Michigan Qualified Forest Program property tax reduction percent

Last updated 2026-07-24

What property tax reduction does Michigan's Qualified Forest Program deliver?

Michigan's Qualified Forest Program replaces ad valorem property tax with a specific tax of $1.25 per acre per year ^[1]. That's the entire tax bill for the enrolled forest acreage. No millage, no county variations on that rate. A 40-acre parcel pays $50 in specific tax each year; an 80-acre parcel pays $100. The reduction expressed as a percentage varies by county and parcel because it depends on what you would otherwise pay. In counties with high millage rates and strong residential assessments, the program can save 85-95 percent of your annual bill. In lower-tax rural townships, the reduction might be 60-75 percent. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources does not publish a statewide average savings figure; every parcel's baseline tax differs ^[2]. To estimate your savings, pull last year's summer property tax bill (the one with school operating millage) and find the line for your wooded acreage. Subtract $1.25 times your acres from that figure. That's the annual reduction. Multiply by ten years to see cumulative savings over a typical holding period. If your county assessor treats your woods as potential residential development or splits your land into individual taxable parcels, the gap widens fast. Remember the program requires a ten-year commitment. If you withdraw early or the state cancels your enrollment for noncompliance, you repay the tax difference plus 7 percent simple interest annually ^[1]. The recapture penalty makes this a long-horizon decision, not a quick tax shelter. For planning around compliance deadlines and recapture triggers, the Current-Use Enrollment & Compliance Kit walks you through the timeline and documentation requirements that keep you in good standing.

Who qualifies for the Michigan Qualified Forest Program?

You qualify if you own at least 20 contiguous acres primarily forested and managed for timber production ^[1]. The law says "primarily" but doesn't define a canopy percentage; in practice, the DNR expects commercial tree stocking. Understocked stands, brush fields, or open pasture with scattered trees don't meet the standard. You cannot enroll land platted for subdivision, zoned exclusively residential, or subject to an existing land contract for development ^[1]. If your parcel sits inside a municipality that bars commercial timber harvest by ordinance, it's ineligible. Oil, gas, and mineral rights stay with you; their extraction doesn't disqualify the parcel, but you must repair surface damage to maintain forest cover. The program caps enrollment at 160 acres per owner per county ^[1]. If you own 200 wooded acres in one county, you pick the 160 acres you want enrolled and pay standard tax on the other 40. Across multiple counties, you can enroll up to 160 in each. No residency requirement. Out-of-state owners, family trusts, and LLCs all qualify. Nonprofit organizations cannot enroll; the law restricts the program to individuals, partnerships, and private corporations paying Michigan property tax.

How do you enroll in the Qualified Forest Program?

Start by contacting your county's Michigan State University Extension forester or a private consulting forester to prepare a forest management plan ^[2]. The plan must cover at least ten years, describe current stocking by species and size class, prescribe silvicultural practices (thinning, regeneration cuts, release, planting), and set a sustainable harvest schedule. The DNR reviews the plan for biological and economic feasibility; a plan that proposes liquidation cuts or no active management will be rejected. Once you have an approved management plan, file an application (Form 2588) with your local DNR field office by September 1 in the year before you want enrollment to begin ^[1]. The DNR inspects the property to confirm eligibility, then forwards approval to your county treasurer. If approved before December 31, the specific tax takes effect for the next tax year. Miss the September 1 deadline and you wait another calendar year. The DNR charges no application fee. Most consulting foresters charge $600-1,200 for a management plan on a typical 40-80 acre parcel, depending on access and complexity. Extension foresters sometimes prepare plans at reduced cost or refer you to private consultants. You file an annual compliance affidavit attesting that you're following the plan. The DNR field-checks a sample of enrolled parcels each year. If they find violations (unauthorized clearing, failure to implement prescribed treatments, conversion to another use), they issue a notice. You have 90 days to cure. If you don't, the DNR withdraws the parcel and your county treasurer bills you for recapture. The Current-Use Enrollment & Compliance Kit walks you through the forest inventory and narrative sections foresters expect, helping you prepare for the consulting engagement or, in states with simpler programs, submit directly. Michigan requires a professional plan, so the kit prepares your data and draft language rather than replacing the forester.

What is forest management in the context of this program?

