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 IRC Section 1031 Like-Kind Exchange
Benefits of having DST GLOBUS Statutory Trust as your Qualified Intermediary
In order to assist you, along with your tax advisor, when selecting a Qualified Intermediary, please see QI Scorecard: Six questions a tax advisor should ask.
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.
DST GLOBUS Statutory Trust, 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.
Who is the Qualified Intermediary (QI)?
Segregated exchange proceeds or commingled funds?
Does bonding create security of funds?
What events could affect the exchange?
Is there oversight of the QI industry?
What are the risks and obligations of the tax advisor for a bad referral?
All property classified as real property under state law is “like-kind” to all other real property, including land, apartments, office buildings, retail space, and others.
How DST GLOBUS Statutory Trust works as your Qualified Intermediary
Security of 1031 proceeds. For each exchange, DST GLOBUS Statutory Trust acts as your Qualified Intermediary, an independent third-party, and deposits the exchange proceeds in a segregated DST GLOBUS Statutory Trust trust account.
Our QI services:
How DST GLOBUS Statutory Trust works as your Qualified Trustee
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.
Deferred and reverse exchanges
DST GLOBUS Statutory Trust 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.
DST GLOBUS Statutory Trust 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.
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, DST GLOBUS Statutory Trust 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:
How to facilitate a deferred 1031 exchange with DST GLOBUS Statutory Trust as the Qualified Intermediary:
To assist you in understanding the concepts of 1031 Like-Kind Exchange, here is a glossary of the terms used in exchanging.
Basis. This is the starting point for determining the gain/loss in the transaction. Generally, basis is the cost of the relinquished property.
Boot. In an exchange of real property, boot is any consideration received by the exchangor other than real property. There are two kinds of boot:
Buyer. The party that acquires the relinquished property from the exchangor.
Capital gain. Generally speaking, this is the difference between the sales price of the relinquished property less selling expenses and the adjusted basis of the property.
Constructive receipt. The critical question in a deferred exchange is whether the exchangor has control over the proceeds during the exchange period. During the exchange period, the exchangor’s control or access to the exchange proceeds must be substantially limited and restricted to avoid having the exchange disallowed by the IRS.
Deferral. The tax on an exchange transaction is not paid at the time of the transaction. Rather, it is paid at the time the replacement property is ultimately sold. Deferral is accomplished by carrying over the basis of the exchangor’s relinquished property to the replacement property, making any necessary adjustments for additional consideration paid.
Direct deeding. Commonly used to pass property from the exchangor to the buyer and then from the seller to the exchangor. At the direction of the Qualified Intermediary, title passes directly to the ultimate owners without the Qualified Intermediary being in the chain of title.
Exchange period. The period during which the exchangor must acquire replacement property in the exchange. The exchange period begins on the date the exchangor transfers the first relinquished property and ends on the earlier of the 180th day thereafter or the due date (including extensions) of the exchangor’s tax return for the year of the transfer of the relinquished property.
Exchangor. Same as taxpayer.
IRC 1031. The section of the Internal Revenue Code that specifies the terms and conditions under which the exchangor may exchange certain types of property without recognition of capital gain taxes.
Identification period. The period during which the exchangor must identify replacement property in the exchange. The identification period starts on the day the exchangor transfers the first relinquished property and ends at midnight on the 45th day thereafter.
Like-kind property. This term refers to the nature or character of the property, not its grade or quality. Generally, real property is “like-kind” to all other real property as long as the properties are held for investment or productive use in a trade or business.
Qualified Intermediary. The Qualified Intermediary is one of the safe harbors created by the IRC regulations, also called the “QI.” The QI acts on behalf of the exchangor as a facilitator of the 1031 exchange. The QI must be an independent third party and is designated by the exchangor to receive the proceeds from the sale of the exchangor’s relinquished property. In effect, the QI sells the relinquished property and uses the proceeds to purchase the replacement property.
Qualified property. Any like-kind property. Examples of properties that are not 1031 eligible include: stocks, bonds, personal residences, LLC interests or stock in trade or inventory.
Relinquished property. The property that the exchangor owns at the beginning of the exchange. This is the property the exchangor wishes to dispose of in the exchange.
Replacement property. This is the property the exchangor intends to acquire in the exchange and the property with which the exchangor ends the exchange.
Reverse exchange. A reverse exchange occurs when the exchangor closes on the replacement property prior to closing on the relinquished property.
Seller. The party that owns the replacement property which the exchangor wishes to acquire.
Taxpayer. The party that is performing the exchange and will receive the deferral on the sale of property.
DST GLOBUS STATUTORY TRUST DOES NOT PROVIDE TAX OR LEGAL ADVICE NOR CAN WE MAKE ANY REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES REGARDING THE TAX CONSEQUENCES OF YOUR EXCHANGE TRANSACTION. Property owners must consult their own tax and legal advisors. Our role is limited to serving as Qualified Intermediary to facilitate your exchange. The summaries of steps for qualified exchanges are for illustration purposes only and are not intended to be exhaustive and will vary depending on the complexity of the transaction.
DST GLOBUS is:
The DST GLOBUS STATUTORY TRUST and its Affiliates do not provide tax or legal advice. This communication cannot be relied upon to avoid tax penalties. Please consult your tax and legal advisors to determine how this information may apply to your own situation. Whether any planned tax result is realized by you depends on the specific facts of your own situation at the time your tax return is filed.
LOS ANGELES OFFICE
333 S. Grand Ave Suite 3590
Los Angeles, Ca 90071
Phone: (213) 395-0063
CONNECTICUT OFFICE
52 Lower Bartlett Road
Waterford, CT 06375
Phone: (860) 822-5794
Email: [email protected]