Does ASCAP perform estate or copyright valuations?
A valuation of the estate or copyrights may be required by the Internal Revenue Service to determine estate taxes due. ASCAP does not perform this service. We can, however, provide assistance in the form of a royalty history for the membership. It is our understanding that the IRS looks at royalty earnings for several years and then, in consideration of various factors, multiplies that total by some predetermined figure to determine the value of the copyrights. You might wish to engage an expert to assist you in determining the appropriate multiple. Generally, the appraiser is likely to look at the income-producing history of the copyright, or, where available, the value that the marketplace has put on the copyright or similar copyrights. Having some idea of the value of your copyrights will make evaluating your estate planning options easier, and will also enable you to predict any Gift or Estate Taxes that may be imposed upon them.
