---
title: "Elements of Equipment Appraisals: Should the Income Approach Apply?"
description: The Income Approach requires the ability to clearly separate and directly apply revenue and expenses to M&E which is rarely possible.
image: https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/hubfs/Blog-Images/income-approach-equipment-appraisal.jpg
---
[](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com)
# Equipment Appraisal Blog | Understanding Machinery Appraisals
## [Elements of Equipment Appraisals: Should the Income Approach Apply?](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/elements-of-equipment-appraisals-should-the-income-approach-apply)
Posted by [Equipment Appraisal Services](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/author/equipment-appraisal-services) on Mon, Aug 21, 2023 @ 07:30 AM
- [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share)
Even though other professional appraisers may disagree with me on this topic, I find it is relevant to raise the issue of whether the income approach should apply or even be a consideration when valuing most machinery and equipment (M&E). In my 40 years of working in the M&E asset management and valuation markets, involving machinery across virtually every known industry, I can count on one hand how many times I have even attempted to assess and place weight on this approach. The same goes for the number of times I have been asked by a client even to consider it.
In layman's terms, the Income Approach estimates the current value of the future economic benefits of owning a particular piece of equipment. Similar to using this approach to estimate the value of a complete business or real property (land, buildings, and related assets), which is relevant in many cases, it requires the ability to clearly separate and directly apply revenue and expenses to M&E.
A scenario where this might be possible is a business that owns a rental fleet of equipment such as trucks, trailers, or heavy machinery. Both short- and long-term rental history could be considered and potentially applied to estimate the value of this type of activity. There are concerns, however, as to the validity and reliance of the assessment.
First, it is common practice in the equipment rental industry to apply discounts to the eventual purchase price of these assets based on past rentals when their clients eventually want to buy them outright. Even with large assets such as aircraft, this is not unusual. The result is that a significant portion of rental income lessens the real market value of the equipment, causing it to get tangled up with the other approaches to value.
Second, assuming you can estimate value under the Income Approach, given the restrictions and requirements, how do you weigh the result in the context of the other approaches, namely Cost and Sales Comparison (Market)?
You cannot completely ignore the other two approaches, as they should be considered and applied to some degree in every equipment appraisal regardless of the purpose, especially if the income approach estimate is materially different from that of the cost and market methodologies. I have never completed an M&E valuation without placing weight on each of these two methods.
In summary, these are just two of several issues that create concerns about the appropriateness of utilizing the income approach to assess M&E value. Contact an accredited professional appraiser to learn more on the topic.
Tags: [Equipment Appraisal](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/topic/equipment-appraisal), [equipment appraisers](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/topic/equipment-appraisers), [Income Approach](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/topic/income-approach), [M&E](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/topic/me)
### Subscribe by Email
### Most Popular Posts
### Posts by Month
- [July 2026 (1)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2026/07)
- [June 2026 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2026/06)
- [May 2026 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2026/05)
- [April 2026 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2026/04)
- [March 2026 (3)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2026/03)
- [February 2026 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2026/02)
- [January 2026 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2026/01)
- [December 2025 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2025/12)
- [November 2025 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2025/11)
- [October 2025 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2025/10)
- [September 2025 (3)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2025/09)
- [August 2025 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2025/08)
- [July 2025 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2025/07)
- [June 2025 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2025/06)
- [May 2025 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2025/05)
- [April 2025 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2025/04)
- [March 2025 (3)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2025/03)
- [February 2025 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2025/02)
- [January 2025 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2025/01)
- [December 2024 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2024/12)
- [November 2024 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2024/11)
- [October 2024 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2024/10)
- [September 2024 (3)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2024/09)
- [August 2024 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2024/08)
- [July 2024 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2024/07)
- [June 2024 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2024/06)
- [May 2024 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2024/05)
- [April 2024 (3)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2024/04)
- [March 2024 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2024/03)
- [February 2024 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2024/02)
- [January 2024 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2024/01)
- [December 2023 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2023/12)
- [November 2023 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2023/11)
- [October 2023 (3)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2023/10)
- [September 2023 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2023/09)
- [August 2023 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2023/08)
- [July 2023 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2023/07)
- [June 2023 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2023/06)
- [May 2023 (3)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2023/05)
