As early in estate administration as practical, ideally within the first few months after the death. There is no legal deadline for the appraisal itself, but the deadlines it supports come quickly. A federal estate tax return, if required, is due nine months after death. Probate inventories and trust accountings have their own timelines set by courts and state law. Ordering the appraisal early also produces a better report, since the appraiser is working close to the effective date, comparable sales data is fresh, and the property’s condition still matches how it was at death. Waiting creates avoidable problems. Renovations, damage, or a sale can make the property’s past condition harder to document, and heirs who skip the appraisal often need one years later when they sell and a CPA asks for basis documentation. A retrospective appraisal can still be done at that point, but doing it during administration is simpler and more defensible.
