Taking a required minimum distribution (RMD) can be challenging if you’re not sure what you’re doing. There are real tax consequences if you don’t do it right, so smart IRA investors know it’s important to take it seriously. Since self-directed IRAs deal with alternative and sometimes illiquid assets, this can seem complex. But at IRAR, we’ve seen it all— and we’re here to help.

Our team of experienced self-directed IRA experts is here to guide you through the process, answering real RMD questions from real SDIRA investors.

As much as we all wish retirement plans were free of charge, they aren’t. Companies that provide services for retirement plans ALWAYS charge fees in some way, even if it’s not clear how.  After all, they have to cover basic business costs to service your account, so they always find a way.

Even so, you’ll sometimes see promotions by big banks where they offer great benefits like making a contribution to your account or promises to match your retirement savings, all while promoting these accounts as free— don’t be fooled. There is no such thing as a free IRA.

Can you imagine— a future where your retirement is secured by physical property. A future where you know that no matter what the stock market looks like, there is a tangible asset you and your retirement can rely on.

That’s why investing in real estate is such a popular strategy. Unlike stocks, bonds, and mutual funds, it’s something you can touch, something you can feel, something you can depend on— no matter what happens. That’s the kind of security most people want in a retirement investment.

When the IRA was first created, you only had one option— but since 1997, there’s been another choice, one more and more investors are picking every year. The Roth IRA! A favorite of many investors looking to make their retirement dollars go the extra mile— and you can take advantage too, as long as you qualify.

Do you have a Traditional IRA? If so, you’ll have to start taking Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) eventually. Once you turn 70 ½, you’re required by the IRS to take out (and pay taxes on) a portion of your retirement savings. But for some people who don’t hold any cash in their self-directed retirement account, this causes momentary panic. I don’t have any cash in my self-directed IRA, how do I take my RMD? What do I do!?  

We know you want to help your clients open their self-directed IRAs as quickly and seamlessly as possible. We want that too! Our team is always aiming to make the process as simple as possible for investors and their advisors. The process with IRAR is quick and easy, but there are a few things we see investors miss pretty frequently.

Here’s what to watch for with your clients, so they can start investing ASAP:

Once upon a time, self-directed IRAs were an unknown niche of the investment market— accounts that only the rich were utilizing to build wealth.  Nowadays, though they aren’t the standard retirement option, they’re way more popular— your financial advisor may have even heard of them! Because alternative assets are going mainstream (and unlike traditional retirement accounts, these investments are allowed in a self-directed IRA), the popularity of self-directed IRAs continues to grow. For good reason. The freedom to diversify retirement savings into assets not usually allowed gives investors more chances to build savings fast while making investments that will sustain them long term.

If you’re self-employed or a small business owner looking for a way to save for retirement, SEP IRAs are an excellent option to consider. Easy to set up and maintain, SEPs are retirement saving without the hassle —plus the added bonus of much higher contribution limits, so you can save and invest more, faster.

So wait, that’s easier set-up and more savings? If that sounds like your dream IRA, here’s what you need to know:

Private placements —stocks, bonds, or securities sold on the private market, instead of on the public exchange— make up a huge portion of our clients’ IRAs. An extremely popular investment, they’re one of our most popular (next to real estate), as typically they aren’t offered at regular retirement providers like Fidelity or Schwab. Investors use private placements to use their retirement savings to fund start-ups, technology, business expansions, and more in exchange for stock options and equity not available to the general public. An excellent opportunity with a market primed for investment, and self-directed IRAs make it possible.

If you’ve been self-directing your IRA (or thinking about it!), you may have heard how hard it is to work with self-directed custodians— but that’s only true of SOME self-directed custodians. Though some companies are known for overcharging while under-providing (or just being plain hard to get ahold of), we promise that’s not true for every self-directed company.

Don’t let a few bad apples chase you away from a great opportunity to invest. Don’t give up on self-directing your future. Not all custodians are the same, we all do things differently.