Tax Intelligence Report: Leading Tax Partner Blake Christian

This article is the first in a series of tax professional profiles written and distributed under The Tax Intelligence Report. This is version 2.0 of this popular tax professional profile series. The purpose of the Tax Intelligence Report is to introduce extraordinary tax professionals and their impact on business and taxpayers. Knowing the high-level of technical competence of the tax professionals profiled through this series is valuable to taxpayers who need this expertise. The tax professionals profiled in The Tax Intelligence Report have tax expertise that has been proven as extraordinary in the world of tax experts.

As an internationally known retained executive tax search professional who has identified thousands of technically gifted tax experts for organizations and taxpayers worldwide, it is my pleasure to introduce readers to Blake Christian, Tax Partner of HCVT in Park City, Utah. Blake Christian is a highly skilled tax expert known nationally as a top 10 Opportunity Zone Influencer. Blake and his team have advised hundreds of investors and professionals regarding the complexities of formation, operation, semi-annual testing and restructuring of QOFs and QOZBs. He is the expert that Partners in other public accounting firms outsource specialty expertise to structure qualified opportunity zones for their own clients. Blake and the HCVT OZ Team have been involved in advising and the formation of over 100 Qualified Opportunity Funds and over 125 Qualified Opportunity Zone Businesses.

Blakes also specializes in holistic tax planning for businesses and their equity holders, profit improvement, economic development, state enterprise zone, Federal empowerment/ renewal community/ gulf opportunity and Indian Tribal Lands Tax Credits.

Blake has years of experience providing tax consulting and compliance services to clients that include multinational, publicly traded corporations, family offices, as well as closely held owner-managed businesses. Here is our interview with Blake Christian.

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Learn How You Can You Still Shelter 2021 Capital Gains?

The government tax revenue authorities demand a piece of your income; and they expect their tax cut when you realize a profit. This cut is known as a Capital Gains tax on your investments.

For tax purposes, you must understand the difference between an unrealized gain and a realized gain. A realized gain becomes realized when you sell the asset or investment at a profit. For example, you realize a gain on the sale of a home if you purchase it for $1M and sell it for $1.5M and your gain is $500,000. The tax on the capital gains only happens when the asset or investment is sold or realized.

For tax purposes, an unrealized gain is a potential profit that exists on paper only. An unrealized gain is a potential profit that exists on paper – an increase in the value of asset or investment you own but have not sold or realized a profit yet. For example, you purchase bitcoin and a year later the bitcoin is worth 20% more than you paid for it. Although your investment has increased in value by 20%, your gain is unrealized since you still own it.

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