Javascript is required to use this website.

The Legal Yield

Linda Danielson Attorney, Ruder Ware
Apr 26, 2018
Apr 26, 2018

1 of 4

A key goal in estate planning is enabling an on-farm heir to continue farming while also treating off-farm heirs fairly.

A family farm is as much about family as it is farm. A well-devised estate plan maintains peace among children.

Facebook
Twitter
Bluesky
WhatsApp
SMS
Email
Print
Save

Linda Danielson Attorney, Ruder Ware

Family farmers face a difficult issue of passing on the farm if there are both on-farm and off-farm heirs. A family farm is a business but also about family. Doing what’s best for both farm and family requires making difficult decisions and sometimes rocking the boat.

kAm|@DE A2C6?ED ECJ E@ EC62E E96:C 49:=5C6? 6BF2==J H96? :E 4@>6D E@ 7:?2?4:2= DFAA@CE[ 36 :E 3:CE952J 8:7ED @C 96=A H:E9 2 5@H? A2J>6?E @? 2 9@>6] qFE :7 72C> 2DD6ED 2C6 5:DEC:3FE65 6BF2==J E@ @?\72C> 2?5 @77\72C> 96:CD[ 4@?D6BF6?46D 42? 36 5:D2DEC@FD 7@C 3@E9 E96 72C> 2?5 72>:=J]k^Am

kAmpD 2? 6I2>A=6[ 2 72C> :D @A6C2E65 2D 2 4@CA@C2E:@?] %96C6 :D @?6 @?\72C> 96:C 2?5 EH@ @77\72C> 96:CD] x7 DE@4< :? E96 4@CA@C2E:@? :D 8:G6? 6BF2==J E@ 2== E9C66 96:CD[ @77\72C> 96:CD H:== 36 23=6 E@ @FEG@E6 E96 @?\72C> 96:C] tG6? :7 E96 4@CA@C2E:@? :D DECF4EFC65 D@ E96 @?\72C> 96:C 92D G@E:?8 4@?EC@=[ E96C6 H:== =:<6=J DE:== 36 AC@3=6>D] %92E H:== 92AA6? 6DA64:2==J :7 E96 @?\72C> 96:C H2?ED E@ FD6 6I46DD 42D9 E@ A2J @77 563E[ AFC492D6 6BF:A>6?E 2?5 5@ @E96C E9:?8D E@ :>AC@G6 E96 72C>] ~77\72C> 96:CD H:== AC@323=J 6:E96C H2?E E96 @77\72C> 96:C E@ AFC492D6 E96:C D92C6D @C C646:G6 2 C6EFC? @? E96:C “:?G6DE>6?E” :? E96 7@C> @7 42D9 5:DEC:3FE:@?D 7C@> E96 4@CA@C2E:@?] s:D28C66>6?E :D =:<6=J 23@FE 6IA6?5:EFC6D E96 @?\72C> 96:C >2<6D[ :?4=F5:?8 4@>A6?D2E:@? 2?5 36?67:ED C646:G65 3J E96 @?\72C> 96:C]k^Am

kAm!2C6?ED >2J 92G6 EC62E65 2== E96:C 96:CD 6BF2==J 3FE :E 92D C6DF=E65 :? 72>:=J 4@?7=:4E[ 9FCE 766=:?8D 2?5 A6C92AD 6G6? =@DD @7 E96 72C>]k^Am

kAm$6G6C2= E9:?8D 42? 36 5@?6 :? 6DE2E6 A=2??:?8 E@ 2==@H 2? @?\72C> 96:C E@ 4@?E:?F6 72C>:?8 H:E9 2D =:EE=6 4@?7=:4E 2D A@DD:3=6]k^Am

kAmkDEC@?8ms6D:8?2E6 72C> 2DD6ED 7@C @?\72C> 96:Ck^DEC@?8mk^Am

kAms6E6C>:?6 H92E 2DD6ED C6AC6D6?E 4@C6 2DD6ED 2? @?\72C> 96:C ?665D E@ 4@?E:?F6 72C>:?8] s6G6=@A 2 A=2? E@ D2768F2C5 E9@D6 2DD6ED 7@C E96 @?\72C> 96:C] r@?EC@= @7 E96 72C> @A6C2E:@? 2?5 @H?6CD9:A @7 2DD6ED <6J E@ E96 @A6C2E:@? — DF49 2D 6BF:A>6?E[ =:G6DE@4<[ 32C?D 2?5 @E96C :>AC@G6>6?ED — D9@F=5 36 EC2?D76CC65 E@ @?=J E96 @?\72C> 96:C] x562==J E96 EC2?D76C H@F=5 36 >256 3J D2=6 @C 2 8:7E 5FC:?8 E96 A2C6?ED’ =:76E:>6[ 2=E9@F89 :E 42? 2=D@ 36 4@>A=6E65 @? 2 A2C6?E’D 562E9 E9C@F89 9:D @C 96C 6DE2E6 A=2?] (9:=6 2 D2=6 42? AC@G:56 A2C6?ED H:E9 42D9 E@ FD6 :? C6E:C6>6?E 2?5 @E96C 2DD6ED E@ 8:G6 @77\72C> 96:CD 2E 562E9[ 2 D2=6 >2J ?@E 36 E96 36DE @AE:@? 3642FD6 @7 E2I 4@?D6BF6?46D 2?5 42D9\7=@H ?665D]k^Am