Forest management is the practice of directing tree growth, composition, and harvest to meet specific goals over time ^[3]. In Michigan's Qualified Forest Program, the goal is commercial timber production ^[1]. That doesn't mean you clearcut every decade; it means you maintain the stand's capacity to grow and regenerate commercial species at economically viable volumes. To understand how management integrates with tax treatment of the land asset itself, see basis of land for the distinction between land basis, timber basis, and how each affects your tax picture over time. A management plan typically prescribes actions like thinning to reduce competition and speed diameter growth, releasing desirable species from weed trees, regeneration cuts to restart an age class, and protection from invasive species or deer browse. The plan will identify timber-sale opportunities: stands ready now, stands needing another 10 years, and young stands decades from harvest. The DNR's Forest Management Division defines commercial species and acceptable stocking standards in its silvicultural guidance ^[2]. Red oak, white oak, hard maple, white pine, and black cherry are mainstays. Aspen and jack pine count in pulpwood regions. The plan must be realistic: a prescription to convert 40 acres of aspen to black walnut in northern Michigan will be rejected because it's climatically absurd. You're not required to harvest every year or even every five years. You are required to follow the plan's schedule. If the plan says thin unit 2 in year four, you thin unit 2 in year four, or you request a plan amendment explaining why conditions changed. Passive ownership (do nothing, let the woods grow) violates the commercial-production mandate and risks withdrawal. Recreation, wildlife habitat, and aesthetics are fine secondary objectives, but the plan and your compliance must prioritize timber. If your real goal is wilderness preservation, this isn't the right program. Michigan's Conservation Easement program or the federal Forest Legacy program might suit you better, though they offer different incentives ^[4].

What happens when you sell timber under the Qualified Forest Program?

Timber sales are permitted and expected under the program. The management plan prescribes which stands are ready and what silvicultural method applies (selection cut, shelterwood, clearcut). You mark the timber or hire a forester to mark it, solicit bids, and execute a stumpage contract with the highest qualified bidder. The buyer pays you for standing trees (stumpage value) and takes responsibility for harvest and haul. For a detailed look at the operational and silvicultural decisions behind these sales, see timber management for the full context. You report the sale proceeds on your federal income tax return. The IRS generally treats timber sales as capital gain if you've held the land more than one year and the trees qualify as Section 1231 property ^[5]. You subtract your basis in the timber (not the land; timber and land have separate basis ^[6]) from the gross proceeds. The difference is long-term capital gain, currently taxed at 0, 15, or 20 percent depending on your income bracket. Michigan does not levy a separate state timber severance tax ^[1]. Some states do; Michigan replaced its with the specific tax under the Qualified Forest Program. You pay the $1.25/acre annual specific tax whether or not you harvest. Harvest income doesn't trigger additional property tax or program penalties, as long as the sale follows your approved management plan. If the buyer damages roads, leaves slash blocking trails, or violates soil-erosion rules, you're responsible for remediation. County road commissions and the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy enforce hauling and erosion permits. Budget 5-10 percent of stumpage value for contingencies like road repair, forester fees, and permit compliance. Keep every receipt: forester invoices, surveyor fees, reforestation costs, trail maintenance. Those expenses increase your timber basis, reducing taxable gain. Documentation matters during audits.

How do you report timber sales on your federal tax return?

Timber sales flow through Form T (Forest Activities Schedule) and land on Schedule D (Capital Gains and Losses) ^[5]. Form T captures the transaction details: date of sale, volume sold, species, stumpage price, and your adjusted basis in that timber. The form calculates the gain, which transfers to Schedule D as a long-term capital gain if you held the timber more than one year. You establish basis when you acquire the property. If you bought the land, the purchase price allocates between land and timber based on fair market value at purchase. A forester's cruise or the county's timber appraisal at the time of sale (working backward with a discount rate) provides that allocation. If you inherited the land, basis steps up to fair market value on the date of death, and again you split it between dirt and trees ^[6]. Each time you sell timber, you subtract the basis of the sold trees from the total timber basis and recalculate what's left for future sales. If you planted trees or paid for a timber stand improvement, those costs add to basis. Natural growth doesn't; only money you spent increases basis. If your timber income exceeds $1,000 in a year, you may need to make quarterly estimated tax payments to avoid underpayment penalties ^[5]. The IRS doesn't withhold on timber like it does on wages. Plan for 15-20 percent of net gain (stumpage minus basis minus forester fees) to cover federal capital gains and the 3.8 percent net investment income tax if your modified adjusted gross income crosses the threshold ($200,000 single, $250,000 joint). Michigan state income tax is a flat 4.25 percent on all income, including capital gains . Timber sales don't get special treatment at the state level; report the federal capital gain on your Michigan return and pay 4.25 percent of it.

