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Portfolio Valuation That Holds up To Every Audit

Independent, defensible fair-value measurements for private equity, venture, and family-office portfolios built to satisfy auditors, regulators, and the investors who read your reports.

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What Portfolio Valuation Actually Means?

Portfolio valuation is the exercise of assigning a defensible fair value to every holding a fund carries from listed equities to early-stage SAFEs so the total reported value reflects what a market participant would pay today, not what was paid at entry.

For private equity funds, venture funds, hedge funds, and family offices, this is not a once-a-year courtesy. Under fair-value accounting, the value of each position has to be re-measured on a recurring basis and disclosed to limited partners, auditors, and regulators. The harder the asset is to price a convertible note, a minority stake in a pre-revenue company, an illiquid structured product the more the valuation depends on judgment, method selection, and documentation that can survive scrutiny.

That is exactly where an independent appraiser earns its place. When the same team that manages the portfolio also marks it, conflicts of interest are unavoidable. A third-party valuation removes that tension and gives every stakeholder a number they can rely on.

Why ASC 820 Sets The Rules?

ASC 820 the FASB standard formally titled Fair Value Measurement defines how fair value must be determined and disclosed in U.S. financial statements. It establishes a single definition of fair value, a consistent framework for measuring it, and the disclosures that let readers understand how those figures were reached.

The standard sorts every input into a three-level hierarchy based on how observable it is. Level 1 inputs are the most reliable; Level 3 inputs lean heavily on the appraiser’s models and assumptions. A clean ASC 820 valuation is transparent about which level each holding falls into and why.

Level 1, 2, And 3 The Assets We Value

Portfolios rarely sit neatly in one tier. We measure across the full ASC 820 hierarchy, from screen-priced securities to the illiquid positions where most of the valuation work lives.

Hierarchy level
What it captures
Typical holdings
Level 1
Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets — the most observable inputs.
Listed equities, ETFs, government bonds.
Level 2
Inputs other than quoted prices that are still observable, directly or indirectly.
Corporate bonds, certain derivatives, some real-estate interests.
Level 3
Unobservable inputs driven by the appraiser's models and assumptions.
Private equity stakes, SAFEs, convertible notes, illiquid structured products.

Instruments Commonly Inside The Portfolios We Value

How We Arrive At Fair Value?

No single method fits every holding. We match the technique to the asset, the data available, and what a market participant would actually rely on.

Market Approach

Fair value is anchored to recent transactions and the pricing of comparable assets, reflecting what the market is paying right now.

Income Approach

We discount expected future cash flows to present value, weighing growth, risk, and an appropriate discount rate.

Cost Approach

Value is derived from the cost to acquire or reproduce the asset, adjusted for depreciation or obsolescence.

Backsolve

Using a recent financing as the anchor, we reverse-engineer the implied inputs so the model is consistent with an observed transaction.

Option Pricing (OPM)

Option Pricing and Binomial models allocate value across a layered capital structure, accounting for volatility and time.

Blended Judgment

For complex positions we weight multiple methods, documenting the rationale so the conclusion is reproducible on review.

Built For Funds That Answer To Investors

Private Equity Firms

Recurring marks on portfolio companies for LP reporting and audit support.

Family Offices

Independent fair-value across mixed holdings, free of internal conflict.

Venture Capital

Fair value for early-stage and growth positions, including SAFEs and notes.

Micro VC & Funds

Right-sized engagements for smaller funds with growing reporting needs.

Ready To Value Your Portfolio?

Get an independent, defensible valuation backed by clear analysis and documentation.

Organizations Entrusting Us With Excellence

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  Cadence  

Reporting On Your Schedule

We deliver valuation reports at the frequency your reporting calendar demands not on a rigid template.

  Governance  

Fund Valuation Policy

Many funds operate without a formal, written valuation policy a gap auditors increasingly flag. We help you draft one.

From First Call To Signed Report

A clear, documented path so you always know what we need and when the report lands.

01

Reach Out

Tell us your fund size, instrument types, whether FMV is already established, and any reporting deadline.

02

Scoping Call

We confirm objectives, timeline, and whether the work is for internal use or external audit.

03

Share Data

You provide the financials and documents for each holding; we flag anything missing early.

04

Analysis

We select and apply the right methods per asset, documenting assumptions as we go.

05

Delivery

You receive a comprehensive report: findings, methods, assumptions, and conclusions ready for audit.

Get Started

Ready To Value Your Portfolio The Right Way?

Portfolio valuation demands deep market knowledge, rigorous analysis, and clear documentation. Countsure’s valuation specialists deliver reliable fair-value assessments designed to meet the expectations of regulators, auditors, and investors.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    When the team managing a portfolio also marks it, the conflict of interest is structural and auditors and investors know it. An independent valuation removes that tension and produces a number every stakeholder can rely on, which is exactly what ASC 820 disclosures are meant to support.
    It depends on your reporting obligations and how active the portfolio is. Many funds require at least an annual valuation for audit and LP reporting, while actively managed portfolios often move to quarterly or monthly marks. We set the cadence to your calendar.
    Level 3 holdings private stakes, SAFEs, convertible notes, illiquid structured products have no observable market price, so fair value depends on models and assumptions. That is where method selection and clear documentation matter most, because the conclusion has to be defensible on review.
    Yes. Our work is prepared to ASC 820 standards with documentation auditors can test, and we routinely support engagements reviewed by both Big-4 and Tier-2 accounting firms.
    We do. A formal, written fund valuation policy is something auditors increasingly expect, and many funds don’t have one. We can draft a framework aligned to ASC 820 and market practice so your process is consistent and well governed.
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