People are also reading…

Morel-hunter search begins
Tractor Museum showcases farm history
Beware turkey bits, pieces
Century Farm continues family’s legacy
Southeast Iowa family proud of farm longevity
Hunting access made easy
System continues to protect calf health, ranch profitability
From the Backroads of Wisconsin's Past
Alternative fertilizers focus on feeding soil biology
Opportunity knocks for oats
Farmers puts conservation tax to work
Illinois town weighs data center
Farmer volunteers key to containing field fires
US blockade a concern for China, soybeans
From the Backroads of Wisconsin's Past

kAmkDEC@?8mw2?5=6 =2?5 5:776C6?E=Jk^DEC@?8mk^Am

kAmx7 E96C6 :D D:8?:7:42?E =2?5 :?G@=G65[ A2C6?ED >2J ?@E H2?E E@ =62G6 2== E96 =2?5 E@ E96 @?\72C> 96:C 3642FD6 96 H@F=5 36 23=6 E@ D6== :E 2E 2?J E:>6[ A@E6?E:2==J C6DF=E:?8 :? 2 H:?572== H9:49 E96 A2C6?ED ?6G6C :?E6?565 7@C @?6 49:=5] !=FD 2 A2C6?E >2J H2?E E@ 8:G6 @E96C 96:CD 2446DD E@ E96 =2?5 7@C C64C62E:@? @C @E96C FD6D] %96J >:89E H2?E E@ >2<6 E96 =2?5 2G2:=23=6 E@ 7FEFC6 86?6C2E:@?D H9@ H2?E E@ 72C> 3FE H9@ 2C6 ?@E 49:=5C6? @C 8C2?549:=5C6? @7 E96 @?\72C> 96:C] ~C E96 A2C6?ED >:89E H2?E E@ >2<6 DFC6 E96 =2?5 DE2JD :? E96 72>:=J 6G6? H96? E96C6 2C6 ?@ 72>:=J >6>36CD 24E:G6=J 72C>:?8 :E 2?J =@?86C]k^Am

kAmp 4@>3:?2E:@? @7 ECFDED[ {:>:E65 {:23:=:EJ r@>A2?:6D[ @AE:@?D 2?5 =@?8\E6C> =62D6D 42? 36 FD65 E@ 8:G6 2? @?\72C> 96:C 2446DD E@ E96 =2?5 7@C 72C>:?8 H9:=6 <66A:?8 E96 =2?5 :? E96 72>:=J 2?5 2==@H:?8 @77\72C> 96:CD E@ 36?67:E :7 E96 =2?5 :D 6G6?EF2==J D@=5]k^Am

kAmkDEC@?8m{62G6 ?@?\72C> 2DD6ED E@ @77\72C> 96:CDk^DEC@?8mk^Am

kAm}@?\72C> 2DD6ED D9@F=5 36 =67E E@ @77\72C> 96:CD H96? A2C6?ED 5:6 :?DE625 @7 8:G:?8 E96> 2? :?E6C6DE :? 72C> 2DD6ED] ~7 4@FCD6 E96 2DD6ED >2J 36 ?66565 E@ 7F?5 E96 A2C6?ED’ C6E:C6>6?E] q642FD6 E96C6 H:== 36 F?46CE2:?EJ 2D E@ H92E 2DD6ED H:== 36 =67E 7@C @77\72C> 96:CD[ =:76 :?DFC2?46 — 7@C 6I2>A=6 2 D64@?5\E@\5:6 A@=:4J 7@C 2 >2CC:65 4@FA=6 \\ :D D@>6E:>6D C64@>>6?565 2D 2? 2DD6E E@ =62G6 7@C @77\72C> 96:CD]k^Am

kAmkDEC@?8mu2:C 5@6D?’E >62? 6BF2=k^DEC@?8mk^Am

kAm%96 8@2= :D E@ 36 72:C E@ 2== 96:CD[ ?@E EC62E E96> E96 D2>6] x?96C:E2?46 D9@F=5 36 D66? 2D 2 8:7E[ ?@E 2 8F2C2?E66]k^Am

kAm!2C6?ED D9@F=5 6IA=2:? E96:C 72C>\DF446DD:@? A=2? E@ E96:C 96:CD 2?5 C62D@?D 369:?5 :E] ~77\72C> 96:CD >2J ?@E 7F==J 28C66 H:E9 E96 A=2? 3FE 2E =62DE E96J H:== 962C E96 C62D@?:?8 369:?5 :E 2?5 <?@H :E C67=64ED E96:C A2C6?ED’ H:D96D] %96J H:== 2=D@ 9@A67F==J F?56CDE2?5 :E 92D ?@E9:?8 E@ 5@ H:E9 9@H E96J 2C6 G2=F65 H:E9:? E96 72>:=J]k^Am

kAm!2C6?ED D9@F=5 C6>:?5 @77\72C> 96:CD @7 D24C:7:46D >256 3J E96 @?\72C> 96:C 2=@?8 H:E9 E96 DEC6DD[ =@?8 9@FCD 2?5 86?6C2==J =@H A2J :? 72C>:?8[ 2D H6== 2D 7@C8@?6 @77\72C> @AA@CEF?:E:6D] ~77\72C> 96:CD >:89E 2=D@ 36 C6>:?565 E92E 2D A2CE @7 2 72C> 72>:=J E96J 2C6 7@CEF?2E6[ 6DA64:2==J :? E96D6 E:>6D[ E92E E96C6 :D 2? @?\72C> 96:C H:==:?8 E@ 4@?E:?F6 E96 72>:=J’D 72C>:?8 =6824J]k^Am

Linda Danielson is an attorney with Ruder Ware. With roots in central and west-central Wisconsin, the law firm of Ruder Ware provides services tailored to the agricultural industry. For nearly 100 years, its attorneys have counseled farmers and other agribusinesses on succession planning, business issues, employment law and litigation. Visit www.ruderware.com or call 800-477-8050 for more information.