Author: Peter J. Ulrich

On October 19, 2018, the IRS issued highly-anticipated proposed regulations regarding qualified opportunity funds (“QOFs”). As hoped, the proposed regulations provide taxpayers with sufficient initial guidance to start taking advantage of the outstanding tax benefits available to taxpayers making investments in QOFs investing in qualified opportunity zones. Under the new provisions, QOFs allow qualifying taxpayers to invest capital gain proceeds and achieve two significant and distinct tax benefits, (i) a deferral (and 10-15% reduction) of taxation on the original gains and (ii) essentially unlimited tax-free treatment of appreciation while invested in the QOF. The proposed regulations address several key issues relating to the establishment and qualification of a QOF, as well as the initial investments by taxpayers into such funds. Key sections provide that: only capital gains are eligible for deferral, QOFs may be structured as corporations or partnerships (or LLCs taxed as such), and gain proceeds may be split into one or more QOF investments. The proposed regulations also clarify rules relating to partnerships and create a new working capital 31-month safe harbor with respect to meeting the definition of a qualified opportunity zone business. Our new article on the significance and implications of the proposed regulations discusses many of the details. The experienced and dedicated attorneys at Gibbons are happy to discuss any...

As part of the comprehensive 2017 Tax Reform, Congress enacted a set of provisions originally introduced in the Investing in Opportunity Act. These provisions present investors with an entirely new taxpayer-friendly investment vehicle. Rolling over the gain proceeds from the sale of any property, presumably including stock or real estate (the “initial property”), into an investment in a qualified opportunity zone (“QOZ”) offers investors the chance to defer and reduce capital gains on that initial sale, and achieve a subsequent tax-free exit from the QOZ investment. Tax Benefits Again, the tax benefits start with a deferral of gain on the current sale of the initial property until December 31, 2026 if the gain proceeds from that initial sale are invested within 180 days in a Qualified Opportunity Zone Fund (“QOF”), or until the investor exits the QOF (if before December 31, 2026). If the proceeds remain in the QOF for at least five years, the basis of the investment is increased by 10% (which will reduce taxes by 10% on the gain from the sale of such initial property). If the proceeds are kept in a QOF for at least seven years, the basis is increased an additional 5%, providing an investor with a total tax savings of 15%. Critically, December 31, 2026 is a...

This past weekend, Governor Phil Murphy and the New Jersey legislature avoided a government shutdown by agreeing to a $37.4 billion compromise budget deal, which included significant changes to New Jersey’s business and individual taxes, including: A new “millionaire’s tax” on individuals earning $5 million or more increasing the top marginal Gross Income Tax (“GIT”) rate from 8.97% to 10.75% Business taxpayers with NJ allocated income in excess of $1 million will be liable for a 2.5% surtax (on top of the current 9% rate) for the next two years, with the surtax reduced to 1.5% for the following two years The new federal pass-through business income deduction (IRC Section 199A) will be unavailable for Corporation Business Tax (“CBT”) or GIT purposes; other decoupling provisions were adopted For CBT apportionment purposes, sales of services will be sourced to New Jersey if, or to the extent that, the benefit of the service is received at a location in New Jersey Additional legislation to expand the reach of the sales and use tax to remote sellers in light of the recent Supreme Court ruling in Wayfair v. South Dakota is awaiting the Governor’s signature Mandatory unitary combined reporting under the CBT is now required, effective for tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2019; these rules...