If you sent us a request between 28 July and 5 August, it did not reach us. A fault on our form stopped some messages from coming through. Please call (301) 820-7664 or fill the form again. We're sorry for the inconvenience.
Boat appraisals for probate, prepared in accordance with USPAP. AppraiseItNow provides certified marine valuations prepared to meet the requirements of probate courts and the IRS, helping executors settle estates with confidence.
…I am looking forward to utilizing AppraiseItNow for many years to come
Highly impressed with their work!
DEFENSIBLE, USPAP-COMPLIANT BOAT APPRAISAL REPORTS — QUALIFIED FOR THE IRS, PROBATE COURTS, AND ESTATE ATTORNEYS.
.jpeg)
Owner & CEO
Joe founded AppraiseItNow to make a certified, USPAP-compliant appraisal as simple to order as anything else online. A former Bain & Company strategy consultant, Joe leads the entire team and specializes in strategy, growth, and the firm's tech capabilities.
Vehicle Appraiser
CAGA Certified Appraiser since 2014, covering vehicles, boats, equipment, fine art, and collectibles. A classic-car restoration background informs her vehicle work, with reports prepared for insurance, divorce, and charitable contributions.
Client Success Manager
Manages each engagement from the first enquiry to the delivered report, and keeps you posted at every step along the way.
Certified Appraisers Guild of AmericaCertified Appraiser
The Appraisal FoundationAuthorized by Congress as the source of appraisal standardsWhen a boat owner passes away and the vessel is held solely in their name, it becomes a probate asset requiring a court-recognized valuation before it can be transferred, sold, or distributed to heirs. AppraiseItNow provides fair market value appraisals of boats and marine vessels as of the date of death, satisfying the requirements of probate courts and the IRS under 26 U.S.C. § 2031. For estates exceeding the federal exemption threshold, executors must include a qualified appraisal with Form 706. Our marine vessel appraisal services cover everything from small recreational craft to large documented vessels.
We deliver appraisals both online and onsite across the United States, working directly with executors, estate attorneys, and personal representatives. Whether the boat is moored at a marina, stored on land, or sitting in a private yard, our appraisers can conduct a physical inspection or work from documentation and comparable market data. Learn more about how we support estate administration appraisals for all asset types.
AppraiseItNow appraises a wide range of vessels that commonly appear in probate estates, including:
Our process is designed to produce a report that holds up to court review, IRS scrutiny, and heir challenges:
What clients say we are known for
Across 80+ published AppraiseItNow reviews the picture is consistent: every one is from a client who paid us for an appraisal, and the three things they raise most often are that they would hire us again, how quickly we answer, and how much research is visible in the report.
From the start they were very responsive, price competitive, and had a quick turn around time. Thank you so much to Joe who was very sweet in responding to my emails; I am looking forward to utilizing AppraiseItNow for many years to come.
Very thorough and professional — great communication and outstanding service. Highly impressed with their work!
A supportable fair market value as of the date of death, listed with identifying detail. Michigan's inventory instructions, for example, require year, make, and model for boats with the hull identification number submitted on an attached form. Replacement cost and the insured amount are not the probate standard.
Value it from comparable sales, condition documentation, and photos, adding a marine surveyor's appraisal where warranted. North Carolina guidance even allows the inventory to list the asset as undetermined and be amended later, which beats guessing and creates fewer disputes with the court and heirs.
No. California, for example, assesses vessels annually at fair market value as of the January 1 lien date, a different valuation regime and date than probate's date-of-death standard. The state of registration also does not control the federal estate value of a vessel, which is valued as tangible personal property.
By attacking the valuation method rather than the number itself: whether the appraiser should have used the market approach for a standard production boat, the cost approach for a newer or heavily upgraded vessel, or the income approach for a charter boat. Method choice can move value materially, so the report should justify its selection.