Tax benefits

Meeting federal and state tax law requirements.

Land trusts have a special interest in trying to make sure that tax-deductible gifts of land and conservation easements meet IRS and other government requirements. Gifts of conservation easements, in particular, tend to be complex and may be subject to more scrutiny by the IRS than gifts of fee interests. A land trust should review every land and easement gift for which a tax deduction will be claimed against the IRS requirements in order to satisfy itself that there are no obvious errors, while also avoiding giving tax or legal advice to the landowner. Land trusts must also not knowingly engage in potentially fraudulent or abusive transactions and uphold public confidence in conservation. Learn IRS requirements for tax deductible gifts of land or conservation easements and land trusts’ responsibilities for ensuring their transactions are legal and ethical.