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Real Estate Exchange Tax Deferral Calculator

Calculate how much capital gains tax you can defer by reinvesting your real estate sale proceeds into like-kind property, versus the tax owed if you take cash out.

Quick answer: A 1031 exchange defers capital gains tax on investment real estate if you reinvest fully into like-kind property. Calculate deferred gain versus taxable gain if cash is kept out. Enter Gross Sale Price of Relinquished Property, Adjusted Tax Basis Before Sale, Cash or Other Non-Like-Kind Value Received, and Illustrative Combined Tax Rate to personalize the estimate. It returns Potentially Deferred Gain if Exchange Qualifies, Potentially Recognized Gain From Boot, and Illustrative Tax on Recognized Boot so you can compare the impact before choosing a next step. Use it to estimate tax impact, withholding, deduction, bracket, and after-tax cash-flow tradeoffs.

SWReviewed by SwitchWize Research Desk · Last reviewed July 20, 2026
Potentially Deferred Gain if Exchange Qualifies
$500,000
Potentially Deferred Gain if Exchange Qualifies
$500,000
Potentially Recognized Gain From Boot
$0
Illustrative Tax on Recognized Boot
$0
Qualification Review Flag
No
Diagnostic

Your preliminary realized gain is $500,000. If this is a qualifying exchange, up to $500,000 may remain unrecognized in this simplified estimate.

$0 is treated as potential boot here, with an illustrative $0 tax exposure. Verify property eligibility, the 45-day identification deadline, the 180-day receipt deadline, and Form 8824 reporting.

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What to do next

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Your action plan
  1. 1

    Set the target and timeline for this plan

    A 1031 exchange defers capital gains tax on investment real estate if you reinvest fully into like-kind property. Calculate deferred gain versus taxable gain if cash is kept out.

  2. 2

    Check the assumptions before using the result for a high-stakes decision

    Assumptions change the answer, especially when rates, taxes, or timing matter.

  3. 3

    Save the result to Money Map or use the linked next action

    Turn the result into a prioritized action instead of treating it as a one-off number.

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This is an educational estimate, not tax, legal, investment, or lending advice. Confirm with a qualified professional or the provider before acting.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know.

What does an example 1031 Exchange Calculator calculation look like?
Using this calculator's own default assumptions, a gross sale price of relinquished property of $800,000, adjusted tax basis before sale of $300,000 and cash or other non-like-kind value received of $0 produces an estimated potentially deferred gain if exchange qualifies of $500,000 and potentially recognized gain from boot of $0. Enter your own numbers above to see how it changes for your situation.
What happens to my deferred gain if I do a qualifying exchange?
The deferred gain carries forward into your replacement property's tax basis. When you eventually sell that replacement property without doing another exchange, you'll owe tax on the accumulated gain at that time. The exchange simply postpones the tax bill, it does not eliminate it.
Why does keeping cash out of the exchange trigger immediate taxes?
Cash or other assets you receive are treated as 'boot,' a partial non-like-kind return on your investment. The tax law ties your deferred gain benefit to reinvesting the full proceeds; any amount you don't reinvest is subject to tax up to the amount of your total gain in the year of the exchange.
Is the Real Estate Exchange Tax Deferral Calculator free to use?
Yes. SwitchWize calculators are free, and you do not need an account to run scenarios or view the result.
Does using the Real Estate Exchange Tax Deferral Calculator affect my credit score?
No. Using a calculator does not trigger a credit check. A credit impact can occur only if you apply directly with a lender, card issuer, or provider.
Are the results personalized financial advice?
No. Calculator outputs are educational estimates based on the inputs you enter. Review assumptions and confirm terms directly with providers before making a financial decision.
What should I do after seeing the result?
Use the recommendation module on this page to compare investment property loans, or run Money Map to compare this taxes decision with your other opportunities.
How does SwitchWize choose related offers?
Related offers are matched by the calculator surface (mortgage) and ranked using SwitchWize data such as rate, fees, trust signals, product fit, and switching friction. Paid relationships do not change organic ranking order.
How fresh are the rates and offers shown?
Rate and offer data is reviewed on a recurring cadence and every offer module shows review context or links to the methodology and disclosure pages.
Where can I see the ranking methodology?
The SwitchWize methodology page explains how rate freshness, editorial review, affiliate disclosure, and category ranking factors work.
Can Money Map use this result?
Yes. Money Map is the broader diagnostic path: it compares savings, mortgage, cards, and debt so you can see whether this calculator result is your highest-impact next move.

Why This Matters

When you sell investment real estate and immediately reinvest the full proceeds into similar property, you can defer capital gains tax on the entire gain. However, if you retain any cash or receive other assets, that portion becomes taxable in the year of sale. Understanding the split between deferred and recognized gain helps you plan whether a full reinvestment makes financial sense for your situation.

How to Use It

  1. 1Enter the gross sale price of the property you are selling.
  2. 2Enter your adjusted tax basis: the original purchase price plus capital improvements, minus depreciation claimed.
  3. 3Enter any cash or non-like-kind property you receive (if keeping proceeds or taking a mortgage note, for example).
  4. 4Enter your combined federal and state marginal tax rate to estimate your tax liability on any recognized gain.
  5. 5Confirm whether both the relinquished and replacement property are held for business or investment use.
  6. 6Review the four outputs: recognized gain from boot received, deferred gain if the exchange qualifies, estimated tax on the recognized portion, and a flag showing whether the exchange meets qualification requirements.
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