NASHVILLE, Tenn. (RFD-TV) — One of the biggest threats to farm succession is the federal estate, or “death,” tax. Without recent changes, many family operations — like renowned California rancher Kevin Kester’s Bear Valley Ranch — would have faced significant tax burdens when passing land and equipment to the next generation.
The “One Big Beautiful Bill” Act, which passed in July, permanently increased the unified credit to $15 million per individual beginning in 2026, indexed to inflation. That compares with approximately $7 million under the prior law, a level that could have compelled many farm families to sell assets to pay their tax bills.
National Agricultural Law Center senior staff attorney Rusty Rumley says the higher credit and portability provisions for married couples mean most farms will avoid immediate estate tax exposure. Still, he warns that succession planning remains a larger concern. Sudden illness or death of a farm operator can leave successors unprepared, and a lack of planning can fracture families or force financial hardship.
Tony’s Farm-Level Takeaway: Estate tax relief reduces pressure, but succession planning remains the critical challenge for farm families.
RFD-TV expert Roger McEowen explains why a “skinny” Farm Bill is likely in the future, but its scope may change due to provisions contained in the Big, Beautiful Bill.
November 05, 2025 03:19 PM
·
David Klein with the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers (ASFMRA) shares an end-of-harvest update and a peek at the farmland market in Central Illinois.
November 05, 2025 12:58 PM
·
Host of
RealAg Radio Shaun Haney discusses how the proposed reductions to agriculture programs in Canada’s new budget could affect research and support programs that farmers need.
November 05, 2025 12:40 PM
·
The Farm Bureau urges trade enforcement, biofuel growth, fair input pricing, and pro-farmer policy reforms to restore long-term certainty.
November 05, 2025 11:41 AM
·
The first-ever “MICHELIN Guide to the American South” awards stars to top restaurants across Georgia, Louisiana, the Carolinas, and Tennessee, and pinpoints the region as a global food destination for the first time.
November 04, 2025 05:44 PM
·
Livestock profits are propping up overall sentiment, but crop producers remain cautious amid tight margins and uncertain policy signals.
November 04, 2025 01:45 PM
·
