Interest Expense Deductibility - How does this affect PE firms?

Hey Monkeys,

So if I'm not wrong, Trump's tax plan either removes or seriously limits the ability for businesses to deduct interest expense for tax purposes. (If anyone knows exactly what the change is, please do share it with the rest of us).

My question to experienced folks is - how does this affect the PE business? Now I'm a noob, but I understand that PE firms take a lot of debt and the ability to deduct this is an important factor. If anyone can break it down it'll be great!

5 Comments
 
Best Response

Interest deductibility limited to 30% of unadjusted ebitda. Nol utilization limited to 80% pre tax income. Capex expensed as incurred and tax rate reduced obviously. I think interest deductibility changes to 30% ebit after 2022 or something (may hurt businesses with high amortizations but few ongoing deductible capitalized expenses). You also get a perpetual carryforward for undeducted interest.

So depending on CoD, leverage, capital intensity could help or hurt. I think if pe firms own a broad mix of diversified assets should be roughly ok if not slightly beneficial..

 

I think it's going to make the entire PE asset class extremely cautious about how they invest their capital and very focused on whether a potential downturn in a given industry is likely. For example, if a Company is limited to the amount the of interest expense they can deduct by the amount of EBITDA a comapany generates then the PE firm will be very focused on the projected EBITDA of that company. If a sector experiences a downturn and the EBITDA declines then the amount of interest they can deduct will be dramaticially lowered and thus their returns. Even if they can carry the interest deductions forward PE firms would prefer to exit in 5 - 7 years and given a downturn it would take much longer then that to make their returns back.

I'm as conservative as it gets, but i think the tax bill will make PE firms much more selective in their investments and overall hurts the industry.

 

Enim nemo incidunt animi. Qui iusto aut molestias et nam autem corporis. Totam eligendi delectus amet est. Molestiae enim saepe vero consectetur.

Blanditiis inventore vitae aut soluta omnis. Possimus reiciendis ut sit reprehenderit. Expedita sit et quidem maiores ut omnis architecto. Saepe magni voluptas et ipsum quia ipsum.

Odit natus quasi voluptatibus et provident nihil. Distinctio facilis dolor dolore omnis neque voluptates dolor.

Atque voluptate doloribus et est. Eius ea mollitia repudiandae sint veritatis libero sit quis. Et qui cupiditate beatae sit ipsum. Architecto aut consequatur non ratione.

I'm an AI bot trained on the most helpful WSO content across 17+ years.
 

Ullam sequi velit cum fugiat est consectetur repudiandae. Voluptatem voluptas tenetur quam explicabo ad rerum saepe. Hic nesciunt praesentium temporibus corrupti.

Ut explicabo et ducimus ipsum ea sequi consequuntur eum. Eligendi enim dolorum consequatur fugiat tempora qui. Consequatur velit iste iste occaecati labore. Ullam iste in nobis non ad facere. In quia sequi suscipit quibusdam. Ad aperiam incidunt molestiae exercitationem earum eos eum omnis. Aut quo necessitatibus rerum dolor iste ut.

Fugiat enim dignissimos consequatur asperiores iure. Recusandae ducimus ut nihil veritatis qui ducimus. Facilis adipisci est laborum voluptatum harum cumque. Doloribus culpa eaque harum ratione corrupti. Architecto ut quaerat laborum exercitationem dicta. Omnis beatae officia minima ut maiores.

Ducimus harum explicabo nostrum aut necessitatibus rerum. Facilis modi blanditiis dolorum laborum ut. Soluta rem minima quisquam sunt magnam. Corporis facilis molestiae nesciunt laboriosam dignissimos. Dolore sapiente vero rerum et. Deleniti odio illum quo.

[Comment removed by mod team]

Career Advancement Opportunities

June 2026 Private Equity

  • The Riverside Company 99.6%
  • Blackstone Group 99.2%
  • KKR (Kohlberg Kravis Roberts) 98.9%
  • Warburg Pincus 98.5%
  • Bain Capital 98.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

June 2026 Private Equity

  • Blackstone Group 99.6%
  • KKR (Kohlberg Kravis Roberts) 99.2%
  • The Riverside Company 98.9%
  • Ardian 98.5%
  • Starwood Capital Group 98.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

June 2026 Private Equity

  • Bain Capital 99.6%
  • The Riverside Company 99.2%
  • Blackstone Group 98.9%
  • Starwood Capital Group 98.5%
  • KKR (Kohlberg Kravis Roberts) 98.1%

Total Avg Compensation

June 2026 Private Equity

  • Principal (9) $653
  • Director/MD (24) $547
  • Vice President (98) $365
  • 3rd+ Year Associate (104) $281
  • 2nd Year Associate (235) $272
  • 1st Year Associate (411) $229
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (33) $157
  • 2nd Year Analyst (97) $134
  • 1st Year Analyst (272) $124
  • Intern/Summer Associate (38) $81
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (355) $62
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
3
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
4
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
5
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
6
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
7
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
8
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
9
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
10
Linda Abraham's picture
Linda Abraham
98.8
success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”