INVEST R A Think Real ty Publ icat ion SPONSORED CONTENT
JIM HITT American IRA
JASON DEBONO NuView Trust
JENNY HEIMAN CNB Custody
Top 5 ReasonsWhy Americans are Turning to Self-Directed IRAs
MARCO SANTARELLI Norada RE Investments
ANNE MARIE ROGERS, QUEST TRUST
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Top 5 Reasons Why Americans are Turning to Self-Directed IRAs
by Anne Marie Rogers
W e’re about half way into a new year and it’s time to get serious about your financial outlook for 2021. Self-Directed accounts are changing the traditional ways of investing and helping people take more control by giving them more freedom. I’ve com - piled a list of the top 5 things you need to know about Self-Directed IRAs that is sure to change your views on invest - ing and get you on the path to financial freedom this year.
investments are the only options available to them, as this is typically what the major financial companies offer. However, Self-Directed IRAs open the Narnia-like door for the curious investor to a secret world of investments, filled with entrepre - neurs and real estate investors earn- ing tax-free money. All jokes aside, Self-Directed IRAs have a lot of mysticism around them that is funny to me, as this has been my world for the last 8 years. I’m a big believer in having a vari - ety of investments in your retire- ment account to hedge your bets and hopefully mitigate the risk of losing your nest egg. The beauty of Self-Di - rected IRAs is that you can reach true diversification, by investing in alternative or non-traditional invest- ments, such as a real estate, private companies, oil and gas, promissory notes and much more. Why not have your foot in both the public and pri -
vate side? In addition to having the opportunity to invest in alternative assets, Self-Directed IRAs also give investors the key to their metaphori - cal investment vehicle on the journey to retirement, allowing the account holder to choose all of their own investments. 2 THERE ARE 7 DIFFERENT ACCOUNTS YOU SHOULD CONSIDER FOR SELF- DIRECTION There are so many different accounts available for alternative investments, including Traditional IRAs, Roth IRAs, SEP IRAs, SIMPLE IRAs, Individual 401(k)s, Coverdell Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) and Health Savings Accounts (HSAs). Not only can all of these accounts invest in things like real estate or private companies, but they can also be combined together to purchase
SELF-DIRECTED IRAS ALLOW INVESTMENTS BEYOND THE STOCK MARKET
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I can’t tell you how often I’ve been at a networking event chatting with someone about Self-Directed IRAs and they are absolutely blown away by the things they never knew were possible inside of these accounts. Many Amer - icans believe the myth that stocks, mutual funds and other traditional
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a single investment too. All of the IRAs can be utilized to prepare for retirement and build your nest egg, each with their own unique benefits. Traditional IRAs could offer tax deductions for your contributions and could be a good option for where to move an old 401(k) or other plan from a previous job. Roth IRAs are my personal favorite account, offering the possibility of complete - ly tax-free distributions in retire- ment. Employer plans like the SEP, SIMPLE, and Solo 401(k) are great for small business owners, allowing them to make large contributions. A Coverdell ESA is a great tool for building money tax-free to pay for your children’s educational expenses like tuition, books, or school sup - plies, all the way until they reach age 30. A Health Savings Account can be invested and grown to pay for health expenses for yourself and your fam- ily tax-free. I love having an HSA because I never have to think twice when medical expenses present themselves, big or small. An HSA can be used to pay for vision, dental, medications, x-rays, surgeries and
companies and one of the most pop - ular being promissory notes. However, there are some limita - tions for IRA investments outlined in the Internal Revenue Code, including investments in life insurance con - tracts and in “collectibles,” includ - ing things like art, antiques, most coins and alcohol collections. There are also restrictions in regard to the transactions that are permitted when investing your Self-Directed IRA. Disqualified persons are prohibited from engaging in certain transac - tions with the account and spoiler alert – you, most of your family and your companies are considered disqualified. Prohibited transac - tions include things like buying or selling, lending money, or furnish - ing goods or services between the account and the disqualified per - sons, just to name a few of the major transactions to avoid. For example, I couldn’t direct my Self-Directed IRA to purchase a rental property I already owned personally or have my spouse do the fix-ups on my IRA owned property, as this would be considered a prohibited transaction.
so much more, all with the big perk of coming out tax-free.
