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When you need an appraiser, and when you don't
Updated Nov 2026 · Find personal property appraisers by county →
An appraiser gives you a written, defensible opinion of what something is worth. They don't buy it, sell it, or take a share of it — that independence is the whole point. Here's when an estate needs one and when it doesn't.
The four reasons estates get appraisals
- The estate inventory. Connecticut requires the fiduciary to file an inventory of the estate's assets with the Probate Court. For ordinary household contents a reasonable estimate is often enough; for art, antiques, jewelry, collections, or anything that might be contested, a written appraisal protects the executor.
- Dividing things fairly. When three siblings each want the dining set, or one takes the jewelry and another the paintings, an independent appraisal keeps the peace in a way no family member's opinion can.
- Insurance. If items will be kept, shipped or stored, an insurance appraisal (at replacement value, which is higher than resale value) is what the insurer wants.
- Charitable donations. If the estate donates items and wants to claim a deduction above the IRS threshold for non-cash gifts, the IRS requires a "qualified appraisal" by a qualified appraiser. Ask the appraiser specifically whether they do IRS-qualified work.
When you probably don't need one
Ordinary used furniture, kitchenware, clothing and electronics rarely justify the cost of an appraisal; an estate sale company will price them for the sale. If you're unsure whether something is worth appraising, many appraisers will do a brief walk-through or look at photos and tell you what deserves a full report — ask for that first.
What the credentials mean
Connecticut doesn't license personal property appraisers, so credentials come from the professional associations. The three that matter are ISA (International Society of Appraisers), ASA (American Society of Appraisers) and the AAA (Appraisers Association of America). All three require training, testing and compliance with USPAP, the uniform appraisal standards. Ask any appraiser you call which one they belong to, and look them up on that association's website.
How appraisers charge
By the hour or by a flat fee for the report. Never as a percentage of the value — that's a conflict of interest and the associations' ethics rules prohibit it. Expect a few hundred dollars for a short report on a handful of items and more for a full household. Ask for an estimate in writing, and ask what the report will include and who it will be addressed to (the estate, the court, the insurer).
One more thing
If someone offers to appraise your items and then buy them, that's a dealer making an offer, not an appraisal. Dealers are useful — just know which conversation you're having.