The Entrust Learning Center is your resource for articles, ideas and information on self directed IRAs, real estate IRAs and investing your retirement funds into alternative assets. At Entrust, our goal is to create informed, self-directed investors.
Visit the sections below to discover more on how to self direct your IRA funds into alternative investments.
The Entrust Group does not offer investment, tax, financial or legal advice to clients. Individuals who believe they need advice should consult with the appropriate professional(s) licensed in that area. This section of our website is devoted to providing clients and potential client with educational information regarding self-directed accounts and possible investment scenarios. It is in no way intended as investment advice.
3. Investment Options
This section contains general information on investing strategies with the funds in a self-directed IRA or real estate IRA.
- A Self-Directed Roth: Freeing up your Retirement Options
Discover how converting funds from a Traditional IRA to a Roth IRA helped this couple to build their retirement dream house. - Don't Underestimate the Flexibility of Educational Savings Accounts
I explained a Coverdell ESA could receive tax-free distributions to pay qualified education expenses. There is no limit to the number of Coverdell ESAs that can be established for one beneficiary and each ESA may qualify to contribute up to $2,000 a year - Investing in Partnerships and Private Stock with a Self Directed IRA
Offerings and Extraordinary Investments - Banking on Your IRA Through Lending
A few years ago, a trio of elderly investors arrived at the reception area of my office unannounced and without an appointmenta relatively rare occurrence. - Options Can Be Great for Self-Directed Investors
If you are a real estate investor, you probably make the majority of your profits by being creative. Utilizing a truly self-directed IRA allows you to maximize this creativity by making the profits that you earn become tax-deferred or tax-free. - Real Estate in Your IRA? Self Direct & Take Control!
If you havent heard about buying real estate inside your IRA, your first reaction might be, You cant do that! Despite the attention, including articles in Business Week... - Real Estate in Your IRA? Self Direct & Take Control!
If you havent heard about buying real estate inside your IRA, your first reaction might be, You cant do that! Despite the attention, including articles in Business Week... - Distributing Shares of Entities from IRA/Qualified Plans
Use of the Discount for Loss of Marketability for Valuation Purposes - To Insure or Not To Insure
We, as administrators, do not require insurance on any property owned by the IRA, nor do we recommend not insuring - it is up to you to make that decision. - Lending to Fund Non-Profit Organizations
How to use your IRA Creatively and Mindfully - IRA Investment in Denver Commercial Properties Gaining Momentum
Historically, most retirement plans in the United States invest in securities of some sort, but gaining popularity over the last 4 years is the use of self-directed IRA administrators to facilitate real estate and lending deals. - Eat at Joes IRAs Bar and Grill
The joy of entrepreneurship - Unlock Your IRA
This article was published in the December 2007 issue of Tallahassee Realtor Magazine. It explains how real estate can be purchased for an IRA/401(k) through a self-directed plan. - IRA/401(k) Insights - Past Issues for 2007, 2006 and 2005
IRA & 401(k) Insights is a monthly publication for anyone interested in self-directing their retirement funds and investing in nontradional assets. View past issues here. - How to Use Non-Recourse Loans for Investment Success
So, how do you use your self-directed IRA or 401(k) to buy and rehab real estate and many other assets. Borrowing money is also possible with a non-recourse loan. There are lenders that... - 2008: Is this a Good Time to Self-Direct My IRA?
