Field-Tested: How One Rancher Prepped for Tax Time Without Leaving the Calving Barn

In late winter, while managing round-the-clock calving on her Wyoming ranch, Samantha M. was also staring down another deadline: tax season. Between muddy boots, frozen fences, and new calves arriving daily, the thought of preparing her income tax return was overwhelming. But this year, things went differently.

Thanks to a tool she had adopted earlier that year—FarmRaise Tracks—Samantha approached tax preparation with more confidence, accurate records, and less stress. It didn’t replace her certified public accountant, but it gave her a much clearer picture of her farm business's financial health.

The Reality of Tax Season for Ranchers

For many ranchers and business owners, tax season arrives at the worst possible moment. Samantha, like others managing active farming operations, had previously scrambled to gather receipts for farm expenses, reconcile bank statements, and decode the IRS requirements on forms like Schedule F and Schedule C.

Farmers face unique challenges during tax preparation: tracking deductible expenses, managing self-employment tax, and allocating between business use and personal use of assets. Missing documentation not only delays filing but can lead to inaccurate tax records and missed tax deductions. Each transaction, if not properly documented, can have consequences for determining taxable income, claiming appropriate tax exemptions, or leveraging relevant tax credits.

These nuances require clarity around what qualifies as a business expense, how to estimate depreciation, and which parts of the farm fall under real estate versus personal property. For farmers juggling agricultural production and seasonal operations, these distinctions aren’t always top of mind.

Getting Started with FarmRaise Tracks

Samantha learned about FarmRaise Tracks at a local USDA event. She was intrigued by its simplicity: a mobile-friendly tool built for farmers to log farm income and expenses as they happen. No need to wait until the end of the year to recall what that fuel purchase was for.

Samantha is now able to seamlessly track things as she go, so there’s less pressure when it's time to gather tax records.

She began using Tracks to log everything from breeding fees to small farm equipment repairs. She noted whether the expenses were for business purposes or mixed-use, such as shared housing utilities or vehicle mileage. By organizing her entries with notes and receipts, she established consistent record-keeping practices that simplified the entire tax process.

While the tool doesn't automatically generate tax forms or replace professional advice, it gave her what she needed most: an easy-to-use system for collecting and referencing expenses throughout the year.

What Changed At Tax Time

When spring arrived and the time came to submit her income tax return, Samantha didn’t need to panic. With Tracks, she compiled a categorized list of her farm expenses, organized by purpose and timestamped for context.

With this information in hand, her CPA was able to:

• Confirm deductible expenses like seed, fertilizer, and conservation expenses
• Validate costs related to real estate holdings and personal property upgrades
• Assess major purchases to determine if they needed to be depreciated across years
• Calculate her taxable income and expected tax liability under the current tax rate
• Apply eligible tax benefits and any industry-specific tax credits

This collaboration also improved Samantha's understanding of tax strategy. Her tax professional explained how investments in infrastructure, such as fencing or irrigation, could shift her financial statements and create long-term savings through depreciation.

Planning for the Following Year

The benefits of FarmRaise Tracks extended well beyond one filing season. With her organized records, Samantha could:

• Make informed decisions about timing equipment upgrades to offset future tax burdens
• Plan her quarterly payments for federal income tax, sales taxes, and property taxes
• Track ongoing farm expenses in relation to her expected gross income
• Estimate how her actions could affect her social security and Medicare obligations
• Respond promptly when applying for USDA or conservation-based grant programs

These insights helped her visualize not only her cash flow, but also how that movement of funds affected future profitability. Because she reviewed her tax records more often, she began to forecast based on seasonal trends and known expense spikes in her farming activities.

She even used her records to consult the Farmer’s Tax Guide, cross-checking which inputs were eligible for deductions and how they were viewed in light of recent tax laws. This made her more self-sufficient and prepared during planning sessions with her CPA.

Empowering Business Owners Through Simplicity

For many small business owners like Samantha, FarmRaise Tracks serves as a powerful foundational tool for recordkeeping and tax season readiness.

By streamlining how transactions are recorded, categorized, and labeled for tax purposes, Tracks gives taxpayers greater control over their farm tax data. It reduces the chances of losing receipts or missing qualified deductions. The ability to export clear records means that a farmer and their tax professional can spend less time hunting for details and more time strategizing.

This improved preparation can lead to better tax planning, potentially reduce liability, and free up more time for the work that matters most: raising crops, managing animals, and sustaining operations.

Looking Ahead

With Tracks integrated into her routine, Samantha approaches the following year with less anxiety and more insight. Her updated records will guide her through loan applications, USDA program evaluations, and business decisions that affect her operational strategy.

She keeps a digital trail of every business use expense and doesn’t worry about sorting them out come April. When she sells livestock or farm products, she logs the transaction immediately. When she repairs a fence or updates an outbuilding, she saves the receipt and classifies the upgrade correctly.

Ready to streamline your farm recordkeeping? Try FarmRaise Tracks and take control of your next tax season.

Ready to get started? Sign up for FarmRaise today and start building a better future for your farm. Use code IT3H12B at checkout for 20% off or use this link to checkout now.