U.S. · Real estate tax
1031 exchange deadline calculator.
Enter the date you close on the property you are selling. See both deadlines and the tax return cutoff that can come first.
Identify replacement property within 45 days of the transfer. Receive it within 180 days or by your tax return due date (with extensions), whichever is earlier. For a fall closing the return date can come first.
Your exchange
Your deadlines
The 45-day and 180-day clocks
In a deferred like-kind exchange you sell one property and buy another after the sale. The Form 8824 instructions put two clocks on that: replacement property must be identified within 45 days after you transfer the property you give up, and it must be received within 180 days, or by the due date of your tax return including extensions, whichever is earlier. Both clocks start on the transfer date and run together. Enter your closing date above and the page shows both dates, plus which one governs. Tick the extension box if you will file for an extension, or type your own return due date.
Worked example: a fall closing
You close on the property you are giving up on October 30, 2026. Day 45 is December 14, 2026, the last day to identify replacements in writing. Day 180 is April 28, 2027. But your 2026 return is due April 15, 2027, which comes first, so unless you file an extension the replacement must close by April 15, 2027, which is 167 days after the transfer. With an extension the due date becomes October 15, 2027 and day 180 governs. This is why late-year closings catch people out.
Boot and recognized gain
If everything you receive is like-kind real property, no gain is recognized. Cash or other property you receive, called boot, is taxed up to your realized gain. Debt matters too: Form 8824 treats a reduction in your mortgage as boot unless you take on at least as much new debt, or add cash. In the form above, a $1,000,000 sale with $60,000 of costs and a $400,000 basis leaves a realized gain of $540,000. Buying a $1,200,000 replacement with $500,000 of new debt against $300,000 of debt paid off creates no boot, so all $540,000 is deferred and the new property's basis is $1,200,000 − $540,000 = $660,000. Add $50,000 of cash back and $50,000 of gain is recognized now.
What this page does not do
- It does not decide whether your property qualifies, whether a party is related, or how identification rules such as the number of properties you can name apply to you. Ask a qualified intermediary.
- It does not shift deadlines for weekends, holidays or federal disaster relief.
- It does not handle depreciation recapture, state tax, personal property mixed in with the real estate, reverse exchanges or improvement exchanges.
- Basis here is the replacement price minus deferred gain, a simplification of Form 8824.
Rules in plain terms
- Real property only. After 2017 section 1031 covers real property held for business or investment, not property held primarily for sale.
- Main home. Section 1031 does not apply to a property you used solely as your personal residence, though section 121 may exclude gain.
- Related parties. An exchange structured to avoid the related party rules is treated as a sale.
- Reporting. File Form 8824 with the return for the year of the transfer.
To estimate tax if an exchange fails, use the capital gains tax calculator and the net investment income tax calculator. For year-end planning see the tax loss harvesting calculator.
Sources
Retrieved October 26, 2026.
- IRS Instructions for Form 8824 (2025) (retrieved 2026-10-26): 45-day identification, 180-day or return due date receipt rule, real property only after 2017, personal residence, related parties, boot and liabilities treatment.
- IRS, Like-Kind Exchanges - Real Estate Tax Tips (retrieved 2026-10-26): overview and Form 8824 reference; page reviewed 1 May 2026.
As of October 26, 2026 the 45 and 180 day periods are as stated in the Form 8824 instructions for 2025 returns.
Frequently asked questions
How long do I have in a 1031 exchange?
You have 45 days from the transfer of the property you give up to identify replacement property, and you must receive it within 180 days or by the due date of your tax return for that year (including extensions), whichever is earlier. Both periods run at the same time, starting on the transfer date.
Why can my exchange period be shorter than 180 days?
If you close in the autumn, the tax return due date can arrive before day 180. A close on October 30, 2026 has a day 180 of April 28, 2027, but the return is due April 15, 2027. Filing an extension moves the limit to day 180.
Do weekends and holidays extend the deadlines?
The IRS counts calendar days and this page does not shift dates for weekends or holidays. Treat the dates here as the latest possible and plan to finish earlier. The IRS can extend deadlines after a declared disaster, which you should confirm with your qualified intermediary.
What property qualifies for a 1031 exchange?
For exchanges after 2017, only real property held for business or investment. Property held primarily for sale does not qualify, and neither does a home used solely as your personal residence. Real property in the United States and real property abroad are not like-kind to each other.
What is boot?
Boot is cash or other non-like-kind property you receive, plus net debt relief. It is taxed to the extent of your realized gain. The calculator adds cash received and any mortgage reduction not offset by new debt or cash you add.
Do I need a qualified intermediary?
For a deferred exchange the IRS rules limit your access to the sale money, and a qualified intermediary (QI) is the usual way to hold it. If you take control of the proceeds, the exchange can fail. Ask a QI or tax adviser before you close, not after.
Where do I report a 1031 exchange?
On Form 8824, Like-Kind Exchanges, with your return for the year you give up the property. The form figures the deferred gain, the gain recognized now and the basis of the new property.
Confirm with an intermediary
Section 1031 exchanges are strict and a missed date can make the gain taxable. This page is for planning, not tax or legal advice. Confirm your dates with a qualified intermediary and a tax professional. Everything runs in your browser; nothing you enter is sent anywhere.