What The REIT Head of Tax Compensation Report Addresses
It’s important to understand the research and investigation that went into this report on REIT Head of Tax Compensation. The genesis of this report originated after multiple discussions with lead tax executives about their annual compensation. During private compensation discussions with tax executives regarding a Head of Tax for a one-billion-dollar company, I continued to hear privately from tax executives that the Head of Tax salary offered was too low for the tax executive to even consider the tax executive opportunity.
There are several factors contributing to tax executive compensation today including pay transparency laws that we will discuss in this report. Moreover, it is important to address why highly qualified tax executives are turning away from Head of Tax opportunities due to compensation being offered by some REITs. As a result, we sought answers from REIT tax executives willing to speak with us directly.
In 1960, Congress created REITS to make investments in large-scale income producing real estate accessible to average investors through the purchase of equity. In the same way shareholders benefit by owning stocks of other corporations, the stockholders of a REIT earn a pro-rata share of the economic benefits that are derived from the production of income through real estate investment.
(Source: https://www.reit.com/what-reit/frequently-asked-questions-about-reits).
In this report, we will share with you how to properly compensate your Head of Tax in REIT according to current market trends. We will also share with you how informed corporate leaders are bringing back millions to the company’s balance sheet while improving the stock value for all investors. These are the benefits you gain only from access to a lead tax executive compensation report where we have spoken to all participants directly.
The ET Search 2026 Head of Tax Compensation Report began after recognizing the gap between what we discovered a REIT lead tax executives is making and what is being published on surveys distributed throughout the REIT tax executive profession. We identified a stunning discovery when we realized not one lead tax executive we spoke to privately has ever been contacted directly by anyone publishing a tax salary survey for a REIT Head of Tax. This fact surprised us and led to the importance of discovering the truth from lead tax executives interviewed privately.
After contacting more than 258 REIT lead tax executives’ multiple times (6-7 times) during February, March, April, May and June 2026 only 55 REIT lead tax executives were willing to communicate with me privately about their annual compensation. The response was good as it crossed a wide section of REITS located throughout the United States. Obviously, I would like to have all REIT lead tax executives’ salary information, but some REITS outsource to Partners in public accounting firms who make more in an annual wage. No public accounting Partner compensation is included in this study even though they make more based on conversations with them. I am very happy with all the data and information collected directly from REIT tax executives because this information provides a strong heartbeat about what is happening in the REIT tax executive compensation.
However, what I am currently unable to figure out is how REIT lead executive tax salary information was even collected since the 55 REIT lead tax executives who spoke with me privately had never ever spoken to anyone (prior to their conversation with me) about their annual Base, Salary, Bonuses and incentives.
What are the odds that every Head of Tax we spoke to directly during our 2026 REIT Head of Tax Compensation survey were not previously contacted by anyone other survey? It is an interesting question that continues to make the information collected and analyzed more valuable than any other REIT Head of Tax survey published. All the data provided in this survey was obtained directly from Head of Tax participants. Can other publishers of tax executive compensation surveys say the same? That is the question you need to ask yourself as I have not found one yet.
What sets this REIT tax executive compensation study apart from others is in the data and information we obtained, we spoke with every tax executive survey participant directly.
While conducting lead tax executive compensation research during 1st and 2nd quarter of 2026, we identified important information supporting Head of Tax Compensation. The types of REITs surveyed included: diversified, commercial office, digital infrastructure, healthcare, hotel and resorts, industrial, mortgage, shopping centers, logistics, nursing facilities, real estate, residential, retail, commercial property, property management, specialized, and more. We interviewed lead tax executives with 300M to 10B annual revenue organizations in multiple REIT categories. Each of these REITS draw from the same pool of tax executive talent when hiring a Head of Tax. When hiring from the REIT talent pool we spoke with tax executives with a minimum of 15 years’ technical tax expertise in a publicly held REIT, a privately held REIT, and US tax and/or international tax expertise. Other important matters to consider are the reporting relationships in the organization.
