Brokerage, lending & investing

Books and taxes for farm and ranch brokers.

A working cattle ranch sold with the herd and equipment bundled in, water rights valued apart from the acreage, a co-broke split with an out-of-state agent, and an appraisal fee fronted for a seller. Gus sorts all of it, an accountant checks every transaction, and you get one number a month.

Book a call What we handle
  • From $197 a month
  • An accountant on every transaction
  • Cancel whenever
FebruaryExample month
$13,300
what you made

February brought in $13,300 on the Bar T ranch sale. I kept the herd and equipment value separate from the land commission, since they get treated differently.

  • Mason & Morse commission depCommission income
  • Livestock appraisal feeAppraisal advances
  • Co-broker split, out of stateCo-brokerage splits paid
  • Water rights filing feeWater rights and title costs
  • Fuel, ranch site visitsVehicle and mileage
Money in$46,800
Money out$33,500
Set aside for taxes$3,500
An example month. Yours will have your numbers.

Why your books are different

Farm and ranch books go wrong when the sale is more than land.

A working ranch rarely sells as just acreage. The herd, the equipment, the water rights, and sometimes a house and outbuildings all get bundled into one closing, and each piece can be valued and taxed differently. When the books treat it as one number, nobody can tell what actually made the deal.

  1. 1

    Livestock and equipment value gets buried in the land price

    A ranch sale that includes the cattle herd, tractors, and irrigation equipment can carry real value in those assets, but if it is not separated from the land price, the whole sale looks like one land transaction.

    What we doFlags livestock and equipment value as its own piece of the deal, so the accountant can apply the right treatment to each part of the sale.
  2. 2

    Water rights get valued the same as the acreage

    In many western and plains markets, water rights carry significant, separate value from the land itself, and a commission calculated on one combined price can miss what actually drove the sale.

    What we doKeeps water rights value flagged apart from the land price, so the real basis for commission and tax purposes is clear.
  3. 3

    An appraisal fee fronted for a seller looks like a straight cost

    Fronting a livestock or equipment appraisal to get a working ranch ready for sale is common, but if it is not tied to the eventual commission, it just reads as money spent with nothing to show for it.

    What we doTies an appraisal advance to the sale it supports, so the real net on the deal is visible once the commission comes in.
  4. 4

    A long closing on financing or water rights transfer hides a deal in progress

    Ranch sales can take months longer to close than a typical home sale, waiting on financing, water rights transfer, or mineral rights review, so a quiet stretch can look like no business at all.

    What we doKeeps costs tagged to the specific ranch listing they support, so a long closing reads as a deal moving forward, not a dry spell.

Your categories

The categories Gus keeps for a farm and ranch broker.

Set up once for how a working ranch sale actually breaks down. You never pick a category. He does, and an accountant checks it.

Money in

  • Commission incomeYour side of the split after the brokerage and any co-broke agent.
  • Referral fees receivedFees from agents in other regions sending a buyer or seller your way.
  • Consulting feesFlat fees for advising on water rights, easements, or land use outside a listing.
  • Auction commissionsFees earned when a ranch sells through an auction rather than a private listing.

Money out

  • Appraisal advancesLivestock and equipment appraisal costs fronted for a seller and repaid at closing.
  • Water rights and title costsFiling and title research fees tied to water rights on a specific tract.
  • Co-brokerage splits paidThe other agent's share on a deal split across regions or firms.
  • Listing marketingPhotography, drone footage, and print for a specific ranch listing.
  • Vehicle and mileageTravel to rural properties often far outside town.
  • MLS and license feesMLS dues, board dues, and any accredited land or ranch designation.

What we watch for you

  • Days to close

    How long a ranch sale is taking against financing or water rights transfer, since it runs longer than a typical home sale.

  • Commission retained after co-broke

    Your actual take after any split with an out-of-region agent.

  • Cost per active listing

    Appraisal and marketing spend tied to ranches not yet sold, so it reads as pipeline, not loss.

  • The set-aside

    What you will owe, tracked every month even while a ranch sale is still working through financing and title.

Ask Gus

Things farm and ranch brokers ask Gus.

Text him like you would text anybody. He answers in plain English, and when a question is above his pay grade, an accountant looks and gets back to you.

The Bar T sale included the whole herd and equipment. Does that count the same as a straight land sale?

I kept the herd and equipment value flagged apart from the land price, since those often get different treatment. The accountant makes the final call.

I fronted a livestock appraisal for a seller four months ago. It just closed, where did that money go?

It stayed tied to that ranch listing the whole time. This month's commission shows the real net, the advance repaid against what came in.

This sale has water rights worth almost as much as the land. Does that change anything?

It might. I kept the water rights value separate from the land price, and the accountant will look at how that piece should be treated.

The tax side

The tax side of a farm and ranch brokerage.

Most of what matters here is separating land from livestock, equipment, and water rights, since each can carry its own tax treatment.

