Best 1031 Exchange Companies in 2026: 9 Firms Compared
Nine 1031 exchange companies, side by side, using only what each firm says about itself on its own website. This is not a ranking: there are no scores and no awards, and the author of this page is not on the list.
I work on 1031 exchanges, so I have an interest in which firm you choose. For that reason I do not list or rank myself here. My own disclosure is in the box after the list.
How this list was made, and what it does not check
What we checked. We read each firm's own website on October 30, 2026 and recorded what it says about its location, years in business, ownership, credentials, how client funds are held, and any fidelity bond or errors-and-omissions (E&O) amounts it publishes. Where a figure is the firm's own claim, the entry says so. “Not stated” means we did not find it on the pages we read, not that the firm lacks it.
What we did not check. State licensing or registration, bond and insurance certificates, the FEA's credential directory for named individuals, pricing, response times, client reviews, and court or regulator records. Ask the firm for those directly, in writing.
Order. The national firms that publish the largest bonds and exchange counts are listed first. The order is not a score. One firm's website could not be read when we checked; it is listed by name only.
The nine firms at a glance
This is not a ranking. Each row summarizes the firm's own site as read on October 30, 2026.
| Firm | Based / ownership (firm's site) | Funds and coverage (firm's site) |
|---|---|---|
| IPX1031 | A Fidelity National Financial company; serves all US states | $100 million fidelity bond; $30 million E&O |
| Asset Preservation, Inc. | Established 1990; a Stewart subsidiary | Non-commingled accounts; fidelity bond and E&O (amounts not stated) |
| Legal 1031 Exchange Services | Since 2007; part of CRC Group; attorney-led | Separate segregated escrow account per exchanger; bond and E&O proof on request |
| Universal Pacific 1031 | Los Angeles, California; since 1990; CPA-led | Segregated bank custody; $2 million E&O |
| Accruit | Denver, Colorado; affiliated with Inspira Financial | Not stated on the pages read |
| CPEC1031, LLC | Minneapolis, Minnesota; founded 1998; attorney-led | $1,000,000 fidelity bond |
| 1031 Pros (my1031pros.com) | Rancho Murieta, California, with an office in Provo, Utah | FDIC-insured individual account (firm's statement) |
| Equity 1031 Exchange | 25+ years in business; nationwide | Not stated on the pages read |
| First American Exchange Company | Details not verified as of Oct 30, 2026 | Details not verified as of Oct 30, 2026 |
Firm by firm
IPX1031
IPX1031, a Fidelity National Financial company, describes itself as “the nation's largest Qualified Intermediary” and says it has served exchangers for over three decades. It publishes a $100 million fidelity bond and a $30 million E&O policy, and says its team includes Certified Exchange Specialists® and attorneys. Source: ipx1031.com, read October 30, 2026.
Ask: who your named contact will be during the 45-day identification period, and how the firm holds your funds.
Asset Preservation, Inc.
Asset Preservation, Inc. says it was established in 1990, reports more than 200,000 real and personal property exchanges, and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Stewart Information Services. It states it keeps non-commingled accounts, carries a fidelity bond and E&O coverage, and has Certified Exchange Specialists® on staff; Stewart issues a Letter of Assurance on request. Source: apiexchange.com, read October 30, 2026.
Ask: the current bond and E&O amounts, and who keeps the interest earned on your exchange funds.
Legal 1031 Exchange Services
Legal 1031 says it has provided national qualified intermediary services since 2007. It is a division of Kensington Vanguard National Land Services, now part of CRC Group, and is led by its president, Todd R. Pajonas, Esq. It states that each exchanger's funds sit in a separate segregated escrow account and that proof of its fidelity bond and E&O is sent on request. Source: legal1031.com, read October 30, 2026.
Ask: for the bond and E&O certificates, and whether an attorney will review your exchange's legal questions.
Universal Pacific 1031
Universal Pacific 1031 describes itself as a national qualified intermediary since 1990, headquartered in Los Angeles, California, and CPA-led (Michael Bergman, CPA). It publishes $2 million of E&O insurance and states that funds are held in segregated bank custody. Source: universalpacific1031.com, read October 30, 2026.