How do you avoid or reduce capital gains tax on timber sales?

You can't avoid capital gains tax entirely if you harvest at a profit, but you can minimize it. First, maximize your timber basis by documenting every expense: the allocated timber value at purchase, reforestation costs, site prep, forester fees for inventory or marking, and any timber stand improvement ^[6]. Landowners routinely fail to track these costs and overpay tax because their basis is artificially low. Second, time the sale to coincide with a low-income year. If you're retired and not yet drawing Social Security or required minimum distributions, your income might dip into the 0 percent capital gains bracket (taxable income under $47,025 single, $94,050 joint for 2024 ^[5]). Harvest that year and the federal tax is zero. Michigan's 4.25 percent still applies, but you save the 15 or 20 percent federal bite. Third, consider a Section 631(b) election, which allows you to treat the disposal of timber under a lump-sum contract as a deemed sale on the first day of the tax year, locking in gain at that moment rather than when the buyer finishes cutting ^[5]. This election can smooth income across years if the harvest straddles a calendar boundary, but it adds complexity and isn't always advantageous. Run the numbers with a tax preparer who understands timber. Fourth, if you're selling both timber and land, structure the sale so timber is a separate transaction with its own date and documentation. Timber gets capital gain treatment; land does too, but the basis allocation differs. Bundling them in one contract can muddy the water and cost you deductions. Fifth, if you're in the 37 percent ordinary income bracket and facing net investment income tax, the 23.8 percent total capital gains rate (20% + 3.8%) is painful. A charitable remainder trust can defer tax and generate income over time, but the setup cost and complexity only make sense for large timber estates. For a one-time $30,000 sale, it's overkill. Do not attempt to recharacterize timber income as a return of basis or non-taxable land sale proceeds. The IRS audits timber transactions regularly. If your Schedule D shows land-sale proceeds equal to your entire sale price and zero timber gain, expect a letter ^[5].

Do you pay taxes on timber sales in Michigan?

Yes. Timber sales are taxable income at the federal level, and Michigan treats capital gains as ordinary income for state tax purposes . You do not pay a separate Michigan severance tax; the Qualified Forest Program's $1.25/acre specific tax replaces any severance obligation ^[1]. But the stumpage proceeds are still income. Federal tax: long-term capital gains rate (0, 15, or 20 percent depending on your bracket), plus 3.8 percent net investment income tax if applicable ^[5]. State tax: 4.25 percent of the gain as ordinary income . Self-employment tax does not apply if you're selling timber as an investor; it does apply if you're in the business of buying and growing timber for resale, but that's rare for family woodland owners. Some owners believe the Qualified Forest Program's reduced property tax exempts timber income from federal or state income tax. It doesn't. The program is a property-tax incentive, not an income-tax shelter. You pay income tax on the sale just like you would if the land weren't enrolled. If the stumpage contract spans two years (sale in December, payment in January), you recognize income when the buyer takes title to the trees, not when you receive cash. Most contracts transfer title on the date the contract is signed or the first day of harvest, so December sales usually trigger that year's tax liability. Check the contract language.

How are timber sales taxed relative to other investment income?

Timber sales are taxed more favorably than interest and dividends but on par with sales of stock or real estate held long-term. Interest income is ordinary income, taxed at your marginal rate (10-37 percent federal). Qualified dividends and long-term capital gains enjoy the 0/15/20 percent rate structure ^[5]. Timber, if held more than one year, qualifies for capital gain treatment, putting it in the same tax bucket as appreciated stock. The difference: timber basis is deductible against sale proceeds, while stock basis is usually much smaller. If you bought land for $100,000 and allocated $30,000 to timber, then sold the timber for $50,000, your taxable gain is $20,000. If you bought $30,000 of stock and sold it for $50,000, the gain is also $20,000, but you've tied up $30,000 in liquid capital. Timber grows without ongoing cash input. Real estate held long-term also qualifies for capital gain rates, but land sales don't allow the same ongoing basis additions (you can't "improve" land for tax purposes the way you can add costs to timber basis). And land doesn't grow volume; timber does, which compounds your pretax return. The risk: timber is illiquid. You can't sell half a tree or adjust holdings monthly. A stock portfolio lets you harvest gains incrementally across low-income years; timber sales are lumpy. One year you have $40,000 of gain and bump into the 15 percent bracket; the next year you have zero. Tax planning is harder.

