Definition of "Tax free exchange"

Transfer of real estate from one taxpayer to another that are exempt from federal income taxes. An example is an exchange of property in which ownership of transferred real estate is still kept. In the year of exchange, there is no recognized gain or loss. However, there is an adjustment to basis of the property received in the transfer, in effect deferring the gain upon future disposition.

1031 Tax Free Exchange

Also called a like-kind exchange. An exchange in which tax benefits are available to real estate owners planning to sell their investment, rental, business or vacation real estate, and reinvest the net proceeds in other real estate.

Real Estate held for these purposes are called like-kind/1031 properties. Property owners may sell like-kind properties and defer taxes on the sale's profits by meeting the requirements of Internal Revenue Code (IRC) 1031 exchange. The purpose of the 1031 exchange is to allow sellers of like-kind property to buy replacement property of like-kind within a specific time period and defer taxes. The deferred profit tax benefit applies despite a time lapse between the sale of the taxpayer's former property and his purchase of replacement property. This sell-now, buy-later situation is called a delayed exchange.

The 1031 exchange applies only to property other than the personal residence or dealer property. Specifically included for exchange are properties used or held for rental income, business purposes, investment, or as vacation homes. Taxwise, investment properties include vacant land held for profit, ground leases and management-free triple net lease. An owner of these qualifying like-kind properties can complete a 1031 exchange, but he must follow the to time constraints.

A 1031 exchange differs from the more informal 1034 tax deferred rollover, which applies to a personal residence and has more lenient deadlines. Unlike a 1034 rollover, a 1031 exchange has different deadlines and other criteria. The replacement property must be acquired before 45-day and 180-day deadlines have run. Note that often, brokers are unable to arrange a nearly simultaneous closing for both legs of an exchange.

image of a real estate dictionary page

Have a question or comment?

We're here to help.

*** Your email address will remain confidential.
 

 

Popular Real Estate Terms

Financial intermediaries who invest in deeds of trust and mortgages, and hold them in their own portfolio. Large financial firm that uses depositors' money to lend to borrowers. ...

Privilege of a real estate investor or lender to participate in the profitability generated from property. This is in addition to any principal, interest, or dividends. ...

The definition of a full covenant and warranty deed in real estate is a type of deed that includes a number of specific assurances that certain conditions will be met that go above and ...

Average of income, retail revenue, and population of a locality as a percentage of the entire United States. It reflects the economic status of a particular region. ...

(1) Revising the selling price of real property to reflect what it would be worth if typical financing was available. (2) How much real property would be sold for if all cash was involved. ...

An offset statement defines a specific property owner’s underwritten certificate against their property. The reason behind this action is to set forth the current condition of liens ...

Green lumber is not necessarily a lumber that’s green; though it might, sometimes, be a little greenish. And it’s also not a definition of an environmentally conscious type of ...

Lien which is over and above a first lien. A second lien is subordinate to the first lien and can be satisfied only after the initial lien is satisfied. ...

Post-like components of wood that comprise a building frame. For example, a building code in a locality might require that studs measuring two-up-six be used for the exterior part of the ...

Popular Real Estate Questions