Estates, Trusts, Divorce & Litigation Appraisals

Independent aircraft appraisals prepared for estate planning, trust administration, marital dissolution, and litigation-related matters. Our appraisal reports are structured for legal and fiduciary reliance, with clear documentation suitable for review by counsel, courts, and advisors.

All assignments are developed in compliance with the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP) and supported by PAAO analytical methodology, with explicit identification of intended use, intended users, scope of work, and effective date.

Estate, trust, divorce, and litigation appraisals are commonly prepared to support:

• Estate planning and estate settlement
• Trust administration and fiduciary reporting
• Marital dissolution and asset division
• Pre-litigation evaluation, mediation, and dispute resolution
• Litigation support where valuation credibility is required

Each appraisal is tailored to the specific legal or fiduciary context and reporting requirements of the assignment.

These appraisals are typically intended for use by:

• Attorneys and legal counsel
• Trustees, executors, and fiduciaries
• Courts and court-appointed professionals
• Parties to a dispute and their advisors

Reliance is limited to the identified intended users as stated in the appraisal report.

Our estate, trust, divorce, and litigation appraisal practice includes:

• High-performance single-engine piston aircraft
• High-performance multi-engine piston aircraft
• Turboprop aircraft
• Light, mid-size, and large-cabin business jets

Our practice is limited to general aviation and business aviation aircraft. We do not provide appraisal services for commercial airliners or airline fleet assets.

Assignments prepared for legal or fiduciary purposes require heightened attention to documentation, assumptions, and transparency. Appraisals address factors including:

• Market conditions as of the effective date
• Aircraft configuration and equipment
• Maintenance status and airworthiness considerations
• Damage history and quality of repair documentation
• Marketability, liquidity, and time-to-sale considerations

Valuation conclusions are supported by documented market evidence and professional judgment appropriate to the stated intended use.

When damage history exists, it is evaluated based on:

• Nature and extent of the event
• Quality and completeness of repair records
• Post-repair conformity and configuration
• Observed market reaction and impact on value

Adjustments, when warranted, are supported by market data rather than generalized assumptions, with reasoning documented for review.

When extraordinary assumptions or hypothetical conditions are necessary, they are:

• Clearly identified
• Disclosed prominently
• Applied only when appropriate to the assignment
• Explained with respect to their potential impact on value

This approach supports defensibility under legal and fiduciary scrutiny.

Legal and fiduciary appraisal assignments often involve parties located outside the region of the subject aircraft. Inspection logistics and regional market considerations are addressed as appropriate to the assignment.

We perform on-site aircraft inspections throughout California, including Southern California, and support estate, trust, divorce, and litigation appraisal assignments nationwide.

This page addresses aircraft appraisals prepared for estate, trust, divorce, and litigation purposes.

Related information is available on the following pages:

• Aircraft Appraisal Coverage & Methodology
• Damage History & Diminution of Value
• Aircraft Appraisal Service Areas

Each estate, trust, divorce, and litigation appraisal is prepared independently, with valuation conclusions supported by documented market evidence and professional judgment appropriate for legal and fiduciary reliance.

For inquiries regarding estate, trust, divorce, or litigation-related aircraft appraisals, don't hesitate to get in touch with us to discuss scope, inspection requirements, and reporting needs.