Tax Credits
Foss & Company is comprised of a group of experienced professionals, representing the best in class within their respective fields. In this blog series, we highlight different Foss & Company team members to shine a light on the diverse and dedicated people that help make us who we are. Jennifer Pruett joined Foss & Company in October 2021 and sources institutional investor capital for placement into Foss sponsored state and federal tax credit funds. Prior to joining Foss, Jennifer spent 20+ years in asset management representing traditional and alternative investment strategies including managed futures, fund-of-hedge funds, CLOs and structured products. In these roles she was responsible for developing strategic growth initiatives, delivering investor education and for expanding firm visibility across institutional and wealth management channels. She graduated from Williams College and has a BA in History. Get to know Jennifer in the latest Spotlight Series Blog: How did you get started in the tax credit investing industry? Completely by accident! After years of working within the asset management industry and specializing in alternative investments, I was approached by Foss & Company for a position on the investor relations team. Despite prior experience working with less traditional, illiquid alternatives I wasn’t particularly familiar with real estate or tax credits. Interestingly, there were some strong parallels between my past roles and the responsibilities at Foss. So much of what we do requires enormous amounts of time and patience; we are often educating clients on the complexities of tax credit investing, including the diverse array of federal and state tax credit programs that are available. There are many intricacies related to the Internal Revenue Code, the impact of pending regulations, and fund structure. Investors tend to see us as a valuable resource as they become more strategic with their tax dollars. When…
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Foss & Company 2022 project, Radical Hotel Many companies have long overlooked tax equity investing as part of their tax strategy for different reasons. But this past year has presented new, unique opportunities in the tax equity market for both developers and investors. The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) has provided more incentives than ever in US history for tax credit investments and facing the current challenge of inflation and increasing interest rates, tax equity may be essential to push projects forward. 2022 proved to be a big year for Foss & Company as well. In June, Foss announced that in addition to the over $8 billion in tax equity the company has deployed since its inception, we have over $1 billion in tax credits currently under management. Among other milestones, the Foss & Company team has continued to grow. We welcomed 14 new team members who have helped grow our capital markets, renewable energy, marketing and real estate teams. We are also pleased to share that in August of 2022, Foss & Company featured North Carolina project, Capitola Mill, won the Gertrude S. Carraway Award for demonstrating a commitment to extraordinary leadership, research, philanthropy, promotion, and/ or significance in preservation. We could not be more thrilled with our successes in 2022, and we could not have done it without our dedicated team, developer partners and investor clients. Vision 2045: A Look Towards the Future In 2022, Foss & Company had the unique opportunity to be featured in the Vision 2045 campaign. This campaign supported the United Nations and its objectives for the institution’s 100- year anniversary in 2045 and aimed to inspire businesses and people to take collective action to ensure a better future for all. As part of this multi-faceted campaign, Foss & Company produced a short, documentary-style video that highlighted…
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Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) are a set of guidelines and rules that companies use to prepare their financial statements. These principles are established by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) and provide a consistent framework for companies to report their financial information to investors, analysts, and regulators. Renewable Energy Tax Credits (RETCs) require specific accounting principles to which companies must adhere to accurately reflect the economic benefits of these credits in their financial statements. One of the key principles is the deferral method, which allows companies to recognize the tax credits over a period of time rather than all at once. The deferral method is used to reflect the economic benefits of the tax credits in a more accurate and realistic manner. When tax credits are recognized all at once, it can lead to overstating the value of the credits and can result in a mismatch between the tax benefits and the associated costs. By spreading the recognition of the tax credits over a period of time, companies can align the tax benefits with the associated costs, providing a more accurate representation of the economic benefits of the credits. To use the deferral method, companies must determine the period over which the tax credits will be recognized. This is typically the same period as the project’s useful life, which is the period over which the project is expected to generate economic benefits. Companies must also determine the amount of tax credits that will be recognized in each period. This is typically done by using an estimate of the expected tax credits for the period and adjusting it as necessary based on actual results. In addition to the deferral method, companies must also follow other GAAP principles when accounting for RETCs. These include properly classifying the credits as either a…
