Jack Holowczak — personal property appraiser, Toronto

Divorce & Family Law Appraisals of Luxury Goods, Jewellery & Art

USPAP-Compliant · Personal Property · U.S. & Canada

When a marriage ends, a handbag collection, jewellery, watches, or art must be valued for the property division — often as of a date in the past: the date of separation, the date of marriage, or another date the court or the parties set.

Typical requests include valuing a designer handbag collection as of two past dates.

Services

Retrospective Effective Dates — Retrospective effective dates are standard appraisal practice: value is developed from market evidence for the date counsel specifies, and the effective date is stated in the report. Multiple dates can be reported in one engagement.
Fair Market Value, Not Retail — Insurance schedules and receipts state retail or replacement cost. Fair market value — the price a willing buyer and a willing seller would agree in the item's actual market and condition — is a different figure. The engagement letter records the standard of value counsel requires, and the report applies it and says so.
Party-Retained or Joint — Engagements come from one spouse's counsel or jointly from both. The analysis is identical either way, and fees are never contingent on value or outcome.
Reports for Counsel and the Court — Reports are prepared under USPAP Standards 7 and 8, stating intended use and users, standard of value, effective date, scope of work, and assumptions. Where testimony is required, it proceeds through the expert witness practice.
Fees — Quoted by engagement letter based on scope, time, and complexity; testimony is billed under the expert witness fee schedule. Fees are never contingent on appraised value.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a handbag or jewellery collection be valued as of the date of separation?

Yes. Retrospective effective dates are standard appraisal practice; fair market value is developed from market evidence for that date and the effective date is stated in the report.

Do you act for one spouse or jointly?

Either. The analysis is identical either way, and fees are never contingent on appraised value or outcome.

What is the difference between fair market value and my insurance schedule?

Insurance schedules state retail replacement value. Fair market value is the price a willing buyer and a willing seller would agree in the item's actual market and condition. The report states which standard applies.

Do you need the items in hand?

No. Engagements are documentation-driven; counsel arranges access to documentation or photographs, and any physical examination is addressed by written agreement.

Is this legal advice?

No. Which property is divisible and as of which date are questions for family-law counsel; reports are prepared to support the values counsel and the court require.

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