the business
• general economic conditions affecting that business sector
• impending lawsuits

The lowest price would be equivalent to quickly selling the assets and shutting down. Here are other circumstances to consider:

Current Trends: Businesses are often assessed with their future potential in mind. Trends can affect demand and therefore value.

Private Versus Listed Companies: Listed companies usually bring a higher price. Trading on the stock market, they offer the potential for investors to buy if the demand is established. And when investors buy, usually the price escalates.

Professional Help: Consider hiring an accounting firm, a business valuator or a business broker who will appraise your company objectively. Once you have a realistic valuation, you will know how your business assets might impact your personal financial planning. You may want to focus on eliminating product lines or services that lose money or hurt the image of your company.

Size of Ownership Interest: Share values of majority interests in private companies are generally higher than those of minority interests. Similarly, share values of large blocks of shares of public companies are usually higher than prices quoted on the stock exchange.