Forensic Accountant in Palm Beach Gardens, FL

Quick Answer

Joey Friedman, CPA, P.A. provides forensic accounting and business valuation services to Palm Beach Gardens, Florida attorneys and parties from a practice office in Pembroke Pines, Broward County (1 SW 129th Ave STE 408 A, Pembroke Pines, FL 33027), serving Palm Beach County and the 15th Judicial Circuit. The work is performed by the firm’s President, Joey N. Friedman, CPA, ABV, M.Acc, MIB, a Florida-licensed CPA Accredited in Business Valuation (ABV) by the AICPA since 2008. The firm applies Florida statute-specific methodology to divorce equitable distribution (§61.075), alimony income reconstruction (§61.08), shareholder oppression and statutory fair-value buyouts (§607.1436), commercial litigation damages, and fraud investigation — work structured to be defensible at trial under Florida’s Daubert standard (§90.702). Palm Beach Gardens’ affluent, executive, and medical/life-sciences professional base, together with its large active-adult population, makes executive and equity-compensation analysis, medical and professional-practice valuation, and estate and trust disputes especially common locally. The firm serves Florida statewide, the United States nationwide, and international matters (active engagements include Canada and Iceland). Engagement cost is scoped to the specific matter and documented in the engagement letter. Direct: 954-282-9615.

Key Takeaways

  • Palm Beach Gardens is one of Florida’s most affluent communities (median household income in the 97th percentile, with the largest household share above $200k) — meaning complex, high-value marital estates, executive compensation, and significant family wealth.
  • An executive, corporate, and life-sciences/medical professional base generates equity-compensation and professional-practice valuation work — stock options, restricted stock, deferred compensation, and medical or dental practice interests.
  • A large active-adult population (about 31% are 65+) means estate, trust, and fiduciary disputes are common — valuation, accounting analysis, and exploitation tracing.
  • Palm Beach County’s 15th Judicial Circuit handles the divorce, commercial, probate, and guardianship litigation that frequently requires forensic CPA expertise; the firm serves the circuit from its Broward County office.
  • Florida statutes govern the analysis — §61.075 (equitable distribution), §61.075(6) (passive vs. active appreciation), §61.08 (alimony), §61.30 (child support), §61.16 (attorney/expert fees), §607.1436 with §607.1301(5)(c) (statutory fair value), §726.105–110 (UVTA fraudulent transfer), §90.702 (Daubert, adopted by the Florida Supreme Court effective May 2019).
  • Engagement cost depends on the records universe, number of entities, timeline urgency, and whether expert testimony is required — not on any single rate. The Florida market runs from roughly $3,500 for a focused single-issue analysis to $100,000+ for complex multi-entity litigation, at an average Florida forensic billing rate near $400/hour; each engagement is scoped against the specific matter and documented in the engagement letter.

Forensic Accounting and Business Valuation in Palm Beach Gardens

Palm Beach Gardens concentrates affluence, executive compensation, professional practices, and family wealth. The firm’s ABV credential and Florida Daubert-defensible methodology apply across high-net-worth divorce, professional-practice and business valuation, and estate and trust matters.

Executive and Equity-Compensation Analysis in Divorce

When a Palm Beach Gardens divorce involves a corporate executive or highly-compensated professional, reported salary is often only part of the picture. The firm analyzes and values complex compensation for equitable distribution under §61.075, including:

  • Stock options and restricted stock units (RSUs) — valuing the awards and applying coverture and time-rule allocations (often using vesting and grant-date analysis) to separate the marital from the non-marital portion.
  • Deferred compensation and nonqualified plans — quantifying present value and marital vs. non-marital shares.
  • Carried interest, profits interests, and partnership distributions for finance and professional-services executives.
  • Income reconstruction under §61.08 that captures bonus, equity-realization, and distribution income, not just base salary, for alimony and support.

Medical, Dental, and Professional-Practice Valuation

Palm Beach Gardens’ medical, dental, and life-sciences professionals frequently own practice interests. The firm values these practices under AICPA Statement on Standards for Valuation Services No. 1 (SSVS 1), addressing owner-compensation normalization, accounts receivable and work-in-progress, buy-sell provisions, and the enterprise-vs-personal goodwill distinction central to Florida divorce and partner-separation matters.

