08 Apr 2025
In the Name of Conservation, I Dub Thee Tax-deductible: Conservation Easements and their Rules
Real property transactions involving easements granted in the name of conservation can yield tax deduction benefits to the grantor. While the validity of charitable contributions in this area is subject to scrutiny and deduction claims are prone to challenge by the IRS, and a resulting controversy, a sincere generosity, coupled with an absence of self-interested motives, should help to minimize focus on a perceived reward or benefit inuring to the donor.
Related Content
- Final Regulations on Syndicated Conservation Easement Transactions as Listed Transactions
Read about the IRS’s and Treasury Department’s final regulations issued in late 2024 that identify certain syndicated conservation easement transactions and substantially similar transactions as listed transactions. Listed transactions are a type of reportable transaction that have the potential to be used for tax avoidance or evasion.
- Qualified Conservation Easement Estate Tax Exclusion
Learn how the qualified conservation easement exclusion promotes the protection of open space in danger of further development by offering an added tax incentive if the landowner permanently grants a conservation easement. The Internal Revenue Code allows an exclusion for easements granted during life, at death, and after death.
Practical Guidance Updates
Featuring the latest updates from your Practical Guidance account.
- Tax Key Legal Developments Tracker (Federal) (Current)—keep up to date with key legal developments!
- Major Legislative Developments. President Trump signs H.R. 1968, Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025, Pub. L. No. 119-4, for the federal government’s fiscal year ending September 30, 2025. R.137, TCJA Permanency Act is now before the House Ways and Means Committee and may serve as the foundation for President Trump’s tax legislation.
- Business Entities. IRS provides various prescribed rates for federal income tax purposes for March 2025. Rul. 2025-6.
- Tax Practice, Procedure, and Controversy. IRS publishes rates of interest for tax underpayments and overpayments for the calendar quarter beginning April 1, 2025. The rates of interest will remain the same for the second calendar quarter of 2025. Rul. 2025-7.
- Document alerts allow you to stay current on legal developments that affect your practice. Find out how to set up your document alerts.
- New! Discover Practical Guidance Content and Resources
Read this update to see the newest additions to Practical Guidance. This guide is designed to help you find the tools and insights you need to work more efficiently and effectively. - Review the Chevron Reversal Impact Resource Kit for analysis related to the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn four decades of deference to federal agency interpretations of ambiguous statutes.
- Keep current on Trump administration developments by referencing the Presidential Executive Actions Tracker, Legal Challenges to 2025 Presidential Executive Orders and Actions Tracker, and Trump Transition Resource Kit.
- The Practical Guidance Journal 2025 Edition One features guidance on what attorneys need to know about deepfake technology, a look ahead at AI risk management, an artificial intelligence checklist, and a review of cautions and key AI legal issues in DEI and employment discrimination.
- Browse the Practical Guidance Author Center to see the 2000+ leading attorney authors contributing to our 26 practice areas. Interested in becoming a Practical Guidance author? Click here for details. Practical Guidance is committed to amplifying diverse voices of attorneys across all differences, including gender and race.
- Legal Developments provide the latest updates and analyses of emerging topics impacting your practice area. Visit the Legal Developments page to see the latest topics, which also include breaking legal news and related Practical Guidance content.
- New and Recently Updated Practical Guidance Content
- IRS Tax Collections
- Final Regulations on Micro-Captive Listed Transactions and Micro-Captive Transactions of Interest
- A Primer on Tariffs
- Expatriation Tax: The Tax Consequences of Renouncing U.S. Citizenship
- Tax Implications of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) Rights and Collectives
- Partnership Taxation: Current (Non-liquidating) Distributions
- Partnership Agreements and Allocations under Code Section 704(b)
- Top Federal Tax Cases to Watch in 2025
- Qualified Bond Issues in Public Finance: IRC Section 144
PRACTICAL GUIDANCE CUSTOMER EMAIL EDITION ON THE WEB
Experience results today with practical guidance, legal research, and data-driven insights—all in one place.
Experience Lexis+