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How does section 1042 work?
Under §1042 of the Internal Revenue Code (“IRC”) eligible shareholders can defer capital gains tax on eligible stock sold to an ESOP if the proceeds of the sale are reinvested in qualified replacement property (“QRP”). Taxes will not be owed until the taxpayer has a disposition of the QRP.
What qualifies as QRP?
What is Qualified Replacement Property? An investment will be QRP if it consists of securities of a corporation domiciled in the United States— the domestic operating company rule. The securities can be either equity or debt: common stock, preferred stock, corporate fixed-rate bonds, convertible bonds, or FRNs.
What is section 1042?

Section 1042 of the Internal Revenue Code allows for the deferral of capital gains tax when selling qualified securities to an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP). You must have held your stock for at least three years prior to date of the transaction.
What are the requirements for a 1031 exchange?
To receive the full benefit of a 1031 exchange, your replacement property should be of equal or greater value. You must identify a replacement property for the assets sold within 45 days and then conclude the exchange within 180 days. There are three rules that can be applied to define identification.

What is a qualified replacement security?
Section 1042(c)(4)(A) defines “qualified replacement property” as any security issued by a domestic “operating corporation” (as defined in section 1042(c)(4)(B)) which did not, for the taxable year preceding the taxable year in which such security was purchased, have passive investment income (as defined in section …
What qualifies as replacement property?
Replacement property, during a tax deferred (aka 1031 exchange or like-kind) exchange, is the property being purchased or acquired. The replacement property is on the opposite side of a 1031 exchange to the relinquished property.
What is an ESOP note?
Floating rate notes (also called ESOP Notes) are long-term non-callable bonds often used as qualified replacement property for sellers selling to an ESOP. They allow the seller to meet the rules for tax deferrals under an ESOP.
What is qualified replacement property?
Qualified replacement property is defined as stocks and bonds of United States operating companies. Government securities do not qualify as replacement properties for ESOPs. The seller must invest in these properties within a 15 month period beginning three months prior to the sale and ending 12 months after the sale.
How long must you hold 1031 property?
If a property has been acquired through a 1031 Exchange and is later converted into a primary residence, it is necessary to hold the property for no less than five years or the sale will be fully taxable.
What is the 121 exclusion?
This exclusion, more fondly known as the section 121 exclusion, allows homeowners to exclude up to $250,000 ($500,000 for joint filers) of capital gain from the sale of their primary residence.
Is Section 1031 mandatory?
An Internal Revenue Code Section 1031 (“Section 1031”) exchange allows for the deferral of gain on the exchange solely of like-kind property which is held either for productive use in a trade or business or for investment. If the transaction meets the criteria under Section 1031, gain deferral is mandatory.
What is a replacement property 1031?
In real estate, a 1031 exchange is a swap of one investment property for another that allows capital gains taxes to be deferred. The term, which gets its name from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) code Section 1031, is bandied about by realtors, title companies, investors, and soccer moms.