Legal / Estate
Estate & Probate Appraisal
A supportable, independent opinion of value for estate settlement, probate, and inheritance matters — including retrospective, date-of-death valuations.
Current Value vs. Retrospective Value
Estate matters can call for either a current opinion of value or a retrospective (date-of-death) opinion of value. A current appraisal reflects the property as of today, while a retrospective appraisal establishes what the property was worth as of a specific date in the past — most often the date a property owner passed away.
Retrospective assignments rely on historical comparable sales and market data available around the effective date, combined with a careful review of the property's condition and characteristics at that time.
Whether you need the property's fair market value for an inherited-property valuation, a step-up-in-basis calculation, or general estate accounting, a supportable, independent opinion of value gives executors, administrators, and their attorneys documentation they can rely on.
Value as of a Specific Past Date
Drag to see how a retrospective assignment looks back to a specific effective date instead of today.
Selected effective date: 1 Year Ago — the appraiser researches comparable sales and market conditions available around that date.
Who We Support
Documentation That Helps
Depending on the assignment, useful documents may include a property survey or plat, a prior appraisal, and any paperwork identifying the relevant effective date. Your appraiser will confirm exactly what's needed for your situation.
Why Effective Date Matters Here
The Assignment Details Estate Work Depends On
Estate assignments are where the difference between an effective date, an inspection date, and a report date matters most — the property is often observed today, but the value opinion applies to a date months or years in the past.
Intended Use
The purpose the assignment is being performed for — for example, litigation support, estate settlement, a tax appeal, or a private planning decision. It's identified before the work begins because it shapes the scope of the assignment.
Intended User(s)
The specific party or parties identified in the assignment as relying on the report — a client, their attorney, or another named party. A report prepared for one intended use and user isn't automatically appropriate for another.
Effective Date
The date to which the opinion of value applies. For a current-value assignment this is typically the inspection date; for a retrospective assignment (such as a date-of-death valuation) it's a past date, established using historical market data.
Inspection / Observation Date
The date the property is physically observed, when an inspection is part of the assignment. For a retrospective assignment, this is often a current date even though the effective date is in the past.
Report Date
The date the appraisal report itself is completed and signed — which can be well after both the effective date and the inspection date, particularly for retrospective or litigation-support assignments.
A Careful Written Record
What Your Estate Appraisal Report Documents
General overview of typical report sections — the exact content and format of your report depends on the specific assignment.
See how property details, comparable sales, adjustments, analysis, and the final value conclusion come together in a professional appraisal report.
Common Questions
This information is provided for general educational purposes and is not legal or tax advice. Please consult your attorney or tax advisor regarding your specific estate or probate matter.