3 THE INVESTMENT POSSIBILITIES ARE ALMOST ENDLESS, BUT BE SURE TO CONSIDER THE RESTRICTIONS When real estate investors begin to realize the many incredible invest - ment opportunities that exist in these accounts, I always enjoy watching the wheels turn and hearing “So I can do…” or “Wait, so I can do that too?” I’m in full Cady Heron, circa 2004 mode like “the limit does not exist.” Might be showing my age with that reference! Self-Directed IRAs are great for the do-it-yourselfer type, as they allow you to invest in an almost endless variety of alternative assets. From the basic to the unusual investment, there’s some - thing for everyone here. At Quest Trust Company, we process around 1,000 investments a month and see our cli - ents investing in a multitude of things, including rental properties, flips, sell - er financing, apartment complexes, commercial real estate, oil and gas, livestock, shares in all types of private
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should all consider more often as we live our day-to-day lives. But, I’ll get off my soap box and tie this back to Self-Directed IRAs now. Investors have needs that we, as Self-Directed IRA custodians, have a responsibility to meet. As more and more Ameri - cans declare they’re in search of true financial independence and looking for a means to take control of their own future, it seems that Self-Di - rected IRAs will continue to rise in popularity. But for those on the quest to self-direct, look no further than…Quest – see what I did there? At Quest Trust Company our clients are entitled to specialized service, account fees that are reasonable, funding timeframes in the shortest time possible and education of the highest quality. If you didn’t already notice, that spelled out SAFE. So make the SAFE choice and choose Quest Trust Company. We’re found - ed by investors, for investors and are constantly shaping our systems, advances and customer service around what the real investor needs.
From the basic to the unusual investment, there’s something for everyone here.” –Anne Marie Rogers
However, I can invest in a rental property I don’t already own and hire a non-family member contractor to fix up the property all day long. These rules can certainly get com - plex, which is why we are so focused on not only educating our clients but also in educating our staff to be the best possible resource for Self-Di - rected IRA education in the industry. SELF-DIRECTED IRAS CAN LEND MONEY, MUTUALLY BENEFITING THE LENDER AND BORROWER I’ve heard Self-Directed IRAs sometimes have the nickname of a “real estate IRA,” as this is one of the most common investments people associate with this type of account. As I mentioned earlier, real estate is really just the tip of the iceberg. One of the most common investments we see our clients do at Quest is lending money out of their IRAs to other investors. You might be thinking, “I would never lend my 4 retirement account to someone,” but if you think about it, banks do it all the time. With the proper due diligence and mutual understanding, private lending can be a great way to passively get involved in real estate without the active management of the toilets, tenants and details that it takes to manage real estate. It goes without saying what the benefit is to the borrower, but essentially,
privately borrowing funds creates your own private bank where you can negotiate the terms of your loan to fit your needs. Imagine having access to almost an unlimited supply of funds available to you for fund - ing all of your deals. Sounds pretty enticing, right? For lenders, imagine being able to have a relatively secure investment, the ability to negotiate the terms of the deal upfront and the peace of mind that you’re perhaps improving the community by lending money to a real estate investor look- ing to fix up a property. It’s great to make profit off of an investment, but it’s an even better feeling to make profit and do good at the same time. That’s the type of investment I can really get behind. 5 NOT ALL SELF-DIRECTED IRA CUSTODIANS ARE CREATED EQUAL If you think back in the deep recesses of your mind, you might be able to vaguely picture your ele - mentary history teacher writing on the chalkboard and teaching on the Declaration of Independence. I might be grasping here, I didn’t go to elementary school in the United States – ha! Learned something new about me. But, undoubtedly you’ve heard that all men (and women) are created equal and we’re all enti - tled to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness – a true statement we
Anne Marie joined Quest Trust Company in 2013 and currently serves as Sales Officer. After graduating from St. Edward’s University, Anne Marie pursued
a position as an IRA Specialist and in 2014, received the designation of Certified IRA Services Professional from the Institute of Certified Bankers. In 2020, Anne Marie received the Think Realty Honors Award for Real Estate Investing Services and was featured on the 2021 cover of the Think Realty magazine, as a woman to watch in the industry. Anne Marie is one of the lead female educators at Quest Trust Company, with a passion for making the topic of saving and investing fun and approachable, even for the newest investor on the block. She loves to teach people how to take control of their retirement through her experience at Quest and from personal experience doing her own note investments starting in her early 20s. Born in Australia and holding dual citizenship in both Australia and the United States, Anne Marie loves to spend any spare time exploring new places with her husband.