- [April 2023 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2023/04)
- [March 2023 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2023/03)
- [February 2023 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2023/02)
- [January 2023 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2023/01)
- [December 2022 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2022/12)
- [November 2022 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2022/11)
- [October 2022 (3)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2022/10)
- [September 2022 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2022/09)
- [August 2022 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2022/08)
- [July 2022 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2022/07)
- [June 2022 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2022/06)
- [May 2022 (3)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2022/05)
- [April 2022 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2022/04)
- [March 2022 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2022/03)
- [February 2022 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2022/02)
- [January 2022 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2022/01)
- [December 2021 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2021/12)
- [November 2021 (3)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2021/11)
- [October 2021 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2021/10)
- [September 2021 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2021/09)
- [August 2021 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2021/08)
- [July 2021 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2021/07)
- [June 2021 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2021/06)
- [May 2021 (3)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2021/05)
- [April 2021 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2021/04)
- [March 2021 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2021/03)
- [February 2021 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2021/02)
- [January 2021 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2021/01)
- [December 2020 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2020/12)
- [November 2020 (3)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2020/11)
- [October 2020 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2020/10)
- [September 2020 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2020/09)
- [August 2020 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2020/08)
- [July 2020 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2020/07)
- [June 2020 (3)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2020/06)
- [May 2020 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2020/05)
- [April 2020 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2020/04)
- [March 2020 (3)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2020/03)
- [February 2020 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2020/02)
- [January 2020 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2020/01)
- [December 2019 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2019/12)
- [November 2019 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2019/11)
- [October 2019 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2019/10)
- [September 2019 (3)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2019/09)
- [August 2019 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2019/08)
- [July 2019 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2019/07)
- [June 2019 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2019/06)
- [May 2019 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2019/05)
- [April 2019 (3)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2019/04)
- [March 2019 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2019/03)
- [February 2019 (3)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2019/02)
- [January 2019 (1)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2019/01)
- [December 2018 (4)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2018/12)
- [November 2018 (4)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2018/11)
- [October 2018 (5)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2018/10)
- [September 2018 (4)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2018/09)
- [July 2018 (5)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2018/07)
- [June 2018 (4)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2018/06)
- [May 2018 (2)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2018/05)
- [April 2018 (4)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2018/04)
- [March 2018 (4)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2018/03)
- [February 2018 (3)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2018/02)
- [January 2018 (4)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2018/01)
- [December 2017 (4)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2017/12)
- [October 2017 (3)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2017/10)
- [September 2017 (3)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2017/09)
- [August 2017 (4)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2017/08)
- [July 2017 (3)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2017/07)
- [June 2017 (4)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2017/06)
- [May 2017 (5)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2017/05)
- [April 2017 (1)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2017/04)
- [March 2017 (4)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2017/03)
- [February 2017 (4)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2017/02)
- [January 2017 (5)](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/archive/2017/01)
[See more](https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/elements-of-equipment-appraisals-should-the-income-approach-apply#)
© 2026 Equipment Appraisal Services
```json
{
"@context" : "https://schema.org",
"@type" : "BlogPosting",
"author" : {
"@type" : "Person",
"name" : "Equipment Appraisal Services",
"url" : "https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/author/equipment-appraisal-services"
},
"dateModified" : "2023-08-21T11:30:00.304Z",
"datePublished" : "2023-08-21T11:30:00.000Z",
"headline" : "Elements of Equipment Appraisals: Should the Income Approach Apply?",
"image" : [ "https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/hubfs/Blog-Images/income-approach-equipment-appraisal.jpg" ],
"mainEntityOfPage" : {
"@id" : "https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/blog/elements-of-equipment-appraisals-should-the-income-approach-apply",
"@type" : "WebPage"
},
"publisher" : {
"@type" : "Organization",
"logo" : {
"@type" : "ImageObject",
"url" : "https://www.equipmentappraisal.com/hubfs/Images%202020/equipment_appraisal_services_header_logo.svg"
},
"name" : "Equipment Appraisal Services"
}
}
```