
The Qualified Intermediary for your exchange
Under Section 1031 of the Internal Revenue Code (IRC), owners of business or investment properties, through the use of a Qualified Intermediary, can sell one property and purchase a similar or "like-kind" property while deferring capital gains. Capital gain taxes on the sale of the "relinquished" property are deferred until the replacement property is sold at a future date. Our team can act as both the Qualified Intermediary and Qualified Trustee in these transactions.
Benefits of having Computershare as your Qualified Intermediary
Overview of processes and services
Security of 1031 proceeds:
For each exchange, Computershare acts as your Qualified Intermediary, an independent third-party, and deposits the exchange proceeds in a segregated Computershare trust account.
Our QI services:
Prepare the 1031 exchange agreement, including assignments, notices, and all forms necessary to complete the exchange.
Provide examples of applicable language for inclusion in the relinquished property sales contract and/or the replacement property purchase contract.
Set up a unique exchange account for each transaction and deliver monthly account statements and annual 1099s.
Work closely with your legal and tax advisors to facilitate an exchange transaction that is structured in compliance with Section 1031.
We can also serve as trustee of your Qualified Trust, which is an additional safe harbor under Section 1031. We can hold the taxpayer's funds in a Qualified Trust so that in the event of bankruptcy, the creditors of the intermediary most likely cannot reach the funds.
Computershare acts as the Qualified Intermediary who receives and holds the exchange proceeds generated by the sale of the relinquished property. In a typical tax-deferred like-kind exchange, the taxpayer sells business or investment property and then acquires replacement property of equal or greater value within 180 days.
Computershare also assists taxpayers in what are commonly referred to as reverse exchanges. A reverse exchange involves a sequence opposite to that of a deferred exchange, where in most situations, the purchase of the replacement property must occur before the sale of the relinquished property. This transactional structure allows the taxpayer a high degree of flexibility in executing a Section 1031 exchange transaction.
In addition to providing 1031 exchange services, Computershare provides training for taxpayers and tax advisors interested in Section 1031 exchanges. We have presented nationally recognized continuing education seminars on Section 1031 like-kind exchanges.
The use of a Qualified Intermediary is the most common method to quickly and easily complete a valid tax-deferred exchange. As a Qualified Intermediary, Computershare typically holds funds during the course of deferred exchanges.
Under Section 1031, all real property (as defined by state law) is considered "like-kind" with other real property of the same nature or character. The property must be held for investment or productive use in a trade or business.
The following are examples of qualified “like-kind” real property exchanges:
Raw land for rental property
Single family rental for multi-family rental
Retail space for motel/hotel
Farms/ranch for golf course
30-year leasehold interest for fee simple interest
Non-income producing raw land for income-producing rental property
How to facilitate a deferred 1031 exchange with Computershare as the Qualified Intermediary:
- You sign a contract to sell an asset(s) to the buyer.
- Prior to the property closing, you retain Computershare to be the Qualified Intermediary.
- At the closing, the exchange funds are wired or a check is sent to Computershare.
- The taxpayer completes the Identification of Replacement Property exhibit and returns it to Computershare within the first 45 days after the transfer of the relinquished property.
- You have a maximum of 180 days from the transfer date of the relinquished property to acquire any and all replacement properties.
- At the closing of the property to be purchased, Computershare wires the exchange funds or sends a check to complete the exchange.
You and your advisors must give up complete control over the exchange funds and are reliant on the Qualified Intermediary’s promise to repay the full amount of the exchange proceeds.
Computershare, as the Qualified Intermediary, offers superior security for your transaction.
Below are six questions you and your tax advisor should ask before choosing a Qualified Intermediary.
QI Scorecard: Six questions a tax advisor should ask
Institutional or independent
Regulated or unregulated
Parent corporation or subsidiary
Segregated accounts: Are each taxpayer’s exchange proceeds held in an independent and segregated account with the bank or investment firm?
Commingled funds: Are the taxpayer’s funds pooled with other proceeds in a single account under the control of the intermediary?
Does the QI actually hold the funds in segregated accounts or merely provide a separate accounting of funds to each taxpayer?
What does the bond cover — is coverage limited only to criminal actions?
Who does the bond cover — are officers and principals excluded from coverage?
Who issued the bond — is there an assessment of the financial ability of the issuer?
What happens to the exchange proceeds if QI is sold?
What happens to the exchange proceeds if QI is incapacitated or dies?
What happens to the exchange proceeds if QI files bankruptcy?
What happens if QI is unable to meet financial obligations to taxpayers?
No comprehensive regulation of QI industry
No comprehensive licensing or ethical requirements to act as a QI
Industry trade associations do not provide authoritative oversight or enforcement
Reputation risk
Legal and financial liability
Due diligence obligations
Why Computershare?
Computershare Corporate Trust is an industry leader with US$6.6 trillion of debt under administration, US$257.7 billion in assets under administration and cross-border capabilities including US$1.5 trillion in funds movements across 75+ currencies in foreign exchange and distributions.
of debt under administration
in assets under administration
in funds movements
currencies in foreign exchange and distributions
*Data for the 12-months ending June 30, 2025. Debt under administration (DUA) includes all issues within the paying agency system of record. All totals are in US dollars. CA$ to US$ exchange rate 0.73493 on June 30, 2025.
Computershare does not provide legal or tax accounting services for its customers. Customers should always consult their own professional tax and legal advisors in connection with any effort to qualify a particular transaction for favorable treatment under applicable tax laws and regulations.
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