Opportunity Zones Podcast

What if you could sell a business, stock, or real estate, defer the tax you owe today, and eliminate future capital gains tax? That is the promise of Opportunity Zones, and most investors hear about it too late. The Opportunity Zone program has been around since 2018, but now it has been made a permanent part of the tax code, thanks to the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. So how does it actually work, and who is it for? In this interview, Andy Hagans digs into those questions with Jimmy Atkinson, founder of OpportunityZones.com and author of The Opportunity Zones Playbook, featuring a foreword by Senator Tim Scott. If you have a capital gain coming, this conversation is for you. Get the book in hardcover, paperback, or ebook: https://opportunityzonesplaybook.com/

The census data that will likely inform Opportunity Zones 2.0 eligibility is now out. But how Treasury uses that data is still undecided. In this episode, Jimmy Atkinson is joined by Jason Watkins of Novogradac to discuss why a mechanical, spreadsheet-driven approach to census tract eligibility would be a mistake, how margins of error and unreliable income estimates complicate the analysis, and what a commonsense framework could look like as Treasury prepares to define the OZ 2.0 eligibility universe. Show notes & summary: https://opportunityzones.com/2026/02/jason-watkins-374/

New U.S. Census Bureau data that will determine OZ 2.0 eligibility is scheduled to be released on Thursday, January 29, 2026. But with a potential government shutdown looming, questions remain about whether Treasury’s official list of eligible census tracts could be delayed. On this month’s episode of OZ NewsHour, Jimmy Atkinson and Andy Hagans break down what the data release means for OZ 2.0. Show notes & summary: ⁠https://opportunityzones.com/2026/01/oznh-jan-2026/

With OZ 2.0 set to take effect on January 1, 2027, here’s why Opportunity Zone fund sponsors should be using 2026 to prepare — not pause. Angela Hwang of RevGen Consulting joins Jimmy Atkinson of OpportunityZones.com to discuss marketing strategy, investor education, and why 2026 is not a “dead zone,” but a critical year for building visibility, trust, and momentum ahead of the next wave of capital. Show notes & summary: https://opportunityzones.com/2026/01/angela-hwang-371/

What does a mission-driven Opportunity Zone project actually look like Robert Carrillo of LaunchPad Collective joins the show to discuss his mission-driven OZ project in San Bernardino focused on social impact, affordable housing, and local job creation. Rather than luxury development, the conversation centers on a community-first model with mixed-use design, small business incubator space, and housing residents can afford. Show notes & summary: https://opportunityzones.com/2025/12/robert-carrillo-369/

The largest Opportunity Zones conference in years just wrapped — and we’re bringing you the key takeaways straight from Las Vegas. Jimmy Atkinson sits down with Jason Watkins, chair of the Novogradac 2025 Opportunity Zones Summit, to break down the energy, announcements, and insights shaping the OZ industry as OZ 2.0 takes hold. Show notes & summary: https://opportunityzones.com/2025/12/jason-watkins-368/