Draper & McGinley in Baltimore: Business Valuation for M&A and Estate Planning
Draper & McGinley is a mid-sized accounting firm in Baltimore focused on business valuation, with particular strength in supporting mergers, acquisitions, and estate settlements where a precise company value is critical. The firm operates as a subspecialty practice rather than a full-service accounting shop, meaning clients who need tax prep or general bookkeeping may be referred elsewhere, but owners navigating a sale, buyout, or inheritance dispute will find deep expertise concentrated where it matters.
What Draper & McGinley actually is
Business valuation is the practice of determining what a company is worth on a given date, under stated assumptions. It is a technical discipline requiring forensic analysis of financial statements, industry comparables, and economic conditions, and the work product typically becomes evidence in legal disputes or negotiation rooms where high dollars turn on the appraiser's credibility. Draper & McGinley brings CPA-level credentials and specialized training to this narrow field. The firm has been active in Baltimore's professional community long enough to be known to estate attorneys and corporate advisors who refer cases, a signal that it has not been a one-off operator.
Services and engagement basis
Business valuations at firms like Draper & McGinley are typically priced by scope and complexity. A straightforward valuation of a small professional practice or retail business might run $4,000 to $8,000; a mid-market company with multiple locations or product lines could reach $15,000 to $30,000; and complex engagements involving litigation support, extensive expert testimony, or multi-year financial reconstruction can exceed $50,000. Pricing is almost always quoted per engagement rather than hourly, because clients need to know the cost before work begins. Verify current fees directly, as they adjust for inflation and market demand.
The firm typically handles valuations for two main purposes. First is transactional work: an owner preparing to sell, a partnership navigating a buy-sell agreement, or a buyer and seller trying to reach a price. Second is litigation and estate planning support: divorced spouses dividing marital assets, heirs contesting a deceased owner's purchase price, or creditors trying to attach company value in a judgment. Each context shapes the valuation method and timeline.
How it compares to other Baltimore options
Baltimore has a handful of firms that do business valuation work, but most are either broad-based accounting practices with valuation as one of several departments, or law firms that bring in valuation experts as consultants. The advantage of consulting a specialist like Draper & McGinley is depth: valuators who spend 70 percent of their time on this single discipline become expert at spotting the overlooked asset, the customer concentration risk, or the industry-specific multiple that turns a $2 million company into a $2.8 million company. The tradeoff is that they do not prepare your quarterly taxes or manage payroll. Choose Draper & McGinley if you are contemplating a significant transaction or dispute and want a concentrated expert. Choose a full-service firm if you need ongoing accounting support alongside a valuation, and are willing to work with a generalist appraiser as part of a larger team.
Who suits this engagement and who does not
Business valuation work suits owners in the final stages of a sale or partnership restructuring, estate administrators dealing with inherited businesses, and divorcing spouses with significant assets at stake. It also suits sellers and buyers who need a neutral, credible third party to break a negotiation stalemate. The work does not suit someone merely curious about what their business might fetch someday, nor is it the right tool for a quick rule-of-thumb estimate (a banker's back-of-the-envelope calculation is appropriate for that). Valuations are formal, documented, and defensible; they cost time and money because they are meant to hold up to scrutiny.
What the first contact involves
A potential client typically calls or emails to describe the business, the reason for valuation, and the target date. Draper & McGinley will ask basic questions: How long has the business operated? What did last year's revenue and net income look like? Are there pending contracts, leases expiring, or major equipment needs? Is this valuation likely to be litigated, or is it purely for negotiation? The answers determine scope and depth. A straightforward sale of a stable business may require financial review and industry research. A disputed value in a matrimonial or estate case may require deeper reconstruction of historical earnings and scrutiny of the owner's compensation claims.
The firm will then outline the engagement in writing, specify the valuation date, and name the likely approach (earnings-based, asset-based, or a blend). Payment is typically requested upon signing, though some engagements operate on a retainer basis. Turnaround is commonly 4 to 6 weeks, depending on financial record quality and complexity.
Hours, location, and logistics
Verify current hours and address directly with the firm. Most valuation work is conducted by phone, email, and document review, so the precise office location matters less than for a dental practice or medical clinic. However, the firm should be contactable during standard Baltimore business hours, and should be able to meet in person if litigation or expert testimony is anticipated.
Draper & McGinley's specialization and established standing in Baltimore's professional networks make it the practical choice for owners and advisors who need a serious valuation and cannot afford doubt about the appraiser's independence or rigor.
