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Artwork appraisals in California for donations, estate tax, insurance, and divorce, prepared in accordance with USPAP and IRS requirements. AppraiseItNow appraises paintings, sculptures, prints, photography, and mixed media across California, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, and San Diego.
…even during the holiday season… I was genuinely impressed
…I am looking forward to utilizing AppraiseItNow for many years to come
…they did a superb job and clearly explained how they arrived at the appraisal value
DEFENSIBLE, USPAP-COMPLIANT ARTWORK APPRAISAL REPORTS — QUALIFIED FOR THE IRS, CALIFORNIA COURTS, LENDERS, INSURERS, AND MORE.
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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.
Personal Property Appraiser
ISA Accredited Member with 30 years in the trade, from running estate sales and an auction gallery to appraising luxury apparel, furniture, artwork, antiques, and business assets, primarily for IRS tax filings.
Personal Property Appraiser
ISA Accredited Member specializing in Asian art, with a Master's from SOAS and a Postgraduate Diploma in Asian Art. Ashley chairs the ISA's Antiques, Furnishings, and Decorative Arts committee and appraises for charitable donation, insurance, and equitable distribution.
Client Success Manager
Manages each engagement from the first enquiry to the delivered report, and keeps you posted at every step along the way.
International Society of AppraisersAccredited Member
The Appraisal FoundationAuthorized by Congress as the source of appraisal standardsAppraiseItNow provides professional artwork appraisal services throughout California, supporting clients who need valuations for donations, estate tax, insurance coverage, and divorce proceedings. California's art market is one of the most active in the country, shaped by high concentrations of wealth in Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay Area, and Silicon Valley, and our credentialed appraisers bring the expertise needed to navigate this complex landscape. Whether you are donating a painting to a museum, settling an estate, insuring a collection, or dividing assets in a divorce, our team delivers accurate, well-documented reports that meet IRS, legal, and insurance standards.
AppraiseItNow serves clients across California through both remote and onsite appraisal options, making it easy to access professional valuations regardless of your location or schedule. For remote appraisals, clients submit photographs and documentation, and our appraisers produce a complete written report without requiring an in-person visit. For collections requiring hands-on examination, our network of appraisers can travel to homes, galleries, storage facilities, and estate sale sites throughout the state. Learn more about our full art appraisal process and methodology. We offer Fair Market Value (FMV) and Replacement Value appraisals for various intended uses.
Our appraisers evaluate a wide range of fine art and decorative art across all periods, styles, and media. Whether your collection reflects California's contemporary scene, Old Masters, or anything in between, we have the expertise to provide accurate valuations. Artwork types we appraise include:
California's art market spans everything from blue-chip contemporary works sold through Sotheby's and Christie's Los Angeles to emerging artists represented by Bay Area galleries. Our appraisers are equipped to value works across this full spectrum, applying rigorous comparable sales analysis and market research to support every conclusion.
AppraiseItNow works with individual collectors, estate attorneys, financial advisors, museums, galleries, corporations, insurance professionals, and family offices throughout California who need credentialed, defensible artwork appraisals for tax, legal, insurance, or planning purposes.
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.
AppraiseItNow did an excellent job appraising our unique art collection. Joe was always prompt and responsive, and he and his team delivered a thorough, well-supported appraisal in just a couple of weeks, even during the holiday season. I was genuinely impressed. Thank you for the great work!
Artwork Appraisal for Insurance Coverage
The appraisal was done very well. Since he was a local artist here in Charleston, SC, they took the time to study and review Jim Booth’s art. His work has made him extremely famous, which can make an appraisal challenging, but they did a superb job and clearly explained how they arrived at the appraisal value. I highly recommend Appraise It Now and will use them again for all my artwork.
Artwork Appraisal for Insurance Coverage
AppraiseItNow was amazing! My father passed with a large volume of artwork & I had no idea what it was worth. Their team was incredibly helpful and quick to respond with text and/or email to any questions as well as a status update along the way. Highly recommend!
Artwork Appraisal for Probate
I recently requested a retroactive appraisal for fine art from AppraiseItNow. I received excellent service from intake to delivery. The appraisal was delivered on time and the content of the appraisal absolutely met my expectations!
Artwork Appraisal
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!
Given the USPAP-compliant nature of AppraiseItNow’s appraisal reports, we prepare our deliverables for major legal, tax, and financial reporting purposes for individual and commercial clients.
Popular uses of our appraisal reports include:
Usually the court-appointed probate referee. California practice assigns valuation of non-cash assets, including tangible personal property like art, to probate referees, while the personal representative values cash items; the combined Inventory and Appraisal is due within four months after letters issue. Independent appraisals still matter for federal estate tax support and high-value works.
When claimed values reach $50,000 or more on income, estate, or gift tax returns; those items may be referred to the Panel for review. Donations of art over $5,000 already require a qualified appraisal with Form 8283.
Recent arm's-length auction and private sales for the same artist and market level, sourced from databases such as Artnet, Artprice, and AskART, then adjusted for condition, size, medium, and timing. The IRS expects those specific transactions identified in the report.
Yes. Probate Code 8904 lets the personal representative elect an independent expert qualified to appraise a unique, artistic, unusual, or special item of tangible personal property, so significant works can be carved out of the referee’s assignment. Estate inventories then commonly show ordinary household goods valued by the referee and important pieces supported by a separate expert schedule. Section 8905 requires whoever appraises to sign and swear an oath of honest, impartial valuation.
Yes. Probate Code 8906 provides for objections to an appraisal filed with the inventory, and probate referees must retain their backup data and make their appraisal reports available. An interested party can put auction comparables in front of the court and ask for review or for an independent expert to be appointed, which is why methodology and documented sales matter more than the headline figure.