As used in this division, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

(a) “Client” means the taxpayer with whom the exchange facilitator enters into an agreement described in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (b).

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(b) (1) “Exchange facilitator” means a person that does any of the following:

(A) Facilitates, for a fee, as defined in subdivision (c), an exchange of like-kind property by entering into an agreement with a taxpayer by which the exchange facilitator acquires from the taxpayer the contractual rights to sell the taxpayer’s relinquished property located in this state and transfers a replacement property to the taxpayer as a qualified intermediary as that term is defined under Treasury Regulation Section 1.1031(k)-1(g)(4), or enters into an agreement with the taxpayer to take title to a property in this state as an exchange accommodation titleholder (EAT) as that term is defined in Internal Revenue Service Revenue Procedure 2000-37, or enters into an agreement with a taxpayer to act as a qualified trustee or qualified escrow holder as those terms are defined under Treasury Regulation Section 1.1031(k)-1(g)(3), except as provided in paragraph (2).

(B) Maintains an office in this state for the purpose of soliciting business as an exchange facilitator.

(C) Holds himself, herself, or itself out as an exchange facilitator by advertising any of the services listed in paragraph (A) or soliciting clients in printed publications, direct mail, television or radio advertisements, telephone calls, facsimile transmissions, or other electronic communications directed to the general public in this state for purposes of providing any of those services.

(2) “Exchange facilitator” does not include any of the following:

(A) A taxpayer or a disqualified person, as that term is defined under Treasury Regulation Section 1.1031(k)-1(k), seeking to qualify for the nonrecognition provisions of Section 1031 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

(B) A financial institution that is acting as a depository for exchange funds or that is acting solely as a qualified escrow holder or qualified trustee, as those terms are defined under Treasury Regulation Section 1.1031(k)-1(g)(3), and that is not facilitating exchanges.

(C) A title insurance company, underwritten title company, or escrow company that is acting solely as a qualified escrow holder or qualified trustee, as those terms are defined under Treasury Regulation Section 1.1031(k)-1(g)(3), and that is not facilitating exchanges.

(D) A person that advertises for and teaches seminars or classes, or otherwise makes a presentation, to attorneys, accountants, real estate professionals, tax professionals, or other professionals, when the primary purpose is to teach the professionals about tax-deferred exchanges or to train them to act as exchange facilitators.

(E) A qualified intermediary, as that term is defined under Treasury Regulation 1.1031(k)-1(g)(4), who holds exchange funds from the disposition of relinquished property located outside this state.

(F) An entity in which an exchange accommodation titleholder (EAT) has a 100 percent interest and which is used by the EAT to take title to property in this state.

(c) “Fee” means compensation of any nature, direct or indirect, monetary or in-kind, that is received by a person or related person as defined in Section 267(b) or 707(b) of the Internal Revenue Code for any services relating to or incidental to the exchange of like-kind property.

(d) “Financial institution” means a bank, credit union, savings and loan association, savings bank, or trust company chartered under the laws of this state or the United States whose accounts are insured by the full faith and credit of the United States, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund, or other similar or successor programs.

(e) A person is “affiliated” with another specified person if the person directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls, or is controlled by, or is under common control with the other specified person.

(f) “Person” means an individual, a corporation, a partnership, a limited liability company, a joint venture, an association, a joint stock company, a trust, or any other form of a legal entity, and includes the agents and employees of that person.

(g) “Prudent investor standard” means the prudent investor rule described in Article 2.5 (commencing with Section 16045) of Chapter 1 of Part 4 of Division 9 of the Probate Code.

(Added by Stats. 2008, Ch. 708, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 2009.)