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Opportunity Zones

FLORIDA STAR — A relatively new area for tax protection that has stimulated some interest and excitement amongst investors is something called Opportunity Zones. If you have recently incurred capital gains and are interested in deferring, reducing or eliminating those gains, you may benefit from investing in an Opportunity Zone.

Published

7 years ago

September 16, 2019

Oakland Post

By Scott Wohlers

Scott Wohlers is Vice President at Riverplace Capital Management in Jacksonville, Florida, a private independent wealth management firm that has been serving clients locally and nationally for more than 20 years.

A relatively new area for tax protection that has stimulated some interest and excitement amongst investors is something called Opportunity Zones. If you have recently incurred capital gains and are interested in deferring, reducing or eliminating those gains, you may benefit from investing in an Opportunity Zone.

Opportunity Zones were created as a portion of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act passed in December 2017. The purpose of Opportunity Zones is to encourage investment in low-income areas to help increase employment, stimulate the local economy and create an overall improved quality of life. Opportunity Zone investing from the new act creates three types of tax benefits for investors. First, a deferral of capital gains until December 31, 2026; second, a potential for partial forgiveness of capital gain depending on when the investment into the Opportunity Zone investment is made; and lastly, if the investment is held for more than ten years there is no tax paid on future gains. The initial perception was that Opportunity Zone investing was just about commercial real estate investing. However, this is not the case at all!

So, what are Opportunity Zones and how do they work? In March 2018, the Governor of each state and US Territory was responsible for nominating different areas of their state that fell within the bottom 20% of income relative to the national average. The zones have already been selected, with over 8,700 census tracts nationally and 427 tracts in Florida alone. A map of Florida Opportunity Zones is included for your information. You can go online and view the zones in your area by visiting the Treasury Department’s website. In Jacksonville two areas that you may be familiar with include St. Nicholas and Lakeshore as well as some locations in Mayport, Atlantic Beach, and Yulee.

Opportunity Zone investing is very limited in scope; only those individuals (including trusts and estates), corporations or partnerships that have recently incurred a large capital gain can benefit. Before Opportunity Zones, the only way to defer paying Capital Gains taxes was to own a rental/investment property, sell it for a profit, and then roll the gains into similar property through a 1031 Exchange. This is not the case for Opportunity Zone investing; any capital gain incurred can be deferred and real estate is not the only investment vehicle available through Opportunity Zone investing.

Investors who incur a gain, whether from the sale of a business, highly appreciated stock, or the sale of property, must invest their gains in Opportunity Funds within 180 days of realizing the gain to qualify for the tax incentives. The Opportunity Fund is the centerpiece of Opportunity Zone investing because capital from the fund will be deployed into the investment vehicle within an Opportunity Zone. The investor must create a Corporation (or an LLC filing as a Corporation) or a Partnership (General or Limited) that will hold the fund. The investor self-certifies with the IRS that the funds under the Corporation or Partnership are indeed an Opportunity Fund. The investor then has 30 months to deploy the capitol into an investment within an opportunity zone.

An investor can buy shares of stock for a domestic company that operates primarily within an Opportunity Zone, purchase a business itself that operates primarily within an Opportunity Zone, or buy land/real estate within an Opportunity Zone. If an investor buys land or property, they must substantially improve the property within 30 months. For example, if you buy a warehouse for $1 million you would have to invest an additional $1 million in the property itself. If you are buying land, you still have the same improvement requirements, however, by adding any type of building on the property you meet the improvement requirements. If you buy a business or buy stock in a business operating within an Opportunity Zone, 70% of the tangible business assets must be located in an Opportunity Zone. There are also some businesses, including establishments whose primary income comes from the sale of alcohol or alcoholic beverages, that do not qualify. It is important to make sure you are investing in a qualifying business.

There are several tax benefits, and depending on when, and for how long you hold the investment, they may vary. There are three potential tax incentives; deferral of initial capital gains tax, potential partial forgiveness of the original capital gain, and no capital gain tax on the appreciation upon sale. For example, if an investor who incurred a capital gain in 2019, created an Opportunity Fund and invested the gain into that fund, they would see their capital gains forgiven 15% when they pay taxes for 2026. If they invest in an Opportunity Fund by the end of 2021, they will see a reduction in their initial capital gain by 10% when they are due. If that same investor holds onto their investment within the Opportunity Zone for ten years, they wouldn’t have to pay any capital gains if they sold the property/business for a profit.

Riverplace Capital has financial expertise in Opportunity Zones and can provide a consultation or presentation upon request. For more information contact us at (904)346-3460 or www.riverplacecapital.com

Riverplace Capital is not a CPA or Tax Law firm; for specific tax advice consult your CPA or Tax Attorney.

This article originally appeared in The Florida Star.

