American Appraisal has assembled a team dedicated to meeting the specific needs of the higher education community; a group unrivalled in our profession.
Does your existing fixed asset record accurately reflect the ”existence and completeness” of the assets which your institution reports upon? Do you have any A-21, A-110 or A-133 findings? Do you componentize your buildings? If so, when was that study last updated? Do you have the internal resources to keep your reporting requirements current?
While a properly designed fixed asset management program can assist a higher education institution meet external audit and regulatory standards, it can also be extremely beneficial in meeting your Institution’s capital budgeting, financial reporting and risk management reporting requirements.
We believe no other firm better understands the complex regulatory environment and intricacies of today’s higher education institutions than American Appraisal.
Unrivalled expertise
American Appraisal has assembled a higher education team unrivalled in our profession.
Our practice includes 20 full-time Consultants led by a nationally renowned expert who is a regular advisor to many oversight/professional organizations, including the GASB, FASB, NACUBO, NCURA, DHHS, ONR, NECA, SECA and WECA.
Long-standing leadership
American Appraisal possesses over 30 years of valuation and related service experience within this sector and has performed work in 45 states and throughout Canada. Recent engagements for research institutions and affiliated hospitals include:
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Children’s Hospital-Boston
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Columbia University
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Georgia Institute of Technology
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Harvard University
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MD Anderson Cancer Center
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Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
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New York University Medical Center
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Princeton University
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Rockefeller University
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Stanford University
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University of Alabama at Birmingham / Tuscaloosa
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University of California at Berkeley/ Los Angeles/San Francisco
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University of Florida
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University of Kansas Medical Center
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University of Miami
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University of Nebraska Medical Center
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University of Puerto Rico
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University of Southern California
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University of Texas at Austin/Dallas
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Washington State University
Our Services
American Appraisal offers a full range of fixed asset management advisory services in addition to off- or on-site outsourcing solutions. Call on us to help you achieve your goals:
Pinpoint strengths & vulnerabilities
American Appraisal routinely performs detailed diagnostic studies to evaluate a specific asset management function or an entire system — processes, policies, practices, accounting and physical controls.
Ensure compliance
We compare current records with both best practices and compliance with applicable standards such as OMB Circular A-21 (CFR Part 45), A-110, A-133, GASB (for public institutions), FASB (for private institutions) and ASTM Standards for fixed asset management. Our reports are SAS 70 compliant and have withstood scrutiny of all cognizant agencies and internal/external audit review.
Evaluate electronic fixed asset accounting systems
American Appraisal can provide analysis and recommendations for your existing fixed asset reporting system. Or, you can outsource this entire function to American Appraisal. We have the ability to seamlessly migrate records from your current system to our SAS-70 compliant e-PRAIS system and offer semi-annual and quarterly updating services.
Advise on policy; build employee awareness and behavior Drawing from experience over hundreds of engagements, our Consultants can assist in the preparation of a policy & procedures manual, as well as provide hands-on training for all levels of personnel.
Improve visibility
Our Asset Inventory & Reconciliation service provides a wall-to-wall inventory of all fixed and moveable assets to ensure they are properly captured on your accounting records, assistance in identification of those assets which are no longer on hand (unrecorded retirements) and historical value of assets for use in financial statements. We can affix bar code tags to each asset to facilitate tracking and to simplify subsequent inventory verification.
Identify opportunities to claim accelerated depreciation
American Appraisal has completed building componentization studies to assist research institutions in properly segregating building/renovation costs and depreciation on a component-by-component basis. We possess the engineering, construction, valuation and regulatory backgrounds to maximize potential benefits.
Make informed business decisions relative to fixed asset lives
American Appraisal has been retained to prepare fixed asset lifing studies to:
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provide remaining useful life estimates in conformance with OMB Circular A-21
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assist Clients in comparing their existing fixed asset lives based upon institutional experience
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help Clients to align their fixed asset accounting lives with regulatory guidelines.
Establish accurate insurable values
We research insurable values to support the placement of replacement cost and/or actual cash value coverages as well as provide post-loss services.