Ask an Appraiser: Qualified Appraiser Statement and the Appraiser Declaration
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Tuesday, March 10, 2020 in Ask an Instructor
ISA members are invited to send in their questions on all things appraising and education to ISA's instructors. One of ISA's instructors will share answers on the ISA Blog. Please send questions to directorofeducation@isa-appraisers.org.
Question: Do I need to include the Qualified Appraiser statement (Checklist #39) and the Appraiser Declaration (Checklist #40) in every appraisal report?
Answer: Excellent question. These checklist items are required for U.S. non-cash charitable contribution appraisal reports, and recommended for all U.S. appraisals intended for the IRS – charitable contributions, estate tax, and gift tax. The instructors and I have noticed that some appraisers are including these statements in other appraisal reports, such as those with an intended use for insurance. In my opinion, it is a business decision whether or not you want to include the Qualified Appraiser statement in your insurance report. It is not a bad idea to reinforce to your client and any intended user that you are a qualified appraiser in the items being appraised, though it is not a requirement to do so. That said, the Appraiser Declaration statement includes specific language about penalties under the Internal Revenue Code and that the "appraisal will be used in connection with a return or claim for refund." This language would not be appropriate to include an insurance appraisal, as it is not applicable and would likely just cause confusion.