New Tax Plan Impacts Affordable Housing
At the end of 2017, the U.S Senate and House of Representatives passed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which reduced the corporate tax rate from 35% to 21%. The new tax rate, the lowest since 1938, went into effect on January 1, 2018.
While the full impact of the new plan is yet to be determined, it is expected that the changes will have a significant impact on the affordable housing industry and many of the clients we serve in that sector. The Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) helps finance 90% of affordable rental units built across the country. Since these credits are tied to the corporate tax rate, the credits are worth less to investors when the expected tax burden decreases.