The fair value of an asset or liability is ideally derived from observable market prices of similar transactions. Fair value is calculated by looking at what a nearly identical item has already sold for. Assets are recorded at their current value on the date the value is calculated, not the historical cost.
Fair value refers to the actual value of an asset – a product, stock, or security – that is agreed upon by both the seller and the buyer. Fair value is applicable to a product that is sold or traded in the market where it belongs or under normal conditions – and not to one that is being liquidated.