What are the benefits of a 1031 exchange?

Among the benefits offered by a 1031 exchange: A 1031 exchange lets you defer federal and state capital gains taxes. Capital gains are the increase in value of an asset from the time you purchased it to the time you sell it. If you buy a house for $200,000 and sell it for $350,000, you have capital gains of $150,000.

What is a 1031 exchange?

A 1031 exchange, also known as a like-kind exchange, is a powerful tax-deferment strategy popular with experienced real estate investors. It allows you to defer capital gains taxes on an investment property when it’s sold—as long as the investor purchases another like-kind property with the proceeds of the first property sale.

Can a 1031 exchange be used to downsize an investment?

3. 1031 Exchanges Don’t Work to Downsize an Investment. The strict rules surrounding 1031 exchanges require the new investment property to be of equal or greater value than the property being sold. Additionally, for a full tax deferral, the entire proceeds of the sale must be used to purchase the second property.