Opportunity Zones

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, passed in 2017, created new tax incentives for investments in what are known as Opportunity Zones: targeted areas in the United States. Investments are made via Qualified Opportunity Funds, who are directed to promote economic development in 8,700 disadvantaged rural and urban (read Native, African American and Hispanic) communities (low-income census tracts selected by state governors and certified by the U.S. Treasury Department) by offering investors substantial federal tax advantages.

As one analyst explained:

"Assume an investor has a $1 million gain in Apple stocks and decides to sell. To keep it simple, let’s also assume the investor is in a 20 percent tax bracket, totaling $200,000 in capital gains tax. But instead of paying, the investor reinvests the $1 million in an Opportunity Fund.

If the investor holds for more than 10 years: the investor pays ZERO capital gains tax on the appreciation of that asset."

These benefits are only available through the Opportunity Zone program.

Join us at our class https://www.udemy.com/opportunityzones/ or our webinar. 

Please join us as we discuss

• Where Opportunity Zones are, geographically;
• Creating a Qualified Opportunity Zone Fund;
• What types of Opportunity Zone investments you can expect to see;
• What companies looking for investments should be doing NOW;
• Who are the major Opportunity Fund creators and investors;
• New Opportunity Zone rules and regulations;
• Who are the key OZ players in DC: House, Senate, Treasury and IRS Staff OZ directory.
• Timing: When will the final rules be released.
• Investment deadlines and timetables.
• Economic Analysis of Opportunity Zone regulations.
• How will Opportunity Zones impact minority communities.
• Making investments or raising capital.

The cost for the webinar is $100. We will limit attendance to 20 persons.

THIS IS AN ONLINE WEBINAR. DETAILS SENT AFTER REGISTRATION. See: opportunityzones.eventbrite.com

"U.S. clean energy developer shares dropped this week, as the Senate tax bill threatens to erode the $12 billion tax-equity financing market for wind and solar. Renewable-energy developers sell the credits to banks and insurance companies, which then apply the credits to their own tax bills."



See: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-12-04/tax-reform-could-stifle-jpmorgan-s-support-for-renewable-energy

The New Tax Law and You

Webinar: $60
Wednesday, December 13, 2017 from 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM (EST)
RSVP: https://newtaxlaw.eventbrite.com

This seminar will review the impact of the recently passed tax bill.
According to news reports, "The Congressional Budget Office..analysis of the Senate's tax bill..estimates, anyone making less than $30,000 a year would feel the pinch starting in 2019, with the greatest 'savings' to the government (not to you - a combination of either increases in payments or decreases in money spent on a group in services) coming from those who make less than $10,000 a year.

By 2020, everyone making $40,000 or less a year would also be contributing to lowering the deficit by paying more in taxes and/or receiving less in services, creating a net savings for the federal government. In that year, the groups making between $10,000 and $20,000 and between $20,000 and $30,000 would each be contributing double what the under-$10,000 group did in savings.
By 2027, everyone making less than $75,000 would provide a net savings to the government, whether through higher taxes, lower amounts spent on services, or both."

Others have noted that the law will "lead to cutting social programs that the majority of retired and poor Americans need and want." Finally, "most middle-class Americans will pay more in income taxes -- while facing the loss of health benefits."

We will examine how this law is likely to specifically impact you.

​Taming​ ​the​ ​Tax​ ​Code - Brendan Cody, GWU student and Impact Investing Intern

Tax​ ​reform​ ​will​ ​continue​ ​to​ ​be​ ​a​ ​major​ ​issue​ ​over​ ​the​ ​next​ ​several​ ​months. Both​ ​Congress​ ​and
President​ ​Trump​ ​have​ ​expressed​ ​a​ ​strong​ ​interest​ ​in​ ​reform.​ ​

A ​panel​ at George Washington University titled ​“A​ ​General​ ​Perspective on​ ​Taming​ ​the​ ​Tax​ ​Code:​ ​What​ ​Yesterday’s​ ​Reformers​ ​Can​ ​Teach​ ​Today’s​ ​Reformers”​ ​provided great​ ​insight​ ​into​ ​the​ ​methods​ ​and​ ​issues​ ​of​ ​reform​ ​from​ ​the​ ​perspective​ ​of​ ​the​ ​House​ ​Ways​ ​and Means​ ​Committee.

