2027 Illinois Farm Leases: What Landowners and Farmers Should Negotiate Before Harvest Ends is a conversation many Illinois farmers and farmland owners should be having before the combines are parked for the season. Farm lease discussions often happen in the fall, but waiting until the last minute can leave both sides rushing through important decisions involving rent, expenses, improvements, conservation …
7 Farm Succession Planning Mistakes That Can Tear a Family Apart addresses a problem many farm families quietly postpone. Parents, farming children, and off-farm siblings may each hold different expectations about what will happen. When those expectations are never discussed or documented, grief can quickly become conflict. Farm succession planning should coordinate land ownership, management, retirement, incapacity planning, equipment, leases, …
In this installment of Ask Sam and Kendal, Rincker Law, PLLC associate attorneys Sam Ellis and Kendal A. Schoepfer explain why transferring a farm to an LLC or trust became an important legal question after the federal government’s Residential Real Estate Reporting Rule took effect on March 1, 2026. Below, we explore “Could Transferring a Farm to an LLC or …
The Illinois Farmer’s Annual Legal Checklist: What to Review Each Season can help farm owners address legal and business issues before they become expensive problems. Farming rarely leaves much time for paperwork, but contracts, leases, insurance policies, employment records, succession plans, and business filings should not be ignored until a dispute or emergency occurs. Dividing these reviews by season can …
Planning for Divorce as a Farm Owner in Illinois: Protecting Your Agricultural Operation is an important step for agricultural families who want to preserve their land, business, and financial stability. Divorce can have significant consequences for Illinois farm owners because farmland is often one of the most valuable marital assets. For families in Champaign, Springfield, Bloomington, Decatur, Shelbyville, Effingham, and …
If you own farmland in Central Illinois, you may be asking yourself: Should I Put My Farm in an LLC in Illinois? This is one of the most common and practical legal questions farm families raise when thinking about liability protection, succession planning, and long-term stability. The answer depends on your goals, but in many situations, forming an LLC can …
In this blog we share, “Can a Judge Force the Sale of a Farm in an Illinois Divorce?”, a question that frequently concerns farm owners in Champaign, Shelbyville, and throughout Central Illinois when divorce becomes a real possibility. For many farming families, the farm is not just real estate. It is a business, a source of income, and often a …
When it comes to passing a family operation from one generation to the next, few topics are more important or more emotional than farm succession planning in Illinois. Yet many families delay or overlook key legal details, leaving their legacy vulnerable to conflict, taxes, or even loss of the family land. Avoiding these common legal mistakes can help ensure your …
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 …
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 …
In 2026, Illinois farmers are navigating a wave of new and developing laws that could reshape how they operate, plan, and protect their businesses. From generational land transitions to environmental compliance, many of these changes are either newly enacted or anticipated to take effect this year. In this article, “Top 5 Illinois Farm Law Changes to Watch in 2026”, Rincker …
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 …