Commentary: Estate tax poses clear threat to nation’s family farms

Following a death, taxes are placed on the transfer of property. These taxes are called estate taxes. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act increased the estate tax exemption to $11.58 million over person. This number is set to return to $5 million after December 31, 2025.

Farms with assets above the tax exemption will be heavily affected. Many times, farms will have to liquidate assets to meet estate tax obligations which pose a significant threat to farmers and ranchers because their estate taxes are based on the market value of the asset.

Thus, as agricultural land and assets often appreciate, the estate taxes can be very high. “A limitation on the estate tax exemption means that each year, fewer and fewer farm families will be protected from the estate tax– a clear risk to the continuity of family farms.”

The lowering of the estate tax exemption limit will have a damaging effect on farmers and ranchers and should be taken into consideration. “By eliminating estate taxes, or making the current exemptions permanent, U.S. farmers and ranchers will be able to avoid, at least partially, liquidating inherited farm assets to meet the death tax’s financial obligations.” 

See John Newton & Patricia Wolff, Commentary: Estate tax poses clear threat to nation’s family farms, American Farm Bureau Federation, October 19, 2020.

Special thanks to Jim Hillhouse (Professional Legal Marketing (PLM, Inc.)) for bringing this article to my attention.