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What Every Investor Should Know About Opportunity Funds

What are Opportunity Funds?

An Opportunity Fund is a new tax-advantaged investment vehicle created by the Investing in Opportunity Act - part of the tax reform passed in late 2017. The goal is to help spur greater private-sector investment in targeted communities across the country called Opportunity Zones.

What are opportunity zones?

Opportunity Zones are designated census tracts selected by the state and federal governments for economic development. Opportunity Zones can be found in every state and in urban, suburban and rural areas.

Why invest in an Opportunity Fund?

Qualifying investments offer three unique and compelling tax advantages - investors can defer paying federal capital gains tax from recently sold investments until December 31, 2026, reduce that tax payment by 10%, and pay as little as zero taxes on their Opportunity Fund investment if held for 10+ years. Investors can also help spur economic growth in historically underinvested neighborhoods.

What kind of gains are eligible for tax deferral?

Investors may defer capital gains tax on any recently sold investment – including the sale of stocks, bonds or real estate – so long as those gains are rolled over into an Opportunity Fund investment within 180 days of sale. For more on the mechanics of QOZ tax benefits, please consult this FAQ.

How can I invest?

EquityMultiple has been focused on identifying the right real estate partners, strategies and properties. We were excited to open our first Opportunity Zone offering to our investor network in March, 2019. Please Sign up and complete an EquityMultiple account to access Opportunity Zone investments.

How It Works

1

Defer

Roll over capital gains, don't pay tax on them until 12/31/2026.

2

Reduce

Hold for 7+ years, and reduce the deferred tax you owe by 10%.

3

Pay zero

Pay $0 in taxes on an Opportunity Fund held for 10+ years.

An Example

When Amazon hits $2,000 per share, John decides to sell the 600 shares he purchased back in 2015. The sale results in a $1 million profit and $238,000 in federal tax liability. Instead of paying $238,000 in federal taxes on this sale, John invests his $1 million gain into a real estate Opportunity Fund targeting workforce housing in Opportunity Zones. Assuming an annual return rate of approximately 8.5%, the post-tax value of his investment in 2028 - after a 10-year hold - is $2 million. John’s post-tax earnings are more double than if he had invested elsewhere.

Breakdown of Key Investor Tax Benefits

Deferral

Investing $1 million in pre-tax dollars instead of the $762,000 in post-tax dollars that would have been available for another type of investment.

Reduction

Paying $210,178 in taxes (10% reduction) on December 31, 2026 instead of paying $238,000 in 2018.

Exemption

Owing no additional federal capital gains tax on the $1 million in capital gains on the Opportunity Fund investment when it is sold after 10 years.

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Access Opportunity Zone tax benefits FAQ

Download the Opportunity Zone Investor Handbook

Where are Opportunity Zones?

Opportunity Zones can be found all across the country in urban, suburban and rural areas. Drawing from governmental data sources, the map below is a powerful resource for investors and real estate firms to better understand Opportunity Zones. Use the map to see how these zones are distributed throughout the U.S. or look up a specific address to find out if falls within a designated Opportunity Zone.

How do these tax benefits impact potential returns?

It’s not about how much you make, it’s about how much you keep. Use our calculator to understand how much in potential after-tax earnings you can unlock by investing in an Opportunity Fund versus a standard stock portfolio.

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Further Reading

Youngwoo, EquityMultiple to launch $500M Opportunity Fund

Developer Youngwoo & Associates is partnering with the real estate investment startup EquityMultiple to launch an opportunity zone fund focusing on projects throughout the country.
Read More

Opportunity Zones - Economic Innovation Group

A new national community investment program that connects private capital with low-income communities across America.
Read More

Op-Ed: Powerful new incentive to invest in low-income city neighborhoods

Tax reform includes unprecedented benefit for building in the South Bronx, Upper Manhattan and elsewhere. EquityMultiple CEO Charles Clinton and Youngwoo & Associated VP Bryan Woo discuss the new program and new opportunities for real estate investors.
Read More

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Opportunity Zone Investing:
Significant potential tax benefits. Positive social impact.

Creating an EquityMultiple account is free, and our Investor Relations Team is standing by to answer questions. Complete your account to browse Opportunity Zone investments and other exciting EquityMultiple offerings.

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