Qualified conservation easement donations are eligible for charitable deductions when donated to qualified recipients such as the North Salem Open Land Foundation.

In a strong bipartisan action, Congress voted to pass bills that included making the enhanced tax incentive permanent. Current and future generations of Americans will directly benefit from the incentive that encourages landowners to place a conservation easement on their land to protect important natural, scenic and historic resources.Once signed into law, the incentive will be applied retroactively to start Jan. 1, 2015. An earlier version of the incentive expired Dec. 31, 2014.

Lands placed into conservation easements continue to be farmed, grazed, or used for outdoor recreation and wildlife conservation, and these lands remain on county and local tax rolls, strengthening local economies.

The enhancement allows a deduction of up to 50% of the taxpayers adjusted gross income and extends the carry-forward period for a donor to take tax deductions for a conservation easement donation to 15 years.

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