High-Net-Worth Asset Tracing and Lifestyle Analysis

Affluent marital estates involve multi-entity holdings, trusts, and investment portfolios. The firm performs marital vs. non-marital classification under §61.075(6), lifestyle and source-and-application-of-funds analysis, and hidden-asset discovery and tracing across bank, brokerage, business, and trust records.

Estate, Trust, and Fiduciary Disputes

With a large active-adult population, Palm Beach Gardens sees frequent disputes over estates and trusts. The firm supports beneficiaries, fiduciaries, and counsel with estate and gift valuations (IRS Rev. Rul. 59-60 plus Florida factors), accounting reconstructions and distribution analyses, financial-exploitation tracing, and analysis of guardian or trustee accountings under §744.367 and §744.3678.

Business Valuation and Commercial Damages

The firm also prepares statutory fair value valuations under §607.1436 — when a shareholder petitions for judicial dissolution (for example, for oppression under §607.1430) and the company or remaining shareholders elect to buy out the petitioner, the price is “fair value,” which Florida defines under §607.1301(5)(c) to exclude minority and marketability discounts — plus partnership and LLC buyouts and commercial damages valuations in 15th-Circuit litigation.

Expert Witness Testimony Under Florida’s Daubert Standard

Florida applies the Daubert standard to expert testimony (§90.702), adopted by the Florida Supreme Court effective May 2019. The firm’s reports satisfy Daubert’s reliability requirements through replicable methodology, peer-tested techniques (AICPA SSVS 1 / SSFS 1; IRS Rev. Rul. 59-60, 68-609, 77-287, 83-120, 93-12), primary-source documentation, and transparent statements of limitation. Engagements are accepted through deposition and trial in the 15th Judicial Circuit (Palm Beach), the federal Southern District of Florida, and AAA arbitration.

Common Palm Beach Gardens Engagement Patterns

Pattern 1: Executive Divorce with Equity Compensation

A Palm Beach Gardens corporate executive divorces, holding stock options, RSUs, and deferred compensation. The firm values the awards, applies coverture/time-rule allocations to split marital from non-marital, reconstructs total income for alimony under §61.08, and testifies at deposition and trial.

Pattern 2: Medical or Dental Practice Valuation in Divorce

A spouse owns a medical or dental practice. The firm values the practice under SSVS 1, normalizes owner compensation, analyzes the enterprise-vs-personal goodwill question, and supports equitable distribution and testimony.

Pattern 3: Estate or Trust Accounting Dispute

Beneficiaries challenge a fiduciary’s accounting in a Palm Beach Gardens estate or trust. The firm reconstructs transactions, tests distributions against §744.3678 and fiduciary standards, and testifies if litigated.

Pattern 4: Shareholder Oppression Buyout

A minority shareholder petitions for judicial dissolution for oppression; the company elects to purchase the shares under §607.1436. The firm calculates statutory fair value — excluding minority and marketability discounts per §607.1301(5)(c) — and supports it through expert report and testimony.

Palm Beach Gardens and the Surrounding Palm Beach County Service Area

The firm serves Palm Beach Gardens and the surrounding Palm Beach County communities, including Jupiter, North Palm Beach, Juno Beach, West Palm Beach, Wellington, and Palm Beach County areas throughout the 15th Judicial Circuit. The firm’s practice office is in Broward County; Palm Beach County engagements are served from that nearby base, and the firm coordinates in-person meetings and 15th-Circuit courthouse appearances as the matter requires. The firm also works Florida statewide, US nationwide, and internationally.

Credentials and Service Approach

Joey N. Friedman, CPA, ABV, M.Acc, MIB — Florida-licensed CPA since 2006, Accredited in Business Valuation (ABV) by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) since 2008, with Master of Accountancy and Master of International Business academic credentials and active membership in the AICPA and the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE). Experience includes 100+ litigation engagements; $250M–$500M+ in total business and asset value assessed; and testimony across multiple Florida Judicial Circuits, two US Federal District Courts, and international matters. All engagements are provided by the firm, Joey Friedman, CPA, P.A., through its President.

Engagement onboarding typically includes: (1) an initial consultation with the engaging attorney or client to scope the matter; (2) a conflict-of-interest check; (3) an engagement letter documenting scope, billing structure, anticipated work product, and timeline; (4) a records-collection and subpoena-strategy plan; (5) phased work execution with status updates; (6) production of a Daubert-defensible expert report; and (7) testimony preparation if the engagement extends through deposition and trial.

