Insights
Practical guidance for title and escrow teams implementing the FinCEN Residential Real Estate reporting rule. In-depth explainers on reportability logic, deadlines, exemptions, and workflow controls.
March 19, 2026 · 10 min read
The FinCEN RRE rule requires reporting every beneficial owner of an entity or trust buying property. Here is exactly who qualifies, the two tests that determine ownership, and how LLCs, trusts, and layered structures are handled.
March 19, 2026 · 9 min read
38% of transactions checked on our tool involve seller financing or private loans. Here is when seller-financed deals are reportable, what counts as non-financed under the rule, and how to handle mixed financing structures.
March 19, 2026 · 7 min read
Most residential transactions are not reportable. The rule targets a specific pattern: entity or trust buyers, no bank mortgage, residential property. Three questions tell you if yours qualifies.
March 19, 2026 · 8 min read
The first wave of RRE filings is due April 30, 2026. Here are the five most common errors that cause rejections, delays, and penalty exposure — and how to avoid each one.
March 19, 2026 · 8 min read
The RRE rule exempts transfers to a qualified intermediary in a 1031 exchange — but the transfer from the QI to the replacement property buyer may still be reportable. Here is where the exemption starts and stops.
March 13, 2026 · 12 min read
The RRE rule makes most entity purchases reportable — but 16 categories of transferee entities are exempt. Here is what each exemption actually means, what documentation you need, and the mistakes that trip up even experienced closers.
March 13, 2026 · 9 min read
If you are purchasing residential real estate through an LLC, trust, or other entity, your title company will now ask for personal information you have never been asked for before. Here is why, what to expect, and how to prepare.
March 13, 2026 · 7 min read
The RRE deadline formula — 30 days or end of next month, whichever is later — sounds simple until you try to apply it. Here is a month-by-month table, edge cases, and a system for tracking multiple deadlines.
March 13, 2026 · 8 min read
The RRE rule and the Corporate Transparency Act both involve FinCEN and beneficial ownership — but they are different rules, filed by different parties, on different forms. Here is how to tell them apart and when both apply.
March 5, 2026 · 11 min read
Your first reportable closing just landed. Here is exactly how to register for BSA E-Filing, complete all 111 fields of the Real Estate Report form, and submit to FinCEN without getting stuck or rejected.
March 5, 2026 · 9 min read
Fidelity National Financial sued and lost. Puerto Rico privacy groups sued and the rule survived. A federal judge ruled in FinCEN's favor. Here is where every legal challenge stands as of March 2026 and why waiting for a court to save you is not a compliance strategy.
February 26, 2026 · 10 min read
The rule took effect March 1, 2026. Your office needs a BSA E-Filing account, beneficial ownership intake forms, and a staff-wide compliance workflow before the first reportable closing hits. Step-by-step checklist from zero to compliant.
February 10, 2026 · 7 min read
When the cascade puts you first but someone else should file: how designation agreements work under the RRE rule, what goes in them, and the mistakes that make them invalid.
February 10, 2026 · 9 min read
What beneficial ownership means, who counts as a beneficial owner, what data you need from them, and how to handle the 111 fields without losing your mind.
February 10, 2026 · 8 min read
The real regulatory history: a New York Times investigation, a pilot program that proved the problem, and eight years of evidence that led to a permanent nationwide rule.
February 10, 2026 · 8 min read
Before, during, and after closing: when to determine reportability, how to collect beneficial ownership data, where to file, and what deadlines to track. Operational guide for title and escrow teams.
February 8, 2026 · 12 min read
The real story behind the rule: shell companies, laundered billions, and why title agents are now on the front line of anti-money-laundering enforcement.
February 8, 2026 · 8 min read
A plain-English walkthrough of the four-question test that determines whether a closing triggers FinCEN reporting, with real examples for each outcome.
February 8, 2026 · 7 min read
Specific dollar amounts, criminal exposure, and the difference between an honest mistake and a pattern that gets you in real trouble.