Reforestation Tax Credit

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The Mississippi Reforestation Tax Credit provides a Mississippi income tax credit up to 50% of the cost of approved hardwood and pine reforestation practices. The tax credit promotes reforestation on private, nonindustrial lands. The credit applies only to individuals or groups of private nonindustrial landowners. There is a lifetime limit of $75,000. In addition, a landowner may claim a tax credit of up to $10,000 in any single year with an unlimited carry-forward provision.  Landowners must have a reforestation plan prepared by a graduate or registered forester. The cost of planting orchards, Christmas trees, or ornamental trees does not qualify.

Acreage enrolled in a state or federal incentive program is not eligible for the tax credit. However, certain landowners may be eligible for the tax credit in addition to incentive payments. Those landowners whose adjusted gross income is less than the federal Earned Income Credit level may be eligible for this provision. See a tax advisor for further information.

The work must be verified by the forester on Mississippi tax form 80-315 as completed according to the prepared plan and submitted to the state Tax Commission by the landowner in order to qualify. Contact the Mississippi Tax Commission for a copy of tax form 80-315 and for additional tax-related information.

Additional tax information for your forestland can be found at the National Timber Tax Website. 

Publications: 

Paying For A New Forest Without Cost Share Funding (Deborah A. Gaddis, Ph.D., Associate Extension Professor, Department of Forestry, Mississippi State University)

Governor Barbour Signs Reforestation Tax Credit Bill. The Voice of Forestry Online, Mississippi Forestry Association, Inc., April 2007.

Mississippi's Reforestation Tax Credit:  What You Need To Know. By Deborah A. Gaddis, Ph.D., MSU Extension Forestry. Tree Talk, Official Publication of Mississippi Forestry Association, Inc. Spring 2007.

Tax Tips For Forest Landowners For The 2011 Tax Year. By Linda Wang, Forest Taxation Specialist and John L. Greene, Research Forester, Southern Research Station. This bulletin summarizes federal income tax information useful to woodland owners in preparing their 2011 tax returns. It is current as of September 15, 2011. (Posted 02/06/2012)

For more information on this program, contact:
 

Brendix Glasgow,

District Forester, Northeast

P.O. Box 703

1711 McCullough Blvd.

Tupelo, Mississippi 38802

(662) 842-5312 office

bglasgow@mfc.state.ms.us