What your return has to get right

Your accountant signs it, so it gets done right the first time.

  • Self-employment tax on commission incomeCommission income carries self-employment tax at 15.3 percent up to the Social Security wage base of $184,500, whenever a ranch sale finally closes after a long process.
  • Quarterly estimated paymentsWith commissions landing unevenly across long closing timelines, estimated payments due April 15, June 15, September 15, and January 15 need a real look at which sales are likely to close when.
  • The pass-through deductionMost brokers can take up to 20 percent of business profit off their taxable income. It comes out right when appraisal advances and commission income are booked correctly all year.
  • Livestock, equipment, and water rights valueA sale bundling land with a herd, equipment, or water rights can carry different treatment for each piece. Gus flags each part separately so the accountant applies the right rule to each.

Deductions farm and ranch brokers miss

Your bookkeeper knows what to look for in your statements. You never have to.

  • Livestock and equipment appraisal advances
  • Water rights filing and title research
  • Co-brokerage splits paid
  • MLS and accredited land dues
  • Drone footage and print marketing
  • Vehicle mileage to rural properties
  • Continuing education and designations
  • E and O insurance
  • Signage for rural listings
  • Phone and data plan
  • Home office for a dedicated workspace
  • Client site visit travel costs

General information about 2026 federal rules, not advice for your business. Your accountant looks at your actual numbers before anything gets filed.

All year, not just April

A farm and ranch broker's year, kept every month.

A working ranch can take months to close on financing and water rights alone. Your team keeps you ahead of the tax side while a deal is still moving. Every month in between, your bookkeeper closes the books and speaks up the moment something looks off.

  1. January

    Plan the year

    Last year's return gets started, referral fee 1099s go out, and a monthly set-aside is planned around sales likely to close this year.

  2. April

    Filed. Done.

    Your return is filed and signed. No surprise bill, because the set-aside has been running since January.

  3. July

    Halfway check

    Where you stand, what you will owe, and whether any long-pending ranch sales finally closed.

  4. October

    Before year-end land moves

    Some buyers push to close before year end for their own tax reasons. Gus looks at what is worth doing or buying before December while there is still time.

What you get

Starts at$197a month

What you pay depends on what your business needs, and it does not move after that, busy season or slow. No hourly bills, no surprise invoices, no setup fee.

Book a call
  • Monthly bookkeeping

    Every transaction sorted into categories set up for farm and ranch brokers. You never categorize a thing.

  • An accountant checks every transaction

    Real review, every month, before your books close. Not a spot check.

  • Your business tax return, filed

    Prepared, reviewed, and signed by that same accountant every year.

  • The monthly number

    What you made, what you spent, what to set aside for taxes.

  • Your own bookkeeper

    A real person assigned to your business, in the app whenever you need them. No hold music.

  • On your books all year

    Every month, not just in April. Your team speaks up whenever something is worth your attention.

  • Cancel any time

    No contract. No cancellation call. Your books are yours.

Straight answers

Questions farm and ranch brokers ask first.

How does Gus handle a ranch sale that includes the herd and equipment?

The livestock and equipment value gets flagged apart from the land price, since it can carry different treatment. The accountant makes the final call on how each piece is taxed.

I fronted a livestock appraisal for a seller months before the sale closed. Is that money accounted for?

Yes. It stays tied to that ranch listing the whole time, and once the commission comes in, you see the real net, the advance repaid against what the sale brought in.

This deal has significant water rights value on top of the land. Does that change anything?

It can. Gus keeps water rights value flagged separately from the land price, since it often carries different value and tax treatment, and the accountant weighs in on it.

My closings often take four to six months longer than a typical home sale. Is that a problem for the books?

No. Gus keeps costs tied to the specific listing they support, so a long closing timeline reads as a deal in progress, not a business that has gone quiet.

I split most deals with agents from other states. How does that affect my income?

Whatever the other agent's brokerage keeps never appears on your books at all. Gus only records what your own brokerage actually deposits into your account as commission income.

My books have not been kept up in over a year across several open ranch listings. Can Gus catch up?

Yes. Send the bank statements and listing agreements you have. Gus sorts each deal's costs and any commissions, and most brokers know where they stand within a couple of weeks.

Is a real accountant checking my books?

Yes. You get your own bookkeeper, Gus does the first pass on every transaction, and an accountant checks every one before your month closes. That same accountant prepares, signs, and files your business return. Goatkeeper is not a CPA firm, and we never pretend a person looked when they did not.

What does it cost, and can I cancel?

It starts at $197 a month, depending on what your business needs. No setup fee, no hourly bills, no contract. Cancel any time from the app, and your books go with you.

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Book a call

Pick a time. That's the whole signup.

Fifteen minutes with a real person on our team. They look at where your books are, tell you straight what it takes to get caught up, and get you set up on the spot if it fits.

  • $197 a month to start
  • An accountant on every transaction
  • Cancel whenever