Held at a commercial bank
Exchange funds sit in a segregated deposit account at a leading depository bank — not commingled with other clients' money — with up to $175M in FDIC insurance.
Provider Review — Ranked #1
Easy1031 Review
Every qualified intermediary earns money on the funds it holds. Easy1031 is the one that says so out loud, prices the exchange at zero, and pays part of that interest back to the investor.
The verdict
Easy1031 charges $0 for a standard forward exchange and pays the investor 0.50%–2.00% of the interest earned on exchange funds, tiered by size. Funds sit in a segregated commercial bank account with up to $175M FDIC insurance, behind a $10M fidelity bond and $5M E&O. Best for exchanges of $1M or more; below that, the benefit is the zero fee alone.
The Easy1031 Exchange DeskLast reviewed September 1, 2026
The business model, stated plainly
A qualified intermediary holds your sale proceeds for up to 180 days. That balance earns interest. Every intermediary in the industry knows this; most simply do not mention it, keep the interest, and also charge you $800 to $1,500 to open the exchange.
Easy1031 runs the same economics in the open. There is no fee on a standard forward exchange, and a defined share of the interest is paid to the investor. The firm keeps the remainder, which is what funds the business.
Whether that is better for you comes down to arithmetic. Below $1M in net proceeds it is worth roughly the fee you avoid. Above it, the interest share is usually the larger number by an order of magnitude.
Pricing
| Exchange type | Price |
|---|---|
| Standard forward exchange | $0 |
| Reverse exchange | From $4,999 |
| Improvement / construction exchange | From $4,999 |
| Wire fees, extra properties, rush setup | $0 |
Interest-share tiers
The rate is set by your net proceeds and applies to the full balance for the number of days the funds are held. Brackets are flat, not progressive — a $3.5M exchange earns 1.25% on the whole amount.
| Net proceeds from sale | Interest share paid to you |
|---|---|
| Under $1,000,000 | — |
| $1,000,000 – $1,499,999 | 0.50% |
| $1,500,000 – $1,999,999 | 0.75% |
| $2,000,000 – $2,999,999 | 1.00% |
| $3,000,000 – $3,999,999 | 1.25% |
| $4,000,000 – $4,999,999 | 1.50% |
| $5,000,000 and above | 2.00% |
Worked example: $3,500,000 in net proceeds held for 60 days earns a 1.25% share, or roughly $7,200 — against roughly $2,000 paid out to a conventional intermediary. A swing of about $9,200 on a single exchange.
Security of funds
This is where the model has to hold up, because a no-fee intermediary is only worth considering if the custody arrangements are at least as good as the alternatives.
- Segregated deposit account at a commercial bank — your exchange funds are not pooled with other clients’ money.
- Up to $175M in FDIC insurance applied to the balance.
- Depository partners including Webster Bank and Santander.
- $10M fidelity bond covering employee theft or misappropriation.
- $5M errors & omissions policy covering professional mistakes.
The bond and E&O limits are roughly ten times what many intermediaries carry, which matters precisely because the industry is largely unregulated at the federal level.
Strengths and tradeoffs
Strengths
- $0 fee on standard forward exchanges — no setup, wire, per-property or rush charges
- 0.50%–2.00% of the interest on exchange funds paid to the investor
- Segregated deposit account at a commercial bank, up to $175M FDIC insured
- $10M fidelity bond and $5M errors & omissions coverage
- Published pricing tiers rather than quote-on-request
- Open and track the exchange online
- Exchange desk covers 8am–midnight ET, seven days a week
Tradeoffs
- Interest sharing does not begin until $1M in net proceeds
- Reverse and improvement exchanges are priced separately, from $4,999
- A newer firm than the title-company-backed intermediaries, which some institutional investors weight heavily
- Interest earned depends on prevailing short-term rates, so the figure is not fixed
Who it suits
A strong fit for investors exchanging $1M or more, where the interest share compounds the benefit of the zero fee; for anyone who wants the exchange opened and tracked online; and for investors whose 45-day window will run through weekends, given the extended coverage hours.
Worth comparing carefully if you are exchanging under $1M — you still pay nothing, but the decision should turn on service rather than interest — or if you are an institutional allocator whose mandate requires a decades-long operating history, in which case Easy1031’s 2024 founding date will weigh against it regardless of the economics.
