Tax benefits and direct investments in projects are two major kinds of accredited investments. And these investments have potential higher risks and can often turn opportunities into lucrative ones. Oil and gas has a variety of ways in which one can invest as well as a variety of tax benefits. Whether it’s the oil extraction itself, or the operations and resources surrounding it, the government’s desire in 1942 to increase domestic energy production creates tax saving opportunities for investors today.
Investing In Oil Or Gas
GAS
GAS
Most programs with a tax savings involved a temporary general partnership obligation and when the qualifications are satisfied, the investor automatically converts to a limited partnership.
Limited partnerships are a form of direct investment between the production company and the individual investor, or investment company gaining access for clients. Day-to-day operations don’t include these partners who are earning passive income as noted by Investopedia.
In the alternative investment space, as mentioned earlier, investment companies may invest in such operations to provide direct investments for clients without the client putting in the leg work. These investments may have similar risks to investment like limited partnerships. However, with a company putting in the due diligence leg work, diversification and time-savings can provide an individual a more than likely chance of success.
Advantages
With investment companies providing the logistics necessary, individuals can profit from lucrative projects such as oil and gas. Speaking of lucrative projects, oil and gas is one of the most profitable commodity spaces for accredited investors according to Investopedia. With the proceeds going directly into these projects, it causes these direct investments to be less liquid than traditional investments, which you need to consider before investing.
The Numbers
In general, when you invest in an oil and gas direct partnership you get to write off about 70%-80% of the investment off your taxable income. This is a general rule of thumb and a client’s specific taxable income needs to be reviewed to see how much an oil or gas program could benefit them and what amount the investor should invest.
Once invested you will begin to get tax efficient income off the programs and there are versions of these programs that sell the development in an estimated 5 years and the investor gets their capital (with expected upside) returned and they can invest again to reduce an additional year of income and income taxes.
Oil Is Still Cool
Someday we may not need oil, but today is not that day. For the foreseeable future the U.S. will continue to attempt greater energy independence as shown by USA FACTS . Regardless of where the nation lands with this goal, investors can ride off this initiative as tax breaks are used to catalyze industry growth.
From being invested indirectly in the land used for oil production to being a general partner, there are advantages that can be represented through a seesaw-like tradeoff. The more risk and involvement one takes on, the less one pays in taxes. Losses incurred by partners can be offset by tax breaks, something that can still be of concern to the investor as instruments like these can keep projects going in hard times.
While non-direct investors don’t receive the same tax benefits as partners, they are still an integral part of production and will reap the benefits of government incentivized initiatives. According to Forbes, having domestic production leads to greater expansion of the industry, beyond just the domestic customer, globalizing the Nation’s profits.
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