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Artwork appraisals in Indiana 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 Indiana, including Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, and Evansville.
DEFENSIBLE, USPAP-COMPLIANT ANTIQUE ARTWORK APPRAISAL REPORTS — QUALIFIED FOR THE IRS, INDIANA 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 Indiana, supporting clients in Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, South Bend, Bloomington, and communities across the state. Whether you need an appraisal for charitable donations, estate tax reporting, insurance coverage, or divorce and equitable distribution proceedings, our credentialed appraisers deliver accurate, well-documented valuations that meet IRS, legal, and insurance standards.
Our appraisers work with clients both remotely and onsite throughout Indiana, making the process convenient regardless of your location or the complexity of your collection. Using current market data, comparable sales analysis, and deep knowledge of the fine art and decorative arts markets, we produce reports that hold up to scrutiny from the IRS, courts, and insurance carriers. Whether you have a single painting or an extensive estate collection, our art appraisal team is equipped to handle it with precision. 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 objects across all periods, styles, and media. From 19th-century American landscapes to contemporary mixed media works, we bring the expertise needed to value art accurately and defensibly.
Indiana has a rich tradition of regional art, and appraisers familiar with Midwest artists and markets are well positioned to assess works that reflect local artistic heritage. Whether a piece was acquired at an Indianapolis gallery, inherited through an estate, or purchased at a regional auction, our team has the knowledge to establish its value accurately.
Indiana residents and organizations seek artwork appraisals for a variety of financial, legal, and tax-related purposes. Understanding the right type of appraisal for your situation ensures your report will meet the requirements of the relevant authority.
When donating artwork valued at $5,000 or more to a qualifying organization such as a museum, university, or nonprofit, the IRS requires a qualified appraisal completed no earlier than 60 days before the donation and no later than the due date of the tax return. For works valued at $50,000 or more, the IRS Art Advisory Panel may review the appraisal for accuracy. Our appraisers produce IRS-compliant reports that include all required elements: a detailed description of the work, the appraiser's qualifications and tax identification number, acquisition history, provenance documentation, and a valuation supported by comparable sales data.
When artwork is part of a decedent's estate in Indiana, a Fair Market Value appraisal is required for accurate estate tax reporting. FMV is defined as the price a willing buyer would pay a willing seller, with neither under compulsion and both having reasonable knowledge of the relevant facts. Our estate appraisals are prepared in accordance with IRS Publication 561 and USPAP standards, providing executors and estate attorneys with the documentation needed to file accurately and avoid disputes with tax authorities.
Replacement Value appraisals are the standard for insuring artwork against loss, theft, fire, or damage. Replacement Value reflects the cost to replace a work with one of comparable quality and character in the current retail market, which is typically higher than FMV. Indiana collectors and institutions benefit from up-to-date insurance appraisals that ensure coverage limits reflect current market conditions, protecting against being underinsured in the event of a claim.
Artwork can represent significant value in a marital estate, and Indiana courts require credible, well-supported valuations when dividing assets in a divorce proceeding. Our appraisers provide objective FMV reports that attorneys and mediators can rely on during negotiations or litigation, ensuring that art collections are divided fairly and that valuations can withstand legal scrutiny.
Choosing the correct value type is essential to producing an appraisal that serves its intended purpose.
FMV is the standard for donations, estate tax, gift tax, and divorce proceedings. It represents what a work would sell for between a willing buyer and a willing seller in the open market, based on comparable auction results, gallery sales, and current demand for the artist's work. The IRS requires FMV for all charitable contribution and estate tax appraisals.
Replacement Value is used for insurance purposes and reflects the retail cost to replace a work with one of similar quality, medium, and provenance. Because retail prices are generally higher than auction prices, Replacement Value appraisals typically yield higher figures than FMV appraisals. Indiana collectors should review their insurance appraisals regularly, as art market values shift and outdated appraisals can leave collections underinsured.
All artwork appraisals completed by AppraiseItNow adhere to the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP) and meet IRS requirements for qualified appraisals. For donations and estate tax purposes, our reports include:
For high-value works, particularly those at or above the $50,000 threshold that triggers IRS Art Advisory Panel review, our appraisers apply rigorous methodology and thorough documentation to support the stated value.
Indiana's art market is centered primarily in Indianapolis, which supports a network of galleries, estate sale firms, and appraisers with experience in American, European, and Latin American fine art. Regional appraisers in cities like West Lafayette also serve university communities and private collectors throughout the state. Indiana Artisan, a state-supported program, promotes locally made retail art, reflecting the state's strong tradition of regional craftsmanship alongside its fine art market. For collectors and estates in Indiana, working with appraisers who understand both national auction market trends and regional market dynamics is essential to obtaining accurate valuations.
We serve individual collectors, estate attorneys, executors, financial advisors, insurance professionals, nonprofits, museums, and businesses throughout Indiana who need credentialed, court-ready artwork appraisals for any purpose.
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.
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 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
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:
It depends on the purpose: fair market value governs tax, estate, and equitable distribution work, while retail replacement value, typically higher, is used for insurance scheduling. Mixing the two is a common source of error, so each report states its value definition and intended use up front.
No. Indiana's inheritance tax was repealed for deaths after December 31, 2012, and the state's pick-up estate tax disappeared with the federal credit, so artwork passing at death faces only federal estate tax rules where the estate is large enough. Date-of-death appraisals still matter for the probate inventory and fair division among heirs.
A strong report states the intended use and users, value definition, effective date, relevant market, research sources, and the logic behind comparable selection and adjustments. Weak reports omit the market level or lean on a single asking price rather than realized sales, which is exactly where challenges start.
Sometimes, by affidavit. Indiana Code 29-1-8-1 lets distributees collect personal property without full administration when the gross probate estate, net of liens, encumbrances, and funeral expenses, does not exceed $100,000 for deaths after June 30, 2022, and at least 45 days have passed since death. Because eligibility turns on total value, an appraised collection can decide whether that shortcut is available.
In supervised estates, often yes. Hamilton County’s probate rules bar granting a petition to sell personal property unless a written appraisal by a competent person stating fair market value is filed with the court, and Marion County requires a written basis for valuation. Both waive the written appraisal for assets traded in an open market or sold at public auction, so consigning a work to a reputable art auction can substitute.
