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California gift tax appraisers providing USPAP-compliant valuations of personal property, equipment and machinery, fine art, business interests, boats and watercraft, and automobiles and vehicles for gift tax filings (Form 709). AppraiseItNow provides credentialed, USPAP-compliant gift tax appraisals across California, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, and San Diego.
IRS Form 709 Qualified…I am looking forward to utilizing AppraiseItNow for many years to come
DEFENSIBLE, USPAP-COMPLIANT APPRAISAL REPORTS — QUALIFIED FOR THE IRS, CALIFORNIA PROBATE COURTS, AND ESTATE ATTORNEYS.
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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.
Machinery & Equipment Appraiser
Third-generation auctioneer and CAGA Certified Appraiser with more than 20 years valuing machinery, equipment, vehicles, business assets, and estates for banks, attorneys, and trustees across the Carolinas.
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.
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.
Business Valuation Expert & Appraiser
ASA, ABV, and CFA charterholder. Since 2016 Justin has valued businesses for estate and gift tax, purchase price allocations, fairness opinions, lending, and buy-sell agreements, across manufacturing, services, retail, and pre-revenue biotech.
Business Valuation Expert & Appraiser
Accredited Senior Appraiser with the American Society of Appraisers. Raymond values capital stock, business enterprises, stock options, and intangible assets.
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
Certified Appraisers Guild of AmericaCertified Appraiser
American Society of AppraisersAccredited Senior Appraiser
The Appraisal FoundationAuthorized by Congress as the source of appraisal standardsAppraiseItNow provides certified gift tax appraisals for individuals and families throughout California who need to document fair market value when transferring assets. When gifts to any single recipient exceed the federal annual exclusion of $19,000, a qualified appraisal is required to support IRS Form 709 and protect against IRS valuation challenges. California has no state gift tax, so compliance centers entirely on federal rules, but the high value of assets commonly gifted here makes accurate valuation especially important.
AppraiseItNow serves clients across California through both remote and onsite appraisal options, making it easy to get a compliant valuation regardless of your location. Our appraisal services in California cover every major asset class, from fine art and jewelry to business interests and vehicles.
AppraiseItNow covers all major asset types commonly transferred as gifts in California, including:
AppraiseItNow works with California families, high-net-worth individuals, estate planning attorneys, and CPAs who need defensible valuations to support IRS Form 709 filings when gifting appreciated assets such as fine art, business interests, collectibles, or vehicles.
What California clients say we are known for
Across 9 published California appraisal reviews, every one from a client who paid AppraiseItNow for an appraisal, the three things they raise most often are how quickly we answer, how fast the finished report arrived, and that they would hire us again.
I recently used AppraiseItNow for a valuation of a 2001 Corvette needed for 2024 Gift Tax purposes. It was straightforward and relatively simple even for someone not too tech savvy like me!
Car Appraisal for Gift Tax
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.
My mother passed away in August 2023 and unfortunately, in the state of Ohio, motorhomes are not transferable on death and was going to have to go through probate court. After speaking with an attorney, I was informed I needed an appraisal. Due to my hectic work schedule and family schedule, I was looking for someone who could do this online, without needing an appointment. After a quick Google search I came across Joe at AppraiseItNow Inc., and instantly felt relief. A quick inquiry led to a few emails back and forth, a very reasonable cost to have the motorhome appraised and all the information needed to submit to get this taken care of. Joe was patient, worked with me as it was going to take a few weeks before I was able to supply the needed images/documents and payment, and less than a week later of submitting it I received the appraisal. His communication is next to none! He responds very quickly, is kind and extremely helpful. If I need anything in the future, I will not hesitate to reach out again! Thank you again! I will forever be in your debt!
Recreational Vehicle Appraisal for Probate
I highly recommend the AppraiseItNow team. They were responsive and timely from start to finish, and the whole process was seamless. The final report was super detailed and gave me all the information I needed. I am so glad I hired them and would recommend them to anyone needing an appraisal!
Technology Equipment Appraisal for Divorce
The estate appraisal for our car and rugs was handled quickly and efficiently. The process was smooth and hassle-free.
Personal Property Appraisal for Estate Tax
AppraiseItNow did an outstanding job appraising my 1998 Bobcat Skid Steer and circa 2010 Yuchai Crawler Dozer. We could not locate a serial number on the dozer, and there were no online sales available, but they were still able to develop an accurate appraisal using known specifications for my dozer compared to other comparable make and model dozers. They diligently researched both equipment items and provided well-documented reports.
Machinery & Equipment Appraisal
No. The California Constitution, as summarized by the State Controller, prohibits the state and its subdivisions from imposing gift, inheritance, succession, legacy, or estate taxes. Every gift-tax appraisal requirement a California resident faces comes from federal law, reported on IRS Form 709, not from a California statute.
When gifts to any one recipient in a year exceed the federal annual exclusion, projected at $19,000 per donee for 2025. Some California materials describe a "California annual gift tax exclusion," but that figure is simply the federal IRS amount applied to California residents; there is no separate state threshold or state form.
Market value at the date of the gift: the price a willing buyer would pay a willing seller, neither under compulsion and both reasonably informed. California's legacy Gift Tax Regulations at 18 CCR § 15551 define value exactly this way, and the federal fair market value standard used for Form 709 reporting matches it, so a dated, well-supported appraisal of the gifted jewelry, art, vehicle, or business interest satisfies both frameworks.
A court-appointed probate referee, in most cases. California Probate Code sections 8900 through 8904 require estate property to be appraised, with probate referees authorized under section 8902 and the court able to order an independent expert under section 8904 for items such as unique artwork or closely held business interests. Lifetime gifts follow the opposite model: you choose the appraiser, and the only reviewer is the IRS.
When the estate qualifies for the small-estate procedures under Probate Code sections 13100 and following, which let successors collect personal property by affidavit without opening a full probate case, so no court-supervised valuation occurs. Gifting during life reaches a similar result by a different route: no California office reviews the value, and only the federal Form 709 rules apply if the gift exceeds the annual exclusion.