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Personal Property Appraisal Guides & Insights
Expert guidance on personal property valuation — what drives value, when you need a USPAP-compliant appraisal, and how the process works.
Latest posts
Who Can Serve as a Qualified Appraiser for an Estate Under IRS Rules?
The IRS holds appraisers to specific education, experience, and independence tests, and knowing who is disqualified matters as much as who qualifies. This guide breaks down the credentials, conflict-of-interest rules, and fee red flags that determine whether your estate's appraiser will hold up under IRS scrutiny.
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What Is a Qualified Appraisal for IRS Estate Purposes, and What Must It Include?
A qualified appraisal for IRS estate purposes borrows its only codified federal definition from the charitable-contribution regulations, and executors use that same standard to defend the value of art, business interests, and estate contents on Form 706. Here is exactly what the report must contain and who is allowed to sign it.
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IRS Form 8283 and Estate Donation Appraisals: What Heirs Need to Know
Donating inherited furniture, art, or a vehicle instead of selling it can create a real income tax deduction, but IRS Form 8283 and its appraisal rules decide whether that deduction holds up. This guide covers the $5,000 appraisal threshold, the household-item exception, and how the rules differ for an estate versus an heir who donates.
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Replacement Value vs. Fair Market Value for Estates: Why the Numbers Never Match
Insurance replacement value and probate fair market value measure two different things, and using the wrong one on an estate inventory or IRS Form 706 can create real compliance problems. This guide explains the gap, works through a real example, and shows executors which number the probate court and IRS actually require.
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Date of Death Valuation vs. Current Market Value: What Probate Requires
Probate and federal estate tax filings require fair market value as of the decedent's date of death, not today's market price or the eventual sale amount. This guide explains the legal standard, the IRC Section 2032 alternate valuation election, and how appraisers reconstruct a value months after the fact.
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Guide to Probate Appraisals in California & DE-160/DE-161
Probate appraisals in California require a defensible, date-of-death valuation of household contents and personal property, split between the personal representative and a court-appointed probate referee. This guide walks through the DE-160/DE-161 process, the filing deadlines, and what a room-by-room appraisal needs to hold up in court.
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