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 adminis- tration firm should be fully integrat- ed , meaning it doesn’t rely on third parties to get its work done. FACTOR #5: FEES Simply put: how much does it cost? Even if you have a great Self-Di- rected IRA firm to work with, exorbi -
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. • Real relationships with clients,
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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