A Qualified Intermediary, or QI, is an independent third party to the transaction whose function is to prepare the documents necessary to create the exchange, as well as to act as the independent escrow agent for the exchange funds.
Appraisals are an integral part of the 1031 exchange process as they provide an unbiased estimate of the property's value.
Your 1031 exchange must be reported by completing Form 8824 and filing it along with your federal income tax return. If you completed more than one exchange, a different form must be completed for each exchange. For line-by-line instructions on how to complete form, download the instructions here.
Your settlement agent is required to submit the 1099-S upon the completion of every sale and Form 8824 is your way of notifying the IRS that you did an exchange on that sale and may have deferred your tax liability.
While it may be tempting to ask your CPA to act as your Qualified Intermediary, a CPA cannot facilitate a 1031 exchange between investors. Under IRC Section 1031 guidelines, CPAs, attorneys, investment bankers, and real estate agents/brokers fall under the 'agent' category.
A 1031 exchange does not obviate the need for a realtor. Quite to the contrary, in most cases an Exchanger has an even greater need for a realtor due to the time constraints placed on Exchangers.
Section 1031 is part of federal law, so it applies to federal taxes, which are the same no matter what state you're in. You can perform a 1031 exchange between business or investment properties located anywhere in the United States, so long as they meet all other 1031 requirements.
What Is a Qualified Intermediary? Qualified Intermediary (QI) is someone a property seller selects to oversee the 1031 exchange process and its funds. They hold the funds from the previous property and use them to acquire the new replacement property to ensure compliance with IRS regulations.