FAIR Buyer Guidance

Donation Appraisal Checklist: Questions to Ask Before You Hire

Direct answer

Before hiring a donation appraiser, ask whether they handle your property type, how they document qualified-appraiser fit, whether the fee is non-contingent, what the report includes, and how Form 8283 timing will be handled. The appraiser can support the valuation file, but tax advice belongs with your CPA or attorney.

  • Match the appraiser to the item category.
  • Confirm the report purpose before pricing.
  • Compare fee disclosure before outreach.
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Donation Appraisal Checklist: Questions to Ask Before You Hire - FAIR online appraisal guide illustration
Donation Appraisal Checklist: Questions to Ask Before You Hire - FAIR online appraisal guide illustration
Decision guide

When tax appraisal documentation matters

For tax and donation work, the question is not only value. The report has to fit the filing purpose, timing, appraiser independence, and support file.

When tax appraisal documentation matters
Situation Formal appraisal? Why it matters
Donation below formal appraisal thresholds Maybe not Ask the CPA how the property is grouped before assuming a qualified appraisal is required.
Form 8283 or qualified-appraisal review Usually yes The appraiser, report date, effective date, intended use, and fair-market-value support all need to line up.
Old insurance appraisal or dealer estimate Risky alone Tax work usually needs a different value basis, independence boundary, and support package.
Start with the filing facts

Donation appraisal work is not just a value question. The appraiser needs enough context to know whether the assignment may support a tax file.

  • Ask whether they prepare charitable donation appraisals for the same property category.
  • Confirm the expected donation date, donee organization, valuation date, and whether Form 8283 may be involved.
  • Ask what they need before quoting: photos, condition notes, acquisition history, prior appraisals, and transfer records.
Ask how they prove qualification

Do not settle for a vague claim that the appraiser is experienced. Ask how that experience will be documented in the report.

  • Ask about education, specialty experience, current standards training, and work with similar donated property.
  • Confirm the report will identify intended use, value basis, valuation date, methodology, and appraiser qualifications.
  • Ask them to explain the scope in plain language before you sign the engagement.
Screen independence early

Donation work gets weak when the appraiser has a financial interest in the gift, the donee, the dealer, or the result.

  • Ask whether the appraiser has any relationship with the donor, donee, dealer, broker, advisor, or transaction party.
  • Confirm the fee is not tied to appraised value, claimed deduction, sale outcome, or acceptance by the donee.
  • Keep valuation work separate from tax advice, legal advice, charity selection, and sales advocacy.
Get the deliverable and fee in writing

A donation appraisal quote should be easy for a CPA or attorney to understand without reconstructing the assignment from emails.

  • Ask whether the fee is flat, hourly, per item, collection-based, or adjusted for research complexity.
  • Clarify what is included in the first report, what counts as a revision, and how advisor questions are handled.
  • Ask whether rush timing, travel, grouped items, authentication questions, or extra comparable research changes the quote.
Confirm timing before hiring

The right appraiser still needs enough time to produce a defensible record. Build in room for facts, review, and signatures.

  • Ask when they can start, when a draft can be ready, and what you must provide to keep that schedule realistic.
  • Ask whether the donation date, filing deadline, donee acknowledgment, or Form 8283 signature creates timing risk.
  • Leave time for factual corrections and CPA questions before final delivery.
Common questions
  • What is the first question to ask a donation appraiser? Ask whether they regularly prepare charitable donation appraisals for your property type and whether they can explain the intended use, value basis, timing, and report scope before quoting.
  • Should the fee be based on appraised value? No. Use a non-contingent fee model that does not depend on the value conclusion, claimed deduction, or filing result.
  • Is a short certificate enough for a donation appraisal? Often no. Many donation files need a written appraisal report with descriptions, condition, methodology, support evidence, qualifications, and advisor-ready context.
  • Can the appraiser give tax advice? The appraiser can explain valuation scope and report support. Tax advice should come from your CPA or attorney.
  • What should I prepare before asking for a quote? Prepare photos, measurements, condition notes, provenance, acquisition records, prior appraisals, donee details if known, and the expected contribution timeline.
Related FAIR paths
FAIR trust boundary and source references
  • FAIR does not license appraisers.
  • FAIR does not certify competence or guarantee availability.
  • Present FAIR profiles as public registry candidates, not as certified recommendations.
  • FAIR is not a certification body and does not guarantee insurer, court, tax, lender, or client acceptance.
  • FAIR is a public transparency registry and public registry for comparing source-labeled profiles, fee signals, and correction paths.
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