Conservation Easements are a Strategic Tool for Estate Planners and Tax Advisors

Conservation easements are not only a powerful tool for perpetual land preservation—they can also potentially serve as a highly effective strategy for clients seeking to minimize estate tax burdens, maximize income tax deductions, and preserve family land legacies.

A conservation easement is a voluntary legal agreement between a landowner and a qualified land trust or government agency that permanently limits certain types of uses on a property in order to protect its conservation values. Landowners retain ownership, but future use is restricted to preserve natural, agricultural, cultural/historic, recreational, or open-space characteristics.

Conservation easements offer potential strategies to address these challenges and align financial goals with philanthropic values and long-term land stewardship.