(a) An exchange facilitator shall hold all exchange funds, including money, property, other consideration or instruments received by the exchange facilitator from or on behalf of the client, but not including funds received as the exchange facilitator's compensation, in a manner that provides liquidity and preserves principal. An exchange facilitator shall provide the client with written notification of the manner in which the exchange funds will be invested or deposited and shall deposit or invest exchange funds in investments which meet the prudent investor standard and which satisfy investment goals of liquidity and preservation of principal. Exchange funds may be pooled. For purposes of this section, an exchange facilitator violates the prudent investor standard if:

(1) Exchange funds are knowingly commingled by the exchange facilitator with the operating accounts of the exchange facilitator; or

(2) Exchange funds are loaned or otherwise transferred to any person or entity affiliated with or related to the exchange facilitator except that this subdivision shall not apply to a transfer made pursuant to the exchange contract (A) for payment of an exchange expense or completion of the acquisition of the replacement property, (B) for depositing exchange funds with a financial institution, or (C) to an exchange accommodation titleholder, a trustee of a qualified trust or a qualified escrow agent.

(b) Exchange funds are not subject to execution or attachment on any claim against the exchange facilitator. An exchange facilitator shall not knowingly keep or cause to be kept any money in any financial institution under any name designating the money as belonging to a client of the exchange facilitator unless the money equitably belongs to the client and was actually entrusted to the exchange facilitator by the client.

(P.A. 13-135, S. 10.)