In the days before tax filings are due, Illinois farmers who lost a matriarch or patriarch may be looking at a big tax bill.

Illinois still has a tax on inheritance. It’s called the estate tax and it’s levied on any assets passed down to any heir with a value over $4 million dollars. While that number may sound big, a modest family farm can blow past that number with a couple hundred acres and the machinery needed to run the farm. Heirs can be made to pay up to 16 percent on those assets.

Charlie Meier is a lawmaker and farmer in Madison County. He’s seen farms split and portions sold, just to cover the tax.

Bill Bodine with the Illinois Farm Bureau.

There are multiple bills that would mitigate this tax in Springfield but none have made it out of committees. Opponents say the tax exists to make the wealthy pay their fair share.