USDA grant money is helping provide a Wisconsin workshop on Farm Succession and Estate and Retirement Planning. The event will be held on Thursday, March 2nd at the Public Events Building in the Arlington Agricultural Research Station. It is scheduled from 10:00 AM to 2:30 PM, and farm families are encouraged to attend. It is co-sponsored by a USDA Dairy Revitalization Grant, UW-Extension-Columbia County, and MATC.

Joy Kirkpatrick, UW Center for Dairy Profitability, and Laura Paine, UWEX Agriculture Agent for Columbia County will begin the workshop with a presentation on the importance of communication in successful planning, and getting started – issues specific to farmers. Alan Strohschein, attorney with Stoltz, Strohschein & Green, Columbus, Wisconsin, will speak about the legal side of estate and retirement planning (wills, probate, trusts and business set-up). Strohschein works extensively with farmers on these issues, among others. Kathleen K. Martin, CPA, Manager for Tax Services, RSM McGladrey, Inc., will focus on strategies for minimizing taxation. Financial planning, how to choose a financial planner, and financial options for investing off the farm will be addressed by Andrew Seaborg and Mark Strassburger, Partners in the Capitol Group, Madison.

The registration fee will be $10 for the first family member, and $5 for each additional farm family member. For additional information, call Laura Paine at 608-742-9682.