Many people are given farmland and this phenomenon will continue. People who receive the gift of farmland may want to retain ownership for a variety of reasons: the land is already paid for; it may increase in value; it may have been in the family for a long time; or it may allow participation in production agriculture. Lack of land ownership costs may reduce the risk of land ownership. The purpose of this manuscript is to determine whether a person who has been given farmland can afford to retain ownership. A twelveyear analysis was used to determine the net income and risk associated with three strategies for retaining ownership.