For Landowners

Make a Difference … For the Future

For landowners: Your land may make you eligible for significant income tax benefits.

Do you own land in Carroll County? Why not join those who “kept the faith” with our rural heritage by participating in the on-going mission to permanently preserve at least 100,000 acres of land for the benefit of generations to come.

Our Goal: The Permanent Preservation of 100,000 Acres of Farmland

Because without a critical mass of agricultural and rural land there becomes a tipping point where it is no longer feasible for farmers to continue their livelihood.  The economics and logistics become such that farmers relocate their resources to regions that are conducive to scaling their operations. This is the goal of Carroll County Government, and we, the Carroll County Land Trust, a nonprofit organization, are assisting in this goal by accepting donations of conservation easements on properties that may not qualify for the county-operated agricultural easement programs.

Carroll County’s land preservation effort is unmatched in the State of Maryland and ranks among the most effective programs in the United States. Carroll has preserved more farms and more acres than any other Maryland county – to date, 674 properties comprising nearly 74,000 acres. This achievement puts Carroll in the NATION’S TOP FIVE COUNTIES for acres preserved through conservation easements.

If you put land that contains any development potential into a conservation easement, you  would be eligible for tax benefits at the county level, and possibly at the state and federal level as well. Potential tax benefits include:

  • A 15 year property tax credit on the land
  • A charitable deduction on the Federal income tax return
  • A Maryland income tax credit for the value of the easement per individual taxpayer. The credit is the lesser of $5,000 of State Income Tax in the year of the gift and 15 years carry-forward (Maximum potential credit $80,000)
  • Reduced estate tax liability

In the case of a “purchased easement”, equity is received by the landowner in the form of a cash payment.

The Carroll County Land Trust stands ready to answer your questions and to assist in determining if you are eligible to take advantage of all the benefits associated with land preservation. You can be a participant in the long established goal of preserving 100,000 acres of land for Carroll County’s Rural Legacy and its future generations. For further information please Contact Us

Support CCLT Today!

Donate