April 18, 2024

Self Directed IRA Real Estate Place Investors in Charge

ira real estate investment

Many people think that their legal obligation to manage their IRAs through a custodian means that they don’t have any control over their money, but this isn’t true. Self-directed IRA real estate investment ensures that consumers are always the ones in charge of their retirement savings.

Real estate is a great way to invest for retirement. Unlike many business-related investments, like stocks and mutual funds, real estate usually has the longevity to last until retirement and still have value that can be added to your estate. Even though there are temporary downswings, like the housing bubble, these don’t last forever because people will always need places to live and do business. Moreover, a well suited income property usually weathers the storm while producing consistent income during the swings in value.  Multi-family is a good example of this type of investment where rents have gone up in markets, even during the downturn, due to the increase demand from those needing to rent.

Self-directed IRA real estate investment lets people diversify their portfolio into assets once thought only possible through REITs.  For instance, many of our clients use our IRA plans to directly invest in real estate without ever paying penalties and not having to pay fees and operational costs associated with REITs / Brokers.  IRA rules dictate that investments in items like commercial buildings, undeveloped land, rental apartments and even vacation properties can be paid for using 401(K) or IRA funds. Unlike other early withdrawals, these do not incur penalties or early-distribution taxes while in a Self-directed Plan.  For this reason, many of our clients use their retirement funds to generate extra, lower-risk income.

This strategy puts our investors in control and it is easy to understand. Most of our customers who use their self-directed IRA funds for real estate purchases do so because they are investing in “what they know”.. There are few restrictions on the type of property you can invest in and the rent or profits you make count as returns on investment for the retirement fund, there is no K1 or Schedule E.  In fact, gains in this type of investment are not reported on the tax return.  Instead, there is simply a one-time report of value each year for the IRA.  This is a great way to take advantage of growth and allow the “would be” tax dollars to work to your advantage.

There are other advantages to self-directed IRAs.  The flexibility of self-directed IRA account makes it perfect for helping out relatives’ who own businesses or may be investing in properties.   Under certain guidelines, your IRA can make loans to others as “private money” lending.  You establish the terms for repayment and loan the money from your self-directed account.

What Are the Best Ways to Ensure a Quality Retirement?

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If you’re sitting at your desk at work right now thinking about the many things you’re going to do once you’ve retired, you’re not the only one. Summer’s warm and sunny weather encourages this behavior. You want to be outside gardening or taking a walk around town, but in order to make this a reality; you’ll need to begin saving substantially beforehand. Unfortunately, because of the lackluster economy and its effects on the job market and workers’ portfolios, this is becoming much easier said than done. If you’re struggling to come up with a viable way to retire, here are some things to keep in mind:

 

Have you considered a Checkbook IRA? One of the biggest reasons people get behind is the failure of others to properly manage their IRA or 401K. When the economy tanked, so did many retirement accounts. The traditional model gives little control to the owner of the account and forces them to rely on faceless “experts” who are supposed to know what’s best for your account. A Checkbook IRA can prevent this because it’s self-directed. The owner of the account retains control to make investments in non-traditional assets, like real estate, and other areas, like precious metals or private money lending, where the investor can still diversify while directly overseeing the type and quality of the investment.  This approach enables the IRA or 401k owner to be their own “wealth advocate” and it is having much success.

 

Living within your means: This is one idea that many of us forget about. In a society that is increasingly becoming more about instant gratification, it’s certainly tempting to put something down on a credit card or loan, especially if the payments are affordable. But the question then becomes how much are you paying in interest? This interest could be used to pay down debt or save for your future. By living within your means and looking for deals when you can find them, you’ll make it far easier on yourself to save and avoid high interest debt.

 

Live a healthy life:  We’re all allowed a cheat day every now and then, but a good diet combined with exercise, sleep and proper stress management can make your retirement budget more manageable. One of the biggest components of a retiree’s budget is healthcare costs. Even with Medicare, co-payments, premiums and out-of-pocket prescriptions do add up. By taking control of your health, you can put yourself at a reduced risk for many chronic illnesses, which should free up your finances for more fun things in your retirement.

 

Take Control of Your Investments with the Help of a Self Directed IRA Custodian

It’s always a good idea to have a retirement plan. Establishing and regularly contributing to an IRA (individual retirement arrangement) helps ensure that you have the money necessary to live a comfortable life when you retire and your regular paycheck stops.  However, there are many misconceptions about IRAs.

Far too many investors shrug off the responsibility that comes with managing a successful retirement account, putting important decisions in the hands of big businesses that don’t always have the best interests of their clients in mind. For some, it is a conscious choice to give this decision-making power to an advisor or a financial firm, but most individuals don’t even realize there’s an alternative.

In coordination with a self directed IRA custodian, you can “call the shots” when it comes to your retirement funds. After all, it’s your money – so shouldn’t you have control of it? With our IRAcheckbook and 401kcheckbook plans, you choose how your hard-earned money is invested. We will form your investment structure and establish the custodial account with a self directed IRA custodian so that you have sole control of the funds and the decisions made pertaining to it.

Investing by means of a self-directed account is as simple as writing a check. There are no delays, no ongoing transactional fees and no tax returns to worry about each year. Once properly established in one of our Plans, your funds will be safely deposited into a business bank account of your choosing within two to three weeks.  You are then in control of the funds as  you serve as the manager.

