As farmland prices rise, so do number of pre-nups

Prices for farmland are rising dramatically in the UK, and so are the number of farmers asking their spouses to sign pre- and post-nuptial agreements, reports the Financial Times.

Without the agreements, farmers could be forced to sell the land or borrow money to finance divorce settlements. Prices are rising so quickly, settlements are often higher than what landowners expect.

The FT says, “The price of farmland has risen dramatically in some parts of the UK, commanding an average of £6,000 per acre compared with £3,000 five years ago, according to Alex Lawson, director of farm and estate sales at Savills who says 100,000 acres come up for sale on the open market each year.”

If your clients are looking to invest in land, consider timberland. Such investments exceeded the S&P 500 for 11 of the 21 years from 1990 to 2010; its compounded return was 11.15% versus the S&P’s 8.52%.

But make sure they get the property ownership right; otherwise, they could pay too much tax.

Read: Real (estate) income: A haven from volatility

Staff

The staff of Advisor.ca have been covering news for financial advisors since 1998.