Opportunity Zones: Can your bank benefit?

Description

Abstract: The Opportunity Zone program, created by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, provides investors with a powerful tax incentive to make long-term investments in state-designated economically distressed communities. This article discusses the benefits of the program for community banks, including the opportunity to make loans in connection with development projects that might otherwise not be economically feasible — absent the tax breaks available in opportunity zones. A sidebar addresses the fact that loans in economically distressed areas also may help banks meet their obligations under the Community Reinvestment Act.