08/05/2026
If you have a gain event coming, a business sale, a property disposition, a big portfolio move, the planning around that transaction matters now more than ever.
Here is why: any Qualified Opportunity Fund investment made by December 31, 2026 is locked into the old rules.
Investments made starting January 1, 2027 step into the new, permanent framework: a rolling 5 year deferral clock, a 10% basis step up at year 5, and full access to all three tax benefits.
Per recent IRS guidance, it is not the date your gain was recognized that determines which rules apply, it is the date you actually invest into the Qualified Opportunity Fund. You have 180 days from the date you recognize a gain to make that investment. That means a gain recognized in 2026 can still qualify for the new framework, as long as the fund investment itself happens on or after January 1, 2027, within your 180 day window.
If you have a transaction in view over the next 6-12 months, now is the time to map out how the timing affects your options. Reach out to your Commonwealth advisor to talk it through before anything closes.