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Illinois gift tax appraisers delivering certified 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 Illinois, including Chicago, Springfield, and Rockford.
DEFENSIBLE, USPAP-COMPLIANT APPRAISAL REPORTS — QUALIFIED FOR THE IRS, ILLINOIS 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 gift tax appraisal services throughout Illinois, delivering qualified valuations that support IRS Form 709 filings when gifts exceed the 2025 annual exclusion of $19,000 per recipient. Illinois donors face a unique planning challenge: lifetime taxable gifts are added back to the estate base for Illinois estate tax purposes, potentially pushing estates over the $4 million state exemption and triggering tax on the full amount at rates up to 16%. Precise, gift-date fair market value appraisals are essential for both federal compliance and Illinois estate tax planning.
AppraiseItNow serves clients through both online and onsite appraisal options, making it easy to get a qualified valuation regardless of where you are located. Our appraisers in Illinois cover every region of the state, from Chicago and the suburbs to agricultural communities downstate.
We appraise all major asset classes commonly transferred as gifts in Illinois, including:
AppraiseItNow works with Illinois families, business owners, agricultural landholders, and estate planning attorneys who need defensible valuations to support gift transfers and manage exposure to both federal gift tax and the Illinois estate tax add-back rules.
What Illinois clients say we are known for
Across 8 published Illinois 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, that they would hire us again, and how fast the finished report arrived.
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
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
I was in dire need of an appraisal for my father's mobile home, which he needed for Medicaid approval. I couldn’t find anyone to do it for a long time, but then I found this company online and decided to give them a try. I’m so glad I did. They were wonderful to work with. I sent the pictures, and within just a few days I received the appraisal. They are absolutely worth the money.
Mobile Home Appraisal
No. Illinois levies no gift tax of its own, so lifetime gifts of vehicles, jewelry, art, or business interests are governed only by federal gift tax rules, with no separate Illinois return, threshold, or deadline.
Because the $4,000,000 Illinois exclusion is measured after including adjusted taxable gifts. If the combined total exceeds $4 million, Illinois Form 700 must be filed with the Illinois Attorney General within nine months of death, whether or not a federal return is required, per the Attorney General's estate tax fact sheet. Well-documented gift valuations made now prevent disputes later.
The federal one. Illinois defines the gross value of transferred property as its value finally determined for federal transfer tax purposes (35 ILCS 405/5), and federal law uses the willing buyer, willing seller standard as of the gift date. We prepare gift appraisals to that fair market value standard so the same report supports both federal reporting and any later Illinois estate tax calculation.
No. The contemplation-of-death rule belonged to Illinois's repealed inheritance tax, and the current estate tax framework under 35 ILCS 405 contains no such gift-inclusion provision. Commentary repeating the two-year rule describes law that no longer applies.
