Owning a family farm is a dream for many people. One of the most difficult aspects of farming is passing down the farm to future generations. As tax and business laws continue to change, it is getting difficult to develop succession planning with family farming. Successful farming plans require a lot of research and work on the front […]
Category: Business
In their Estate Planning farm families usually rely on a trust to avoid unnecessary taxes and government involvement. By creating a trust the farmer makes sure that his intentions for distributing farm assets prevail after death. When a trust is in effect, there is no need for probate because the trust owns the property and […]
Farms used to be passed along throughout generations by default. It simply made sense that parents would pass a family farm along to their children, who had grown up participating in farm life. Although the practice of maintaining multigenerational farms is less common now, maintaining a multigenerational farm still has benefits for the family, the […]
You’ve worked hard to keep your farm alive. You’re proud of it. It’s like a child to you. And, like any child, you think about its future. You want what’s best for it, and you want to ensure it will be in safe hands after you’re gone. This farm is your legacy. It is years […]
Farm life isn’t known for being easy. Yet, there are also rewards like knowing that instead of a stressful commute you are heading into the sun-kissed fields. When tension strikes, it is important to address it right away because everyone knows that nothing is so important that it should come between a farm family. Use […]
It’s never too soon to decide who will care for the family farm when you are ready to pass the torch to the next generation. Unfortunately, it is a conversation all to often postponed until it’s too late. A recent article on estate planning notes that, “Individuals put off estate planning because they think they don’t own […]
Family farms have been disappearing over the years, with the number of dairy farms dropping more than 90% since 1970. There are many benefits to having a family farm, which we will take a look at here. The Animals A love for animals is a key factor for many who become farmers. Having the patience to care […]
Multigenerational Farming offers the chance for a younger generation to reap what’s been sowed by their parents and grandparents. Although there are always new machines and techniques to make farming less labor intensive and more efficient, these new-fangled methods could also have unforeseen consequences. This article touches on two examples where the new generation of farmers […]
As farmers, we face daily struggles. Family farms looking to transition from one generation to the next, face even greater challenges. When the children of the family are young, it’s easy to put off future planning. When they enter the teenage years, their contribution is great and this is, quite possibly, the most productive time for […]
Since every farmer, and every farm, is unique, estate planning should fit the uniqueness of a situation. This is especially true when transitioning a farm to a new owner. One of the key elements of any transition is fairness – to the owner and the new owner. When the transition involves a direct family member, a common approach is to […]
