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Key 2026 Implications for SC Opportunity Zones

For South Carolina Opportunity Zones (OZs), December 31, 2026 marks the end of the original 9-year deferral period.

Key 2026 Implications for SC Opportunity Zones:

Mandatory Gain Recognition: Investors who deferred capital gains into South Carolina QOFs (Qualified Opportunity Funds) must recognize and pay taxes on those gains by December 31, 2026. Investing in state tax credits is a powerful tool to mitigate the capital gain recognition. 

Final Deferral Opportunity: 2026 is the final year to invest in a QOF to utilize the original 9-year deferral structure.

Transition to 2.0 (New Census Tracts): Starting July 1, 2026, SC leadership will designate new census tracts with the new tracts taking effect January 1, 2027. The new rules provide for a rolling 5-year deferral of the gain. 

Enhanced Rural Benefits: New regulations ("One Big Beautiful Bill Act") strengthen incentives for rural areas, reducing the "substantial improvement" threshold from 100% to 50% for property renovations.

Tax Planning Essential: High-net-worth investors with SC investments should plan for 2026 by managing liquidity to pay deferred taxes and considering harvesting losses.

Permanent Status: The program, with its 135+ SC zones, is now a permanent part of the tax code rather than expiring, though tracts will be re-evaluated every 10 years.

Opportunity Zones are a federal tool designed to drive private investment into communities that need it most. These are specifically designated census tracts, which are geographic regions defined by the U.S. Census Bureau, where investors can receive significant tax benefits for putting private dollars to projects that create jobs, housing and business growth.

South Carolina has more than 135 designated Opportunity Zones, stretching from rural counties to urban neighborhoods. South Carolina is the only state on the East Coast with an opportunity zone located on ocean front property (Myrtle Beach). Leaders across the state have leveraged Opportunity Zones to attract industrial development, expand workforce housing and revitalize downtown districts. While federal legislation created the initial framework, it’s local leadership that determines whether these investments become catalysts for lasting, equitable growth.