Edmund & Wheeler, Inc. is one of the nation’s premier Section 1031 consulting firms, and after 35 years of exchange experience, certainly one of the oldest. Section 1031 Exchanges have been our only business since the beginning. We have facilitated thousands of successful Exchanges, saving taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars in tax liability, and helping them to use the Government’s money to leverage their wealth. Our firm has survived through the ups & downs of several real estate cycles. During the “Great Recession” our staff switched to primarily education mode. Many of our clients during that time where those who still had significant tax liabilities regardless of the down market. Their strategy was typically in exchanging into vehicles for income generation and wealth preservation. So, for nearly a decade, one of our primary focuses is in assisting our clients with solid replacement strategies to achieve their overall goals using Section 1031. It continues to amaze us how Section 1031 is rarely talked about in terms of estate planning. We have assisted many clients in working with their other professionals to demonstrate how 1031 can leverage dollars that would have otherwise been paid to the IRS. The step-up in basis to heirs is truly one of the last great gifts offered up by the US Government. We provide consulting and support for professionals and clients before, during and after the Exchange, and have developed formal training classes for real estate professionals, accountants, attorneys, bankers, business brokers and financial planners. Our real estate classes are approved by the states of NH, VT and ME for 3 hours of continuing education. It is worth mentioning that lately the Qualified Intermediary industry has been hit pretty hard with issues surrounding the proper handling of escrow funds. Edmund & Wheeler has ALWAYS deposited client funds using the client’s taxpayer ID, in segregated accounts at only well capitalized FDIC insured banking institutions. We have developed a program to further protect our clients’ funds called the Exchange Security Program (ESP). In a nutshell, this program gives total control of Exchange funds to the taxpayer by requiring online authorization of all movement of funds. We are insured & bonded, and in all the years we have been in practice, have never lost a dime of our client’s hard earned money, or have had any type of claim against our insurance coverage.