 

In addition to being convenient, our services are also extremely affordable. We are proud to offer investors the power to control their retirement accounts without charging exorbitant fees. In fact, we feel that our flat fees provide the best value in the industry.

 

If taking control of your retirement account sounds appealing, don’t hesitate to contact us for more information on our Self-Directed IRA Plans. We look forward to working with you as you build a solid financial plan for your future. We are “Liberating Capital for Self-Directed Investments.”  It’s your future, take control today.

Real Estate Investment Using your Self Managed IRA

houseIRAs are a popular retirement tool, but many people do not know that a self-managed IRA is an option. The advantage of a self-managed IRA is that you decide what to invest in, whether it be traditional or non-traditional investments.  You may choose to invest in things that the managers of a more traditional IRA will not – including real estate.  Real estate is a good long-term investment, and IRA funds are well suited for longer term investing.

What is a Self Directed IRA?

IRS Publication 590, Individual Retirement Arrangements, explains the different types of IRAs. The traditional Individual Retirement Account is one type; the self-directed one is another. You decide how the money in your self-directed IRA is invested by working in coordination with a trustee.   You become your own “wealth advocate” and will quickly find out how easy the process can be even for the less experienced investor.  Certainly there are “do’s and don’ts” of self-directed IRAs, but with the right facilitator and custodian, this structure becomes a real advantage to the investor and opens many doors once reserved only for a select few.

Why Real Estate?

Unlike stocks and bonds, real estate is, well, real — it is a tangible asset with real value that doesn’t usually fluctuate with the whims of Wall Street.  Buying rental properties, especially multi-tenant properties, provides steady income to the IRA and diversity in more ways than you might think. There is the obvious fact that you can put money into real estate, stocks, bonds and other types of investments; however, you can also choose multiple types of real estate – rental properties (commercial and/or residential), undeveloped land or even value properties that are often referred to as “ flipped” or “flips”.

Things to Know

  • Be patient – Creating a self-directed IRA can take time, usually about three weeks.  Also,  many custodians don’t allow for self-directed accounts.
  • Financing-  The down payment on a property can be from the IRA.  This is a great way to leverage the investment.   You should contact an IRA facilitator that can guide you towards a lender that accepts IRA loans.
  • It is still an IRA – All profits from the property have to go into the IRA, and you cannot benefit from it before retirement. Also,  you cannot live in or use the property yourself.
  • It is still an IRA, the up-side – The income from the real estate is tax deferred (or in the case of a Roth IRA, tax free) , and you can make other tax deductible contributions to the account, as long as you don’t go over the annual contribution limit.
  • An IRA is an individual account – You have to avoid conflicts of interest, so your spouse or children cannot be part of the deal and neither can your parents or grand parents. .
  • It’s not a ‘set it and forget it’ investment – All expenses associated with the property have to be paid from the IRA account.

Real estate can be a very good investment. With self directed IRA real estate investments, you can broaden the scope of a retirement plan and utilize your money the way that you want to.

IRACheckbook Lifts AA Pilots Investment Opportunities

Pilots Investment Opportunities

Pilots Investment opportunitiesAmerican Airlines pilots investment opportunities soar with IRACheckbook, a facilitator of self-directed retirement funds located in Charleston, S.C. IRAcheckbook is working hard to help the pilots of American Airlines realize all of the benefits out there in investment, even during these turbulent times. It all started With the possible merger with US Airways as reported by the Washington Post on February 13th of this year and the termination of the B -Plan , whose default was first reported on February 2nd of last year by Reuters, as a part of American Airlines’ restructuring program, many American Airlines pilots are looking to gain back control.

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You do not have to be pilot to benefit from the checkbook IRA concept. We will help you navigate the self Directed IRA rules and prohibited transactions. IRA checkbook has prepared a free 5 part email series on the Self Directed IRA. Request it Here!

The Dos and Don’ts of IRA Investing

IRA investors today have literally hundreds of investment options available to them ranging from the stock, bond and mutual fund offerings of Wall Street to gold coins, real estate and derivatives. The decision to purchase one or more of them is one an investor often makes with the advice of his or her CPA. Investment decisions can be more complicated when the client intends to hold the investment in an IRA. The law does not allow taxpayers to put certain investments in an IRA; despite such limitations, there remain some attractive, little-publicized and less-known investment opportunities. CPAs should be familiar with them so they can give clients the best possible advice on a confusing, and potentially risky, subject of IRA investing.

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Charleston businessmen roll out retirement tool

It’s a common refrain: The housing slump has left a lot of homes in bad shape, but they can’t be repaired because traditional lenders are tight with credit.

Charleston entrepreneurs Kip Bowman and Jeff Beall are among the people who believe that scenario is already playing out. Rather than just talking about it, though, they decided to act and created a retirement tool to help.

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The Plow Horse Rolls On

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Rand: Invest in Charleston, S.C., and Grand Rapids, Mich.


How to Use a Self-Directed IRA to Buy Real Estate

Difficult economic times have spurred non-traditional methods to save for retirement, and many people are using a self-directed IRA to purchase non-traded assets like real estate.

A self-directed IRA is the lesser known of IRA options and requires account owners to make active investments on behalf of the plan. To open one, an owner must hire a trustee or custodian to hold the IRA assets and be responsible for administering the account and filing required documents with the IRS.

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