Vacation Homes or Second Homes & 1031 Exchanges

Table of Content

• IRS Issues Guidance on 1031 Exchanges of Vacation Properties & Second Homes
• Can I buy a retirement home with a 1031 exchange?
• Can You 1031 Exchange From a Rental Into a Vacation Home?
• What’s the Best 1031 Exchange For a Vacation Home?
• Search form
• How to 1031 Exchange Vacation Home
• Can I buy a vacation home with a 1031 exchange?

Also, situations whereby fair market rent value isn’t paid to the investor will also be regarded as personal use by the investor. This material is for general information and educational purposes only. Information is based on data gathered from what we believe are reliable sources. It is not guaranteed as to accuracy, does not purport to be complete and is not intended to be used as a primary basis for investment decisions. It should also not be construed as advice meeting the particular investment needs of any investor. Normally, when that property is eventually sold, the IRS will want to recapture some of those deductions and factor them into the total taxable income.

One path to eventually living in a vacation home you acquired as part of a 1031 exchange is to place the asset into service as a rental for a minimum of two years. Once you have that documented rental history, you can demonstrate that the asset was purchased as an investment rather than a primary residence or second home. So while you can’t just sell a rental home held as an investment and complete a 1031 exchange for your dream vacation home in the Carolinas, you can eventually live in the replacement asset. If that is your intention, it would be wise not to act straightaway. It’s generally advisable to hold onto the replacement property for several years before changing ownership. If you get rid of it quickly, the IRS may assume that you didn’t acquire it with the intention of holding it for investment purposes—the fundamental rule for 1031 exchanges.

IRS Issues Guidance on 1031 Exchanges of Vacation Properties & Second Homes

Carl Sera is a Chartered Market Technician and the Managing Principal at Sera Capital Management, LLC. He has over 14 years of experience in the financial services industry with a focus on investment management. This material is not a substitute for seeking the advice of a qualified professional for your individual situation. IPX1031 is a full service Qualified Intermediary with highly specialized exchange divisions to handle any type of exchange transaction nationwide. You must notify the IRS of the 1031 exchange by compiling and submitting Form 8824 with your tax return in the year when the exchange occurred. There are two key timing rules that you must observe in a delayed exchange.

Basically, rental expense deductions cannot exceed gross rental income. If the taxpayer has used a second home in excess of the 14 days or 10% of days actually rented , they need to recognize that the IRS may review the facts to determine if the taxpayer had a primary profit and investment motive. No one can give an assurance that the property will qualify for a like-kind exchange if the annual personal use exceeds the Section 280A restrictions. There are several scenarios to consider for investors seeking to complete 1031 exchanges to defer capital gains liabilities on the sale of second homes. We’ll break them down into different categories as defined by the property’s primary usage.

Can I buy a retirement home with a 1031 exchange?

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Certainly, the more rental, investment or business use activity the stronger your argument will be that you had the intent to hold for rental or investment. The more proof you have that the property was held, treated and reported as rental or investment property, the better your position will be to support tax-deferred exchange treatment. Proactive planning can help position your property and transaction better for a future tax-deferred exchange structure as well.

Can You 1031 Exchange From a Rental Into a Vacation Home?

You can even delay the process so that you get the right property to replace your old one. To take advantage of Section 121, you need to have lived in the home for two of the last five years. The IRS allows you to aggregate time lived in the home during a five-year span to meet the two-year requirement. Fair market rental rates are based upon all of the facts and circumstances that exist when the rental or lease agreement is entered into. All rights and obligations of the rental or lease agreement are also taken into account. If the IRS believes that you haven’t played by the rules, then you could be hit with a big tax bill and penalties.

And don’t try to deceive the IRS by trying to make a second home you personally use too often qualify as an investment property. You might not get audited, but every 1031 exchange is subject to review by the IRS. I’ll ask they where they get that information, and they usually say the code says that.

What’s the Best 1031 Exchange For a Vacation Home?

David Kindness is a Certified Public Accountant and an expert in the fields of financial accounting, corporate and individual tax planning and preparation, and investing and retirement planning. David has helped thousands of clients improve their accounting and financial systems, create budgets, and minimize their taxes. He received his BS degree in Accounting from Mankato State University in Mankato, Minnesota in 1972. He received his CPA certificate from the State of Minnesota in 1978. He has over 10 Years of Big 6 CPA firm experience where he served as a tax manager with Price Waterhouse & Company.

I hope this four part series on the ins-and-outs of the 1031 Exchange world is helpful and informative. If you have any questions or need any real estate assistance, please feel free to contact me at any time. There may be additional steps you need to take in order to convert your second home into an investment asset that qualifies for a 1031 exchange. As always, consult with tax and legal professionals with experience in these matters before attempting a 1031 exchange. Real estate investors who have second residences have asked if they can do a 1031 exchange on a second home. When that property is sold for more than its depreciated value, a recapture tax of up to 25% applies to the amount of depreciation previously expensed.

They are not tax efficient and an investor should consult with his/her tax advisor prior to investing. The value of the investment may fall as well as rise and investors may get back less than they invested. For federal tax purposes, with a single filer’s Modified Adjusted Gross Income less than $200,000 but more than $40,000, the capital gain tax rate is 15%. Then you’ll qualify as the primary resident for the 121-tax exclusion on the remaining three-fifth of the capital gains.

Once you sell your second home, you have exactly 180 days to purchase a new property for a valid 1031 exchange of the second home. If filed correctly, taxpayers will completely defer capital gains taxes in the year of which the exchange was completed. Additionally, it is important to note that one “reasonable” property must be identified within 45 days of a vacation home sale for the taxpayer to remain eligible for the 1031 exchange. The IRS also has very specific requirements regarding personal-use if the property is used by the owner for any part of a day. This includes the owner who has an interest in the second home or vacation property as a tenant-in-common interest. Furthermore, use by any member of the owner's family counts as personal use days, unless the second home or vacation property is rented out to those family members as a full time principal residence, and at a fair market rent.

Organized by cap rate, this curated collection features a range of the best established and up-and-coming markets for great returns. Regardless of where you buy, our vacation rental real estate network can help you find the perfect vacation rental property while navigating local regulations. After two years of capping your personal stays at your vacation rental to 14 days, and renting it out to guests for 10 times as much as you stay there, then you are free to stay as often as you’d like without further requirements. Acquisition of the like-kind replacement asset must be completed within 180 days from the close of sale on the relinquished property. Use of the subject real property by the investor or their family members will be considered "personal use" by the investor.

You must consider mortgage loans or other debt on the property that you relinquish, as well as any debt on the replacement property. If you don’t receive cash back but your liability goes down, then that also will be treated as income to you, just like cash. It can trigger a profit known as depreciation recapture, which is taxed as ordinary income.

Of course, such a powerful tool comes with a number of rules to abide by, so first you'll want to start with this overview of how 1031 exchanges work . However, use of the subject property will not be considered to be "personal use" by the investor if the family members pay fair market rental rates to the investor and the subject property is their primary residence. However, taxpayers can still turn vacation homes into rental properties and do 1031 exchanges. For example, you stop using your beach house, rent it out for six months or a year, and then exchange it for another property.

The income stream and depreciation schedule for any investment property may affect the property owner’s income bracket and/or tax status. An unfavorable tax ruling may cancel deferral of capital gains and result in immediate tax liabilities. By using the 1031 exchange, Kim could, in theory, sell her apartment building and use the proceeds to help pay for the bigger replacement property without having to worry about the tax liability straightaway.