🔄 Investment Action Playbook
1031 Exchange: Sell Without Paying Tax Today (45/180 Days)
Answer 5 questions to get a 5-category 1031 exchange checklist: what it is, the timeline rules, qualifying property, common pitfalls, and when to engage a Qualified Intermediary — the whole deal lives and dies on the calendar.
A 1031 exchange (IRC Section 1031) defers capital gains tax when you reinvest the net proceeds of an investment property into like-kind property — deferred, not eliminated. Two clocks rule everything: 45 days to identify replacement property after closing, 180 days to complete the purchase, and the proceeds must stay with a Qualified Intermediary (QI) the entire time.
- Both clocks start at the closing date; missing day 45 kills the exchange
- The QI must be in place before closing — you can't backfill
- Any cash taken out or debt reduced creates taxable boot