Succession planning is a growing topic all around Montana. The importance of transferring family farms and ranches is ever growing and with it comes its own set of challenges. Not only is succession complex in the economic and legal sense, but also with family social dynamics.
Broadwater Conservation District luckily was able to have Elaine Froese, a succession planning expert from Canada, come out to Broadwater County for a workshop at the beginning of 2025. The workshop was titled Finding Fairness in Farm Transition answering the question of how do you manage your family’s expectations about inheritance. For those who attended, Elaine gave helpful tools and tips to family’s to help them with communication and conflict resolution to secure the future of their farms and ranches.
Here is a list of resources from the Finding Fairness in Farm Transition Workshop in 2025 as well as additional resources that Elaine Froese offers:
Finding Fairness in Farm Transition Workbook PDF
- If you are interested in a hard copy of this workbook, we have extra copies at our office and you are welcome to pick one up!
The MSU Extension Estate Planning page is a wonderful resource for those wondering about additional Estate Planning resources including how to plan with family members that have Alzheimer’s & Memory Loss, family members who pass away without a Will, the Corporate Transparency Act, and information on inheriting Indian Land.
Please click the link below to access the MSU Extension Estate Planning Page:
If you have specific questions about Estate Planning, please contact Marsha Goetting, the MSU Extension Family Economics Specialist. She is extremely knowledgeable and very helpful. Her contact information is down below:
Marsha Goetting Ph.D., CFP®, CFCS
