Opportunity Zones are an economic development tool that allows people to invest in distressed areas in the United States.Their purpose is to spur economic growth and job creation in low-income communities while providing tax benefits to investors.Opportunity Zones were created under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (Public Law No. 115-97). Thousands of low-income communities in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and five U.S. territories are designated as Qualified Opportunity Zones.Taxpayers can invest in these zones through Qualified Opportunity Funds.Please visit IRS.gov for additional information.

Eligible low-income census tracts are tracts in which:(1) The tract has a poverty rate of at least 20%; or(2)(A) For a census tract in a metropolitan area, the tract’s median family income does not exceed 80% of the greater of (A) the metropolitan area median family income or (B) statewide median family income; or(2)(B) For a census tract in a non-metropolitan area, the tract does not exceed 80% of the statewide median family income. However, in the case of a census tract located within a high migration rural county, low-income is defined by reference to 85% of statewide median family income.A “high migration rural county” is any rural county that, during the 20-year period ending with the year in which the most recent census was conducted, has a net outmigration of inhabitants from the county of at least 10% of the county population at the beginning of such period. Census tracts that are not low-income communities can be designated as Opportunity Zones if the tract is contiguous with a low income community that is designated as an Opportunity Zone and the median family income of the tract does not exceed 125% of the median family income of the low-income community with which the tract is contiguous. However, not more than 5% of the tracts designated as Opportunity Zones in a state may be designated under this provision. A determination that a tract is an Opportunity Zone shall remain in effect for ten calendar years.