SDIRA Year end Fair Market Value

[Chris Martin]

When completing a 'fair market valuation' for your self directed IRA, who are you using as the independent valuator? I don't want to get an appraisal for a property I just bought. Actually, I just don't want to pay for an appraisal. So who would (or who do) you use? My thought is to get a CMA, but the damn form needs to be notarized. The property also needs a current asset value explicitly assigned to it. I would think my residential property manager (a licensed RE broker) is independent WRT this valuation. Agree?

Example form from custodian: http://www.trustetc.com/forms/fairmarket.pdf

[William Johnson]

I have heard it said that the IRS is most concerned about proper evaluation during the distribution phase if it is a traditional IRA or going to heirs after your death. It really doesn't matter otherwise.

That said, I would shoot for something close to actual value.