09/10/2026
Most investors assume the qualified intermediary (QI) holding their 1031 exchange funds is licensed and regulated. It isn't a safe assumption to make. The QI industry has no federal oversight, and only a handful of states impose even minimal requirements - meaning the entity holding a significant portion of your net worth during an exchange may face zero independent scrutiny of how it manages your money. Qualified intermediaries are not licensed, not regulated, and not audited, unless they choose to be. History shows what can go wrong: the collapse of The 1031 Tax Group and LandAmerica 1031 Exchange Services each left investors as unsecured creditors, facing lost principal and unexpected tax bills, because their exchange funds were never held in a true trust. Choosing a QI structured as a regulated trust company or bank - subject to unannounced exams, independent audits, and strict fund-segregation rules - is the single most important safeguard an investor can put in place. There are huge risks of working with an unregulated qualified intermediary.
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