Ask: whether a fidelity bond is in place and for how much.
Accruit
Accruit is based in Denver, Colorado, cites 26 years of 1031 exchange work, and offers a 1031 platform with an embedded qualified intermediary. It reports supporting more than $39 billion in real estate transactions (the firm's own figure) and is affiliated with Inspira Financial. Source: accruit.com, read October 30, 2026.
Ask: how client funds are held, and the bond and E&O amounts.
CPEC1031, LLC
CPEC1031 is based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, says it was founded in 1998, and is attorney-led; its principal is a member of the Minnesota State Bar. It publishes $1,000,000 of fidelity bond coverage and serves clients nationwide. Source: cpec1031.com, read October 30, 2026.
Ask: how client funds are held and whether E&O coverage is in place.
1031 Pros
1031 Pros (my1031pros.com) lists its main office in Rancho Murieta, California, with an office in Provo, Utah. It reports more than 20,000 audit-free exchanges (the firm's own figure) and states that funds are held in an FDIC-insured individual account. Not to be confused with 1031pros.com, which redirects to a different firm, Exchange Resource Group in Colorado. Source: my1031pros.com, read October 30, 2026.
Ask: the bond and E&O amounts, and how FDIC coverage limits apply to your balance.
Equity 1031 Exchange
Equity 1031 Exchange says it has been in business for 25+ years, with a Certified Exchange Specialist® on staff, and serves clients nationwide. Source: getequity1031.com, read October 30, 2026.
Ask: how client funds are held, and the bond and E&O amounts.
First American Exchange Company
Details not verified as of Oct 30, 2026: the firm's website could not be read when we checked, so nothing about it is summarized here. Read its own site and ask the same questions as for every other firm.
How to choose from this list
No firm here is right for every exchange. Three questions narrow the field to two or three to interview:
- How complex is your exchange? For a reverse, improvement, multi-property or partnership exchange, ask each firm how many of that type it handles and who personally runs them.
- How large is your exchange? Ask for the current fidelity bond and E&O certificates and compare the amounts with the money you will have on deposit.
- How much time do you have? Ask how long the firm needs to issue the exchange agreement and open your account before your sale closes.
Then ask the ten questions in the QI vetting framework, or work through the checklist for choosing a 1031 exchange company. The written answers tell you more than any list.
Frequently asked questions
Which 1031 exchange company is best?
None is best for every exchange. National firms such as IPX1031 and Asset Preservation publish the largest bonding figures and exchange counts on this list; smaller firms may offer a single named contact. Compare them on the questions in this guide and get the answers in writing.
How was this list put together?
We read each firm's own website on October 30, 2026 and recorded what it says about location, years in business, ownership, credentials, how client funds are held, and published bond or insurance amounts. “Not stated” means we did not find it on the pages we read, not that the firm lacks it. We did not check state licensing, bond certificates, the FEA credential directory, pricing, response times, reviews, or court and regulator records. There are no scores and the order is not a ranking.
Is this list biased?
The author, Leah Badach, CES, is a practitioner who works on 1031 exchanges, so she has an interest in how investors choose. That is why she is not listed or ranked here, and why the list reports only what each firm publishes about itself. On bonding, scale and brand recognition, the national firms on this list are ahead of a single practitioner.
Why isn't my qualified intermediary on this list?
This is not a complete list. Hundreds of firms offer 1031 exchange services, and leaving a firm out is not a judgment about it. Ask any intermediary the same questions: who holds the funds and in what kind of account, the current fidelity bond and E&O certificates, and who your named contact will be.
How can I check a firm myself?
Read the firm's own site, ask for its exchange agreement before funds move, ask for current bond and E&O certificates, and look up any named Certified Exchange Specialist in the FEA's public CES directory at 1031.org. If your state regulates exchange facilitators, ask how the firm complies.
How current is this list?
Each entry reflects the firm's own website as read on October 30, 2026. Firms change ownership, coverage and staff, so confirm everything with the firm before you sign.