Defer your capital gains by reinvesting into a like-kind property — and keep your equity working for you instead of writing a six-figure check to the IRS. A calm, expert guide through every deadline.
Real, platform-sourced reviews from Google, Yelp, and Zillow — every word from a verified client.
He was professional, courteous, and friendly. His fees were also very reasonable and I would definitely recommend him to other renters or prospective home owners. Michael Wayne Jackson is your best bet.
He was very knowledgeable of the area. When I brought him a few houses to look at, he started scheduling showings immediately. He got us an accepted offer for less than asking; same day. I got keys 4 weeks later. First class!!
Michael is truly a professional. Always has time for his clients and make things happen. I would recommend his service to anybody who is interested in selling or buying a home.
He really was really helpful in showing us around and explaining all the details about inspections and his knowledge of the history of the property. I would recommend him to buyers and sellers.
As we navigaged through the stressful time of purchasing our new home in conjunction with the sale of our old home, he was always calm and reassuring. Even after we got our keys, he followed up to see how we were doing. We recommend him wholeheartedly.
He took us on in the middle of a very difficult and sensitive situation with empathy, kindness and tons of knowledge. His incredibly prompt attention made the hard process easier and he stuck by our side until we achieved our desired outcome.
You're ready to sell an appreciated rental, duplex, or commercial property in Marin — but the moment you run the numbers, the deferral question gets overwhelming fast.
Between 20% federal capital gains, up to 25% depreciation recapture, California state tax, and the 3.8% net investment income tax, it's common to watch roughly a third of your gain evaporate at closing.
The IRS gives you exactly 45 calendar days to identify a replacement property and 180 to close — weekends and holidays included. Miss it by a single day and the entire exchange collapses.
Touch the sale proceeds, take a little cash, or under-buy on the replacement, and you create taxable "boot" — sometimes disqualifying the whole exchange and triggering taxes plus penalties.
The fear is real — and for good reason. A missed window or a careless escrow detail can cost tens, even hundreds of thousands in deferral benefits you'll never get back. In a competitive market like Marin, finding the right replacement property inside 45 days isn't something to improvise. It's something to plan.
A 1031 exchange is a team sport played against a clock. Michael's job is to be the calm quarterback: lining up your qualified intermediary, your CPA, and your replacement-property search before the clock ever starts.
Licensed since 2005 with a 5.0-star rating across Google, Yelp, and Zillow, Michael has spent 19+ years helping Marin County owners trade up, diversify, and consolidate without handing the IRS more than they have to. A former professional baseball player drafted by the Texas Rangers, he brings the same discipline and timing to your transaction that he once brought to the field.
Five moving parts, one timeline. Here's the path Michael walks every client down — with the planning front-loaded so the deadlines never feel like a scramble.
We start before your relinquished property hits the market — mapping your projected gain with your CPA, lining up a qualified intermediary, and building a shortlist of candidate replacement properties so day one isn't day zero of a panic.
Before the clock startsWhen your property closes, the sale proceeds flow directly to your qualified intermediary — never to you. Touching the money yourself, even briefly, is "constructive receipt" and can void the entire exchange.
Day 1You have 45 calendar days to formally identify your replacement property (or properties) in writing to your QI. Most investors use the three-property rule; others use the 200% rule. We have your shortlist ready well before this window opens.
By Day 45You must close on your identified replacement property within 180 calendar days of the original sale — and the two clocks run concurrently, not back-to-back. (For Q4 sales, the deadline can arrive even sooner if your tax return is due first.)
By Day 180Your gain and basis carry forward into the new property, your capital keeps working, and you can repeat the strategy for life. Done well, your heirs may even receive a stepped-up basis that resets much of the deferred gain.
The payoffThese aren't suggestions — they're hard, calendar-day deadlines with no grace period. Understanding them is the difference between keeping your equity and writing a massive check.
From the day your sale closes, you have 45 days to identify replacement candidates in writing. Weekends and holidays count. After day 45, the list is locked.
You have 180 days from the same start date to close on a property you identified. The clocks overlap — taking the full 45 to identify leaves you 135 to close.
Most agents can list your property. Far fewer can quarterback an entire tax-deferred exchange across a 45-day cliff. Here's the difference.
We don't list until your replacement shortlist is real. In a tight Marin market, having candidates lined up before day one is the single biggest predictor of a clean exchange.
Michael coordinates your qualified intermediary, CPA, escrow, and lender so nothing falls through the cracks — and you never accidentally trigger boot or constructive receipt.
Every date is tracked, every reminder sent. The goal is simple: you should never feel the panic of a deadline closing in. That's the whole point of planning early.
From San Rafael multi-family to Novato commercial, Michael knows where the like-kind opportunities are — and how California's "clawback" can reshape an out-of-state move.
