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How can fund sponsors raise OZ capital outside the U.S.?

What types of foreign investors would be ideal candidates and what types of capital gains are eligible for non-U.S. residents?


Answers
  • John (Jack) Wegmann
    January 16, 2020

    According to the final regulations, non-U.S. persons, such as non-resident aliens and foreign corporations, may invest in OZ funds. However, as with any investor, he/she needs taxable capital gains for there to be a tax benefit. Finding non-U.S. persons with capital gains gets tricky because non-U.S. persons are generally exempt from capital gains on the sale of investments such as securities or assets located outside the U.S. In general, non-U.S. persons generate taxable capital gains only if these are effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business or through the sale of U.S. real property interests under FIRPTA. In addition, they may have to elect to forgo treaty benefits. As with any investment offering, you also need to follow applicable federal and state securities laws, particularly since those foreign investors looking at OZ funds are likely to have some sort of U.S. presence. This requires consultation with securities counsel. Although you may not find much demand for OZ funds from outside the U.S., you may draw investment for other portions of the capital stack.

  • Valerie Grunduski
    January 24, 2020

    If non-resident foreign investors have U.S. capital gain taxable for federal tax purposes, they can defer these gains through investment in this program, and should be eligible for all of the benefits of the program. The final regulations draw the line for gains that would not otherwise be taxable in the U.S.

  • David LeGrand
    January 16, 2020

    There is no U.S. tax benefit for a non-US taxpayer to invest an Opportunity Zone. Only gains taxable in the U.S. can be rolled over into a QOZ business.

  • Matthew Rappaport
    January 17, 2020

    All U.S. capital gains are eligible for deferral by non-resident aliens. Determining whether a gain is U.S.-sourced would be the subject of a separate analysis. Note that there are certain capital gains taxed at a zero rate for non-resident aliens, so Opportunity Zone deferral would not be necessary.

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