A Proposal to Better Protect Capital Gains for Real Estate Investors Before Development
We have discussed a structuring technique real estate investors use to protect the lower-federal-income-tax-rate-long-term-capital-gain treatment of real estate gains, before property is converted to an active development purpose that creates higher-tax-rate income. The structuring requires property transfers and the use of multiple business entities, which decreases transparency for the government and is difficult for taxpayers to implement.
A “check-the-box” tax election that allows taxpayers to achieve the same tax result would better serve the interests of all involved. I am co-author of a new Florida Tax Review article proposing such an election. Here is a link: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2439888
The following provides a broader overview of the structuring technique allowed under current law: Check the Box Bramblett – ABA Tax SEB Committee Presentation