Vincent Ryan
Shareholder & Board Treasurer
Ranch CPAs who actually know ranching
You didn’t get into ranching to wrestle with tax code. But between livestock sales, land, equipment, and an always-changing tax code, ranch taxes get complicated fast, and a missed strategy costs real money. Our ranch CPAs handle your Schedule F, livestock and equipment depreciation, and year-end planning that keeps more of your hard work in your pocket. We’ve done it for ranch families throughout western South Dakota, Wyoming, and Nebraska for almost 50 years.
The biggest tax bill isn’t in April
It’s the day the operation passes to the next generation. Most ranchers don’t think about it until it’s late. Keeping the ranch together, treating the kids fairly, and not losing acres to estate taxes takes a plan built years ahead. We help you build it, so the place stays in the family, the way you always intended.
Real CPAs with real ranch backgrounds
When you work with a ranch CPA or accountant from Casey Peterson, LTD, you get a financial pro who knows the operation from the ground up. Shareholders like Vincent Ryan in Chadron and Zach Van Sambeek in Rapid City have spent their careers working with ranch families throughout the region. In Gillette, Preston Mackey and Cady Erb bring the same focus to Wyoming operations. Leah Heidler and Roni Carmichael cover ranch country around Faith and the surrounding communities.
Plus, we stay close to our roots through regional ag associations, foundations, and committees. Our partnerships include the Black Hills Stock Show Foundation, Central States Fair, Campbell County Cattlewomen, and Sheridan Livestock Auction.
Zach Van Sambeek
Shareholder
Preston Mackey
Gillette Branch Manager
Cady Erb
Client Manager
Roni Carmichael
Client Manager
Leah Heidler
Executive Advisor
Brooke Gasseling
Associate
What we do for ranch families
Cattle sales, land, equipment, the next generation … We handle the financial side of all of it throughout western South Dakota, Wyoming, and Nebraska.
- Business valuation — Know what your operation is really worth for succession, buy-sell agreements, or bringing on the next generation.
- Litigation and dispute support — When a family disagreement or partnership split ends up in court, we provide the valuations, financial analysis, and expert support to sort out what’s fair.
- Bookkeeping and payroll — Year-round records built around how your ranch actually runs, so tax time isn’t a scramble.
- Business advisory — A sounding board for the big decisions: buying more land, expanding the herd, or weathering a tough year.
- Ranch tax preparation and planning — Schedule F, livestock and equipment sales, and year-round planning that keeps your tax bill as low as the law allows.
- Ranch succession planning — A clear plan to pass the operation to the next generation, keep the ranch together, and treat every kid fairly.
- Estate and gift tax planning — Protect the land from a tax bill your family can’t cover, using trusts, gifting, and strategies built years ahead.
- Entity structuring and selection — Set up the right LLCs, partnerships, or corporations to protect your assets and make transfers smoother.
- Livestock and land depreciation — Put Section 179 and bonus depreciation to work on equipment, breeding stock, and improvements.