1). WHAT IS "INTERNAL REVENUE CODE SECTION 1031"?
Section 1031 of the Internal Revenue Code relates to the disposition of property that is held for use in productive trade or business or held for investment. If performed properly, code section 1031 provides an exception to the rule requiring recognition of gain upon the sale of property. The current Federal tax rate (maximum) on long term capital gains is 20%, plus any applicable state taxes. Long term capital gains are not taxed as ordinary income.
The most important reason is to be able to defer potentially taxable gain one may realize from a sale of the property. This way one may be able to use All OF THEIR EQUITY to acquire another property, instead of the amount of equity left over after paying applicable Federal and State income taxes on their gain. Additionally, the ability to go from one type of property to another allows an investor to utilize these other concepts: Leverage, Diversification, Cash Flow, Consolidation, Management relief, and possibly Increase their Depreciation.
Under the current IRS Section 1031 rules, to continue to exchange properties, using all of your equity, thus increasing your portfolio Net Worth much faster than were you to sell properties, pay the taxes, and then acquire another property with the remaining equity.
For an exchange to be 100% tax deferred, the Exchanger must acquire replacement property that is of equal or greater value and spend all of the net proceeds from the relinquished property. Many specific requirements must be satisfied in order to complete the exchange properly.
