Your resource for articles, ideas and information on self-directing your retirement plan into alternative assets.
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.
Investments
- 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 Futures and Commodities
- Investing in Partnerships, Private Stock
Offerings and Extraordinary Investments - Buying Property in Mexico with Your IRA / 401(k)
- The Road Not Taken - Less Liquid Investments
Investors want liquidity in their investments. The strong desire to buy today, sell tomorrow should generate the question: what premium are you willing to pay for this much liquidity? - Self-Directed IRAs - Not Just for Real Estate
After speaking with clients so often one-on-one as well as in groups I was confident that all the people I spoke with really understood all the possibilities available to them with The Entrust Group's self-directed plans. I was quickly brought up short - Real Estate Opportunities South of the US Border
In an online survey performed in April 2007 of 30 thousand self-directed IRA real estate investor clients of ours, 30% were interested in investing in real estate offshore. - Investing in Trust Deeds and Mortgage Notes
You may invest in trust deeds, mortgage notes and other interest-bearing notes with your Entrust Account. These notes may be either in first or subordinate positions and may be purchased from brokers or private parties. - Funding a Real Estate Mortgage Case Study
Buying and selling real estate is certainly one potentially profitable way to invest the funds in a self-directed IRA, but it is not the only real estate-related investment strategy. - Using Your IRA to Buy Discounted Notes
A Case Study: The Discounted Notes with Participations - Real Estate Notes: How Tom Found an Opportunity for His SEP-IRA and Helped a Fellow Real Estate Broker.
- Banking on Your IRA Through Lending
- Add a House to Your IRA: Investment Diversification through Self-Direction
Many people are unaware of all the investment choices available within their retirement plans. Most invest in traditional assets such as stocks, bonds and mutual funds. Did you know you can invest in real estate, mortgages, leases, and other asset backed - 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. - Investing in Secured and Unsecured Notes
Funding and Servicing Secured and Unsecured Notes - Entrust must receive all loan documentation prior to the funding of any loan. We cannot fund without a complete loan package, which includes a trust deed and note, title insurance, when applicable, and - 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... - Self-Directed IRAs - Investing Retirement Funds in Real Estate
Diversification is one of the most important qualities of a successful retirement portfolio. Among the many investment options available, real estate is often overlooked. Few people are aware that opening a Truly Self-Directed IRA or Qualified Plan creat - 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. - Eat at Joes IRAs Bar and Grill
The joy of entrepreneurship - Lending to Fund Non-Profit Organizations
How to use your IRA Creatively and Mindfully - Do Retirement Plans Have Too Many Choices? Are New Limits Coming? Independent Investor Alert!
Too many choices can hamper decision making. Current and historical research reveals that too many investment options may be a bad thing. - 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. - 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. . . - The Truth About Self-Directed IRAs and Other Accounts
Learn some of the myths about self-directed IRAs - Frequently Asked Questions About
Can an IRA own a home with a loan? How? - Buying Real Estate in Your IRA
The basics of Buying Real Estate in Your IRA. - Either a Lender or a Borrower Be
Money in self-directed IRAs can be loaned out to any person who is not a "disqualified person." While this means that you cannot loan yourself - 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 - July IRA Insights: How do I Invest Thee? Let me Count the Ways
Many people find it very easy to see the benefits of self-directing their Roth and Traditional IRAs, SEP IRAs, SIMPLE IRAs, Individual 401(k)s, Coverdell Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) and Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) . . . - 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: 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 - 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?
- Using Your IRA to Buy Discounted Notes
A Case Study: The Discounted Notes with Participations - UBIT? You Bet! Using the Powerful Tool of Debt Leveraging in Your IRA
Many people just throw up their hands and say 'Forget it!' upon learning that an IRA can be subject to Unrelated Business Income Tax (UBIT) or Unrelated Debt Financing Income Tax (UDFI) if it owns debt leveraged property. - 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!
Remember that while Entrust provides excellent educational resources, we do not endorse or sell any investment products.
The Entrust Group respects your privacy. Please read our Privacy Statement.