Agricultural Tax Issues course

The Agricultural Tax Issues course is for income tax professionals who work with farmers but will also benefit agricultural professionals such as agricultural lenders and farm management instructors.

The one-day course is held every fall, typically in early October. It covers what's new in taxes for the year. 

Course participants can receive 8 federal tax update credit hours. This course has been approved for certified financial planner (CFP) hours by the IRS Registered Preparer Office. It is not approved for CLE or insurance credits. The University of Minnesota is an approved continuing education provider.

Registration includes the newest version of the National Income Tax Workbook, published by the Land Grant University Tax Education Foundation.

For more information, contact Rob Holcomb, Extension agricultural business management educator, at holcombr@umn.edu or 507-337-2807.

Course outline

• New legislation and hot topics
• Entity tax issues
  • Split interest purchases
  • Partnership issues
• Disaster tax issues
  • Casualty gains
  • Losses
  • Deferral
  • Demolition
  • Land clearing
• Expensing and depreciation
  • Deep dive on section 179
• Retirement issues
  • SE tax/social security issues 
  • Review of SE tax connection to Social Security
  • Retirement plan options for farmers
• Lease v. purchase
  • Capital leases on the farm
• Tax planning for lean years
• Conservation issues
• Selling and trading property (refresh)
• Sample return

2024 events

The 2024 Agricultural Tax Issues course will be offered at three in-person workshops and two webinars. All events meet from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

In-person workshops:

• Oct. 10 – Mankato South Central College
• Oct. 16 – University of Minnesota Crookston
• Oct. 17 – St. Cloud Technical College

Online webinars:

• Oct. 8
• Oct. 21

More information about each event will be available on this page when registration opens.