market value of used equipment

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naturephotographer

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My accountant wants to know what the marktet value of my equipment is. I've got a cassese CS-89 underpinner thats 6 years old and a 3-4 year old IMat (mat maestro) cmc. Any opinions as to what a market value for them would be. They both work fine but the IMat has no tech support to speak of and doesn't ever get software upgrades so it becomes more and more obsolete.
 
I do recall someone <strike>selling</strike> offering a Mat Maestro on e-Bay a while back. It was probably reposed by a leasing company. I don't recall anyone making the minimum bid, which was something like $900.

That's about what it cost to have mine shipped from Seattle and I spent another $700 to have it moved a few months ago.

I honestly believe the Mat Maestro's market value is about $0 - maybe less. They do have some trade-in value at Wizard but, again, there is that matter of shipping the beast.
 
As to the Cassese, try calling the company (or their US distributor). They should know what their equipment goes for on the used market. I did that with a coin counter I had and when I sold it, I got right around the price they said it was worth. You could also call Paul Cascio, he sells used equipment. Explain why you are asking and I'm sure he would help you.

As to the MM cmc... I would say the resale value is close to zero. But even an old car has a bottom value of a couple hundred dollars. I know... you paid alot for it but based on the history of the company and the unreliability of their machines in general plus as you said, software wise, it is at a dead end.
It's like having a really old computer that is so old no software will work on it. It's worthless to the market and of value only to the person who owns it and is still using it.

Now using it as a boat mooring, now THERE is where your value really is!!
 
I don't think the Mat Maestro value is "0". You paid a good amount for it and it would depreciate like any other tool. I think its value would be whatever the trade in value would be.
We traded ours in on a new Wizard a few years back. It was a very "generous" trade in from Wizard in my opinion.
Wizard is a great company to deal with. When we traded it in we did not have ship it anywhere. Wizard and our store found a home for it at our local University graphic arts dept ( they were very grateful).
Ron is right it is a heavy machine. I took 4 guys to load that thing in a pickup!
We gave them a few hours instruction , gave them all the latest software and directed them to Gibson Kohler in Seattle for tech support.
By the way the Gibson Kohler people were good to deal with they are..... former employees of the old M/M company. They felt very bad about what happened to the many stranded with the M/M CMC.
 
Trade in value isn't the same as cash value. You would have to spend money to realize the trade in value, and I don't think that is what the accountant is after. What is the open market cash value of a used Mat Maestro? Nada.
You might be able to get a tax write off if you were to give the machine to a non-profit. I'm sure Wizard took advantage of that when they accepted the machine for trade in and then gave it to the school. The amount you could take would probably only be the residual amount that you haven't already depreciated, or in Wizard's case, the amount allowed on the trade-in.
 
Throw the MM my way! I'm not a non-profit but I have been running at no-profit for a few years now!

In all honesty the machine can't been worthless, it may be worth little, but not worthless. But since your accountant wants to know for tax purposes, can't you go by replacement value? Or take the price paid and depreciate it over the six year period you've owned it?
 
According to the 1995 U.S. Master Tax Guide (published by Commere Clearing House) Fair Market Value is defined as "being the price that property will bring when offered for sale by a willing seller to a willing buyer, neither being obliged to buy or sell."

Finding a willing seller doesn't seem to be a problem, but given the history and shipping costs involved, you may have a problem finding a willing buyer. Your market value is probably close to $0.
 
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