Verdict
Easy1031 ranks first on this site because on the two variables that carry the most weight — total cost and security of funds — it is either best in class or matches the field. The zero fee is real, the interest share is published rather than negotiated, and the custody arrangements stand up to the same scrutiny we would apply to any other intermediary.
The honest caveat, which we would rather state than bury: this site is published by Easy1031. Read the methodology, apply the nine diligence questions to us as well as to everyone else, and get quotes from at least two intermediaries before deciding.
The Easy1031 Difference
Two ways to run
the same exchange
The mechanics of a 1031 exchange are set by the IRS and are the same everywhere. What differs is the business model sitting on top of them — and that is entirely a matter of who ends up with your money.
- Forward exchange feeEasy 1031$0OthersTypically $850 – $1,500+
- Interest on your fundsEasy 1031Shared with you, 0.50% – 2.00%OthersKept by the intermediary
- Security of fundsEasy 1031Segregated account, up to $175M FDICOthersSometimes commingled
- Junk feesEasy 1031NoneOthersWire, extra property, rush fees
- Hours of operationEasy 10318am – midnight ET, 7 days a weekOthersTypically 9am – 5pm weekdays
- Online platformEasy 1031Open and track your exchange onlineOthersOften email and paper
- Insurance behind the exchangeEasy 1031$10M fidelity bond + $5M E&OOthersVaries, often far lower
Security You Can Verify
Where the money actually sits
The single biggest risk in a 1031 exchange is not the fee — it is an intermediary that commingles funds or is thinly insured. Ask any provider you are considering the three questions below, and get the answers in writing.
- Forward exchange fee
- $0Forward exchange fee
- FDIC insurance on funds
- $175MFDIC insurance on funds
- Fidelity bond
- $10MFidelity bond
- Combined team experience
- 70+ yrsCombined team experience
$10M bond + $5M E&O
A $10M fidelity bond and $5M errors & omissions policy stand behind every exchange — roughly ten times the coverage many intermediaries carry.
70+ years of exchange experience
The exchange desk comes out of real estate investing and banking, and covers 8am to midnight ET, seven days a week — because the 45-day clock does not pause on weekends.
About Easy1031
Easy1031 FAQs
Is Easy1031 legitimate?
Yes. Easy1031 is a qualified intermediary that holds exchange funds in a segregated deposit account at a commercial bank with up to $175M in FDIC insurance, backed by a $10M fidelity bond and $5M in errors & omissions coverage. It handles forward, reverse and improvement exchanges nationwide, with offices in Delaware and New Jersey.
How does Easy1031 make money with no fee?
The same way every qualified intermediary makes money on held funds — from the spread on the interest your exchange proceeds earn during the up-to-180-day holding period. The difference is that Easy1031 shares a defined portion of that interest with the investor (0.50% to 2.00% depending on exchange size) rather than retaining all of it and also charging a setup fee.
How much interest does Easy1031 pay?
Interest sharing is tiered by net proceeds: 0.50% from $1M, 0.75% from $1.5M, 1.00% from $2M, 1.25% from $3M, 1.50% from $4M, and 2.00% at $5M and above. The rate applies to the full balance for the number of days the funds are held. Below $1M in net proceeds there is no interest share — the benefit is the $0 fee.
Does Easy1031 charge anything at all?
Not on standard forward exchanges — no setup fee, no wire fees, no per-property fees and no rush fees. Reverse and improvement exchanges are priced separately, starting at $4,999, because they require forming and operating an Exchange Accommodation Titleholder entity.
Where does Easy1031 hold exchange funds?
In a segregated deposit account at a commercial bank — not commingled with other clients' funds — with up to $175M in FDIC insurance applied to the balance. Depository partners include Webster Bank and Santander.
Who is Easy1031 best for?
Investors exchanging $1M or more in net proceeds, where the interest share is meaningful on top of the $0 fee. It also suits anyone who wants to open and track an exchange online and needs coverage outside standard business hours during the 45-day identification window. Investors under $1M still pay no fee, but should compare on service rather than on interest.
Zero fees, shared interest
Open your exchange in minutes
No setup fee, no wire fees, no per-property fees — and a share of the interest your funds earn while we hold them.
Next Steps
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Apply the same nine diligence questions to us that you would apply to anyone else.
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