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Foss & Company is comprised of a group of experienced professionals, representing the best in class within their respective fields. In this blog series, we highlight different Foss & Company team members to shine a light on the diverse and dedicated people that help make us who we are. Drew Goldman, Vice President of Investments for Foss & Company, spent 18 years in financial services and held roles including equity syndication, strategic M&A, global investment banking, corporate lending, and commercial real estate before joining Foss & Company in 2019. Drew has an MBA from Emory University’s Goizueta Business School and earned his BBA from The University of Texas at Austin. Get to know Drew in the latest Spotlight Series blog: How did you get started in the tax credit investing industry? After working in the corporate finance and investment banking industries, I moved “back home” to Atlanta in 2005 and found myself in charge of business development for an apartment management company; a large portion of the third-party units were in the Low-Income Housing sector, so I learned a lot about tax credits by absorption. With 2008 – and the “Great Recession” an opportunity to raise capital for a large LIHTC syndicator presented itself. I then transitioned into tax equity. Since then, I have migrated from Housing into Renewable Energy and Historic Preservation. When did you join Foss & Company and what interested you about the company? I joined Foss in January 2019 with a growing interest in financing Renewable Energy and other Sustainability-focused initiatives. Foss has a highly entrepreneurial culture, and a flexible approach to our evolving marketplace. What do you find important or interesting about tax credits? I have been in financial services since the 1990s – tax credit equity is well-proven for mobilizing private sector capital into…
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In November, Foss & Company Managing Director Bryen Alperin and Associate Vice President of Renewable Energy Investment Operations Annie Amrhein travelled to Sharm-El-Sheikh, Egypt to join business leaders from around the world in sharing best-practices that promote the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) within their organizations. We have included their reflections from the conference below: Climate change is a global problem. What insights did you gain through the lens of a global assembly of leaders and experts that differ from US-focused events? One major reflection I took away from this type of global assembly is how climate change, associated impacts, and overall management of these impacts, has no bounds. There were so many different industry players present from product manufacturing to electric vehicles to real estate management to professional sports to public officials. This varied representation was significant and showcased quite clearly how climate change issues are not contained nor confined to one sector. I think where there is variation is how companies and industry players are choosing to enact sustainable solutions. Although the underlying goal may be the same, due to the nature of a company’s core mission, revenue stream, position within the market, etc., these differing factors influence how decision-makers not only develop but ultimately implement within their given business structures. Throughout discussions, what were some general consensuses between global leaders and experts concerning sustainability? What were some of the biggest differences in perspectives? The conference showed evidence that the “sustainability and environmental initiatives are bad for business” argument no longer holds merit. In fact, I think the opposite is now the case of if a business representative is unable to speak to what the company is taking to decarbonize infrastructure, minimize waste, promote sustainable measures throughout its employee base, then it may result in negative business…
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Incentives for renewable energy have been a hot topic in the U.S. lately, especially with new provisions geared towards implementing recently developed technologies that aim to fight climate change. The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), signed into law in August of this year, contained significant adjustments to several climate and sustainability solution incentives. Widely regarded as landmark legislation, it was one of the most extensive environmental policies in decades. It laid the groundwork for incremental change through increases in tax credit incentives for projects like Carbon Capture, Utilization and Sequestration (CCUS), battery storage, and solar Investment Tax Credits (ITCs). Under the IRA, institutional investors may now see higher tax credit returns on their investment and new opportunities through ITC adders. The U.N.’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) offer a blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all. They address the global challenges we face, including poverty, inequality, climate, environmental degradation, prosperity, and peace and justice. No one action can address all 17 goals at once but using the SDGs as guidelines can help inform corporations of processes that can help tackle some of the most pressing issues of our time. The adjustments made to policies under the IRA align in many ways with the SDGs including those made to solar ITCs. ITCs are calculated as a percentage of the cost that solar developers spend on solar power production equipment while constructing a project. Before the IRA, ITCs were set to reach 10% by 2024, but under the IRA, they now have a base rate of 30% locked in for the next ten years. The law also includes certain adders that can increase the total amount to 60%. The increased incentives can help move solar projects forward despite the recent high interest and inflation rates. These adders include, but are not limited to: 10% for projects located…
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Foss & Company is comprised of a group of experienced professionals, representing the best in class within their respective fields. In this blog series, we highlight different Foss & Company team members to shine a light on the diverse and dedicated people that help make us who we are. Tony was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, earning his bachelor’s degree from UC Berkeley and his law and business degrees from Santa Clara University. After spending years as an attorney, he joined Foss & Company in 2017. As Director of Real Estate Investments & Portfolio Management, Tony oversees the underwriting and asset management of Foss Historic Tax Credit (HTC) investments, working closely with real estate developers, institutional investors, and industry partners. Get to know Tony in the latest Spotlight Series blog: What originally interested you about the historic rehabilitation industry? I have always been interested in real estate development, especially projects that have a meaningful impact on the community. I also like old buildings and historic architecture. I would much rather see a building repurposed than demolished. The rehabilitation of a building is an interesting process, and more challenging than new construction. In the end, a valuable resource is being conserved and enhanced, and that’s a great benefit for all. When did you join Foss & Company and what interested you about the company? I joined Foss in January 2017. I was looking for new opportunities and when I learned about Foss, I did a lot of research on the company and the tax credit industry. The more I learned, the more excited I was about joining the company. I wanted to be a part of financing historic rehabs by monetizing tax credits. It’s a great business, and it’s rewarding to be a part of the rehabilitation…