What penalties or recapture apply if you leave the program early?

If you withdraw from the Qualified Forest Program before completing ten years, or if the DNR withdraws your parcel for noncompliance, you owe recapture equal to the difference between the specific tax you paid and the ad valorem tax you would have paid, plus 7 percent simple interest per year ^[1]. The county treasurer calculates the amount using the taxable value that would have applied absent enrollment. Example: you enrolled 40 acres in 2018 and withdrew in 2023 after five years. You paid $1.25/acre = $50/year specific tax, total $250 over five years. The assessor determines you would have paid $1,000/year in standard property tax, total $5,000. The recapture is ($5,000 - $250) = $4,750 base, plus 7 percent simple interest on each year's difference. The first year's $950 accrues 7 percent for five years = $332.50 interest; the second year's $950 accrues four years, and so on. Total recapture approaches $6,200. The ten-year window resets if you sell the property to a new owner who re-enrolls. The new owner starts a new ten-year commitment. If they withdraw in year three, they owe recapture for their three years, not the previous owner's time. Recapture also triggers if you convert enrolled land to a use incompatible with timber production: subdividing, building a home, paving a parking lot, leasing to a solar developer. Oil and gas extraction does not trigger recapture as long as you restore forest cover after surface disturbance ^[1]. Agricultural use (planting corn, grazing cattle) does trigger it; the land is no longer "primarily forested." The DNR can withdraw a parcel for repeated noncompliance: failing to implement plan prescriptions, allowing invasive species to dominate, clearcut without a regeneration plan, or refusing site inspections. You receive written notice and 90 days to cure. If you don't, withdrawal and recapture follow. Death or transfer to an heir does not trigger recapture if the heir continues enrollment ^[1]. Estate planning should address who will manage the enrolled parcel and whether heirs want the commitment. If heirs want to sell or develop, factor recapture cost into the estate's liquidity plan.

How does the Qualified Forest Program compare to Michigan's Commercial Forest program?

Michigan runs two forest property-tax programs: the Qualified Forest Program and the Commercial Forest (CF) program . Both reduce property tax; the CF program offers deeper cuts but imposes public access and stricter management requirements. Under CF, property tax drops to $1.30/acre (almost identical to Qualified Forest's $1.25), but the state pays the local school operating millage, which typically accounts for half or more of a property tax bill . The net saving is larger. Qualified Forest saves roughly 60-90 percent of your annual bill; CF can save 95 percent or more. CF parcels must be at least 40 acres (versus 20 for Qualified Forest) and open to public recreation year-round . The state posts the parcel on its online map, and hunters, hikers, and snowmobilers have legal access. CF enrollment runs 25 years minimum, and withdrawal recapture is steeper . Qualified Forest locks you in for ten. CF also requires a state-certified forester to prepare the management plan and conduct periodic updates; Qualified Forest accepts plans from MSU Extension foresters or any qualified consultant. Most family woodland owners choose Qualified Forest because they want privacy and don't want strangers walking their property. Timber investors and large industrial owners enroll in CF because the savings outweigh the access burden. If you own 200+ acres in the Upper Peninsula and already deal with trespassers, CF is worth exploring. If you own 40 acres next to your home, Qualified Forest is the practical choice. Both programs allow timber sales and require active management. Neither is a passive conservation easement. If you want to lock up land in perpetuity and never cut, look at conservation easements held by land trusts or the state ^[4]. Those programs offer income-tax deductions but no annual property-tax reduction and no timber income.

What documentation and compliance does the program require?

