Ian Bryzek, CPA
What records are needed if alternate valuation is considered?
Alternate valuation is documentation-heavy: you need values and facts for more than one date, plus a clear inventory of what changed in between.
Sales, distributions, and asset replacements after death can complicate the file if they are not dated carefully.
Do not treat a later sale price as a casual substitute for a supported alternate-date value without a full record set.
What to keep with the file
Do not treat a later sale price as a casual substitute for a supported alternate-date value without a full record set.
What to do next
Build a two-date comparison spreadsheet before any election language is drafted.
What to gather
- Asset inventory as of both relevant dates
- Statements and appraisals for each date considered
- List of assets sold or distributed between dates
- Sale closing statements and trade confirms
- Preparer notes explaining which date is used
Who usually handles what
- Ian can organize the tax reporting question and the supporting records.
- James Valdez can provide an independent residential fair-market-value appraisal when a supported property value is part of the documentation.
- The executor, trustee, or account custodian supplies records and confirms who has authority to act.
A practical next step
Build a two-date comparison spreadsheet before any election language is drafted.
When a property value is part of the picture
When residential real estate needs a supported fair market value as of a relevant date, an independent appraiser may be part of the documentation process. Ian does not determine fair market value.
Related guides
- Step up in basis after death
- Basis when property is sold after death
- What records does a cpa need after a death
This is general tax information, not tax or legal advice. Outcomes depend on the documents, ownership, timing, and law that apply to the particular facts.