As harvest season winds down and winter approaches, it’s the perfect time for Illinois farmers to take stock of their business and legal matters. End-of-Year Farm Planning Checklist: Legal Steps Every Illinois Farmer Should Take Before 2026 provides a detailed guide to help you wrap up this year with confidence and start the new one on solid footing. From reviewing …
Few things are more personal to Illinois farmers than their land. It represents decades and sometimes centuries of hard work, stewardship, and family pride. Unfortunately, without careful legal planning, that legacy can unravel in a single generation. Estate planning for farmers ensures that your land, equipment, and business stay in the right hands while minimizing taxes and family disputes. Understanding …
Running a farm with a business partner can be rewarding, but when differences arise, ending that partnership can quickly become complicated. A farm partnership breakup in Illinois often involves not just financial and legal concerns, but also emotional and family dynamics. In this blog, we share 10 practical ways to navigate a smooth farm partnership breakup so you can protect …
Family farms are the heart of rural Illinois. But when disagreements arise, whether over land use, finances, inheritance, or management decisions, those conflicts can threaten both the business and family relationships that sustain it. The good news is that many of these disputes can be resolved without going to court. Mediation offers a practical, confidential way for farm families to …
Passing the family farm from one generation to the next has always been a cornerstone of Illinois agriculture. But as land prices surge and operational costs rise, the dream of keeping farms in the family is becoming harder to achieve. The new Farmland Transition Commission, created under Illinois Senate Bill 2372, aims to tackle this growing challenge by studying ways …
Farmers and ranchers know that the land isn’t just a workplace – it’s a legacy. For many agricultural families across the U.S., the farm has been passed down through generations, each one building on the hard work of the last. But with today’s changing economic, legal, and family landscapes, planning for that legacy has become more complex than ever. That’s …
For many families in Illinois, the farm is more than just land, it’s a livelihood, a legacy, and a way of life. When financial struggles hit, one of the biggest fears farmers face is losing the family farm to foreclosure. Can the bank really take my family farm? What Illinois farmers need to know is that the answer depends on …
Business Structure Options for Farms in Illinois: LLCs, Partnerships, and CorporationsBusiness Structure Options for Farms in Illinois: LLCs, Partnerships, and CorporationsRunning a successful farm is not only about planting crops and raising livestock, but also about protecting your assets and planning for the future. Business structure options for farms in Illinois: LLCs, partnerships, and corporations to protect farmland and operations …
Divorce is never easy, but when a family farm is involved, the legal and financial stakes can become even more complicated. Many farmers facing separation wonder: what are the common issues in a farm divorce in Illinois? From dividing farmland and business operations to valuing equipment, debts, and inheritance, the process brings unique challenges. Because farmland often represents both income …
Divorce is challenging under any circumstances, but when farm property is involved, the legal and financial stakes become even higher. Many farm families in Illinois ask a pressing question: Can my spouse force the sale of our family farm in a divorce? In this blog, we share how Illinois divorce law treats farm assets, what options you may have if …
Running a family farm today involves far more than planting crops and raising livestock. Illinois farmers are expected to manage land, negotiate leases, comply with ever-changing regulations, and make sound business decisions — often while juggling multi-generational family dynamics. When unexpected legal issues arise, many farmers scramble to find help, only to be left with expensive hourly bills or lawyers …
Divorce is never easy, but when farmland, equipment, and agricultural businesses are involved, the process becomes even more complicated. The family farm is not just an asset—it’s a home, a livelihood, and often a legacy passed down through generations. In this article, Dividing the Family Farm in an Illinois Divorce: What Every Farmer Should Know, we share how Illinois courts …