Florida Statutes Applied in Palm Beach Gardens Engagements

Divorce / Family Law: §61.075 (equitable distribution), §61.075(6) (passive vs. active appreciation), §61.08 (alimony), §61.13 (financial affidavit), §61.16 (attorney/expert fees), §61.30 (child support guidelines).

Corporate / Shareholder: §607.1430 (judicial-dissolution / oppression grounds), §607.1436 (election to purchase in lieu of dissolution, at fair value), §607.1301(5)(c) (fair value defined — excludes minority and marketability discounts).

Fraudulent Transfer: §726.102–110 (Florida UVTA), including §726.105(1)(a) actual-intent fraud, §726.105(1)(b) constructive fraud, §726.108 creditor remedies, and §726.110 limitations.

Probate / Guardianship: §744.367 (annual report duty), §744.3678 (annual accounting).

Evidence: §90.702 (Florida Daubert standard, adopted by the Florida Supreme Court effective May 2019).

Frequently Asked Questions — Forensic Accounting in Palm Beach Gardens

Is the firm located in Palm Beach Gardens?

The firm’s practice office is in Pembroke Pines, Broward County, and serves Palm Beach County and the 15th Judicial Circuit, including Palm Beach Gardens. The firm coordinates in-person meetings and 15th-Circuit courthouse appearances as a matter requires, and accepts engagements requiring expert testimony at deposition and trial in the 15th Circuit and the federal Southern District of Florida.

My Palm Beach Gardens divorce involves stock options and RSUs. How are they handled?

The firm values the awards and applies coverture/time-rule allocations — using grant, vesting, and service-period analysis — to separate the marital from the non-marital portion for equitable distribution, and captures equity-realization income for alimony under §61.08.

My spouse owns a medical or dental practice. Can the firm value it?

Yes. The firm values medical, dental, and professional practices under AICPA SSVS 1, addressing owner-compensation normalization, receivables and work-in-progress, buy-sell terms, and the enterprise-vs-personal goodwill distinction that materially affects the marital estate.

There’s a dispute over a family estate or trust. Can the firm help?

Yes. The firm reconstructs transactions, tests distributions and a fiduciary’s accounting against §744.3678 and fiduciary standards, values estate and trust assets (IRS Rev. Rul. 59-60 plus Florida factors), and traces suspected financial exploitation.

What credentials should I look for in a Palm Beach Gardens forensic accountant?

A Certified Public Accountant (CPA) with active Florida licensure, Accredited in Business Valuation (ABV) from the AICPA, demonstrated forensic accounting experience, and prior expert-witness testimony experience.

How does the firm’s work integrate with mediation?

The expert report and supporting analysis become discoverable material that informs mediation. Many high-net-worth Palm Beach cases settle at mediation because the forensic CPA’s findings shift expectations on both sides. The firm can attend mediation when engaged for that role.

How does engagement cost work?

Cost depends on the records universe, number of entities, timeline urgency, and whether expert testimony is required — not on any single rate. In the Florida market, focused single-issue analyses commonly start around $3,500, while complex multi-entity litigation can run $100,000 or more, at an average Florida forensic billing rate near $400/hour. Each engagement is scoped against the specific matter and documented in the engagement letter.

Can the court order the opposing spouse to pay the firm’s fees?

Florida §61.16 gives the court discretion to allocate attorney and expert fees between divorcing spouses based on relative financial position. In Palm Beach family court, the higher-earning spouse who controls financial information is often required to advance forensic CPA fees. Your divorce attorney can address the procedural mechanism.

How long does a Palm Beach Gardens forensic engagement take?

A focused single-issue analysis can complete in 4–8 weeks. A comprehensive multi-account or executive-compensation engagement runs 2–4 months. Complex multi-entity engagements run 4–6+ months, depending on records access, subpoena response time, and whether the engagement extends through deposition and trial.

Related Resources

Forensic Accounting & Business Valuation — Florida Service Areas

Joey Friedman, CPA, P.A. serves clients across Florida, including:

Contact Joey Friedman, CPA, P.A.
Office: 1 SW 129th Ave STE 408 A, Pembroke Pines, FL 33027 (Broward County)
Direct: 954-282-9615
Service area: Palm Beach Gardens / Palm Beach County served from the firm’s Broward office; Florida statewide, US nationwide, and international (Canada and Iceland matters active).