Opportunity Zones are designated census tracts in the United States that have special investment tax status for qualified investments. The Opportunity Zone designation was created by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 and provides tax advantages for certain types of investments – notably real estate development and small businesses. Opportunity Zones are typically lower income neighborhoods and rural areas, which were nominated by state governors and certified by the U.S. Treasury in 2018. About 10% of the census tracts in the U.S. – totaling 8,764 census tracts – are designated Opportunity Zones, scattered throughout every major city and hundreds of rural areas.
The purpose of this program is to put capital to work in lower income communities, capital that would otherwise be diverted elsewhere or locked up due to the asset holder’s unwillingness to trigger a capital gains tax. Learn more about them with an explainer or reading the FAQ from the IRS.