Estate Inventory and Appraisement (Massachusetts)

IMPORTANT: THIS IS A PREPARATION GUIDE — USE OFFICIAL FORM MPC 854

Massachusetts requires the official Probate and Family Court form MPC 854
(Inventory), with its attached Schedule of Personal Property and Schedule
of Real Estate, for the inventory of a decedent's estate. The form is available
from the Massachusetts Court System
(https://courtforms.jud.state.ma.us/publicforms/PFC0108). This template provides the
substantive content to help you prepare; transfer your content to MPC 854 before
filing or mailing. Do not file this document in place of the official form.

INVENTORY AND APPRAISEMENT OF THE ESTATE

1. PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE INFORMATION

2. DECEDENT INFORMATION

3. DUTY AND FILING DEADLINE

Pursuant to G.L. c. 190B, § 3-706, within 3 months after appointment, a personal representative who is not a successor to a representative who has previously discharged this duty shall prepare an inventory of the property owned by the decedent at the time of death, listing it with reasonable detail and indicating, as to each listed item, its fair market value as of the date of death and the type and amount of any encumbrance that may exist with reference to any item.

The personal representative shall file a copy with the court, or mail a copy to all interested persons whose addresses are reasonably available; the personal representative may also file the original with the court (§ 3-706). A successor personal representative prepares an inventory as of the date of the successor's appointment (§ 3-706(b)).

4. APPRAISAL METHOD

Under G.L. c. 190B, § 3-707, the personal representative may employ one or more qualified and disinterested appraisers to assist in ascertaining the fair market value, as of the date of death, of any asset the value of which may be subject to reasonable doubt; different persons may be employed to appraise different kinds of assets. The court also retains the option to appoint appraisers under G.L. c. 195, § 6.

• The personal representative may self-determine value for readily ascertainable assets (cash, deposit balances, exchange-listed securities).
• The name and address of each appraiser should be indicated on the inventory next to the item or items appraised.

5. SCHEDULE A — REAL ESTATE

Schedule A Subtotal: $[________________]

6. SCHEDULE B — TANGIBLE PERSONAL PROPERTY

Schedule B Subtotal: $[________________]

7. SCHEDULE C — CASH, BANK & FINANCIAL ACCOUNTS

Schedule C Subtotal: $[________________]

8. SCHEDULE D — SECURITIES & BUSINESS INTERESTS

Schedule D Subtotal: $[________________]

9. SCHEDULE E — OTHER ASSETS

Schedule E Subtotal: $[________________]

10. RECAPITULATION / SUMMARY

11. VERIFICATION

I certify under the penalties of perjury that the foregoing Inventory and Appraisement is a complete and accurate inventory of all property owned by the decedent at the time of death, fairly valued at fair market value as of the date of death, to the best of my knowledge, information, and belief.

Date: [__/__/____]

Personal Representative Signature: ______________________________________

Printed Name: [PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE FULL LEGAL NAME]

12. APPRAISER'S CERTIFICATE

I certify that I am a qualified and disinterested appraiser, that I appraised the items identified below, and that the stated values represent the fair market value of those items as of the decedent's date of death.

13. CERTIFICATE OF FILING / SERVICE

Pursuant to G.L. c. 190B, § 3-706, the personal representative has (check one):

☐ Filed a copy (or original) of this inventory with the Probate and Family Court, [COUNTY] Division; or
☐ Mailed a copy to all interested persons whose addresses are reasonably available, as listed below.

Signature: ______________________________________
Printed Name: [PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE / ATTORNEY NAME]
BBO No. (if applicable): [________________]

14. ATTACHMENTS CHECKLIST

☐ Form MPC 854 (Inventory) with Schedule of Personal Property and Schedule of Real Estate
☐ Appraisal report(s) for assets appraised under § 3-707
☐ Bank / brokerage statements as of date of death
☐ Real estate deed(s) and registry references
☐ Motor vehicle and titled-asset records
☐ Supplementary Inventory (§ 3-708), if after-discovered property
☐ Certificate / proof of mailing to interested persons (if mailing in lieu of filing)

SOURCES AND REFERENCES

• G.L. c. 190B, § 3-706 — Duty of personal representative; inventory and appraisement (3-month deadline; file or mail)
• G.L. c. 190B, § 3-707 — Employment of appraisers
• G.L. c. 190B, § 3-708 — Supplementary inventory
• G.L. c. 195, § 6 — Court's option to appoint appraisers
• Form MPC 854 (Inventory): https://courtforms.jud.state.ma.us/publicforms/PFC0108