Who Should Hold Your Exchange Funds?
Every verified qualified intermediary in the US on one map — what each firm publicly discloses about custody, bonding, and insurance, plus your state's QI law. Because for the 180 days of your exchange, this company holds every dollar of your equity.
Want a shortlist for your exchange? Tell us your closing date and state and we'll send three intermediaries matched to your deal — with the safety questions to ask each one. Free, no obligation.
Directory information is compiled from each firm's public disclosures and reputable directories, current as of the date shown on each profile. “Not published” means the firm does not disclose that item publicly — it does not mean the protection is absent; confirm directly. Tier badges reflect our published disclosure-based methodology, are opinions, and are not a guarantee of any firm's performance or solvency. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or compensated by any listed firm. Corrections: hello@1031deferred.com.
$700 million disappeared before the rules changed
Between 2007 and 2008, four intermediary collapses — LandAmerica, the Okun 1031 Tax Group, Southwest Exchange, and Summit Accommodators — froze or destroyed roughly $700 million of client exchange funds. Every one was a custody failure: money commingled, invested, or quietly lent instead of sitting in segregated accounts. In the LandAmerica bankruptcy, the roughly 50 clients whose funds were in segregated accounts recovered quickly and fully; the 400 whose funds were commingled became unsecured creditors for years.
Congress never acted. Today, only nine states regulate intermediaries at all — in the other 41, anyone can hold your million dollars. That is why this directory leads with custody structure, bonding, and insurance rather than star ratings, and why “not published” appears so often: most firms simply don't disclose. Ask them to. The good ones will put it in writing.
Badges reward disclosure, not size
Tier B means a firm publicly discloses a strong safety profile — custody structure, bond and insurance amounts, or published fees that let you verify before you commit. Tier A is currently unawarded: no US intermediary yet publishes enough for full marks, which tells you something about the industry. Tier C means limited public disclosure — not that a firm is unsafe, but that you'll need to ask for specifics directly. Firms can raise their tier at any time by disclosing more; corrections and updated documentation are welcome at hello@1031deferred.com. Badges are our opinion from each firm's public statements as of the date on its profile, applied identically to every firm. No firm pays to be listed, and none can pay to change a badge.
The four questions that matter more than any badge
1) Is my money in a segregated account under my name and tax ID — and is it a qualified escrow or trust that requires my signature to move? 2) What is your fidelity bond, in writing, and does it exceed my exchange balance? 3) What is your E&O coverage? 4) What is your wire-verification procedure? A firm that answers all four in writing is ahead of most of this industry.
Run your numbers first
Your intermediary choice sets who holds the money — the 1031 exchange calculator sets how much is at stake: what selling costs in tax, what exchanging defers, and your exact 45/180-day deadlines. Five minutes, no email required.