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Self-Directed Investing The Journey
by Jason DeBono, NuView Trust L ooking back to 2005, it’s hard to believe that a college intern - ship expo would be one of the most pivotal moments in my career. Like every other young and eager college student at the event, I stood in long lines at all the “brand” name firms just to hand over a resume, while ignoring the scores of small busi - nesses scattered throughout the room. I don’t know if it was curiosity or empathy that caused me to walk up to the lineless booth with a sim- ple, pull up banner that read “Buy Real Estate in Your IRA,” but I’m glad I did. I was fortunate to have a handful of interviews after the expo, but it was the company with the simple pull up banner that stood out from the rest.
I interviewed for the internship directly with the CEO, Glen Mather, who started the company in 2003. The company had only three employ - ees – a far cry from my Fortune 500 ambitions. Its purpose was to help people use their retirement funds to buy real estate and other non-pub- lic investments, which was an area I knew absolutely nothing about. In fact, prior to the interview, I called my dad, who has always been my go-to for advice in my life, for some insight into the company. I vividly remember him saying, “I asked my broker about buying real estate in my IRA and he said it wasn’t allowed.” I didn’t realize just how important my father’s words were at the time until I repeated them to Glen during my
interview. He didn’t bat an eye, as he said, “I hear that all the time.” Glen passionately shared his personal story of trying to buy real estate with- in his own IRA and why he started the company to help others, like my father, who wanted more than just stocks and bonds. I knew this was the perfect opportunity for me. That opportunity as an intern has turned into an amazing career. A career that has given me the ability to spread the message of self-directed investing to people, like my father, who simply do not know that a retire - ment plan can invest beyond Wall Street. A career where I could learn vicariously through clients, about all the creative investment strategies and opportunities that exist.
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This is why self-directed IRA custodians like NuView exist - to give investors more investment choices and control.
For those that may not be familiar with what a self-directed IRA is (a moniker the industry uses to refer to investing your IRA beyond the stock market), I will provide some context. A self-directed IRA works just like any other IRA with two major cave - ats. First, all investment discretion is given to the account owner, and second, the investments held within the account are typically non-pub - lic investments, such as real estate, private loans, or private equity. What makes self-directed IRAs even more attractive is the fact that the IRA maintains its tax-deferred or tax-free status even when invested beyond stocks and bonds. One thing to keep in mind though with a self-directed IRA, is that all investments must be made at an arms-length, meaning the IRA must transact with unrelated parties (See IRC Section 4975) and the account is prohibited from invest - ing in collectibles or life insurance (See IRC Section 408). Traditional banks and brokerages don’t offer truly self-directed accounts, similar to the way that McDonalds doesn’t serve tacos. It’s not because they
can’t, it’s simply because it’s not part of their business model. This is why self-directed IRA custodians like NuView exist – to give investors more investment choices and control. To provide insight into the evolution of self-directed investing from where it was when I started to where it is now, I think it will be most helpful to break it down into four periods I call The Boom (2005 – 2008), The Bust (2008-2010), The Opportunities (2011- 2019) and The Unknown (2020). THE BOOM (2005-2008) As a newbie to the investing world, I remember being fascinated by all the different ways there are to make money, especially in real estate. My only personal experience at the time was helping my dad clean out properties after tenants moved out – which as a kid, was a very unpleas - ant experience, to say the least. As an intern, I was like a sponge trying to soak up as much as I could to help me better understand self-directed IRAs through the lens of our clients, but also personally as I was eager to
start making my own money investing in real estate. I attended all the local real estate investor association meet - ings and met some incredible people – all who had a tremendous amount of experience in real estate investing. During this time, the message of self-direction was growing, and what seemed unknown in 2005 was becoming something that more people were at least starting to hear about. This was largely in part to the reach of the internet age, coupled with many of the real estate gurus helping their students understand the part self-directed IRAs should play in their wealth-building strategies. This increased exposure coupled with a mainstream interest in real estate propelled the self-directed industry forward as investors continued to seek new capital to gain exposure to the real estate market. One of the individuals that was a large promoter of self-directed IRAs and someone I learned a lot of my own personal investment strategies from was Augie Byllott. Augie was a banker turned real estate mentor and coach who approached investments
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like a true business and encouraged those he educated to do the same. Augie was one of the first clients I met when I joined NuView and he helped me understand some of the creative investments that he and his clients were doing through their self-directed accounts. He was a big promoter of transactional engineer - ing – a way to move the parts of the deal around until they work for all parties. This has served me very well in many of my personal investments. Augie and his wife, Audrey, estab - lished their accounts with NuView and have seen their old 401k plans grow to well over $1 million! THE BUST (2008-2010) As the saying goes, all bubbles eventually burst and this one was no different. While the great recession officially started in December 2007, the real shock and awe factor was felt in 2008. The credit crunch elim - inated companies like Lehman Broth - ers, Bear Stearns, and Washington Mutual, and in September of 2009, the stock market saw its worst point drop in history (at that time) of 750+ points. Real estate inventory was rising, and prices were dropping– in some cases up to 50% or more. Despite the quick drop in real estate prices – many of our clients holding rental real estate were not affected nearly as badly as their counterparts in the stock mar - ket. Many owned the real estate in their IRA free and clear, so they were not dependent on rent to pay their mortgage. Furthermore, the increase in foreclosures only served to increase the rental demand. Some clients sought a safe haven in precious metals during this uncer - tain time. Unlike stocks, which are typically held for their appreciable value, private loans and real estate tend to be income-producing, which can fare much better through cor - rectional periods.
