Insights
Appraisal Guides & Insights
Expert appraisal guidance — what drives value, when you need a USPAP-compliant appraisal, and how the process works.
Latest posts
How Equipment Is Valued in a Business Bankruptcy Filing: Chapter 7 vs Chapter 11
Equipment valuation in a bankruptcy filing depends on which chapter you're in and what the trustee or court plans to do with the assets. This guide breaks down when orderly liquidation, forced liquidation, and going-concern value apply, and what a defensible appraisal report needs to state.
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How an Equipment Insurance Appraisal Dispute Gets Resolved When Values Collide
When an insurer and a policyholder can't agree on what a damaged or stolen machine is worth, the appraisal clause in the policy supplies a binding path forward. Here's how the two-appraiser, one-umpire process actually works, and what it can't decide.
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What Is Forced Liquidation Value and When Do Lenders Require It for Equipment Collateral?
Forced liquidation value equipment appraisals estimate what machinery would bring in a compelled, fast-turnaround auction, and lenders lean on that number when a loan is in trouble. This guide explains how forced liquidation value differs from orderly liquidation and fair market value, and when a lender will actually ask for it.
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How Equipment Is Valued for a Property Tax Appeal: A Cost Approach Walkthrough
Equipment valuation for a property tax appeal comes down to rebuilding the assessor's cost approach and backing it with market evidence. This guide walks through the calculation step by step and shows where outdated depreciation schedules leave businesses overpaying.
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Cost, Market, and Income Approaches to Valuing Farm Equipment Explained
Farm equipment valuation approaches fall into three categories: cost, market, and income, and knowing which one drives a tractor or combine's appraised value helps lenders, estates, and owners understand the number on the report.
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Replacement Cost vs Actual Cash Value: How Insurers Value Equipment Losses
Replacement cost and actual cash value produce very different payouts on the same equipment loss, and the gap often runs into thousands of dollars. This guide breaks down both formulas, explains the coinsurance penalty that catches underinsured owners, and shows how a documented appraisal supports whichever basis your policy uses.
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What the IRS Requires for a Qualified Appraisal of Donated Equipment
A qualified appraisal for donated equipment is required once the claimed deduction passes $5,000, and getting the appraiser, timing, and Form 8283 details wrong can cost you the entire write-off. This guide walks through the IRS rules step by step, with a worked example for a donated forklift.
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Orderly Liquidation Value vs. Fair Market Value: Which Equipment Appraisal Fits your Situation?
Equipment appraisals rest on three different value premises: fair market value, orderly liquidation value, and forced liquidation value, and each one produces a different number for the same asset. This guide explains when lenders, courts, and bankruptcy trustees require each premise so you can order the right report the first time.
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