Sometimes a 1031 isn't the right call. Michael will tell you that honestly. Your free session is about clarity on your numbers — not a sales pitch.
One exchange can become many. Michael helps you think beyond a single transaction toward a deferral strategy you can repeat — and eventually pass on.
Bring your numbers — projected sale price, basis, and depreciation — and Michael will walk you through whether a 1031 makes sense for your situation. No commitment, no pressure.
Book a Free Planning SessionThe same appreciated property, two very different outcomes. Here's what changes when you defer instead of cashing out.
| Consideration | Sell Outright | 1031 Exchange |
|---|---|---|
| Capital gains tax at sale | Due immediately | Deferred |
| Depreciation recapture | Due now (up to 25%) | Deferred |
| Capital available to reinvest | After-tax proceeds only | Full pre-tax equity |
| Portfolio upgrade potential | Reduced by tax drag | Maximized |
| Estate / step-up planning | Limited | Strong potential |
| Timeline pressure | None | 45 / 180 day rules apply |
| Requires a qualified intermediary | No | Yes — essential |
Pulled from what real investors ask on Reddit, Quora, and in Michael's own consultations — answered plainly, with no jargon.
Named after Section 1031 of the Internal Revenue Code, it lets you sell an investment property and reinvest the proceeds into a "like-kind" property while deferring the capital gains tax you'd normally owe. "Like-kind" refers to the character of the property — almost any U.S. real estate held for investment or business qualifies, from a duplex to vacant land to a commercial building.
From the day your sale closes, you have 45 calendar days to identify your replacement property in writing, and 180 calendar days to close on it. Both clocks start on the same day and run concurrently — they don't stack. Weekends and holidays count, and there are no extensions except in IRS-declared disasters.
It defers them, not erases them. Your gain and adjusted basis carry forward into the new property. You can keep exchanging for life, and if you never cash out, your heirs may receive a stepped-up basis that resets much of the deferred gain — but absent that, the tax becomes due whenever you eventually sell without doing another exchange.
Boot is any value you receive that isn't like-kind property — typically leftover cash or debt relief. If you take cash out or buy a cheaper replacement, the difference is taxable boot, even if the rest of the exchange is valid. Worse, accidentally receiving sale proceeds directly ("constructive receipt") can disqualify the entire exchange.
The IRS requires that you never take possession of the sale proceeds. A qualified intermediary holds the funds between your sale and purchase and handles the exchange paperwork. You cannot act as your own QI, and your own agent or attorney generally can't either. Lining one up early is one of the first things Michael helps coordinate.
Yes — like-kind property can be anywhere in the U.S. But here's the California catch: the state has a "clawback" provision. If you exchange a California property for one out of state and later sell that out-of-state property without another exchange, California can reclaim the state tax it originally let you defer. This is worth planning for carefully.
No. "Like-kind" is broad. You can exchange a single-family rental for an apartment building, raw land for a retail center, or several small properties for one larger asset (or vice versa). What matters is that both the old and new properties are held for investment or business use — not as a personal residence.
Not always. If you plan to reinvest far less than your basis, the deferral benefit can be small relative to the effort and cost. The honest first step is reviewing your net sheet with your CPA. Michael will walk through your real numbers with you — and tell you plainly if a 1031 doesn't make sense for your situation.
Whether you're months from selling or staring down a deadline, the best 1031 outcomes start with one calm conversation. Bring your numbers — Michael will bring the strategy.
Book a Free Planning SessionThis page draws on questions investors raise on Reddit and Quora and on guidance from qualified-intermediary and tax-advisory sources. Links open in a new tab.
| Source | What It Covers |
|---|---|
| 1031 Exchange Experts (Equity Advantage) | Top Reddit 1031 questions, including partial exchanges and basis math |
| IPX1031 — California Clawback | California's clawback provision on out-of-state replacement property |
| Realized — 1031 Exchange California | California rules, depreciation recapture, and state tax considerations |
| Tax Shark — Depreciation Recapture & FAQs | Boot, depreciation recapture, and constructive-receipt examples |
| Bonaventure — 45 & 180 Day Deadlines | How the identification and closing windows work and common mistakes |
| REI Hub — 1031 Exchange Timeline | The three key deadlines and what happens if you miss them |
| Landsberg Bennett — Rules & Timeline Guide | Concurrent timelines and the Q4 tax-return-due-date wrinkle |
| Get Equity 1031 — Exchange Rules | Three-property and 200% identification rules explained |
| Nasdaq — What Is a 1031 Exchange | Deferred vs. reverse exchanges and when to use each |
| Wikipedia — TIC 1031 Exchange | Step-by-step order of a typical exchange and the QI's role |
| SDO CPA — In-Depth Deferral Guide | Step-up in basis for heirs and lifetime deferral strategy |
| Accruit — State Tax Considerations | How different states treat 1031 exchanges and withholding |