IRS step-up & date-of-death appraisals in Pahrump, NV
You inherited a Pahrump home, or you are the executor, and someone needs to know what it was worth on the day the owner died. We appraise it as of that date for your tax adviser.
Send us the address, the date of death and the date your adviser named.
What a date-of-death appraisal is
For most inherited property, the IRS treats what you "paid" for the home as its fair market value on the day the owner died. That is your basis. If you sell later for more, the difference is a taxable gain. "Step-up" is a label, not a promised saving; see the IRS gifts and inheritances page.
The appraisal is our opinion of the home's value on that date. Your tax adviser decides which date and records you need, so confirm before you order.
The house as it stood then
We value the home as it was on the date of death, not as it looks today. If it was repaired or remodeled afterward, its condition then may have differed. Comparable sales must come from that date. Gaps in the record, and our assumptions for them, go in the report. Our September 2026 market snapshot is town-wide, not one house's value.
What to send us
- The address and parcel number
- The date of death, and the date your adviser wants valued
- Photos, listings, inspection reports or invoices from around that date
- How title was held, and who can give us access
- Your deadline, and any attorney or accountant instructions
Missing some? Call anyway.
What happens next
- Scope it. We agree the scope, fee and delivery estimate before work starts.
- Document it. We arrange entry and ask for records of condition and changes.
- Analyze it. The appraiser weighs sales tied to that date and sets out the reasoning.
- Review it. Check the dates, stated use and assumptions, and send any corrections.
A note on community property
Nevada is a community property state; a surviving spouse's half of a home can sometimes also get a date-of-death basis. It is not automatic, so raise it with your tax adviser.
Fees and timing
The fee depends on the research, the home, access and your deadline. Ask for a written estimate, and check availability before a filing date. The report follows USPAP, but no appraisal can promise a tax result or that the IRS or a court will accept the value. One report may also serve probate; ask. Related: estate appraisals, probate appraisals, or all appraisal services.
The rules, for your attorney or CPA
- 26 U.S.C. 1014(b)(6): the survivor's half of community property can take a date-of-death basis if at least half the community interest was in the decedent's gross estate. Not for registered domestic partners (Pub. 555).
- 26 U.S.C. 2032: alternate valuation date, only if the executor files and elects it on a federal estate tax return.
- NRS 123.220: community status turns on acquisition, title and any written spousal agreement.
- NRS 144.040: the probate inventory must separate community and separate assets.