One of the most important factors to consider when hiring a Head of Tax is the reporting relationship to the CFO. It is important for the CFO to report directly to the Head of Tax in the organization. Close reporting relationships between a CFO and Head of Tax are always value added to an organization. Many CFOs have come to me privately over thirty years and have asked me one of two things: 1. Can you introduce me to a tax executive who can explain tax in a language I can understand?; and 2. I made a mistake not consulting with my Head of Tax upfront on the tax implications of this transaction. I lost them in the process and now need to find someone who can figure out the best strategy.
The REIT Head Of Tax (HOT) Titles
We realize the benefit of learning the titles listed for a Head of Tax in REIT tax organizations. We provide the titles below to educate you on your REIT lead tax executive title options.
SVP Tax
Senior VP Tax
SVP Tax And Treasury
SVP Tax, Tax Counsel
SVP Tax And Finance
SVP Corporate Tax And Treasury
SVP Global Tax
SVP Global Tax Accounting And Reporting
SVP, Global Tax Leader
SVP Global Tax And Treasury
SVP Tax & Financial Reporting
SVP Tax And Real Estate
SVP National Tax And Real Estate Operations
SVP, US Tax And Investments
SVP, Tax And Incentives
SVP, Tax Controller
SVP, Global Tax And Operations
SVP, Tax Technology And Tax Compliance
Staff VP Tax
AVP Tax
AVP Tax, Chief Tax Counsel
EVP Tax And Treasury
EVP, Tax Director
Executive Tax Officer
Chief Tax Officer
Chief Tax Officer, Global Tax
Chief Tax Officer, General Counsel
Executive Director, Global Tax
Executive Director, Head of Tax
Executive Vice President, Chief Tax Officer
Executive Tax Director
Executive Vice President, Tax Director
First Vice President, Chief Tax Officer
Global Head of Tax
Global Head of Tax And Insurance
Tax Officer
Tax Director
Associate Director, Global Income Tax
Controller, Director Finance & Accounting
Corporate Tax Director
Corporate Tax Manager
Director, Accounting, Tax And Customs
Director, Tax
Director of Taxes
Director, Corporate Tax
Director, Corporate Taxation
Director, Global Head of Tax
Director, Global Head of Taxation
Director, Global Tax & Treasury
Director, Taxation And Finance
Director, Tax & Customs
Director, Taxation And CFO
Director, Taxes
Director Tax & Finance
Director, Tax, Financial Planning
Director, Tax Planning & Treasury
Director, Tax Reporting
Global Head of Tax, VP Finance
Head of Tax (HOT)
Head of Corporate Tax
Head of Tax, Americas
Head of Tax, North America
Head of Tax – EMEA
Head of Tax, Global Tax Leader
Head of Global Tax (HOT)
Head of Global Tax, Credits And Incentives
Head of Tax & Tax Policy
Head of Tax & Treasury
Head of Tax, Managing Director US Tax
Head of Tax, Tax Director
Head of Tax, Senior Global Finance Director
Head of Worldwide Tax
Managing Tax Director
Senior Director, Tax
Senior Director, Global Head of Tax
Senior Director, Global Tax Operations
Senior Director, Global Tax Strategy
Senior Director, Corporate Tax
Senior Director, Global Tax
Senior Director, Tax And Trade
Senior Director, Tax and Risk Management
Senior Director, Tax And Treasury
Tax Controller
VP Tax And Trade
VP Tax And Treasury
VP Tax, Treasurer
VP, Chief Tax Officer
VP Global Tax
VP Global Taxation
VP Global Head of Tax And Statutory
Vice President – Global Tax Compliance
Vice President – Global Tax
Vice President – Global Taxation
Vice President – Global Head of Tax
Vice President – Chief Tax Officer
Vice President – Tax And Trade
Vice President – Tax And Treasury
Vice President – Tax And Treasury Operations
Vice President – Global Tax And Treasury
Vice President – Corporate Tax
Vice President – Head of Worldwide Tax
Vice President – Senior Tax Counsel
Vice President – Chief Tax Counsel
Vice President – General Tax Counsel
Vice President Finance And Global Tax
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