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Despite the doom and gloom over the investment markets in 2008-2010, NuView continued to grow rapidly in both net accounts and total assets under custody, proving that self-di - rected investors were much more flexible and able to pivot to asset classes that could weather the storm. As with any economic downturn, investment opportunities began to present themselves, and short - ly after the 2008 crash, our clients began finding opportunities. Some investments became attractive because of depressed pricing while new asset class opportunities began to take shape, and as a result, THE OPPORTUNITY (2010 – 2019) self-directed investing really accel - erated. We saw real estate begin to generate cash flow, tax liens pay premium interest, distressed mortgage funds clearing assets off banks’ balance sheets, and REO properties and short sales becoming common types of purchases. It was also during this time that I met another impactful client, Greg Bond, who had an amazing story of real estate. He invested passively in real estate outside his IRA while running a map store (for those under 30, you actually had to use a real map before smartphones were invented!) in the 90s and early 2000s. I found it interesting that he stopped buying real estate in 2003 because the basic fundamental investment principles were no longer applicable during the boom. Once he closed his map busi - ness, he decided to get back into real estate, this time full-time – now that he felt the basic investment funda - mentals were implementable. Greg started his self-directed account in 2009 with $58k and has grown it to over $1.5 million. His wife, Jane, has seen her $27k account in 2009 grow to over $1 million today. They did this through a disciplined approach of
finding discounted assets and either cash flowing them or flipping them to maximize return. Just as our clients were taking advantage of market opportuni - ties, so was NuView. In 2012, we launched our institutional platform to provide financial advisors and investment issuers and syndicators a custodial platform for more Wall Street-like packaged product that was created for retail investors. The Institutional division has seen exponential growth in the last eight years as more and more passive investors look to gain exposure to the private equity markets through larger group investments. THE UNKNOWN (2020) As the world currently fights off the Covid-19 pandemic, many investors are wondering where to go from here. It’s a difficult question to answer as we have never experienced a pan - demic related economic shut-down that landed over 20 million people on unemployment in just 30 days. Financial markets and real estate markets alike are all trying to digest the information to see what the ulti- mate economic impact may be. We are seeing many of our clients stay the course as they did in 2008. They have investments that they believe can withstand a potential correction. We have other clients that are accu - mulating cash and even selling in preparation of buying opportunities in the future. Regardless of where you stand – self-directing your retirement accounts is the only way to stay nim - ble during economic uncertainty. Stay safe, get educated, and remember, opportunities are avail - able in good and bad economic times – you just need to know where to look! Happy Investing!
Jason DeBono is the VP and COO of NuView Trust Company, a Self-Directed Custodian with $1.5 billion in assets under custody.
