Washington State Exchanges
Washington state law, RCW 19.310.040, requires an exchange facilitator to either maintain a fidelity bond in an amount of not less than one million dollars that protects clients against losses caused by criminal acts of the exchange facilitator, or to hold all client funds in a qualified escrow account or qualified trust that requires your consent for withdrawals. All exchange funds must be deposited in a separately identified account using your taxpayer identification number. You must receive written notification of how your exchange funds have been deposited. Your exchange facilitator is required to provide you with written directions of how to independently verify the deposit of the exchange funds. Exchange facilitation services are not regulated by any agency of the state of Washington or of the United States government. It is your responsibility to determine that your exchange funds will be held in a safe manner." If recommending other products or services, the exchange facilitator must disclose to the client that the exchange facilitator may receive a financial benefit, such as a commission or referral fee, as a result of such recommendation. The exchange facilitator must not recommend or suggest to a client the use of services of another organization or business entity in which the exchange facilitator has a direct or indirect interest without full disclosure of such interest at the time of recommendation or suggestion.
