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Illinois appraisers providing USPAP-compliant valuations of estate contents, construction equipment, vehicles, boats, fine art, and business interests for the Illinois estate tax, probate, divorce, gift tax, charitable donations, title bonds, and insurance coverage. AppraiseItNow serves Chicago, Naperville, Rockford, Peoria, Springfield, and clients statewide, online or onsite.
Working with AppraiseItNow was a relief and a reasonable price
Joe and Aron were extremely impressive… could not have been more helpful
…didn’t have to jump through hoops, loved their system and how easy it was
DEFENSIBLE, USPAP-COMPLIANT APPRAISAL REPORTS — QUALIFIED FOR THE IRS, ILLINOIS COURTS, LENDERS, INSURERS, AND MORE.
Chicago alone would justify a page, but the machine shops, farm equipment plants, and grain processors downstate generate an entirely separate class of valuation work. Every assignment is completed by our own credentialed appraisers, online from photographs and documentation you upload or onsite anywhere in the state.
Derivatives exchanges, a dense industrial belt, and a great art museum. Closely held company interests, fine art and design, and restaurant and industrial equipment.
Aerospace components, fasteners, and a deep machine tool trade. Multi-axis machining centers, aerospace tooling and fixtures, and complete shop packages.
Generations of heavy equipment engineering on the Illinois River. Earthmoving machines, dealer and rental fleets, and proving ground test rigs.
Farm equipment manufacturing and Mississippi barge traffic. Agricultural machinery, dealership inventories, and barge and terminal equipment.
A very large engineering research program amid seed and grain operations. Research instruments, pilot scale equipment, and grain farming machinery.
Soybean and corn processing at industrial scale. Wet and dry milling equipment, grain storage systems, and plant infrastructure.
State government, a Lincoln heritage industry, and a grain belt. Historical documents and memorabilia, office and estate contents, and farm equipment.
A university region shaped by coal mining and Shawnee forest land. Mining and earthmoving equipment, laboratory instruments, and rural estate contents.
AppraiseItNow appraises the household contents, jewelry, and collections in Illinois estates, the construction equipment contractors pledge or sell, the classic trucks and boat trailers that need a title bond or an insurance settlement, and the LLC interests families transfer by gift or divide in divorce. Illinois taxes estates above a $4,000,000 exclusion that has not moved since 2013 and is not indexed for inflation, so a Chicago household with a business interest, a vehicle collection, and a few good paintings can owe state tax while owing nothing federally. The probate inventory is due within 60 days after letters issue, and under 755 ILCS 5/14-3 the values in it are evidence but not conclusive, which is why a challenged estate turns on the documentation behind each number.
Most reports are prepared online from photographs and documents you upload; onsite inspection is available statewide for equipment yards, full-house estates, and collections where condition drives value. Fees are fixed and quoted before work begins, and when a Form 700 filing, an inventory deadline, or a court date is set, we confirm up front whether we can meet it. We do not appraise real estate; for a home, farm, or commercial building we refer you to a state-licensed real estate appraiser.
Lake Michigan cruisers and Chain O'Lakes runabouts for insurance, sale, and divorce
Paintings, prints, and sculpture in Chicago collections for donations, estate tax, and insurance coverage
Construction, manufacturing, and farm equipment for lending, sale, and financial reporting
Minority LLC interests and closely held companies for gift tax, divorce, IRA conversions, and sale
Household contents, jewelry, and collections for probate, the Illinois estate tax, and Form 8283 donations
Classic trucks, cars, and trailers for title bonds, insurance claims, and estates
Inventory for lending and financial reporting
Real Illinois assignments, with the intended use and how each value conclusion was supported.
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.
Joe at AppraiseItNow was extremely helpful with my total loss situation and requirements! I contacted him on Saturday of a holiday weekend (Labor Day 2025) and he responded back promptly! He then provided all the intake requirements to support my RV appraisal for insurance purposes which made the information sharing very simple (completed in 5-minutes). His team took the information and developed a comprehensive, industry standard report for me to provide back to my insurance company to ensure I receive the proper value for my RV. This was reviewed and completed within a few business days! Working with AppraiseItNow was a relief and a reasonable price. If I ever find myself in needing an apprasal again I will be a returning customer! I am definitely referring others in similar situation to me and confirming that AppraiseItNow can be trusted to deliver what they commit to! Thank you again for the support to Joe and the AppraiseItNow team!!!
Recreational Vehicle Appraisal for Total Loss
Joe and Aron were extremely impressive - the entire process went very smoothly. They were always quick to respond to any questions I had and could not have been more helpful. They were aware of some tight time restrictions I had and made sure I received my reports in a timely fashion. I highly recommend them to anyone needing a valuation.
Business Valuation Appraisal for Charitable Donation
Extremely communicative, didn’t have to jump through hoops, loved their system and how easy it was to give them all the information. Highly recommend going with these guys, shout out to Joe too for being awesome to work with!
Trailer Appraisal for Personal Use
The team was highly knowledgeable, helpful, and efficient. I highly recommend their appraisal services, especially for private companies.
Business Valuation Appraisal for IRA Conversion
The short time working with AppraiseItNow was great, Fast on getting on top of any questions you might have any appraisal concerning insurance claim. I will go with these guys again!
Motorcycle Appraisal for Insurance Claim
My daughter had purchased a very collectible 2003 Mustang Cobra terminator just 3 months before her accident with 50,000 miles on it, for 30,000 dollars. We were experiencing some very heavy rains and she hydroplaned and smashed into a guard rail and totaled her car. The insurance company offered her $18,000, but we told them that was an insult to this car. We kept going round and round with them but they were not budging. Finally we googled an independent appraiser and found AppraiseItNow! Their appraised value was 26,462. They negotiated with the insurance for us and we ended up with 25,900. They were awesome and helped us get much closer to the appropriate value of the Cobra. Absolutely worth the price we paid. Highly recommended!
Car Appraisal for Insurance Claim
AppraiseItNow's USPAP-compliant valuation reports are suitable for the most complex appraisal needs including IRS Charitable Contributions & Estate Tax Filings, insurance coverage and claims, divorce settlements, litigation, and other financial purposes. Our team of expert appraisers services both businesses and consumers alike.
Popular uses of our appraisal reports include:
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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.
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.
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
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 standardsAt one and one-half times the value of the vehicle as determined by the Secretary of State, under 625 ILCS 5/3-109. The bond indemnifies prior owners, lienholders, and later purchasers against loss. An independent appraisal comes into play when the vehicle is a classic, a rebuild, or otherwise outside the guides the Secretary of State relies on.
No separate gift tax, but lifetime gifts are not ignored. Illinois Form 700 must be filed when an estate's gross value exceeds $4,000,000 after adjusted taxable gifts are added back, whether or not a federal return is required, and the Attorney General's office expects the appraisals that support the values to accompany the return.
No. Illinois licenses real estate appraisers only; there is no parallel Illinois license, exam, or education requirement for appraisers of personal property. The Probate Act asks only that appraisers employed by a representative be competent and disinterested, and courts look for USPAP-compliant methodology, which is the standard our appraisers work to.