If you own a highly appreciated stock, cryptocurrency, business, real estate, or another asset that you are looking to sell, the capital gains tax that could potentially be triggered may be your biggest hurdle. The Deferred Sale Trust (DST) is just one of a variety of tax deferral solutions available to you.
Below are some benefits and drawbacks to help you take the first step to clarify if the DST is a good fit for your next exit plan.
The DST flexibility of timing investments is a competitive advantage for your wealth plan since it allows you to take advantage of selling real estate, stocks, a primary home, cryptocurrency, businesses, artwork, or even a racehorse (yes, it has been done!) when the timing is right for you.
Your capital gains tax is then deferred along with the rest of your net proceeds from the sale of the DST. The DST holds the funds which are owned back to you, and they are invested into other asset classes when the timing is right. This allows you to unlock optimal timing with the goal of buying low versus other capital gains tax strategies such as the 1031 exchange.
The 1031 exchange used to be the go-to for all investment real estate owners and is one of the most well-known strategies to defer capital gains tax using Internal Revenue Code Section 1031, which unfortunately only applies to “investment real estate” now, and no longer to business sales. It never applied to primary homes, stock, or cryptocurrency, and the strict 45-day ID and 180-day timelines made “selling high and buying low” often unrealistic.
Also, a 1031 exchange locks you out of diversification since the asset class is fixed to “like-kind” being “investment real estate.” In comparison to the DST, you are able to sell while deferring capital gains and diversify into:
Another benefit the DST offers is the ability to save a failed 1031 exchange. There are enough pressures and hoops investors have to jump through who are using a 1031 to defer capital gains. The DST can act as a parachute, especially when it comes to negotiations.
Pro tip: Make sure to work with a DST trustee and 1031 exchange accommodator who have experience with this. Not all 1031 Qualified Intermediaries are created equal.
Is it too good to be true? The biggest drawback for you may be the fact that your CPA cannot find the publicly-provided IRS official guidelines on how to defer capital gains taxes using the (Section 453) installment sale method, which is the foundation of the Deferred Sales Trust. This may scare you off, and you may decide the risk of an audit or having to pay the tax plus interest back to the IRS is not worth it. However, you may instead consider the following track record to put your nerves at ease:
The Deferred Sales Trust is batting 1000 with:
While the Deferred Sales Trust provides many options and flexibility, it does have its limitations surrounding deal size thresholds and fees. The minimum-size deal for a DST is $1M net proceeds with a $1M gain. However, if you have two assets that add up to this amount, then you can combine the two to qualify.
The following fees are associated with using the DST as a tax deferral strategy:
Ready to see if this is a good fit for your situation? Schedule a no-cost consultation with an exclusive DST trustee to learn about all the benefits of the DST. Goals for the meeting:
About the Author:
Brett Swarts is considered one of the most well-rounded Capital Gains Tax Deferral Experts and informative speakers in the U.S. He is the Founder of Capital Gains Tax Solutions, is an exclusive Deferred Sales Trust trustee, host of the Capital Gains Tax Solutions & eXpert CRE Secrets podcast, and an eXp Commercial Multifamily Broker in Sacramento, CA.