Professional Estate Planning Support for Firearm Owners
Owning firearms — especially with long-held collections or high-value pieces — introduces unique considerations in estate planning that extend beyond typical personal property. Federal, state, and local laws govern firearms ownership, transfer, and possession, and failure to address these assets appropriately within an estate plan can lead to legal complications and unintended consequences.
Virginia Innovations, Inc. offers professional firearms estate planning services focused on accurate documentation, defensible valuation, and clear guidance — all structured to support attorneys, fiduciaries, and family members responsible for estate administration.
Your Certified Firearms Appraiser
All estate planning support related to firearms is provided by:
Dennis A. Gayness
President, Virginia Innovations, Inc.
Certified Firearms Appraiser – American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI)
This certification reflects formal training in firearms identification, valuation, and documentation — an important credential when preparing defensible reports for estate work.
What Firearms Estate Planning Services Include
Firearms estate planning often requires a combination of objective documentation and actionable recommendations. Our services may include:
Inventory and Documentation
- Detailed cataloguing of firearms
- Manufacturer, model, caliber, serial number, and configuration
- Condition assessment
A complete, well-organized inventory provides executors and fiduciaries a clear foundation for decisions and ensures nothing is overlooked.
Certified Appraisal for Estate Purposes
Accurate valuation plays a central role in estate planning:
- Determines fair market value for tax reporting and distribution
- Informs insurance coverage decisions
- Provides defensible documentation for fiduciaries and courts
We provide certified firearm appraisals using methods consistent with professional standards for estate purposes.
Disposition & Transfer Considerations
Based on your goals and legal framework, we can recommend:
- Appropriate sales channels (dealer, auction, private collector)
- Documentation strategies for heirs
- Valuation documentation for tax, reporting, and distribution
We do not provide legal advice on trusts or ownership transfer — consult an attorney for legal structuring of a gun trust or will.
Why Proper Firearm Estate Planning Matters
Firearms — particularly those regulated under federal law — can present complex estate issues:
- Federal and state regulations can affect transfer and ownership rights.
- Beneficiaries must be legally authorized to possess firearms.
- Improperly documented firearms may be inadvertently lost, sold below market, or seized by authorities.
Proper planning can help ensure that your firearms are:
- Transferred legally and securely
- Accurately covered in estate inventories
- Supported with defensible documentation
Fees & Defensible Structure
Estate firearms services are provided with transparent, defensible billing that reflects professional time and scope:
- Estate services that include appraisal are quoted and scoped in advance.
- Valuation and documentation fees are non-contingent and based on work complexity.
- Travel and reimbursable expenses may apply when on-site inspection is needed (disclosed and approved in advance).
This aligns your documentation with what fiduciaries, attorneys, and courts expect for estate planning purposes.
How This Service Integrates With Other Offerings
To support a complete estate planning process, these services may be used together:
- Firearms Identification Services — Provides objective firearm classification and characteristics.
- Firearms Provenance Research Services — Researches historical ownership and context (time-intensive).
- Firearms Appraisal Services — Provides certified valuation and documentation appropriate for estate, insurance, or legal use.
When combined, these services provide a comprehensive foundation for estate decisions and fiduciary documentation.
Begin Your Estate Planning Consultation
An effective firearms estate plan begins with a clear understanding of your collection and goals.
📌 Request an Estate Planning Consultation
Virginia Innovations, Inc.
Firearms Appraisals • Firearms Identification • Provenance Research • Estate Support
Certified Firearms Appraiser – American Gunsmithing Institute