Self-Directed IRA Blog | Investment and Retirement News from Entrust

Funding Your IRA with a Rollover - Here's How It's Done

Written by The Entrust Group | Feb 02, 2018

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

Like many Americans, you may have a 401(k) from previous jobs. When you left your old job, did you leave your retirement savings behind? Cashing out will leave you with paying fees, and leaving the funds untouched prevents you from reaching your investing dreams. Entrust has empowered thousands of investors, many of whom consolidated their past accounts into a Self-Directed IRA to allow their money to continue to grow tax deferred in real estate, LLCs, precious metals and hundreds of other alternative investments. Now, the question is, how can you fund your IRA? There are 3 easy ways - a rollover, transfer or contribution. In this article, we'll breakdown the process of funding your Self-Directed IRA at Entrust with a rollover.

Here's how to rollover your 401(k) to a Self-Directed IRA at Entrust in 3 steps:

Step 1: Open an Entrust Self-Directed IRA 

  • Open an account on our online portal here or
  • Fill up our Account Application Form here or
  • Call Entrust at 1 (800) 392-9653

Step 2: Rollover your funds to Entrust

  • Contact your custodian to let them know you are going to make a withdrawal and rolling over those funds to Entrust. (Make sure to tell them the exact amount, if not withdrawing the whole amount). While speaking with your custodian, make sure you give them your Entrust account number. It is important to collect the following information from them (you’ll need this information to fill out a Rollover Form):
     
    1. Custodian information (Name, address, phone number)
    2. Account number
    3. Type of plan (Traditional IRA, Roth, SEP, SIMPLE, ESA, or HSA)
  • Fill out and submit the Rollover Form to Entrust:
    • Via the Entrust Client Portal:
      • Go to the Entrust Client Portal, go to the “Transactions” tab, click on “Fund Account” on the left side then select “Rollover”
      • Fill out the application and submit it
      • Email a photocopy of a complete statement (no older than 6 months) with your current custodian. Make sure it contains the following:
        • Client name
        • Custodian name
        • Account number and type of account(s)
    • Via paperwork:
      • Download the Rollover Form here
      • Form Requirements:
        • First make sure you have a valid identification (ID) on file. If you did not open your account online, make sure we have a correct form of ID by calling our Client Services Department at 800-392-9653, option 1. You can find out which types we accept here
        • Account information you collected from your custodian above (see Step 2)
        • Include a complete statement (no older than 6 months) with your current custodian. Make sure it contains the following:
          • Client name
          • Custodian name
          • Account number and type of account(s)
          • If transferring assets, include a detailed list of all assets you are transferring to Entrust
        • Submit the completed form along with the required documents to Entrust
        • If your previous custodian requires Entrust to fill out a portion of or to sign the Distribution Form, please send it to us via your custodian’s request:

Mail: The Entrust Group, 555 12th Street, Suite 900, Oakland, CA 94607

Fax: Please write “Attention Transfers” on cover page and fax to (510) 587-0960

Email: (only submit via email if accepted by your custodian)

Please submit your completed form and all pertaining documents to Transfers@TheEntrustGroup.com

If you have received a rollover check directly from your previous custodian, you may remit the check to Entrust, making the check payable to:

"The Entrust Group, Inc. FBO [Client Name] Account # [Entrust Acct. Number]

Example: The Entrust Group, Inc. FBO John Smith Account #12345.

Check(s) can be mailed directly to The Entrust Group at:
The Entrust Group, 555 12th Street, Suite 900, Oakland, CA 94607

Step 3: Select your investment for your Entrust Self-Directed IRA

  • Start investing by choosing the type of alternative investments you want to invest in. You can see your options here.
  • Contact your Business Development Manager (BDM) at Entrust for more instructions on the next step.

Have more questions? Try these additional resources: