Donate development rights. Keep the land. Deduct the difference.

A conservation easement is a legal agreement that permanently limits the use of land to protect its conservation value, and donating a qualifying easement to a land trust or government can generate a charitable tax deduction. Done properly, with real conservation purpose, it is a legitimate strategy. We keep your entity and records organized around it.

When you donate a qualifying easement that permanently restricts the land's development, you may deduct the value of the rights given up as a charitable contribution, subject to strict rules and a qualified appraisal. We flag the requirements so a legitimate easement is documented properly and the deduction holds up.

Genuine conservation purpose, a qualified appraisal, a reputable land trust, and proper documentation, so the easement protects real conservation value rather than being an inflated tax shelter. We flag the standards so your easement is the legitimate kind, not the aggressive, abusive structures the IRS challenges.

Because abusive syndicated easement deals with inflated appraisals have drawn heavy IRS enforcement, legitimate easements must be carefully documented to withstand scrutiny, and overvalued ones get disallowed with penalties. We flag the difference so your easement is done to survive review, not to chase an inflated deduction.

Yes: a conservation easement deduction generally requires a qualified appraisal of the easement's value by a qualified appraiser, since valuation is where these deductions are challenged. We flag the appraisal requirement so your deduction rests on defensible valuation rather than an aggressive number.

Landowners with property that has genuine conservation value, scenic, ecological, historic, or open-space, and who are willing to permanently restrict its use, so it suits owners of qualifying land, not everyone. We flag whether your property fits so an easement is considered only where it is genuinely appropriate.

Yes: a qualifying easement permanently restricts the land's use, which is central to its conservation purpose and its deductibility, so it is a lasting commitment, not a temporary one. We flag the permanence so you enter an easement understanding it binds the land going forward.

A conservation easement is one element of tax and estate planning that should be coordinated with your overall structure and advisors given its complexity and scrutiny. We keep your entity and records organized and coordinate with the specialists and appraisers so it fits a legitimate plan.

We keep your entity and records organized and coordinate with the appraisers, land trust, and tax counsel who structure a legitimate conservation easement, since it is complex and heavily scrutinized, so the strategy is pursued properly if it fits your land and goals. See tax planning.