Form 8824, Like-Kind Exchanges
Form 8824 reports a like-kind exchange: trading business or investment property for similar property so the gain is deferred instead of taxed now. Fill in the official IRS PDF below and download it.
This is the genuine IRS PDF, unmodified. Source: IRS official page.
What is 8824?
Form 8824 is where a section 1031 exchange gets documented for the IRS. Parts I through III identify the properties given up and received, the key exchange dates, and the math that determines how much gain is deferred and how much is recognized because you received cash or other non-like-kind property (boot). Under current law, like-kind treatment applies to exchanges of real property held for business or investment, not personal property.
Part IV serves a narrower purpose: certain officers and employees of the executive or judicial branch of the federal government use it to elect to defer gain on property sold to comply with conflict-of-interest rules. The deferred gain and the basis of the replacement property both carry forward from the form to future years.
Who files 8824?
- Real estate investors who completed a 1031 exchange of one investment property for another
- Business owners who swapped real property used in a trade or business for like-kind real property
- Taxpayers who received boot in an exchange and need to figure the recognized gain
- Certain federal employees electing to defer gain on conflict-of-interest sales in Part IV
How to fill out 8824
- Describe the property you gave up and the property you received, including the dates each was acquired, transferred, and identified.
- Answer the related-party questions in Part II if the exchange involved someone related to you.
- Work through Part III to compute realized gain, recognized gain, deferred gain, and the basis of the replacement property.
- Fill in Part IV only if you are a federal employee reporting a conflict-of-interest sale deferral.
- Download the completed PDF and attach it to your tax return for the year the exchange took place, carrying any recognized gain to Form 8949, Schedule D, or Form 4797 as the instructions direct.
Quick fill 8824 on this page
Prefer to see the form itself while you type? Open 8824 in the editor to fill it on the actual pages, add a signature, and download.
Frequently asked questions
Does Form 8824 still cover exchanges of equipment or vehicles?
No. Like-kind exchange treatment now applies only to real property held for business or investment. Trades of machinery, vehicles, and other personal property are treated as taxable sales and generally go on Form 4797 instead.
Do I owe tax on the exchange if I received some cash?
Possibly. Cash or other non-like-kind property received (boot) can make part of your gain taxable in the year of the exchange. Form 8824 Part III walks through how much gain is recognized and how much stays deferred.
What if I exchanged more than one property?
The IRS generally wants a separate Form 8824 for each exchange. You can fill this form as many times as you need and download each copy.