The Big Exit: Navigating 1031 Exchanges, DSTs, and High-Stakes Real Estate Liquidations
One Real Estate Sale can Decide a Client's Whole Tax Year.
Plan before the sale, not after the closing.
Real estate exits look like compliance work, but they are advisory wins in disguise. Most CPAs meet the sale too late, and by then the best planning choices are gone. Episode 1 of Beyond the Return, our 3-part mini series, walks through the signals, the numbers and the deadlines behind a successful exchange.
Lisa Sretenovic, CPA, Joel Salas and Todd May cover depreciation recapture, debt replacement, DSTs and the year-end timeline. This session is educational, technical and code-grounded, not a sales pitch.
Why This Matters
- Qualified intermediary missed before closing
- Surprise depreciation recapture
- Missed 45-day and 180-day deadlines
A failed exchange costs clients real money.
In one example, a $1,000,000 sale leaves a client facing $200,000 of recapture and a $400,000 long-term gain. Figures are illustrative only.
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What You'll Learn
- Which 1040, K-1 and balance sheet line items signal an exit
- How depreciation recapture and debt replacement shape the tax bill
- How 1031 exchanges and DSTs defer gain, including recapture
- Why deadlines, state clawbacks and personal use sink exchanges
- How to lead with numbers and act as the quarterback
Who This Webinar Is For
- CPAs and enrolled agents moving into advisory
- Tax pros with real estate investor clients
- Firm owners building a proactive offering
- Advisors who want a team model for exchanges
Your Experts
Lisa Sretenovic
Managing Director, Strategic Alliances & Ecosystem Education
Lisa is the Velocity Detective, helping CPA firms build stronger, client-focused advisory services. With 30+ years of experience as a controller and CFO in both industry and public accounting, she helps accountants create the time, confidence, and processes needed to expand their advisory capabilities.
Her experience spans public accounting, real estate, SaaS, telecommunications, manufacturing, hospitality, and other industries, giving her a broad perspective on business and client needs. She specializes in business development, financial literacy, and helping firms strengthen client relationships and support long-term growth.
Lisa has also spoken at UT Austin, Baylor University, the City of Austin Small Business Expo, and industry conferences.
Joel Salas
Managing Partner, Elevated Tax Strategies
Joel Salas is a tax strategist and Managing Partner of Elevated Tax Strategies, a firm rated 5.0 on Google. He helps real estate investors, crypto holders, blue-collar business owners and high earners ($500K+) cut their tax bills through year-round planning. He’s also a speaker for investor groups and trade associations, and has been featured on JustAnswer and Bluevine.
Todd May
Chief Investment Officer, 1031 DST Group
Todd Helps Investors and Advisory Partners Bring Tax Strategy into the Picture before Decisions are Finalized. With 20+ Years in Senior Leadership, He Oversees Capital Alignment and Portfolio Positioning across Real Estate, 1031 Exchanges, Opportunity Zones, and DSTs.