When your client has a house full of assets — firearms, collections, jewelry, farm equipment, or business property — and you need a certified valuation that will hold up under scrutiny, Burgess is the partner you want. Need a client-friendly overview to share? See our consumer appraisal services page.
We provide professional appraisal services for:
Many appraisers assign values. Fewer can explain how they arrived at them in a way that withstands opposing counsel, an IRS audit, or a contested probate proceeding. Burgess builds every appraisal to hold up.
Valuations drawn from real auction results and active buyer demand — not catalog estimates or outdated price guides.
Every appraisal includes a clear explanation of how each value was determined — comparable sales, condition, provenance, and market demand analysis, consistent with USPAP appraisal standards.
Itemized, photographed, signed reports suitable for court submission, probate filing, mediation, insurance underwriting, and IRS documentation.
FFL licensed. Rimfire and centerfire firearms handled with full ATF compliance. NFA items evaluated case-by-case through appropriate referral channels.
| Credential | Relevance to Your Practice |
|---|---|
| CAGA — Certified Appraisers Guild of America | Satisfies IRS qualified appraiser requirements under IRC Section 170. Accepted in Indiana probate proceedings and legal matters. |
| CAI — Certified Auctioneers Institute | Held by fewer than 1% of auctioneers nationally. Advanced market expertise and professional practice. |
| FFL — Federal Firearms License | In-house firearms handling with full ATF compliance. Rimfire and centerfire firearms valued accurately. NFA items case-by-case. |
| Indiana Auctioneer License AU19600029 | Active since February 1996. Continuous Indiana market activity and documented sales history. |
| 30 Years of Active Indiana Market Data | Fair market value requires a willing buyer and willing seller in an open market. Burgess has 30 years of documented Indiana transactions to support every valuation. |
Burgess provides certified appraisals across all major personal property asset classes — eliminating the need for multiple specialists.
Court-ready inventory and fair market value reports for executor filing, heir distribution, and estate tax reporting. Reports prepared by a CAGA-credentialed appraiser satisfy Indiana probate court requirements.
Many executors benefit from our consumer resource My Parent Died: What Do I Do Now? — a practical guide families can read before the first conversation with an attorney.
Neutral, market-based valuations of personal property for equitable distribution. Particularly valuable when one spouse owns firearms, collections, or specialty assets the other spouse cannot accurately value. Accepted by both parties in Central Indiana dissolution of marriage proceedings.
Firearms and collectible assets often require specialized gun collection appraisal services that general appraisers cannot provide. Burgess is FFL licensed with decades of active firearms market data.
Accurate personal property schedules for trustee asset disposition. Burgess provides both appraisal services and, when appropriate, coordinated auction liquidation — eliminating the need to engage a second vendor. When clients are ready for disposition, they can seamlessly transition into our estate asset liquidation services in Indiana without starting over.
Documented appraisals for scheduled personal property coverage — firearms collections, jewelry, coins, antiques, and specialty items. Written reports in the format required by the underwriting firm.
IRS-compliant written appraisals by a CAGA-credentialed appraiser satisfying the qualified appraiser definition under IRC Section 170 for non-cash donations exceeding $5,000.
Pre-need personal property valuations for comprehensive estate plans. Gives clients and their advisors accurate baseline values for planning conversations — before the urgency of a transition creates time pressure. Clients beginning this process often benefit from our Indiana estate transition guide for families, which walks families through the full scope of decisions involved. Families navigating estate downsizing and transition planning may also find this context useful.
Burgess has supported attorneys in probate disputes, contested divorce proceedings, and insurance claim matters throughout Indiana.
Expert witness consultation and testimony is billed at our current hourly rate.
Most appraisal firms provide a report and stop there. Burgess can continue beyond valuation when the engagement requires it — eliminating the need for a second vendor when assets must be sold.
Burgess provides both certified appraisal services and complete asset disposition. That includes:
One relationship. Full scope. No vendor handoffs.
For trustees, fiduciaries, and attorneys managing complex estates, that continuity matters.
Court-required appraisal of a complete firearms and edged weapons collection. Documented fair market value accepted by probate court without dispute. See additional firearms auction results for market comparables.
Neutral certified appraisal of personal property used in legal proceedings to achieve equitable asset division. Accepted by both parties without further dispute.
All appraisal work is independent of any subsequent sale or auction engagement. There is no obligation for the client or referring professional to engage Burgess for asset disposition following the appraisal.
| Service | Fee |
|---|---|
| First hour on-site | $375 |
| Each additional hour | $150 per hour |
| Travel time | Billed at hourly rate |
| Research & comparable sales analysis | Billed at hourly rate |
| Written report preparation | Billed at hourly rate |
| Expert witness consultation & testimony | Current hourly rate |
Burgess welcomes ongoing relationships with law firms, fiduciaries, and professional advisors who require recurring valuation support. Contact Zack to discuss.
Yes. Burgess provides written appraisal reports prepared by a CAGA-credentialed appraiser. These reports satisfy Indiana probate court requirements for estate inventory and fair market value documentation.
Yes. Burgess is CAGA-credentialed and satisfies the IRS qualified appraiser definition under IRC Section 170 for non-cash charitable contributions exceeding $5,000.
Yes. Burgess provides written methodology documentation, comparable sales support, and expert consultation and testimony in contested valuation matters. Expert witness work is billed at the current hourly rate.
Burgess is a federally licensed firearms dealer (FFL). Rimfire and centerfire firearms are handled with full ATF compliance. NFA items are evaluated case-by-case through appropriate referral channels. This is an area where most general appraisers lack both the credentials and the market knowledge to produce accurate valuations.
Yes. Burgess provides both certified appraisal services and complete asset disposition including competitive auction, firearms transfer, and real estate coordination. When valuation turns into liquidation, you do not need to engage a second vendor. One relationship covers the full scope.
Timeline depends on the size and complexity of the engagement. Most single-category appraisals are completed within one week of the on-site visit. Larger estate engagements or those requiring extensive research may require additional time. Burgess works within whatever timeline the legal or financial proceeding requires — contact Zack directly to discuss scheduling.
These pages are written for families — not professionals. Forward freely when a client needs a starting point.
Direct links to the service pages most relevant to professional referral situations.
Calls from attorneys and professionals are returned the same business day.
No pressure. Confidential. Direct access to Zack.
Zack Burgess — CAI, AMM, CAGA, FFL
(765) 445-7814Burgess Auctions LLC | Knightstown & Carthage, Indiana | burgessauctions.com
