USPAP-Compliant Fine Art Appraisals
Kelly Cahn is a Certified Member of the Appraisers Association of America (AAA), the association’s highest level of credentialing. This distinction requires extensive qualifying education, peer review, proven connoisseurship, and a minimum of ten years of specialized experience appraising Postwar and Contemporary art.
All appraisals are independent, impartial, and objective, prepared in strict accordance with the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP) Standards 7 & 8, ensuring they are legally defensible for insurance underwriters, estate attorneys, the IRS, and financial institutions.
Appraisal Services
| Purpose | Value type |
|---|---|
| Insurance | Retail Replacement Value |
| Damage & Loss | Retail Replacement Value |
| Charitable Donation | Fair Market Value |
| Estate Tax Liability | Fair Market Value |
| Estate Planning | Fair Market Value or Marketable Cash Value |
| Equitable Distribution | Fair Market Value or Marketable Cash Value |
Appraisals are priced hourly or as a flat fee. Prepared under USPAP Standards 7 & 8.
Value Definitions
Retail Replacement Value
The cost to replace an object with one of similar age, origin, appearance, provenance, and condition, within a reasonable length of time, in an appropriate related market (Appraisers Association of America).
Fair Market Value
The price at which property would change hands between a willing buyer and a willing seller, neither under compulsion and both having reasonable knowledge of relevant facts (IRS). If the donor restricts the use of a donated object, Fair Market Value must reflect that restriction. It includes the buyer’s premium and any commission.
Marketable Cash Value
The net amount an object would sell for. It is similar to Fair Market Value, but excludes the expenses, commissions, and fees necessary to sell the object.
Why an Independent Appraisal
Works passed down through families may be worth far more today than when they were acquired, and many are uninsured, undocumented, or undervalued. An independent, credentialed appraisal supports insurance coverage, fair division among heirs, accurate values for taxes, and IRS substantiation for donations over $5,000.
Request an appraisal