You file an annual affidavit with the DNR confirming that you followed the management plan during the past year ^[1]. The affidavit is a one-page form listing any harvest activity, site prep, planting, or treatments. If you did nothing because the plan called for no activity that year, you attest to that. The deadline is March 31 each year. The DNR field-checks a random sample of enrolled parcels annually. If your parcel is selected, a forester schedules a site visit and compares actual conditions to the plan. They look for evidence of prescribed treatments, stocking levels, and forest health. If they find a violation (unauthorized clearing, failure to regenerate a harvest area, invasive species takeover), they issue a written notice. You have 90 days to correct or request a plan amendment. Your management plan must be updated at least once every ten years ^[2]. Conditions change: a windstorm damages a stand, emerald ash borer kills your ash, market prices shift species priorities. A plan amendment requires DNR approval. Most foresters charge $300-600 for an amendment, less than a full rewrite. Keep receipts for every forest-related expense: forester fees, herbicide, tree planting, trail maintenance, boundary surveys. You need them for federal tax basis and to demonstrate compliance with the plan. If the DNR questions whether you implemented a $2,000 timber stand improvement prescription, a paid invoice from a forestry contractor settles the matter. If you sell the property, notify the DNR within 30 days and provide the buyer's contact information ^[1]. The buyer can continue enrollment by filing a new application and affirming they'll follow the existing or an updated plan. If they don't apply, the parcel withdraws and recapture attaches to the seller unless the sale contract shifts that liability to the buyer. Make recapture responsibility explicit in the purchase agreement. For ongoing compliance tracking and affidavit prep, the Current-Use Enrollment & Compliance Kit provides annual checklists, expense logs, and a compliance calendar, helping you stay ahead of deadlines and avoid the most common pitfalls that trigger DNR notices.

What is the Forest Management Bureau and how does it administer the program?

The Forest Management Bureau is a division within Michigan's Department of Natural Resources ^[2]. It oversees state forest lands, provides technical assistance to private landowners, and administers tax incentive programs including the Qualified Forest Program. The Bureau employs field foresters stationed in regional offices across the state. When you apply for the Qualified Forest Program, a Bureau forester reviews your management plan, inspects your property, and makes the enrollment recommendation ^[2]. After enrollment, Bureau staff conduct the annual compliance audits and respond to landowner questions. If you need a plan amendment or have a question about whether a proposed activity (a gravel road, a food plot, a cabin) complies with program rules, you contact your regional Bureau forester. For background on what the Bureau expects in terms of active stand management, see forest management for the principles and practices that meet the program's commercial timber production standard. The Bureau also coordinates with county treasurers, who collect the specific tax and process recapture when parcels withdraw ^[1]. The treasurer relies on the Bureau's determination of eligibility and compliance; they don't make forestry judgments. If you disagree with a Bureau decision (denial of enrollment, finding of noncompliance), you can request an administrative hearing under Michigan's Administrative Procedures Act. Bureau foresters are not your personal forest consultants. They help with program compliance, but they won't mark your timber, solicit bids, or provide detailed silvicultural advice for free. For operational decisions (which trees to cut, when to regenerate, how to control invasives), hire a consulting forester. The Bureau maintains a list of qualified consultants on its website ^[2]. The Bureau's budget comes from the state general fund and federal Forest Service grants, not from program participants. There's no annual fee to stay enrolled beyond the $1.25/acre specific tax.

Frequently asked questions

What is forest management?

Forest management is the practice of directing tree growth, species composition, and harvest timing to meet specific landowner goals over time ^[3]. It includes activities like thinning to reduce competition, releasing valuable species, regeneration cutting to restart age classes, and protecting stands from pests, invasives, and fire. In Michigan's Qualified Forest Program, management must prioritize commercial timber production ^[1].

How do I report timber sales on my federal tax return?

Report timber sales on Form T (Forest Activities Schedule), which calculates your gain by subtracting your adjusted timber basis from gross proceeds ^[5]. The gain transfers to Schedule D as long-term capital gain if you held the timber more than one year. You'll also report the same gain on your Michigan state return, where it's taxed at 4.25 percent as ordinary income ^[7].

How do I avoid capital gains tax on a timber sale?

You can't avoid capital gains tax entirely, but you can minimize it by maximizing your timber basis (tracking reforestation, forester fees, and other costs), timing the sale during a low-income year to use the 0 percent capital gains bracket, and ensuring proper basis allocation when you acquire the property ^[5][6]. A Section 631(b) election can sometimes shift timing favorably, but it adds complexity.

Do I have to pay taxes on timber sold in Michigan?

Yes. Timber sales are taxable income. At the federal level, you pay long-term capital gains tax (0, 15, or 20 percent) if you held the timber more than one year, plus 3.8 percent net investment income tax if applicable ^[5]. Michigan taxes the gain at 4.25 percent as ordinary income ^[7]. The Qualified Forest Program's reduced property tax does not exempt timber income from income tax ^[1].

Do you have to pay taxes on timber sales?

Yes, in nearly all cases. Timber sales generate taxable income reported on your federal and state returns. If you sell timber at a gain (proceeds exceed basis), you owe capital gains tax federally and ordinary income tax in Michigan ^[5][7]. The only exception is if your proceeds don't exceed your adjusted basis, resulting in zero gain, which is rare on mature timber.

