The probate inventory
Massachusetts probate requires a value for every estate asset, including vehicles, within the inventory filed with the court. We provide a signed, USPAP-compliant written appraisal you can attach directly — not a dealer quote or a book-value printout that a beneficiary can later dispute. For estates where a guide value is genuinely adequate, we'll tell you that too — see when an appraisal is actually needed.
The effective date is the decedent's date of death. We state explicitly what market data was reviewed as of that date, even when the physical inspection happens later — see what the effective date means for how that works, including the six-month alternate valuation election and vehicles already sold before an appraisal is ordered.
What you receive, and when
- Within 1 business day — scheduling confirmation and inspection window
- Within 48 hours of first contact — on-site vehicle inspection
- Typically 3–5 business days after inspection — signed PDF report, delivered securely
IRS Form 706 & stepped-up basis
For estates required to file Form 706, or where heirs need a defensible basis for a future sale, the same date-of-death report documents the stepped-up basis the IRS expects — sourced comparables, a visible adjustment grid, and appraiser certification, not an estimate.
Beyond probate: bankruptcy & charitable donation matters
The same independent, USPAP-compliant standard applies to two adjacent practice areas: bankruptcy vehicle appraisals supporting the Massachusetts motor vehicle exemption or a trustee's request, and qualified appraisals for vehicle donations over $5,000 under IRC section 170(f)(11).
If the estate also needs the vehicle sold
Veride only values — we never sell what we appraise, and never will for the same vehicle. When a client also needs the car extracted and liquidated, that's handled separately by PCAP Motors, a licensed MA dealer we're affiliated with and firewalled from. Full pricing for both independent lanes is published on PCAP's estate services page.
Fee handling
Flat fee, published on our pricing page. We invoice the estate or the requesting attorney directly and can accommodate payment from estate funds once the personal representative is appointed. Certification verifiable via the Certified Appraisers Guild directory.
How an engagement works
You send the vehicle details, the purpose, and the effective date you need. We confirm scope and fee in writing before starting, so there are no surprises. We then inspect the vehicle or, where an inspection is not practical, work from documented photographs and records and say so in the report.
The signed report is delivered as a PDF you can attach to an inventory, accounting or filing. If a question comes up later from a beneficiary, a court or an examiner, we answer it from the report.
Independence you can state to the court
Veride does not take contingent fees, and does not appraise vehicles that our sister company PCAP Motors buys, sells or consigns. The report carries a signed certification of independence, which is the statement an opposing party looks for first.
If the estate later chooses to sell, PCAP can help, but that is optional and never a condition of the appraisal.
Related guides
Probate vehicle appraisal in Massachusetts · Date-of-death valuation · Valuing a collector car in an estate · Sample report · Pricing
Frequently asked questions
Does a probate inventory need a vehicle appraisal?
Not always. A guide value may be adequate for an ordinary vehicle. A written appraisal is safer for unusual, high-value or disputed vehicles. Your attorney decides what the estate needs.
What effective date will the appraisal use?
For estates, the date of death, unless the personal representative elects the alternate valuation date. We state the date explicitly in the report.
Can you appraise a vehicle that has already been sold?
Often yes, using the sale records and the market data as of the effective date. Contact us with the details.
Do you charge a percentage of the value?
No. Our fees are flat and never contingent on the value we report.