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BY ALEJANDRO SANTA CRUZ, CFA, VICE PRESIDENT OF INVESTMENTS It is rare to find a multi-functional, multi-faceted “Tool” that creates a “win-win-win” outcome in the world of corporate finance. Fortunately, there is a Tool that creates value across multiple corporate areas simultaneously, but it is little known, often overlooked, and certainly underused. This Tool is the Investment Tax Credit (ITC). Approved by the U.S. Congress, enshrined in the Internal Revenue Code, and encouraged by the federal government, ITCs allow those with a US tax liability to redirect their federal income tax obligation towards specific economic sectors or qualified projects. In other words, with the blessing of Uncle Sam, a company can repurpose its tax liability and invest in ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) initiatives and reap a financial reward. Unfortunately, ITCs continue to be underutilized despite the benefits afforded to corporations seeking to deploy impactful strategies to manage tax rates and create shareholder value. Let’s be honest, the tax strategy of a corporation may often be disregarded and undervalued. Tax departments tend to be isolated from the executive floors and often excluded from strategic decisions. Perhaps it is time for the C-Suite to pay more attention to their tax teams. Similarly, it’s also time for the market (i.e., equity research analysts and portfolio managers) to pay closer attention to what companies are doing below the standard EBITDA (Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization) line with regards to tax strategies and give them credit when these strategies lead to secondary, yet impactful, noble causes. Admittedly, it is not an easy (or exhilarating) task. For one, understanding the Tax Code is daunting. In addition, companies tend not to disclose much about their tax strategies. Other than the effective tax rate or “ETR” (actual income tax paid/EBT), and the occasional disclosure of…
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BY BRYEN ALPERIN, DIRECTOR OF RENEWABLE ENERGY AND SUSTAINABLE TECHNOLOGIES A March 21 meeting of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) proposed a reporting framework for publicly traded companies to provide information about the carbon intensity of their businesses. Voluntary disclosure of climate risk factors has already become widespread in recent years, with the SEC estimating that about one third of regulatory filings submitted by public companies in 2019 and 2020 included some degree of environmental impact assessment. Standardizing these disclosures will make them more functional for investors as “consistent, comparable, and reliable information” on climate-related risk exposure, says the SEC’s recent guidance. Carbon accounting, the process by which emissions are calculated and attributed, has evolved in recent years thanks to work by the World Resources Institute and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development. Their joint Greenhouse Gas Protocol lays out three principal areas of emissions: Scope 1: Direct Emissions Scope 1 emissions result directly from business activities, such as fuel used in vehicles owned by the company and exhaust from running manufacturing equipment. This is the simplest scope of emissions to calculate and would be required of all publicly traded companies under the proposed rule change. One option for reducing your Scope 1 emissions are carbon offsets. Example carbon offsets you can purchase include forest preservation, energy efficiency projects, or carbon capture. There are a variety of brokers which sell carbon offsets, but since the market is largely unregulated, it’s important you work with an expert advisor to perform due diligence on your purchase. Tax Credit Use Case: The recently improved 45Q Sequestration Tax Credit is a tax credit for carbon capture and sequestration. Projects which generate 45Q tax credits may also produce carbon offsets, and tax credit investors may be able to gain access to carbon offsets…
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Growth continues in 2018 January 24, 2018, San Francisco CA – Foss and Company is pleased to announce that they closed out the 2017 calendar year having managed over $20 million in solar tax credit investments. The investments were made into seven unique projects that were all Massachusetts-based and approached 20 megawatts in scale. Foss Renewables Managing Director Alex Tiller said, “We were pleased with our 2017 results and are looking forward to investing over 10 times that amount in 2018 via our new renewable energy focused fund.” Tiller went on to say, “renewable energy investments are nothing new to this firm. Over our last 35 years we’ve managed over $500 million in renewable and alternative energy tax credit investments including some of the first large scale solar thermal SEGs projects in the Mojave Desert way back in the 1980’s. We’ve participated in landfill gas, refined coal and anaerobic digesters transactions as well. Foss and Company is a nationally recognized institutional investment management firm dedicated to providing corporate investors the greatest access to federal and state tax credit driven investments in the tax credit marketplace. Their services for solar developers include market pricing and transaction structuring, direct tax credit equity investments and private placement services. Additional information about the company is available at: fossandco.com
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