- Developing Your Investment Strategy: Using your Experience as a Real Estate Investor to Build Wealth and a Secure Retirement
There are seven questions below to help you determine what your investment strategy should be. Take into account your family and your outside interests as you answer these questions. - What You Need to Know About Foreclosures Crisis and Opportunity
When a borrower defaults on a loan, the bank will foreclose on the property. In a foreclosure, the bank has the right to have the property sold to pay off the loan. This is not a good option for the borrowers and is not something that the bank wants eith - The Difference an IRA Can Make
How does a real estate investment within an IRA compare to the same investment made with personal funds? - Broker Builds Business Using Self-Directed IRA Accounts
It is a smart real estate broker who realizes, like Ole, that for every client that buys or lists a house there is likely a rollover 401k that can be self-directed in to real estate and other non-traditional retirement investments. - When to Jump Into Real Estate
When it comes to real estate investing, if you are out of the game, when is the best time to get back in? - Be Your Own Venture Capitalist
You can now invest in a company you believe in, before it goes public. Retirement investors who want to invest responsibly are no longer limited to specialized mutual funds. Anyone can now invest in a private company which shares their passion, whatever - Lay the Financial Groundwork for the Second Half of Your Life
- Self Directing into Real Estate
The internet serves as a portal into many of these practices - and a brief surfing session can yield a considerable volume of information. Yet, as real estate investors, who should we be using as a guide, guru, or advisor? - How to Tap Your Retirement Assets to Achieve Real Estate Dreams
How many times have you run into eager real estate investors who had the bulk of their money tied up in retirement plan assets-and believed they had no way to tap those assets? Now you can help those clients and yourself - Finding Opportunity with Private Placements
In 2006, there were 179 new banks chartered in the United States, led by 21 new financial institutions in both California and Florida. Over $1 billion was raised for these banks all from the bank principals, board members and private individuals. - Diversifying Your Portfolio with Land
Purchasing land using your Entrust self-directed IRA is an easy way to diversify your investment portfolio. It also makes investing in real estate available . . . - The State of Real Estate in 2008: An Historical Economics Perspective
The opening of 2008 brings a new and vibrant market in hard asset investments. Following a year in which many real estate investors have seen decreases in their investments. . . - Using Factoring in Self-Directed IRAs and 401(k)s
- June IRA Insights: Joes IRA Hits a (Rental) Home Run
Joe's retirement plans were coming back into focus as the result of his newly found investments for his IRA. - June IRA Insights: Tax Lien Certificates
Whether you invest with your self-directed IRA or personal funds, tax lien certificates can make sense for slow and steady growth in your portfolio. Tax liens are booming in states where homeowners are missing mortgage payments. - June IRA Insights: Women and Retirement
Jill was a stay-at-home mom with two active children under the age of 6. Although Jill had a degree in education, she had only worked two years before starting her family with her husband Steve. - No Support in the Stock Market
- Investments Support You During Tough Times
The stock market is volatile. The sub prime mess has wreaked havoc on the economy. Gas prices are over $4.00 a gallon. And good companies are in financial trouble. I don't have a crystal ball but could safely guess the state of the economy is not plannin - How Do I Invest Thee? Let Me Count the Ways . . .
The numerous benefits of self directed IRAs - July IRA Insights: Start Up Bank Stock in IRAs
In many small towns across the country, large banks have moved in and gobbled up smaller competitors to expand their presence. As this occurs, the one size fits all' approach used by these larger banks creates voids in what many people consider . . . - July IRA Insights: Investments to Support You During Tough Times
The stock market is volatile. The sub prime mess has wreaked havoc on the economy. Gas prices are over $4.00 a gallon. And good companies are in financial trouble. I don't have a crystal ball but could safely guess the state of the economy is not plannin - July IRA Insights: Interesting Trend in 1031 Exchanges
While the numbers of 1031 Exchanges are down, they are not out. A 1031 Exchange is a tax code section that allows a taxpayer to sell investment real estate and defer some or all of the taxes if they follow the guidelines when purchasing replacement prope - Things to Avoid
Things to avoid with a self-directed IRA - Diversification and Tax Free Investing: Putting Greens, Foreclosure Auctions, RE Investment, the IRS, Uninvested Cash - and the Self-Directed Retirement Plan.
The self-directed retirement plan offers a wide range of investment options, illustrated by the following short subjects. Consider this information in light of your own Keogh, Qualified Plan, or IRA. - August IRA Insights: The Case - No Support in the Stock Market
Lately, many investors feel that sinking feeling in the pit of their stomach as they look at their 401(k) and IRA statements. Since an all time high on October 9th of 2007 of 14,164, the Dow Jones Industrial Average has steadily - August IRA Insights: Uncle IRA, the Venture Capitalist
While the average IRA holder trades public stock and mutual funds, it's the sophisticated, self-directed investor who also keeps an eye open for growing, private companies. Every public company started out as a private business and almost all used . . . - How To Be an Informed Self-Directed IRA Holder A Primer
Chances are that you are reading this publication because you want more information on Self Directed Retirement Plans. Thats great! Retirement Plan Self Direction has some wonderful benefits, including diversification of your retirement funds, greater p - Investing in Apartment Buildings and Condominiums in IRAs and Keoghs
Apartment buildings and condominiums have been somewhat elusive over the last few years among retirement plan investors. However, in the last quarter, the number of multifamily units in IRAs and Keoghs has increased. - Put Savings to Work: Self-Directed Retirement Accounts Broaden Your Options
- Understanding your IRA: Prohibited Transactions and Self Dealing
The most frequently asked questions about self-directed retirement plans are about which kinds of transactions are permitted, and which are not. How much freedom do you have when it comes to investing with your tax-free or tax-deferred IRA? - What Can You Do with A Small IRA?
