What is a Self-Directed IRA?
A self-directed IRA is an Individual Retirement Account (IRA) that you directly control and transfer into the investments of your choosing. Most IRA custodians greatly limit your investment options, and this is because the custodians either earn fees from your investments, or they are too conservative or they are not prepared to handle non-traditional investments.
With Accuplan, we provide you with a truly self-directed IRA, along with all of the self-directed IRA services, in that we do not place limits or constraints on your investment choices. Many of our clients invest their hard-earned money in both self-directed Roth IRAs, as well as Traditional IRAs, precious metals-backed IRAs (gold, silver, platinum, and palladium), real estate within the US and also abroad (commercial, residential, undeveloped land, etc.), private placements, oil & gas projects, hard money lending or their own LLC with checkbook control, and much more.
One of the biggest reasons our clients choose to open a self-directed IRA is security. With self-directed IRAs, you're able to get your money out of the oftentimes unstable stock market, and into investments of your choice. While a lot of investors choose to keep their own money in the stock market, this doesn't mean that you have to follow suit. Instead, you’re able to invest your money in what you're familiar with, and in what you want.
Take control of your financial future, and diversify your portfolio with the broad selection of investments that self-directed Roth IRAs and Traditional self-directed IRAs have to offer, so that in times of economic unease, you may rest assured that your retirement funds are safe and sound.
How Does a Self-Directed IRA Work?
Option 1: Minimum Control and Convenience
With this option, you open up a self-directed IRA account, select an investment, and direct us to purchase that investment. Generally speaking, the investments chosen are non-traditional in nature, such as buying into a small business, buying a rental property, or lending a hard money loan to an unrelated party. As per IRS rules and regulations, any and all profits that are gained through these investments funnel back into your IRA, since technically, your IRA owns the investment. This allows your earnings to grow. This structure gives you control over your investments, but you will be required to work through Accuplan for each transaction.
Option 2: Maximum Control and Convenience
With this option, you open an account, and then we create a separate LLC that your IRA will invest in. This LLC can have a checking account setup so then you, the IRA account owner, will be the manager for the LLC and as such, you will have administrative powers and control over the asset and/or checking account. Same as option 1, any and all profits that are gained through these investments funnel back into your IRA, thus growing your IRA. This account setup is ideal for clients who choose to hold real estate as an investment, and may need to pay bills and expenses related to the property. As the manager of the LLC you can buy and sell those assets at your discretion.
Learn more about an IRA LLC with checkbook control, click here.
