Whether planning for the future or administering a collection after death, fiduciaries and their advisors require valuations that meet regulatory standards and support defensible decision-making. Executors settling an estate, trustees managing holdings across generations, foundation directors overseeing charitable assets, and families planning transfers—each faces specific documentation requirements and fiduciary obligations.

These engagements often involve collections assembled over decades, with limited documentation, works spread across multiple locations, and values that bear little relation to original purchase price. The appraisal must address not just current market value but the complexities that arise in fiduciary contexts—fractional interests, blockage considerations, attribution questions, and the sequencing of distributions.

We work with collector estates, artist estates, family trusts, and artist foundations on the valuation matters that arise throughout planning, administration, and beyond. For estate planning and gift tax purposes, we prepare qualified appraisals for lifetime transfers reported on IRS Form 709. Early valuation supports planning decisions—timing of gifts, selection of works for transfer, and coordination with broader wealth strategies.
For estate tax purposes, we prepare qualified appraisals for IRS Form 706, structured to meet Treasury regulation documentation requirements. Our reports address the particular challenges of estate holdings—works acquired decades ago, limited provenance documentation, and collections that would affect the market if liquidated at once.

For charitable distributions, we prepare qualified appraisals meeting IRS requirements for donations to museums and institutions. We have appraised major donations to institutions including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art, the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Tate, the Art Institute of Chicago, the National Gallery of Canada, LACMA, and SFMOMA.
For insurance, we document replacement value for holdings in residences, storage, or on loan—and provide loss-of-value assessments when works are damaged.

For collection planning, we provide current valuations that inform decisions about whether to hold, distribute, donate, or sell. The appraisal serves as a fiduciary tool, documenting that decisions were made with accurate market information. We coordinate with attorneys, accountants, and other advisors throughout the engagement. Our reports are prepared for fiduciary review and structured to support the documentation requirements of estate administration and planning.

To discuss an engagement, contact us directly