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Looking For A Custodian to Hold Property In Your IRA?
by Jenny Heiman, Senior Vice President of Operations at CNB Custody
R eal estate is a popular retire- ment investment among self-directed IRA investors. While purchasing real estate within an IRA has been around for many years, finding an IRA provider who is will - ing to service this type of invest - ment has been challenging. That is why it’s important to do your home- work, understand the regulations, and talk to an experienced provider who can walk you through every step of the way. ABOUT CNB CUSTODY With over 35 years of experience, CNB Custody has built a solid repu - tation for providing exceptional ser - vice, accuracy, and competitive fees. Located in the Heartland of America, we pride ourselves on delivering a level of customer care and dedi - cation unmatched in the industry. We are known for our expertise, responsiveness, and reliability. CNB
Custody works closely with advisors around the country providing innova - tive solutions, professional services, and education that empowers clients to control their investment options. While IRA custodians cannot give advice about specific investments or strategies, they can point out poten - tial legal issues and provide answers to your questions. If you are consid - ering diversifying your portfolio and adding real estate to your IRA or Roth IRA, be sure to do your research and find a reputable custodian to work with. While some custodians charge extra for “expedited service”, CNB Custody takes pride in provid - ing exceptional, expedited service each day with no extra charge. Our fees are not billed according to your account value, thus it can grow with - out seeing a substantial fee increase. In addition to holding real estate within your Traditional or Roth IRA, CNB Custody can also hold real estate investment trusts, limited
partnerships, LLCs, private stock, notes, etc. Please visit our website at www.cnbcustody.com, e-mail us at realestate@communitynationalbank. net or call us at 800-680-0340 for further information on our services. We look forward to working with you! DISCLAIMER: You are urged to seek professional guidance and/or consider proper diversification and risk tolerance before directing any investment activity. Community National Bank (CNB) does not recommend or evaluate the prudence, merit, viability, or suitability of any investment and will not be responsible for the performance of any investment product. CNB will provide custodial services with respect to the investments in your IRA, but we do not provide investment advice or information, nor are we the agent, partner, employee, representative, or affiliate of any financial representative, product sponsor, or other individual or entity except as otherwise disclosed. We are not responsible for and are not bound by any representations, warranties, statements, agreements, disclosures, advice, or information made by any such person beyond the terms and provisions contained in the CNB Custodial Agreement, Disclosure Statements, or other CNB forms or CNB documents.
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Finding the Perfect Real Estate Investment
by Marco Santarelli, Norada Real Estate Investments
S
TO MAKE SURE YOU ARE CHOOSING THE RIGHT MARKET TO BUILD YOUR REAL ESTATE PORTFOLIO, CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING:
ome investors, especially when starting out, crunch numbers
NO. 3 Supply and Demand A market oversaturated with
on one property after another only to get frustrated when the can’t find a deal where the numbers work well. Some ultimately give up looking. The problem is many of these investors can’t see the forest for the trees. So, what’s the problem? Why can’t they find a good deal? Odds are they are looking in the wrong place. That is, looking in the wrong market. The solution is to take a top-down approach and start with the right market. When it comes to investing in real estate, one cannot underestimate the importance and value of the market you invest in. To be successful, you need to start with the metropolitan area, then the submarket, then the neighborhood, and finally, the properties within the area.
housing supply leads to suppressed prices, rents and longer sales or lease-up times. One way to get a feel for an area’s supply and demand is by looking at what current landlords and property managers are doing (or not doing) to attract tenants. Offering a free month rent as an incentive is a sign that supply is high, and demand is low. And checking the MLS for a month’s supply of inventory will give you a good idea if it’s a Buyer’s or Seller’s market. When it comes to finding a worth - while real estate investment, one cannot underestimate the value of a worthwhile market analysis. Understanding the real estate market helps you focus on areas that are worth your time and investment capital as a real estate investor. As you gain more experience in analyz - ing markets, you will begin to devel - op a sense for what the future holds for a market as well. •
NO. 1 Employment:
People need jobs to pay for food, shelter, and clothing. A stable job market supports a healthy economy. An expanding job market supports a growing economy which attracts more people into the market and grows its population. NO. 2 Population Employment is one factor that leads to population growth. Weather can be another factor as is the case with southern states like Florida. Expanding military bases and large corporate expansions or relocations can also add to a city’s population growth. A growing population is an important factor when it comes to real estate investing.