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2026 Lucid Air Grand Touring Review — Is This $136K EV Sedan Worth It?

AUTONETWORK ON BLACKPRESSUSA — Finished in Stellar White Metallic with the Tahoe Grand Touring interior, this Lucid makes a strong first impression. The shape is sleek and low, but it still feels elegant instead of trying too hard. Features like soft-close doors, powered illuminated door handles, 20-inch Aero Lite wheels, and the Glass Canopy Roof help the car feel expensive before you even start it.

Published

2 weeks ago

May 3, 2026

Oakland Post

The 2026 Lucid Air Grand Touring is the kind of luxury EV that makes people stop and ask a simple question: Is this really better than a Tesla Model S, Mercedes EQS, or BMW i7? At $136,150, it has to do more than look futuristic. It has to feel special every time you get in it.

Finished in Stellar White Metallic with the Tahoe Grand Touring interior, this Lucid makes a strong first impression. The shape is sleek and low, yet it still feels elegant rather than trying too hard. Features like soft-close doors, powered illuminated door handles, 20-inch Aero Lite wheels, and the Glass Canopy Roof help the car feel expensive before you even start it.

Inside is where the Air Grand Touring really makes its case. The 34-inch Glass Cockpit Display and retractable Pilot Panel screen give the cabin a clean, modern look that still feels different from other EVs. The Tahoe Extended Leather and Lucid Black Alcantara headliner lifts the sense of occasion, and the front seats are a highlight. They are 20-way power-adjustable, heated, ventilated, and include massage. That matters because luxury buyers at this price expect comfort first.

Rear passengers are not ignored either. You get 5-zone heated rear seating, a rear center console display, and power rear and rear side window sunshades. Add in the Surreal Sound Pro system with 21 speakers, and the Air feels like a true long-distance luxury sedan.

Lucid also gives this car serious EV hardware. The dual-motor all-wheel-drive system, 900V+ charging architecture, and Wunderbox onboard charger are big talking points. Buyers in this segment care about range, charging speed, and everyday ease, not just raw performance. That is where the Lucid continues to stand out.

On the technology side, the Air Grand Touring includes DreamDrive Premium, with 3D Surround View Monitoring, Blind Spot Warning, Automatic Park In and Out, Automatic Emergency Braking, and a Driver Monitoring System with distracted and drowsy driver alerts. This one also has DreamDrive Pro, which adds future-capable ADAS hardware.

There are still some real-world annoyances. Based on your notes, the windshield wiper control is hard to find and use, and that matters more than people think in a high-tech car. When controls become less intuitive, even a beautiful interior can feel frustrating.

Still, the 2026 Lucid Air Grand Touring succeeds where it matters most. It feels luxurious, advanced, comfortable, and thoughtfully engineered. For buyers who want an EV sedan that feels truly premium and less common than the usual choices, this Lucid makes a very strong case.

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Snoop Dogg Celebrates 10 Til’ Midnight at the Compound

LOS ANGELES SENTINEL — The album is paired with a film that stars Snoop Dogg, Hitta J3, G Perico, and Ray Vaughn, and one of the strongest elements of the whole project is that the production stayed rooted right here in Los Angeles.

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2 weeks ago

May 3, 2026

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Snoop Dogg celebrated the premiere of 10 Til’ Midnight at his Inglewood recording studio & multipurpose facility, The Compound, but the night felt like much more than an album release. It felt like Los Angeles. It felt like legacy. And it felt like another major move from one of the city’s greatest cultural architects as he continues to prove that he is not just dropping music — he is building moments, shaping narratives, and pushing the culture forward in real time.

What made the event so powerful was the clarity behind the vision. During a panel conversation with DJ Hed, Snoop opened up about the heart behind 10 Til’ Midnight, explaining that the project was created to help bridge older and younger generations while also speaking to the long-standing divisions between Bloods and Crips in a unique way through film. That alone gave the project a different kind of weight. This was not just about songs. This was about using creativity as a tool for connection. This was about taking a story rooted in Los Angeles and telling it in a way that could bring people together.

Snoop Congratulated By Rapper & Fellow 10 Til Midnight Cast Member G Perico (CreativeLB/KreativeKapturez)

The album is paired with a film that stars Snoop Dogg, Hitta J3, G Perico, and Ray Vaughn, and one of the strongest elements of the whole project is that the production stayed rooted right here in Los Angeles. The film was shot in the city, including at WePlay Studios in Inglewood, which gave the entire project an even deeper hometown feel. It was not just a West Coast story in content — it was a Los Angeles-made production from the ground up.

That matters because, in a city like this, authenticity still carries weight. Snoop understands how to make sure that what he creates does not just represent Los Angeles on the surface, but actually comes from it.

