Episode description
Episode description
Today, our host Attorney Ted Gudorf is joined by Howard Halderman of Halderman Companies to discuss the evolving challenges and opportunities in farm management across Indiana, Ohio, and Michigan.
Despite record crop yields in 2023, farmers face decreased incomes due to lower commodity prices. Howard discusses fluctuating land values, noting a peak in 2022 with a slight expected downturn.
Ted and Howard explore the integration of renewable energy in agriculture, with a focus on financial benefits from solar and wind developments and innovative practices like carbon sequestration. Howard also gets into the details of strategic estate planning to secure farm legacies, especially with changing tax exemptions after 2025.
Finally, he walks us through what it takes to maximize estate tax exemptions, the impact of interest rates on land values, and how to best take advantage of today’s estate tax planning options to give the greatest possible benefits to your dependents and descendants!
Key Topics:
- The Current State of Farm Incomes (2:27)
- Reasons for Decreasing Land Values From 2022 Onwards (4:30)
- The Top Three Factors That Impact Land Value (8:44)
- Opportunities in Renewable Energy (14:48)
- “What Happens if My Solar Company Fails?” (19:28)
- About the Farm Bill (25:09)
- The December 21, 2025 Sunset Provision (28:03)
- Maximizing Today’s Estate Tax Planning Opportunities (32:25)
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