DATE-OF-DEATH CRYPTO VALUATION
Crypto Appraisal for Estate Tax
Crypto appraisal services for estate tax covering date-of-death fair market value, alternate valuation date reporting, and stepped-up basis records, prepared in accordance with USPAP. Qualified Crypto Appraisers values Bitcoin, Ethereum, altcoins, and NFTs left in exchange accounts, hardware wallets, and other self-custody wallets.
- Value as of the date of death
- Alternate valuation date on request
- Exchange and self-custody holdings
DATE-OF-DEATH VALUE
Our Estate Appraisals Value Crypto at the Date of Death for Form 706 and Basis Records
Cryptocurrency held at death is property of the estate, and an estate tax return on Form 706 reports it at fair market value on the date of death. Because crypto trades every hour of every day, a date alone can span a wide range of prices, so our reports state the pricing approach used for that date and, where the facts call for it, the time and time zone.
The same value generally becomes the heirs' starting basis under Internal Revenue Code section 1014, which matters when they later sell. A documented date-of-death value gives executors and beneficiaries a record that does not depend on reconstructing an old exchange screenshot years later.
If the executor elects the alternate valuation date, six months after death, we can report value as of that date as well.
ESTATE MATTERS WE SUPPORT
We Appraise Cryptocurrency for Estate Tax Returns, Probate Inventories, Trusts, and Lifetime Gifts
Estate Tax Returns
Date-of-death values for every token, prepared for reporting on Form 706.
Probate Inventories
Documented values for the inventory and accountings a probate court asks executors to file.
Trust Funding and Distributions
Values for crypto moving into or out of a trust, or divided among beneficiaries.
Lifetime Gifts
Fair market value on the date of a gift, for crypto reported on Form 709.
HOW IT WORKS
How We Appraise Cryptocurrency Held in an Estate
- 01
Identify the Holdings
Exchange statements, wallet addresses, and the decedent's records establish what was held.
- 02
Confirm the Valuation Date
The date of death, or the alternate valuation date if the executor elects it.
- 03
Price Each Holding
Each token is valued in its principal market, with thin trading and lockups addressed.
- 04
Signed Report
A USPAP-compliant report ready for the estate's attorney, CPA, or the probate court.
Settling an Estate That Holds Crypto?
Send the statements or wallet addresses you have. We confirm scope, timing, and a fixed fee before any work begins.
FAQ
Estate Crypto Appraisal Questions
What if no one can access the decedent's wallet?
We can still appraise what the wallet held. For most networks, public blockchain records show the balance at a wallet address on any past date, so the estate does not need the keys for us to value the holdings. Recovering access is a separate matter for the estate's attorney.
Which price do you use for the date of death?
Crypto has no single closing price, so the report states the method used, such as the price at a specific time on the date of death or an average across that day, along with the market and data sources behind it. We confirm the date, time zone, and approach with the executor or attorney before we start.
Why document crypto values if the estate owes no estate tax?
Because the date-of-death value generally becomes each beneficiary's cost basis, and that number comes back when they sell. A documented appraisal gives the estate and the heirs a defensible record of the value at the date of death.
Can you appraise crypto for a gift tax return?
Yes. For crypto given during life, we appraise fair market value on the date of the gift for reporting on Form 709, using the same method as an estate appraisal with the gift date as the valuation date.
Request Your Estate Crypto Appraisal
Tell us the date of death, the tokens, and where they were held. We confirm scope and a fixed fee before work begins.