Maximize Your Real Estate Investing

Maximize your real estate investing with your own tax dollars using a 1031 exchange. With this process, you can defer capital gains tax on investment real estate when you reinvest in real estate. It lets you reposition, reallocate or increase your holdings using your own capital gains tax.

Originally, a 1031 exchange was designed to facilitate the movement of large tracts of agricultural land. Essential food growers who were land rich and cash poor benefited. The 1031 exchange allowed them to strategically reallocate their holdings to maximize yields.

Since then, the application of section 1031 was expanded to all real estate held for productive use. This includes real estate held for business, trade or investment purposes. This means it is now available to any such real estate investor wishing to defer paying tax on profits while continuing to invest.

A 1031, or like-kind exchange, gives you the freedom to reinvest all of your money – including your capital gains tax – for your own benefit. This is a powerful tool for any real estate investor looking to accelerate their portfolio growth.

Refinancing Before and After a 1031 Exchange. What’s the Difference?

Refinancing before and after a 1031 exchange are viewed differently by the IRS. Refinancing immediately before a 1031 starts is a good way to get heartburn from the IRS. The IRS has an extreme dislike for refinancing before an exchange. Refinancing after a 1031 is a different story. In a refi after a 1031 you are not accessing gain, you are borrowing against equity in a property you are holding for productive use. Which is the whole point of a 1031.

A short disclaimer though. If the IRS thought you were a bad actor and wanted to get at you anyway, could they challenge a refi done immediately after a 1031? Sure, but those instances are hard to prove and rare. Have your ducks and rationales in a row and wait until after the 1031 is complete. And always talk to your tax professional.