Estate Planning Appraisal Services 
Serving Orange County, Los Angeles, Riverside, San Diego, San Bernardino, Ventura, and all of Southern California  

Principal - Warren K. Hoppke, SRPA                                                                    Robert Nord, MAI
Senior Real Property Analyst                                                                                 Real Estate Consultant
Member Appraisal Institute                                                                                   Member Appraisal Institute

Leading provider of estate planning appraisals. AppraiserValues.com primary focus is on the valuation of real estate assets for estate planning, estate tax planning, business planning, FLP's, LLC's, estate liquidations, partnership assets, wills, trusts, Q-Tip trusts, and charitable gifts. Our California estate appraisers provide unbiased valuation opinions of residential, industrial, and commercial real estate. We are committed to providing professionally prepared tax compliant appraisal reports and fractional interest discount valuations according to the new proposed tax regulations and IRS Real Property Valuation Guide Lines. Our clients include estate planning lawyers, law firms, accountants, CPA and CFP firms, enrolled agents, attorneys, trust administrators, executors, beneficiaries, court appointed receivers, corporate, and partnership entities.      

Our professional estate planning appraisers provide valuation services throughout Los Angeles County, Orange County, Riverside County, San Bernardino County, San Diego County, and Ventura County.

Estate planning and wealth preservation professionals should be aware that new proposed estate regulations (26 CFR part 1) require taxpayers to obtain a qualified appraisal and attach it to their estate return in which the deduction is claimed.  The new reporting and substantiation requirements include deductions for real estate charitable contributions reported on tax returns 1040(E), 1041, 706 or 709, 1099-R and 5498.  In addition, the IRS proposed amendment requires qualified appraisals by a qualified real estate appraiser and will apply to estate returns filed after August 17, 2006 sec. 1.170A-17.  For an appraisal prepared on or before August 17, 2006 Section 1.170A-13(c) of the current regulations applies. The IRS requires well documented appraisals prepared by appraisers who holds a designation from a qualified appraisal organization with specialized experienced in real estate and with IRS Real Property Valuation Guidelines.

 Estate Tax Planning and Choosing an Appraiser

Estate planning administrators and tax attorneys need to know when choosing a qualified residential or commercial appraiser for IRS estate return filing, death taxes, estate planning asset protection, trust planning, and probate matters, an administrator, beneficiary, or trustee should find a appraiser experienced in residential, apartment, industrial, or commercial real estate and is knowledable in estate planning valuation issues and IRS Real Property Valuation Guidelines. Treasury Regulation Section 20.2031-1(b) requires the appraiser to follow certain real estate valuation guide lines and prepare "qualified" appraisals for tax returns. This includes estate returns for Retrospective date of death valuations, Insurance Casualty Loss Disasters, gifts, charitable trusts, and other tax planning issues of a decedents estate. Moreover, the appraiser must be "qualified" under regulations proposed in Section 1.170A-17 and should be able to qualify as a expert witness. Additionally, information that should be stated in the appraisal is set forth in IRS Rev. Proc. 66-49, 1966-2 C.B. 1257. For example, utilizing the correct definition of "Market Value", "Use Value", "Fair Market Value", "Intrinsic Value", or "Investment Value" means the difference between a disputed appraisal and one that is prepared correctly. Anselmo v. Commissioner, the Court states there is no distinction between the measure of "Fair Market Value" for estate and gift tax purposes and charitable contributions for real estate. In addition, Rev. Proc. 79-24, 1979-1 C.B. 565 indicates guide lines for the "Market Approach" also known as the "Market Comparison Approach", better known in appraising for federally related transactions as the "Sales Comparison Approach". Similarly, Rev. Rul. 68-609, 1968 C.B. 327 provides the general approach, methods and factors outlined in Rev. Rul. 59-60, 1959-1 C.B. 237.

It is also wise to avoid submitting a residential or commercial appraisal with your estate return that is more than two years old and does not meet other specific IRS filing guide lines. Additionally, when reviewing a commercial estate appraisal, the IRS looks at the accreditation of the real estate appraiser, the rationale of the "Fair Market Value" opinion, the validity of the comparable research, and the overall professionalism of the report. In preparing an appraisal for estate planning purposes the IRS requires the appraiser to follow specific appraisal guidelines and IRS Real Property Valuation Guidelines. In addition, when valuing partial or fractional interests  (Use of Blockage and Lack of Marketability Discounts) it is important to provide a well documented report with the appropriate valuation techniques.

It is equally important that you select an appraiser for your tax planning needs who has the experience and knowledge necessary to prepare estate planning appraisals for returns according to IRS guide lines. We believe appraisals prepared or supervised by a Member of the Appraisal Institute provides you with the highest quality real estate reporting in the industry. Appraisal Institute members hold the highest appraisal industry designations and have the necessary educational background and years of real estate experience needed for residential and commercial appraisal work.  Warren K. Hoppke,SRPA Principal and Senior Real Property Analyst of AppraiserValues.com is a member of the Appraisal Institute and has over 30 years experience in residential and commercial real estate.

For an estate plan that includes gifts of California real estate in a charitable trust, establishing "Fair Market Value" (FMV) is essential in substantiating and reporting deductions for charitable contributions under section 170(f)(11) and measuring the lifetime income of planned gifts under a trust. All donations of $5,000 or more require a qualified appraisal. Section 155 of the Deficit Reduction Act of 1984 requires a qualified appraisal for certain contributions of property made after December 31, 1984. A helpful resource is IRS publication 561 Determining the Value of Donated Property, which describes the protocol in detail, including the procedures for real estate appraisers, content of appraisals, etc. The donor must complete IRS form 8283 (signed by NHF) and file this form with his/her return for the year in which the gift of real estate is claimed certain trusts and estates. A copy of the qualified appraisal it typically attached to form 8283 for estate tax filing, which is also signed by an appraiser.

Settling an estate usually requires an appraiser to establish an opinion of "Fair Market Value" (FMV) for the residential or commercial real estate involved. Often, the date of death (effective date of the appraisal) differs from the date of the inspection. Our commercial appraisers are familiar with the procedures and requirements necessary to perform a retrospective forensic appraisal with an effective date and a "Fair Market Value" opinion matching the date of death. The ethics provision within the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP) binds us with confidentiality, ensuring the fullest degree of discretion.

Many tax attorney's, estate planning professionals, accountants, enrolled agents, and Certified Financial Planning professionals involved in real estate planning, trust administration, probate and wills, and IRS estate return filings rely on our appraisal services when they need an expert to complete an accurate "Fair Market Value" (FMV) opinion for estate planning, tax planning, divorce, probate & wills, partnership planning, dissolutions, bankruptcy, arbitration, mediation, or other disputes requiring a valuation of real property. We understand their real estate needs and the needs of estate planners and all parties involved. We believe our expert certified and licensed residential and commercial appraisers provide appraisal reports that meet the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP), the requirements of the courts, IRS filing guide lines, and various agencies.