Equipment appraisals for estate and probate
For an estate or probate, business machinery and equipment is valued by an independent, USPAP-compliant appraisal at fair market value as of a specific date, usually the date of death or an alternate valuation date, so the figure holds up for the executor, the IRS and the court. Equipment in a closely held business, a shop, practice, farm or plant, often needs its own appraisal to support tax filings, an equitable division among heirs, or a sale. The effective date and the appraiser's independence are what make the number defensible.
By Jared Lukes · CEO & lead appraiser · June 1, 2026
Why estate equipment gets appraised
Settling an estate requires a credible value for the decedent's assets. When those assets include a business that runs on equipment, the tangible machinery can be a significant part of the estate and is frequently appraised on its own. An independent appraisal gives the executor a defensible figure for tax reporting, lets heirs divide assets fairly, and supports a sale if the estate chooses to liquidate. A family estimate or a dealer's number does not carry that weight.
The valuation date
Value is always as of a date, and estates use a specific one, typically the date of death, with an alternate valuation date available in some situations. The appraisal develops value as of that date and states it plainly. Because markets move, the date is not a formality; the same equipment can carry a different value on a different date, so it is fixed at the outset.
Fair market value and the standard the IRS expects
Estate work generally uses fair market value, the price between a willing buyer and a willing seller, neither under compulsion, both reasonably informed. The appraisal is prepared to the documentation standard a tax authority and a court expect to see: scope, methodology, an itemized appendix and support for the conclusion. We prepare the M&E appraisal; your attorney and CPA handle the legal and tax treatment of the estate.
Who orders it, and what makes it hold up
Executors, estate attorneys and CPAs order these appraisals, and sometimes heirs who need an independent number. What makes the report defensible is an appraiser independent of the parties, working under USPAP, who establishes the assets reliably and documents the reasoning. We coordinate with counsel and accountants, prepare the file to withstand review, and do not quote a value before we have what the conclusion requires.
Common questions
Answers, up front.
What value is used for equipment in an estate?
Generally fair market value, as of a specific date, usually the date of death or an alternate valuation date. The appraisal is documented to the standard the IRS and a court expect. Your attorney and CPA handle the tax and legal treatment; we provide the independent M&E value.
Why does the valuation date matter for probate?
Because value is always as of a date, and estates fix a specific one. Markets move, so the same equipment can be worth a different amount on a different date. Setting the date at the start keeps the appraisal aligned with the estate's requirements.
Who can rely on the appraisal?
An independent, USPAP-compliant report is built to be relied on by the executor, heirs, counsel, the CPA, the court and the IRS. Independence is the point: the appraiser has no stake in the estate, so the conclusion reads as objective.