Contents
A 1031 exchange gets its name from Section 1031 of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code, which allows you to avoid paying capital gains taxes when you sell an investment property and reinvest the proceeds from the sale within certain time limits in a property or properties of like kind and equal or greater value.
As mentioned, a 1031 exchange is reserved for property held for productive use in a trade or business or for investment. This means that any real property held for investment purposes can qualify for 1031 treatment, such as an apartment building, a vacant lot, a commercial building, or even a single-family residence.
A 1031 exchange allows you to sell one investment or business property and buy another without incurring capital gains taxes – as long as the exchange is completed according to IRS rules and the new property is of the same nature or character (like kind).
A 1031 exchange is a swap of properties that are held for business or investment purposes. The properties being exchanged must be considered like-kind in the eyes of the IRS for capital gains taxes to be deferred. If used correctly, there is no limit on how many times or how frequently you can do 1031 exchanges.
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
Low minimum investment and flexible investment amounts. | Shared risk means shared rewards. |
Higher potential for diversification and safety. | Little potential for unilateral decision-making. |
Access to higher-quality real estate. |
If a property has been acquired through a 1031 Exchange and is later converted into a primary residence, it is necessary to hold the property for no less than five years or the sale will be fully taxable.
A 1031 Exchange allows you to delay paying your taxes. It doesn’t eliminate your capital gains tax. Only if you never sell your 1031 exchanged property or keep on doing a 1031 exchange, will you never incur a tax liability. … The median holding period for property in America is between 7 – 8 years.
Property that you hold primarily for personal use cannot be utilized in a 1031 exchange. … The general rule is that you should not be living in any property that you wish to exchange with a 1031 transaction – though there are some exceptions to that rule.
When you enter into a 1031 agreement, you have the potential to defer your capital gains tax liability if you put proceeds from the sale directly into another like-kind property. … As a buyer, your QI will hold your funds from the sale of your relinquished property in an FDIC-insured bank account.
Requirements for IRC Section 1031 Exchanges
Measured from when the relinquished property closes, the Exchangor has 45 days to nominate (identify) potential replacement properties and 180 days to acquire the replacement property. The exchange is completed in 180 days, not 45 days plus 180 days.
Properties in a trust can be used as investments and qualify as a 1031 exchange. The rules are generally the same as a basic 1031 exchange. … The replacement property must be of equal or greater value than the relinquished property. The property cannot be used as a personal residence of the taxpayer.
Generally, no, you can not sell real property (“relinquished property”) and defer the payment of your depreciation recapture and capital gain income taxes by structuring a 1031 exchange by building on real property that you already own or by paying off the mortgage on the property.
#2 Finding “like-kind” properties can be difficult
In order to do a 1031 exchange, you must first identify which property(s) you’d like to invest the money in. However, it can be very challenging to find “like-kind” replacement properties that fit the bill, especially within the time constraints of 1031 exchanges.
Another reason someone would not want to do a 1031 exchange is if they have a loss, since there will be no capital gains to pay taxes on. Or if someone is in the 10% or 12% ordinary income tax bracket, they would not need to do a 1031 exchange because, in that case, they will be taxed at 0% on capital gains.
You may rent your exchange property to a relative provided that you strictly follow three basic rules: 1) the rent you charge has to be fair market value for that property, 2) your rental agreement must be in writing and you must enforce the terms of the agreement (most importantly the clause dealing with the late …
A 1031 exchange generally only involves investment properties. Your primary residence isn’t typically eligible for a 1031 exchange. Even a second home that you live in some of the time is ineligible if you don’t treat it as an investment property for tax purposes.
The two most common situations we encounter which are ineligible for exchange are the sale of a primary residence and “flippers”. Both are excluded for the same reason: In order to be eligible for a 1031 exchange, the relinquished property must have been held for productive in a trade or business or for investment.
If you’re facing a large tax bill because of the non-qualifying use portion of your property, you can defer paying taxes by completing a 1031 exchange into another investment property. This permits you to defer recognition of any taxable gain that would trigger depreciation recapture and capital gains taxes.
Qualified Opportunity Zone Funds, allowed under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, are an alternative to 1031 exchange investing that offers similar benefits, including tax deferral and elimination. … As such, there may be a higher level of investment risk.
Gain deferred in a like-kind exchange under IRC Section 1031 is tax-deferred, but it is not tax-free. The exchange can include like-kind property exclusively or it can include like-kind property along with cash, liabilities and property that are not like-kind.
There are also states that have withholding requirements if the seller of a piece of property in these states is a non-resident of any of the following states: California, Colorado, Hawaii, Georgia, Maryland, New Jersey, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, West Virginia, Maine, South Carolina, Rhode Island, …
Tax-deferred exchanges between family members are allowed, but the IRS has specific rules to qualify and avoid abuse of the system by tax evaders. …
If you decide to move into an investment property and it becomes your primary place of residence (PPOR), meaning the place where you predominantly reside, you’ll need to declare this for tax purposes. … It will also eliminate any property depreciation deductions you were previously entitled to claim.
Allowable closing expenses for IRS 1031 exchange purposes are: Real estate broker’s commissions, finder or referral fees. … Closing agent fees (title, escrow or attorney closing fees) Attorney or tax advisor fees related to the sale or the purchase of the property.
The IRS statute requires that you use a qualified intermediary (QI) to perform your 1031 exchange. While it is possible for an attorney to provide this service, it doesn’t have to be an attorney and it can’t be an attorney you have utilized for any other matters.
But what happens if you can’t complete your 1031 exchange? Long story short; as soon as your 1031 falls through your sale becomes a taxable event to the IRS. … Fortunately, there is no penalty for starting a 1031 exchange and not completing it, other than paying the tax that would have normally been due.
How much should I reinvest in a 1031 exchange? In a standard 1031 exchange, you need to reinvest 100% of the proceeds from the sale of your relinquished property to defer all capital gains taxes.
When is it too late to do a 1031 exchange? Once title to the property has been conveyed to the Buyer and the Seller has received the sale proceeds it is too late to initiate an exchange. … Any type of real estate qualifies for tax deferral under Section 1031 as long as it is held for business use or investment.
You are allowed to identify up to three properties. You can acquire one, two, or all three properties. What if you have more than three properties that you’d like to use in the exchange? This is possible through a couple of 1031 exchange rules called the 200% and 95% rules.
Charitable Remainder Trusts are the best way to defer paying capital gains tax on appreciated assets, if you can transfer those assets into the trust before they are sold, to generate an income over time. … At the end of the term, a qualified charity you specify receives the balance of the trust property.