Do you pay taxes on timber sales even under the Qualified Forest Program?

Yes. The Qualified Forest Program reduces annual property tax to $1.25/acre but does not exempt timber sale income from federal or state income tax ^[1][5]. You still owe capital gains tax federally and Michigan's 4.25 percent income tax on the gain. The property tax and income tax are separate systems; one does not shield you from the other.

How are timber sales taxed compared to wages or dividends?

Timber sales receive long-term capital gain treatment if you held the timber more than one year, taxed federally at 0, 15, or 20 percent ^[5]. Wages are ordinary income taxed at 10-37 percent. Qualified dividends also enjoy the 0/15/20 percent capital gains rates, so timber and dividends are taxed similarly. Timber has the advantage of deductible basis for growing and management costs, which can lower taxable gain ^[6].

How to report sale of timber on tax return in Michigan?

At the federal level, use Form T to calculate gain (proceeds minus basis) and transfer the result to Schedule D ^[5]. Attach Form T to your 1040. On your Michigan MI-1040, report the same capital gain as ordinary income; Michigan does not have a separate capital gains rate ^[7]. Keep documentation of stumpage contracts, forester invoices, and basis calculations in case of audit.

Can I enroll less than 20 acres in Michigan's Qualified Forest Program?

No. The minimum parcel size is 20 contiguous acres of forest land ^[1]. If you own 15 acres, you cannot enroll. Contiguous means physically connected; two 10-acre parcels separated by a road or another owner's land do not combine to meet the 20-acre threshold. The Commercial Forest program requires 40 acres minimum ^[8].

What happens if I build a house on enrolled land?

Building a home on enrolled land converts it from forest use to residential, triggering withdrawal and recapture ^[1]. The county treasurer will bill you for the difference between the specific tax you paid and the ad valorem tax you would have paid, plus 7 percent annual interest. If you want to build, either exclude that acreage from enrollment at the start or plan for recapture cost in your budget.

Does Michigan charge a timber severance tax?

No. Michigan does not levy a separate timber severance tax ^[1]. The $1.25/acre specific tax under the Qualified Forest Program replaces any severance obligation. Some states charge both a property tax incentive and a severance tax on harvest; Michigan consolidated them. You pay the specific tax annually regardless of whether you harvest.

Can I hunt on my land enrolled in the Qualified Forest Program?

Yes. The Qualified Forest Program does not require public access ^[1]. You can hunt, hike, camp, and exclude the public. The Commercial Forest program does require public access year-round ^[8]. If you want privacy, Qualified Forest is the right choice. If you're comfortable with public access and want slightly deeper tax savings, explore Commercial Forest.

What is the Forest Management Bureau?

The Forest Management Bureau is a division of Michigan's Department of Natural Resources that oversees state forests and administers private landowner assistance programs, including the Qualified Forest Program ^[2]. Bureau foresters review management plans, conduct site inspections, and make enrollment and compliance decisions. Contact your regional Bureau office for application help and compliance questions.

Can I transfer my Qualified Forest enrollment to a buyer when I sell?

Yes, but the buyer must apply to continue enrollment and agree to follow the existing or an updated management plan ^[1]. If the buyer doesn't apply within 30 days of the sale, the parcel withdraws and recapture may attach to the seller unless the purchase agreement assigns that liability to the buyer. Make enrollment transfer and recapture terms explicit in the sales contract to avoid disputes.

Sources

1. Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Forest Management Division: Forest Management Bureau administers Qualified Forest Program, reviews plans, conducts inspections, provides technical assistance
2. USDA Forest Service, What is Forest Management?: Forest management definition: directing growth, composition, and harvest to meet landowner goals
3. USDA Forest Service, Forest Legacy Program: Conservation easements as alternative to current-use programs for permanent protection without harvest
4. IRS Publication 544, Sales and Other Dispositions of Assets: Timber capital gain treatment, Form T reporting, capital gains brackets (0/15/20%), net investment income tax 3.8%, estimated tax requirements
5. IRS Publication 551, Basis of Assets: Timber basis allocation at acquisition, stepped-up basis at inheritance, separate tracking of timber and land basis
6. Michigan Department of Treasury, Michigan Income Tax: Michigan flat income tax 4.25%, capital gains taxed as ordinary income