What is a conservation easement?

A permanent restriction on land use, donated to a qualified land trust. The trust holds the restriction in perpetuity; the landowner retains compatible uses. The donation creates a charitable deduction equal to the diminished land value.

How much can I deduct?

Equal to the diminished value of the land caused by the easement (determined by qualified appraisal). Typically 30-70% of land value depending on property. Deduction subject to AGI limits (50% for most donors, 30% for landowner-developers). Excess carries forward 15 years.

Will the IRS audit me?

Conservation easements have been an audit focus. Legitimate easements with quality engineering, MAI-credentialed appraiser, and reputable land trust hold up. We use the highest-quality service providers to minimize audit risk.

Can I still use my land?

Yes, in ways compatible with the easement. Typically: agriculture, ranching, residential use within limits, hunting and fishing. Restricted: development, subdivision, commercial operations not present at easement. Each easement is custom-designed.

Does the easement run with the land?

Yes, in perpetuity. All future owners are bound by the same restrictions. The land trust monitors compliance and can enforce against violations.

What about syndicated conservation easements?

Syndicated easements (where investors buy into a partnership that donates an easement) have been heavily targeted by the IRS. Many syndicated easements have been disallowed. We do not work on syndicated easements; only direct landowner donations with legitimate conservation value.

What does Pay Equity Audit involve?

This page covers Pay Equity Audit — including what it is, who needs it, how to file or apply, typical costs, deadlines, and how File.Business handles it for you end-to-end.

How much does Pay Equity Audit cost with File.Business?

Pricing is shown on this page. We always disclose state filing fees separately from our service fee, with no surprise add-ons at checkout.

How long does Pay Equity Audit take?

Turnaround depends on the state agency. Standard processing typically takes a few business days; rush options are available where the agency offers expedited service.

Is this service available in all 50 states?

File.Business handles filings across all 50 US states and DC. State-specific rules, fees, and forms are built into the workflow so you don't have to research them yourself.

Home/People & payroll/Pay Equity Audit

People & payroll

EPA · Title VII · state laws

Pay Equity Audit. Find gaps, fix them, prove it.

The federal Equal Pay Act + Title VII + state laws (California Fair Pay Act, Illinois Equal Pay Act, Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work, NY Equal Pay) all prohibit pay disparities based on gender, race, or other protected class for substantially similar work. The right defense: a privileged statistical audit + remediation. We run a regression-based audit controlling for legitimate factors (level, tenure, performance, geography), identify unexplained disparities, recommend adjustments, and document the process in a defensible report.

Start pay equity audit

All 50 states + DC 60-day money-back SOC 2 Type II

⚖

Pay Equity Audit

Privileged · under counsel direction

Mar 14

Headcount

284

12 cohorts

Gaps found

2 material

Remed. budget

$184K

0.4% payroll

Software Eng L3 · femaleregression vs male peers

n=24 -4.8%

Product Mgr L2 · URMregression vs non-URM peers

n=11 -6.2%

Sales AE · all classesno significant disparity

n=38 -0.4%

Regression controls: lvl, tenure, geo, perf Remediation plan ready

How it works

How we handle Conservation Easement, end-to-end.

A conservation easement is a permanent restriction on the use of land, typically donated to a qualified land trust to preserve the land's natural or open-space character.

Eligibility review

Land must have conservation value: scenic, ecological, historic, open-space, or recreational. We assess whether your land qualifies. Most rural and undeveloped properties do; urban properties rarely.

Land trust selection

Donation must be to a qualified land trust (501(c)(3)). We refer to local and national land trusts (Land Trust Alliance, The Nature Conservancy, regional trusts). They accept the easement and hold the restriction in perpetuity.

Engineering + appraisal

Engineering work documents the conservation value. Qualified appraisal determines diminished land value (the deduction amount). IRS scrutinizes appraisals; we use highly credentialed appraisers with conservation easement experience.

Legal documentation + closing

Easement document recorded with county recorder. Permanent restriction runs with the land. Donor receives appraisal-supported deduction. Coordination with attorney specializing in conservation easements.

What we'll set up for you

A clean handoff, in four steps.

You give us the basics. We handle the state, the IRS, and the compliance clock so you can focus on the business.

01 · Name + Brand

A name that's actually available.

Real-time check against the state register, USPTO trademark database, and matching domains.

02 · State filing

Filed with the Secretary of State.

We submit your Articles, pay the state fee on your behalf, and return the stamped certificate.

03 · Federal IDs

EIN + the right tax setup.

Federal Employer ID with the IRS, plus state tax accounts when your business needs them.

04 · Stay compliant

Registered Agent + deadline tracking.

Your agent on file in every state, with every renewal and annual report tracked in one calendar.

Pricing

Transparent conservation easement pricing.