​Bill​ ​Archer(R-TX)​ ​and Charlie​ ​Rangel(D-NY)​ ​are​ ​both​ ​former​ ​committee​ ​chairmen​ ​and ​were​ ​members​ ​of​ ​​Ways and Means in 1986 when​ ​the​ ​tax​ ​code​ ​was​ ​last​ ​reformed​.​

​Rangel​ ​emphasized​ ​the​ ​importance​ ​of​ ​the​ ​president in​ ​getting​ ​tax​ ​reform,​ ​specifically noting ​that the​ ​President’s​ ​ability​ ​to​ ​inspire​ ​confidence​ ​among​ ​the​ ​public​ ​and​ ​the Congress​ ​can​ ​be​ ​decisive​ ​in​ ​the​ ​fate​ ​of​ ​a​ ​bill.​ ​Archer​ ​agreed​ ​with​ ​this​ ​sentiment, noting that​ ​President​ ​Reagan​ ​played​ ​a​ ​vital​ ​role​ ​in​ ​the​ ​Tax​ ​Reform​ ​Act​ ​of​ ​1986​ ​by​ ​taking​ ​the​ ​issue​ ​to​ ​the public,​ ​while​ ​President​ ​Obama​ ​did​ ​not​ ​campaign​ ​for​ ​tax​ ​reform.​ ​

While both Rangel​ ​and​ ​Archer​ ​agreed​ ​on the​ ​role​ ​of​ ​the​ ​president,​ ​they ​disagreed​ ​on​ ​the​ ​intended​ ​outcome​ ​of​ ​reform.​ ​When​ ​Mr.​ ​Archer expressed​ ​his​ ​disdain​ ​for​ ​the​ ​current​ ​tax​ ​code​ ​that​ ​allows​ ​47%​ ​of​ ​people​ ​to​ ​not​ ​pay​ ​any​ ​income taxes,​ ​Mr.​ ​Rangel​ ​argued​ ​to​ ​“Never​ ​use​ ​the​ ​tax​ ​code​ ​for​ ​social​ ​policy.”​ ​Mr. Rangel's  ​is​ ​a​ ​potent​ ​message as​ ​the​ ​debate​ ​surrounding​ ​reform​ ​in​ ​the​ ​coming​ ​year​ ​will​ ​almost​ ​certainly​ ​involve​ ​discussions​ ​of social​ ​policy​ ​masquerading​ ​as​ ​tax​ ​policy.

In​ ​addition​ ​to​ ​former​ ​Chairman​ ​Bill​ ​Archer​ ​and​ ​Charlie​ ​Rangel,​ ​the​ ​panel​ ​featured current​ ​Ways​ ​and​ ​Means​ ​Committee​ ​chairman​ ​Kevin​ ​Brady (R-TX)​ ​and​ ​ranking​ ​member​ ​Richard Neal (D-MA).​ ​Chairman​ ​Brady​ sated that he ​understands​ ​the​ ​tremendous​ ​challenges​ ​reform presents,​ ​but​ ​also noted​ ​that​ ​political​ ​polarization​ ​exacerbated​ ​by​ ​the​ ​media​ ​climate​ ​and​ ​instant​ ​access​ ​to information, factual​ ​or​ ​not,​ ​will​ ​add​ ​to​ ​the​ ​problems​ ​of​ ​passing​ ​complex​ ​legislation.​ ​Additionally, Brady​ ​believes​ ​that​ ​this​ ​bill​ ​must​ ​be​ ​farther-reaching​ ​than​ ​the​ ​1986​ ​reform, since that  ​only​ ​involved changes​ ​to​ ​​ ​the​ ​tax​ ​rates,​ ​but​ ​that​ ​the​ ​BAT,​ ​simplification​ ​of​ ​the​ ​code​ ​and​ ​other​ ​policies​ ​were equally​ ​important.​ ​

Ranking Member ​Neal​ ​believes​ ​​tax​ ​reform​ ​could​ ​be​ ​hindered​ ​by Congresspersons​ ​who​ ​are​ ​more​ ​interested​ ​in​ ​being​ ​crusaders​ ​than​ ​legislators​ ​and​ ​who​ ​will​ ​take​ ​one line​ ​of​ ​the​ ​bill​ ​they​ ​disagree​ ​with​ ​to​ ​denounce​ ​the​ ​entirety​ ​of​ ​the​ ​legislation.

All​ ​four​ ​panelists​ ​agreed​ ​on​ ​the​ ​importance​ ​of​ ​bipartisan​ ​legislation.​ ​The​ ​bipartisan nature​ ​of​ ​the​ ​1986​ ​reform​ ​helped​ ​its​ ​passage​ ​and​ ​staying​ ​power​ ​as​ ​any​ ​legislation​ ​passed​ ​by​ ​one party​ ​would​ ​have​ ​been​ ​immediately​ ​repealed​ ​when​ ​the​ ​opposition​ ​regained​ ​power.​ ​Mr.​ ​Rangel argued​ ​that​ ​while ​details​ ​may​ ​change​ ​with​ ​the​ ​political​ ​climate,​ ​the​ ​importance​ ​of​ ​trust​ ​will always​ ​remain.