Jennifer Erkelens-Lam, CAGA
Jennifer is one of the independent professional appraisers The Collectible Home Foundation has audited and approved as meeting the IRS standard for qualified appraisers under 26 CFR § 1.170A-17. She is not retained by the Foundation, and donors are entirely free to use any qualified appraiser of their choosing — but where her work has been submitted in connection with a gift, the Foundation has confirmed that her credentials and reports satisfy federal requirements.
Jennifer Erkelens-Lam is the principal of Intermountain Appraisal, a family-owned and operated appraisal firm based in Millcreek, Utah, serving Utah and the surrounding states. She has worked actively in the appraisal profession since 2008 — more than seventeen years of on-site inspection, market research, and the careful preparation of valuation reports across fine art, antiques, and personal property.
Her practice is comprehensive: from a single Russell oil destined for a museum to estate-wide engagements involving household furnishings, equipment, and machinery. Her firm prepares appraisal reports for charitable donations, estates, insurance, and equitable distribution — every report compliant with the federal Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP) and the IRS guidance set out in Publication 561.
Where Jennifer's reports have been submitted in connection with a gift to The Collectible Home Foundation, the Foundation's Board has reviewed her credentials and confirmed in writing — through a documented due-diligence memorandum on file — that she meets every objective requirement of the federal qualified-appraiser standard. The Foundation maintains an internal registry of independently audited and approved qualified appraisers, of which Jennifer is one. The relationship is professional and arms-length: the Foundation does not retain Jennifer, does not refer donors to her, and does not direct any work to her practice.
Education and certification.
A summary of Jennifer's recognized appraisal designation, completed coursework, and current standing — full memorandum on file with the Foundation.
Beyond fine art.
Jennifer's practice covers the full breadth of personal property — making Intermountain Appraisal a one-stop resource for estates and institutions.
Fine Art
Paintings, prints, drawings, sculpture — historical and contemporary.
Antiques & Collectibles
Period furniture, decorative arts, books, ephemera, and specialty collectibles.
Household & Residential
Estate-wide engagements covering full household contents.
Auto, Truck & Vehicles
Vintage, classic, and specialty vehicles.
Industrial & Commercial
Equipment, machinery, and business / commercial property.
Insurance Damage Claims
Loss assessment for insurance and legal proceedings.
Why this matters for donors.
For non-cash charitable contributions valued above $5,000, the IRS requires that the appraisal be performed by a qualified appraiser as defined in 26 CFR § 1.170A-17 and IRS Publication 561. The Foundation's due-diligence review concluded that Jennifer Erkelens-Lam meets every objective requirement of that standard:
Recognized designation. CAGA Certified Member, supplemented by the full ASA PP201–PP204 personal-property curriculum — equivalent to the education required for ASA's Accredited Member designation. Demonstrated competency. Seventeen-plus years valuing fine art, antiques, and estate property. Regularly compensated practice. Full-time appraisal practice through Intermountain Appraisal. Current USPAP. Compliant through 2025. No prohibition. No disqualification or disciplinary history. Independence. No financial interest in donated property.
The Foundation's complete due-diligence memorandum is available on request from any donor who needs it for their own tax records.
Intermountain Appraisal is, at heart, a family business.
Jennifer with her husband Weng Lam, and her father Jerry Erkelens — whose decades of practice form the foundation on which the firm is built.
Engage Jennifer's firm directly.
For private appraisal engagements unrelated to the Foundation, Intermountain Appraisal can be reached through their professional website. Donors to the Foundation should continue to be referred through CHF directly.
Visit IntermountainAppraisal.com →