Government fees pass through at cost. No upsells.

Statistical audit only

$2,499

Quantitative findings

Quantitative audit + report. Includes regression analysis, identified gaps, statistical significance. Excludes remediation plan + counsel review.

Get started

Standard audit + remediation

$3,499

Findings + plan

Statistical audit + remediation plan + budget impact + implementation guide. Attorney-led for privilege protection.

Get started

Audit + litigation defense

$8,499

If suit threatened

Standard + privileged expert report + deposition prep + litigation expert witness. For companies with active EEOC charge or threatened class action.

Get started

FAQ

About the Conservation Easement Service.

What is a pay equity audit?

A pay equity audit reviews your compensation for unjustified pay gaps across gender, race, or other protected groups doing comparable work, helping you identify and correct disparities before they become legal or reputational problems. Some states require pay-equity practices. We keep your entity and payroll organized so an audit is feasible.

Why do a pay equity audit?

To find and fix pay disparities proactively, reduce legal exposure under equal-pay laws, and support fair, defensible compensation, which matters more as you grow and as more states tighten pay-equity rules. We flag it as a practice worth adopting as your headcount grows.

Who should conduct a pay equity audit?

Someone who can analyze compensation data statistically while applying the relevant employment laws, often an HR or legal specialist, ideally under privilege. We keep your payroll and employee data organized so an audit can be conducted, coordinating with a specialist for the analysis.

What does the audit examine?

Whether employees doing comparable work are paid consistently regardless of protected characteristics, controlling for legitimate factors like experience and performance, to isolate unexplained gaps. We keep your compensation records organized so those factors are documented and the analysis is clean.

Are pay equity audits legally required?

It varies: some states require pay-equity measures or reporting, while in others it is a voluntary best practice, so whether it is mandatory depends on your locations and size. We flag which requirements apply based on where you employ people.

What do I do if the audit finds gaps?

You investigate whether legitimate factors explain them and, where they do not, adjust compensation to close unjustified gaps, documenting the rationale. We keep your payroll organized so adjustments are clean and defensible, coordinating with a specialist on the response.

Does this matter for a small business?

It grows with headcount: a very small team has little to compare, but as you hire, consistent, defensible pay practices reduce risk and support fairness, and some states apply requirements at low thresholds. We flag when it becomes relevant for your size and location.

How does this connect to hiring practices?

Pay equity ties to how you set starting pay, sometimes constrained by salary-history bans, and to ongoing compensation decisions, so fair practices start at hiring. We keep your employer practices organized so equity is built in from the offer stage.

Can File.Business help with pay equity readiness?

We keep your entity and payroll organized and flag the pay-equity requirements and practices relevant to where and how you employ people, so a pay equity audit is feasible, coordinating with an HR or legal specialist for the analysis itself.

SOC 2 Type II audited

220,000+ businesses. 60-day money-back. State fees passed through at cost.

Your operating system, not a transaction

Every deadline auto-tracked across your entities. Compliance Score visible year-round.

Transparent pricing

No hidden fees. No upsells at checkout. State fees disclosed upfront.

Business Operating System

I'm starting something

I have a deadline

Something is changing

I need to prove / protect

Build with File.Business

I serve clients

I run a [industry]

I manage multiple entities

I'm integrating or referring

BosAI · your compliance brain

I want intelligence

I need communications

I run money & people

I operate at scale

State of Business Compliance 2026

I want to learn

I want to compare / calculate

I want to research deeper

I need help

Pay Equity Audit. Find gaps, fix them, prove it.

How we handle Conservation Easement, end-to-end.

Eligibility review

Land trust selection

Engineering + appraisal

Legal documentation + closing

A clean handoff, in four steps.

A name that's actually available.

Filed with the Secretary of State.

EIN + the right tax setup.

Registered Agent + deadline tracking.

Transparent conservation easement pricing.

Statistical audit only

Standard audit + remediation

Audit + litigation defense

About the Conservation Easement Service.

Start your business in the next 5 minutes.

I'm starting something

I have a deadline

Something is changing

I need to prove / protect

I serve clients

I run a [industry]

I manage multiple entities

I'm integrating or referring

I want intelligence

I need communications

I run money & people

I operate at scale

I want to learn

I want to compare / calculate

I want to research deeper

I need help

Pay Equity Audit. Find gaps, fix them, prove it.

How we handle Conservation Easement, end-to-end.

Eligibility review

Land trust selection

Engineering + appraisal

Legal documentation + closing

A clean handoff, in four steps.

A name that's actually available.

Filed with the Secretary of State.

EIN + the right tax setup.

Registered Agent + deadline tracking.

Transparent conservation easement pricing.

Statistical audit only

Standard audit + remediation

Audit + litigation defense

About the Conservation Easement Service.

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