- Overcoming Obstacles - Finding the Money
Finding the Money! - Investing in a Pre-Construction Project
Sam is looking for a good short-term investment return for cash in his traditional IRA. He doesnt have a lot to invest, but hes not impressed with the returns in the equity and bond markets. Sam, - Gaining High Yields from Rehabs
Lori knew the real estate market and decided that she could achieve very high yields from rehabilitating properties, or "rehabbing". - Experts Who Don't Understand Real Estate IRAs
Recently one of our clients alerted us to a syndicated columnist writing about- You guessed it: Real Estate in IRAs. She went so far to state that anyone who says it's ok is committing fraud! - Old Time Investments
Apartment Buildings and Condominiums in IRAs and Keoghs - Some Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Investments in a Self-Directed IRA
What can I purchase in my IRA besides real estate? - Leaving a Legacy of Saving
As a father of four, Im well aware of the cost of parenthood from diapers to college and the uncomfortable - Purchasing Real Estate with Your IRA
As with all real estate purchases, these investments entail specific requirements that are critical to the smooth completion of the transaction - FAQs Purchasing Property with Your IRA
As a real estate professional, how can knowledge about self-directed IRAs put money in my pocket? - A Split Purchase Using an IRA and Personal Funds
Bill is a broker and is interested in purchasing additional real property for investment purposes. - Think You Dont Have Enough in Your Account for Real Estate Transactions?
We receive many calls from clients and prospective clients who want to have their money working for them in real estate or real estate related assets but think they dont have enough in the account to really make it work. Frequently, thats a big misconc - Using Real Estate as Diversification in Asset Allocation
- Real Estate as a Pension Plan Investment
Since 1975, real estate professionals were among the first to use their "Keogh" plans (now called Qualified Plans) to purchase real estate investments. - IRA Opportunities with Tenants in Common
Many clients get their IRA involved in larger real estate investments along with other investors through tenants in common arrangements - Profiting from Real Estate Option Contracts
Experienced real estate investors can use their self-directed accounts to take advantage of a range of attractive opportunities. - What to Look for and How to Find a Property Manager
What to look for in a property manager could really depend on the type of property you wish someone to manage. - General Information on Prohibited Transactions And Self Dealing
While the Internal Revenue Code and the Employee Retirement Income and Security Act (ERISA) do not state permissible retirement plan investment options, they do include what is prohibited and by whom. - Mortgaging Real Estate in Your Self-Directed Retirement Plan - The Lenders Perspective
Most of our clients are aware that they can use their selfdirected retirement plan to purchase investment real estate. - Mortgaging Real Estate in Your Self-Directed Retirement Plan - Part 2 - Successful Mortgage Strategies
In Part 1 of our discussion we discovered what factors lenders use to determine the maximum mortgage for a commercial loan - Entrust Administration, Inc. Continues its Company Expansion in California
- Would you put your retirement money into a start-up or other small private company?
- The Elements Of Tax Free And Tax Deferred Investing Involving Real Estate And Notes
The simplest part about using IRAs and Qualified Plans as sources of funds to invest in Real Estate and Notes is that it is like any real estate transaction using a third party entity as the owner. - Diversification and Tax Free Investing - Putting Greens to Foreclosure Auctions
Commercial brokers have discovered a wonderful investment opportunity: a putting green. - August IRA Insights: Funding Your New Business with Retirement Funds
John recently retired from the fire department and is ready to move on to the next phase of his life. At 54 years young, John knew he wasn't ready for "full-time" retirement and had been thinking about starting his own business for several years. As his - The Rule of 72What the Heck Is It!
How do we make our financial decisions? Why do we invest the way we do and what is the benefit? - Accounts Receivable Financing in a Combination of IRA and 401(k) Plan
Factoring has long been an investment capability within qualified plans and IRAs. Among the most popular has been medical offices receivable. - Conventional vs. Nontraditional Investments
When speaking to people who have discovered the universe of self-directed IRAs, I often encounter potential investors who havesome trepidation about moving their funds out of more conventional IRAs that are invested in stocks and bonds. - The Real Estate Investor's Secret Weapon
A 1031 Exchange can help you keep your money and reinvest it so you can continue to grow your real estate portfolio. - Going For the Gold
There are many different ways to invest in gold, as part of your retirement portfolio, and you should know about all of them before you decide where to invest. - Entity Investments in Your IRA: Advantages, Cautions, and Legal Considerations
There are special considerations when you invest your self-directed IRA in an entity such as a corporation, LLC, or trust. Find out what you need to know, before you invest. - Make Money Off of Taxes
Many invesotrs are choosing to invest their self-directed IRA into tax liens because they offer a set rate of return due to the fixed interest rate, which will not change with fluctuations in the economy. - Did You Know That You Could Do a Lease Option with Your Self-Directed IRA?
Investors don't need to have the entire price of a property in cash in their IRA to invest in real estate. Lease options are yet another alternative you can invest in with your self-directed IRA. - Investing in Tax Deeds with Your Self-Directed IRA
A Great Inflation Hedge
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