What also makes 10 Til’ Midnight significant is that it represents another major step in Snoop’s evolution as both an artist and executive. Public reporting around the project identifies it as his 22nd studio album, but the bigger story is what it represents in this season of his life. This is one of several consecutive moves he has made in his 50s that show he is still building, still expanding, and still finding new ways to reinvent what the next chapter looks like.

Snoop Dogg at the Premiere of 10 Til Midnight (CreativeLB/KreativeKapturez)

Now, as the head of Death Row Records and the newly aligned leader of Death Row Pictures, he is taking the brand into a new dimension. That is what made this moment feel bigger than music. Snoop is not just protecting the legacy of Death Row — he is stretching it. He is expanding it beyond records and into film, visual storytelling, and larger creative worlds that can continue carrying the label’s impact forward. Public reporting has noted that this project arrives as part of that broader cinematic push.

That is a major Los Angeles move because the city has always been built on the intersection of music, film, neighborhood identity, and cultural storytelling. With 10 Til’ Midnight, Snoop is leaning all the way into that intersection.

The room at The Compound reflected that. It felt like a private premiere, but it also felt like a statement — a reminder that Snoop Dogg’s staying power has never been based only on nostalgia. It comes from his ability to remain connected, remain visionary, and remain in tune with how to move the culture without losing the essence of who he is.

That is why this premiere mattered. It was not just about celebrating another album. It was about witnessing a Los Angeles legend continue to evolve, continue to unify, and continue to use art to tell stories that hit deeper than entertainment alone.

In that sense, 10 Til’ Midnight became more than a project launch. It became another example of how Snoop Dogg is still taking Los Angeles to the next level — using music, film, and legacy together to build something bigger than a moment.

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OP-ED: Small Businesses Need Minnesota to Act on Pass-Through Tax Policy

MINNESOTA SPOKESMAN RECORDER — A Twin Cities immigrant entrepreneur who built several businesses including grocery stores in underserved neighborhoods is calling on Minnesota lawmakers to extend the Pass-Through Entity tax option before it expires, warning that its loss would hit small businesses already recovering from Operation Metro Surge with higher federal tax bills.

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2 weeks ago

May 3, 2026

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A Twin Cities Small Business Owner Is Urging Minnesota to Extend a Tax Policy That Could Save Thousands of Businesses

By Daniel Hernandez | Minnesota Spokesman Recorder

I came to the United States as a teenager with a clear goal: to build something meaningful through hard work. I put in long days in construction, restaurants, and landscaping; doing whatever it took to learn, save, and eventually start my own business.

Over time, I built and ran several successful ventures, including an event photography company, a magazine, a tax and accounting firm, and now grocery stores serving neighborhoods across the Twin Cities where other retailers chose not to invest. I’ve created jobs, supported families, and committed to communities that deserve stability and opportunity.

That’s why I’m speaking out now.

Small business owners in Minneapolis and the communities we serve are recovering from serious disruptions, including the impacts of Operation Metro Surge. That event hit immigrant communities especially hard. In my own case, I lost nearly half of my 60 employees and saw revenue drop by about 85%. While I worked to provide competitive wages, health benefits, and paid time off, the real hardship fell on the people who lost their jobs and income.

Even as we rebuild, small businesses are facing another challenge. The Minnesota Legislature is considering letting an important tax policy expire: the Pass-Through Entity tax option.

Here’s what that means in plain terms.

Many small businesses, including mine, are pass-through businesses. That means the business itself doesn’t pay income tax. Instead, the owners report the income on their personal tax returns. But under current federal rules, there’s a limit on how much state tax we can deduct. That often leads to higher federal tax bills.

The Pass-Through Entity option fixes that. It allows the business to pay the state tax directly, which means the business can fully deduct those taxes on its federal return and lower the total amount of income taxed federally. The result is straightforward: small business owners pay less in federal taxes, without reducing what the state collects.

This policy is not new or controversial. Thirty-six states already offer it. It doesn’t cost Minnesota anything, it’s revenue neutral. And it benefits more than 66,000 businesses across the state.

In a state where the cost of doing business is already high, it’s hard to understand why we wouldn’t offer the same basic tax treatment as states like California and Illinois.

Small businesses have carried a heavy load in recent years, through a pandemic, rising costs and public safety disruptions. We’ve adapted, reinvested and stayed committed to our communities. What we need now are practical policies that support that work, not make it harder.

If the Minnesota House does not act soon, many businesses will face significantly higher federal tax bills. That’s money that could otherwise be used to hire workers, raise wages or reinvest in local neighborhoods.

I urge Gov. Tim Walz and members of the House Tax Committee to pass House File 3127 and extend the Pass-Through Entity election.

Small businesses are the backbone of our communities. We’ve proven our resilience. Now we need our state leaders to show the same commitment to us.

Daniel Hernandez is the owner of Colonial Market located at 2100 E. Lake St.

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