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The Five Most Important Factors When Choosing Your Self-Directed IRA Company
by Jim Hitt, American IRA
Y ou’re convinced. You know a Self-Directed IRA is a powerful way to build wealth, using its pro - tections to help you get the most out of investments like real estate. But there’s a catch: you can’t move for - ward unless you have a Self-Direct - ed IRA administration firm in your corner. And you’re not sure which one to pick. How can you tell which Self-Directed IRA company has the experience and know-how to make life easier for you? We’ve put togeth - er a list of the Five most important factors to help you decide. FACTOR#1: TEAMKNOWLEDGE Simply put, a Self-Directed IRA company should know things. A lot of things. You’re working with a Self-Directed IRA company, after all, for a long- term commitment. Shouldn’t you be concerned about who it is that will help educate you? You’d be surprised. Many Self-Di - rected IRA companies have leader - ship and speakers with very limit - ed experience in the asset classes they’re teaching you about. For example, let’s say you signed up with a Self-Directed IRA compa - ny because you wanted to invest in real estate. What if you work with a Self-Directed IRA company whose team knows very little about this
asset class? Do you want to learn from someone who’s reading out of a manual? American IRA’s team is comprised of investors who bring value to you from a place of personal experience. Our ownership AND employees are comprised of individuals who have created a 7-figure net worth by investing in real estate.
nies mandate that you have to use a checkbook if you use their service, while others will not allow check - book control if you’re going to work with them. But isn’t a Self-Directed IRA all about the freedom to call your own shots? American IRA realizes that every client has different goals and needs. For that reason we employ a hybrid approach to checkbook control. For clients that want to utilize a retire - ment account owned LLC, they can do so. For clients that do not want that structure, it is not mandatory. This gives all clients the tools that allow them to optimize their self-di - rected investments. FACTOR #3: FIRM CONTINUITY—ANDALONG- TERMRELATIONSHIP If you were going to propose to get married and knew there was a chance it would only last a year, would you re-think it? That’s often how it works with Self-Directed IRA administration firms. You’re happy to sign up with one if you know you can work with them for years and even decades. But if you knew that the firm doesn’t have a strong history of continuity, you might rethink things. You may think it a bit strange that
FACTOR #2: LLCSAND CHECKBOOK CONTROL
LLCs like Single Member LLCs allow the Self-Directed IRA to put a lot of power in your hands. In essence, a “Checkbook IRA,” as its called, can function much like a per - sonal investment account—with the obvious caveats and regulations of a retirement account. With Checkbook Control, an IRA/401(k) is a member of an LLC, which allows the investor to directly transact for their investment. There’s no going through middlemen here. They don’t have to check with their Self-Directed provider for paper - work, or for the flow of money for the account. It’s as simple as writing a check. Is there a catch? Of course. You have to set it up properly. Your Self-Directed IRA adminis - tration firm should allow you to do this. You’ll find that some compa -
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• Real relationships with clients, and a long-term understanding built on that communication. • Knowledge and experience within the team to offer the proper education. FACTOR #4: THE KIND OF SELF-DIRECTED “PROVIDER” YOUWANT There are Self-Directed Providers that are reliant on third parties to stay in business. And if there is a new policy by the custodian, it can mean that this arrangement can be shut down. This is a scary situation. You got into Self-Directed IRAs because you wanted more independence. You didn’t want to cultivate dependence on a third party. Your Self-Directed IRA administra - tion firm should be fully integrated , meaning it doesn’t rely on third par- ties to get its work done. FACTOR #5: FEES Simply put: how much does it cost? Even if you have a great Self-Di -
we compare a Self-Directed IRA administration firm to a relationship. But here’s the thing: relationships do matter. Isn’t it frustrating to con - stantly have to reinvent the wheel when your vendor is constantly hiring new employees? It’s like hitting the “reset” button over and over again. There’s no sense of long-term prog - ress. And with retirement investing, long-term progress is the name of the game. When you constantly hit “Reset” because of new relationships, it means that you have to start over again. You have to communicate old ideas again. And you may be working with people who now don’t under- stand the investments you make. Or they might not know the way you prefer to communicate. Look for a Self-Directed IRA admin- istration firm that emphasizes the following: • A strong senior staff, many of whom should have experience at the firm for 8-10+ years.
rected IRA firm to work with, exorbi - tant fees negate the good work you do. Many Self-Directed IRA admin - istration firms charge annual asset fees. This means that your annual fee for an account with 4 properties will be far higher than an account holding 1 asset. Do they charge a higher annual fee as the account balance grows? If so, then your fees grow with your wealth. American IRA charges an annu - al maximum fee of $285 per year, which means that the percentage of the fee relative to your account goes down as you grow wealthier. Your annual fee will not change with an increase in the value of the account or number of assets, and that’s the way it should be. These factors all matter when you choose a Self-Directed IRA admin - istration firm. If you want one that meets all of the criteria here, learn more about what makes American IRA different. Give us a call at 866- 7500-IRA to find out how you can work with us and achieve a stronger retirement nest egg. •
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