If you buy, sell, or work in real estate in Iowa, there's a new federal rule you need to know about—and most people haven't heard of it yet.
Starting March 1, 2026, certain real estate transactions will require detailed ownership and identity information to be collected before closing can occur, with a report filed to the federal government afterward. This isn't optional. It isn't flexible. And if the rule applies to your transaction, the closing simply will not happen without compliance.
The good news? With a little preparation, this doesn't have to disrupt your transaction. But understanding what's coming—and why Iowa faces unique challenges—will help you avoid surprises when the rule takes effect.
The new Residential Real Estate Reporting Rule comes from FinCEN, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, which is part of the U.S. Treasury Department. FinCEN's job is to protect our financial system from money laundering, fraud, and other financial crimes.
For years, federal investigators noticed a troubling pattern. Criminals weren't buying real estate in their own names. Instead, they were purchasing properties through LLCs, trusts, and shell companies—often without traditional bank financing. This made it nearly impossible to trace who actually owned the property or where the money came from.
Real estate, especially cash purchases through legal entities, became an attractive vehicle for hiding illicit funds. This rule exists to close that gap by requiring transparency about who really owns property when certain transactions occur.
Before you worry, let's be clear about what this rule does and doesn't cover.
This rule likely does NOT apply if:
This rule DOES apply when four conditions are met:
First, the property is residential real estate. This includes single-family homes, condos, townhomes, duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, and even vacant land where someone intends to build a residence.
Second, the transaction is "non-financed." This is where many people will be surprised. "Non-financed" doesn't just mean an all-cash purchase. It means there's no traditional institutional lender involved—no bank or credit union that already has federal anti-money-laundering reporting obligations. This includes all-cash purchases, hard money loans, private lender financing, and seller-financed transactions like installment contracts.
Third, the buyer is taking title through an entity or trust. If the buyer is an LLC, corporation, partnership, or trust, the reporting requirement is triggered. If an individual is purchasing in their own name, this particular rule doesn't apply.
Fourth, no exception applies. There are exceptions for certain transfers, including those related to divorce, inheritance, some estate-planning transactions, and transfers involving 1031 exchange intermediaries. However, assuming you qualify for an exception without confirming it is exactly what causes closing delays.
When this rule applies, a Real Estate Report must be filed with FinCEN. The report requires detailed information about the property, the buyer entity or trust, the seller, and how funds moved in the transaction.
But here's the part that will feel most significant to buyers: FinCEN wants to know who the real people are behind the entity or trust. This is called "beneficial owner" information.
Each beneficial owner must provide:
This is highly sensitive personal information, and it must be collected, verified through a written certification, and handled securely. If this information is incomplete or inaccurate, the closing cannot happen—because the reporting person cannot proceed without the required certifications in hand.
Let's walk through a hypothetical example that illustrates how this rule will work.
Jake is a real estate investor in central Iowa. He finds a duplex listed at $185,000 that would make a solid addition to his rental portfolio. Jake plans to purchase the property through his LLC, Heartland Property Holdings, using cash from his business account. There's no bank loan involved—just a straightforward cash purchase.
Under the old rules, this transaction would have closed with minimal reporting requirements. Under the new FinCEN rule, things look different.
Because Jake is purchasing residential property, paying cash (non-financed), and taking title through an LLC, all four conditions are met. A Real Estate Report must be filed before closing.
Jake's closing attorney will need to collect beneficial ownership information for Heartland Property Holdings. Since Jake owns 100% of the LLC, he'll need to provide his full legal name, date of birth, home address, citizenship, and Social Security Number. He'll also need to certify in writing that this information is accurate.
If Jake's LLC had multiple members—say, his brother owned 30%—his brother would also need to provide the same information as a beneficial owner.
The closing attorney files the Real Estate Report with FinCEN, retains the certification documents, and the transaction closes. The process adds some time and documentation requirements, but because everyone understood what was needed upfront, there were no surprises or delays.
Now imagine a different scenario: Jake shows up to closing expecting a quick transaction, but nobody mentioned the FinCEN requirements. His brother is traveling and unreachable. The required information can't be gathered. The closing is delayed—potentially by days or weeks.
The difference between these two outcomes is preparation.
Here's something important for anyone involved in Iowa real estate: this rule will affect Iowa differently than most other states.
Iowa is what's known as an "abstract state." Unlike the majority of the country, Iowa does not have a uniform, title-insurance-driven closing system where large national title companies handle most transactions. In states with that system, FinCEN compliance can be absorbed by corporate compliance departments that are built for this kind of reporting.
Iowa's system is different. We use abstracts of title—historical records of property ownership—rather than relying primarily on title insurance. Our closings are handled locally, often by settlement agents and law firms rather than national title companies.
What does this mean practically? In Iowa, FinCEN reporting responsibility will fall primarily on local settlement agents and law firms—the professionals actually running the closing. This work won't be handled by a distant corporate compliance department. It will be managed right here, transaction by transaction, by local professionals who understand both the federal requirements and Iowa's unique real estate practices.
This creates both a challenge and an opportunity. The challenge is that compliance must be built locally rather than absorbed by large institutions. The opportunity is that working with experienced local professionals who understand these requirements can actually make the process smoother than dealing with a distant corporate system.
Why? Because your clients will have questions:
The answer is straightforward: federal law now requires it for certain transactions.
This rule means sensitive conversations need to happen earlier in the process. When you're working with a buyer who plans to purchase through an LLC or trust without traditional bank financing, everyone involved needs to understand the FinCEN requirements from the start.
The report itself is filed after closing—by the end of the month following closing, or 30 days after closing, whichever is later—but all information gathering and certifications must be completed before closing can occur. Waiting until the last minute is how deals get delayed.
Whether you're a buyer, seller, or real estate professional, here's how to set yourself up for success:
For buyers using an LLC or trust: Know who your beneficial owners are and be prepared to provide their information. If your entity has multiple owners, give them advance notice that they'll need to provide personal details and sign a certification. Have this conversation weeks before closing, not days.
For sellers: Understand that if your buyer is purchasing through an entity with non-traditional financing, the closing process may involve additional steps. This isn't a reflection on you or your property—it's simply the new federal requirement.
For Realtors and lenders: When you identify a transaction that might trigger FinCEN reporting—cash purchase, LLC buyer, hard money financing—flag it early. Connect your clients with a closing team that understands these requirements and can guide them through the process.
For everyone: Work with professionals who have prepared for this rule. The difference between a smooth closing and a delayed one often comes down to whether your team understood the requirements and collected information proactively.
At Danilson Law, we've been preparing for this rule well ahead of the March 2026 deadline.
We understand Iowa's abstract-state system and the local responsibility it places on settlement agents and law firms. We've invested in secure technology—including an encrypted portal called ClosingLock—to collect and manage sensitive information properly. No random emails. No unsecured attachments. No casual handling of personal data.
When you work with our team on a transaction that requires FinCEN reporting, we'll identify the requirement early, explain what's needed, collect information securely, and file the report correctly. Our goal is to make compliance seamless so you can focus on the transaction itself.
March 1, 2026 is coming. This rule is mandatory. And in Iowa, compliance will be handled locally by settlement agents and law firms—not absorbed by distant corporate systems.
The right response isn't alarm. It's preparation.
If you're planning a real estate transaction that might involve an LLC, trust, or non-traditional financing, the time to understand these requirements is now—not at the closing table.