As you've figure out, there is no magic strategy to eliminate your tax bill.

Eliminate debt, establish a budget, and save.

I invested in many syndications myself, since 2009 and all have delivered less than promised or could not deliver and went belly up except one that has remained a steady performer for over 14 years now.

By eliminating the need for outside financing, we ensured a fast, smooth transaction.

these rulings over the last 10 years have eliminated much of the angst seen around the "hold for investment" issue mentioned above.  

I was able to eliminate that expense just by switching to baselane because I can do it myself now.

---The way my mind is thinking, this should be eliminated by paying off the mortgage with the WLI cash value policy loan.

I replaced the switches with dimmers, but even that didn't completely eliminate the problem.

Eliminate debt, establish a budget, and save.

This option minimizes taxes while allowing more flexibility to reinvest without 1031 restrictions.Option C: Sell Now Without the ExclusionSelling immediately means paying capital gains tax on the entire gain, including depreciation recapture, making this the least tax-efficient option.Additional Considerations:HELOC or Cash-Out Refi: If you want to keep the rental while accessing equity for your retirement home, consider a HELOC or cash-out refinance instead of selling.Estate Planning: If you hold the property until passing it to heirs, they receive a step-up in basis, eliminating capital gains taxes entirely.For tax efficiency, staying two more years allows you to partially exclude capital gains, while a 1031 exchange defers taxes if you plan to continue investing in rental properties.This post does not create a CPA-Client relationship.