2. What are your goals?
Ease of operation
Transferability
Tax benefits
Liability protection
Self-Employment
tax
Fringe Benefits
Flexibility
Real Estate Basis
3. Other Considerations
Life/stage of
business
Sources of capital
Inter/intra family
issues
Taxes
Risk management
Preparing for next
generation
Estate planning
implications
Management or
control
Termination of
business
Multiple entities
Key Employees
4. Using Entities in Farm Planning
Business
Purpose
Liability
Protection
Organize
Operation(s)
Greater Flexibility
Better profitability
analysis
Estate Planning
Purpose
Protect Farm
Assets from family
or creditors
Greater flexibility in
planning
Easier transfer of
assets
5. Types of Entities
C Corporation
S Corporation
Limited Liability Company
Partnership/Family Limited
Partnership
Other Entity types
Sole Proprietor (Schedule F)
Trust (Revocable – Irrevocable)
6.
7.
8.
9.
10. Typical Scenario – Preferred
Choice
Limited Liability Company or S
Corporation
Flexibility, Tax benefits, taxed at owner
rate
Multiple Entities – greater flexibility
Equipment and labor pool
Land
Livestock
11. When To Choose Other Entity Types
C Corporation
Need for control at the top
Shareholders who would have trouble
with pass-through income
Special needs shareholders, “stranger”
shareholders
Limits movements of assets and cash
WATCH – Dividends are double-taxed.
12. When To Choose Other Entity Types
Partnership
Well-suited for short-term project
Can be adapted or evolved into LLC
Can be terminated at end of project
Highest liability issues and joint-partner
risk
13. When To Choose Other Entity Types
Sole Proprietor
Greatest liability risk – both business
and personal assets at stake
14. LLC versus S Corp
Tax free in-and-out
(mostly)
Easy to change as
circumstances
change
Can have many
layers
Prevents de-
capitalization of
Corp by young
owners
Stronger mgmt
control in officers
Limited Liability Company S Corporation
Structure
15. LLC versus S Corp
GENERAL
Members pay SE
Tax
LIMITED Members
are exempt from SE
Tax
SOMEONE has to
pay SE Tax
Can be exempt from
SE Tax if salaries
are paid to SH
Limited Liability Company S Corporation
SE Taxes
16. LLC and Trusts Land
LLCs – “easy-in,
easy-out” flexibility
Basis locked at
formation
Can change structure
at any time
Can organize as
Business
Locked in for
duration of Trust
Basis locked at
formation
Cannot change
structure
More difficult to
operate as
“business
LLCs and Land Ownership Trusts and Land Ownership
17. LLCs and Tax Form
Pass-through
income,
depreciation, etc.
Humans usually
lower tax rate than
corps
No pass-through tax
Corps taxed at
higher level than
humans
Partnership LLC Corporation LLC
18. Entity Structure and Risk Management
Liability Insurance – adapted for every entity
type, but does not make you “risk-proof”
Entity structure can either “keep in” or “keep
out” risk
You cannot insure against your own bad
behavior
Does not protect against financial liability
(bad debt, bad business decisions, over-
extended credit)
19. Entity Structure and Risk Management
Liability for outside
events limited to
assets in LLC –
cannot get at your
personal assets
Can protect real
estate from
operational liability
High-risk elements
(equipment, labor) in
one LLC
Liability limited to
assets in one LLC
(not entire
operation)
Keep Risk Out Keep Risk In
21. Entity Choice and FSA/Farm Program
No more “3-entity Rule”
Now – payment limit falls to individual owners
Critical factor is “active participation” by
owners
Careful structure of “cash rent” entities
Watch issues of Seniors and Minors
22. Death and Taxes
Indiana Inheritance Tax – repealed
Federal Estate Tax
$5.25M per person (adjusted for Inflation)
Portable between spouses
Unified Gift/Estate/Generation Skipping Rate
Capital Gain Taxes
23. “Stuck” Structures
What do you do when you can’t get
out?
Built-in Capital Gains
Low basis – High value real estate
Cash in the entity – not in your pocket
Planning ahead – looking out 10+ years
Restructure business operations away from
“stuck” entity
24. Odd and Unusual Factors
Conservation easements
Shared well (water or gas)
Water, Mineral, Gas rights to 3rd parties
Hunting Rights
Cell Towers – long term leases
Wind Towers – long term leases
General easements and other Deed
restrictions
25. Fair – vs – Equal
Planning should consider the needs of both
“farm” and “Non-farm” heirs
Whether “farm” heir should have
preference for land over cash or
inventory inheritance
Whether all heirs can cooperate for
operating an entity
26. Fair – vs – Equal
Planning should consider the needs of both
“farm” and “Non-farm” heirs
Whether “Non-farm” heirs can incorporate farm
income into their personal financial picture
Use of “non-farm” planning tools to equalize an
estate and leave more “farm” assets to “farm”
heirs
Life Insurance, Cash investments
Special Needs – Special Heirs
Physical/mental infirmity – qualification for Gov’t
entitlements
Legal issue
27. Plan for Transition – Gen 1
QUESTIONS
What will be the most
effective and fair way
to pass the farm
business to the next
generation?
When should the
change take place?
OPTIONS
Buy out
Rent out
Other Family
Gift
Bequest
TIMING OF
TRANSITION
During Life
After Death of Spouse 1
After Death of Spouse 2
28. Goodacre Farms LLC
A&B Goodacre Farm Management LLC
Goodacre Hogs LLC
Bill & Ann Goodacre
Mary – Tom – Jane
Case Study
31. EntityRelationships Real Estate LLC
• Contract with MGMT LLC
• Liability insulation
• Estate Plan – Ownership to all children
Management LLC
• Contract Farming
• Production “stake” for sweat equity (Son &
Key Employee
• Liability insulation
Livestock LLC
• Production stake
• Liability insulation from Real Estate
Cross
Contracts
32. FamilyRelationships Real Estate LLC
• Starting out - Owned by Parents
• Gifted to/inherited by children
• Rental income to owners
• Downside – Basis lock!
Management LLC
• Starting out - Owned by Parents
• Sweat Equity and gradual “buy in” by farming
child
Livestock LLC
• Opportunity for start-up by Gen 2 (Son)
• Can be co-ownership by parents/son
33. Considerations
Income tax effect of LLC on off-farm owners
K-1 and personal tax rate
Unwelcome complications to Gen 2 taxes
Issue of locked-in basis for real estate
Yes, but is that important? Will there be liquidation?
Estate Tax
Planning for entity discount
Minimizing estate taxes in high value real estate
market
34. Factors in Farm Planning
Entity
structure
Risk Mgmt
Fair v
Equal
Transition
Taxes
Business
Operations
35. Farm Entity Structure
Flexibility is KEY
Goals suggest structure
Estate Planning – Will there be an Estate Tax
Risk?
Transition to Gen 2
Consideration of on-farm and off-farm children
Needs of Gen 1, Gen 2 and Gen 3
Liability protection/insulation of assets
36. Questions?
Contact information:
Derek Fisher, Fisher & Associates
Email: derekf@fisheraccounting.net
Miriam Robeson, Attorney at Law
Email: miriamrobeson@lawlatte.com
Website: lawlatte.com
Business Structures and Taxes