Whenever there’s a question about the value of your personal property, there’s also a risk involved. It may be the risk of selling too low, or of paying too much; the risk of being under or over-insured; the risk of not getting your fair share in a division of property; the risk of incurring tax penalties or being audited when claiming a deduction for a charitable contribution or when calculating estate taxes.
Always check the credentials of your personal property appraiser.
At the International Society of Appraisers (ISA), you can find a Certified Appraiser (ISA CAPP)—the most skilled Personal Property Appraiser—for your appraisal needs. ISA is a not-for-profit, member-driven association, formed to support the member needs and serve the public by producing highly qualified and ethical appraisers who have recognized authorities all over the country in professional personal property appraising.
They are your personal risk manager.
A professional appraiser helps you manage risks by providing a written opinion of value, upon which you can base your financial decisions. Rather than being just an educated guess, the professional appraiser’s value conclusions are based on prescribed methods of evaluation, research, and report writing.
Collectors, bankers, financiers, investors, insurers, adjusters, estate managers, trustees, executors, attorneys, estate managers, trustees, judges, federal and state tax agencies, and individuals like you are all dependent upon the knowledge and expertise of appraisers. Too often and too late, people find out that the appraisals they have are inaccurate or misleading, resulting not only in greater risk to themselves but also in an annual waste of millions of consumer dollars.
