What was your reaction the first time you heard about self-directed IRAs? Sounds good, you may have thought, yet something stopped you. Perhaps it sounds complicated. You don’t have enough saved. Your strategy for investment growth is great, so why change it? But what if you knew that self-directed IRAs are not complicated. You can bring in partners to fund more deals or get a bigger property. And, an investment strategy that delivers tax-free growth is always worth considering.

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 can rely on. Investing in real estate is a popular strategy for many of those reasons. Unlike stocks, bonds, and mutual funds, it’s something you can touch, something you can feel, something you can drive up to and say, “I own that piece of property.” Most investors use personal funds or loans to buy real estate, and aren’t aware that you can make the same type of investment with your retirement savings. With the housing market rising steadily at 5-6% on average per-year since the 2008 market crash (according to the Case-Shiller Index), it’s no wonder more and more investors are looking at real estate to ground their retirement portfolios.

Believe me, after 16 years in the self-directed IRA industry, I’ve heard it all: the good, the bad, and the downright weird of self-directed IRA companies. I often talk to account holders and pick their brain on how they went about finding the right custodian. Usually they have a story about what went wrong and it's exactly why I remain committed to the promise of Self-Directed IRAs (SDIRA). I believe that everyone has the right to make their own investment decisions, and pay affordable rates, while receiving best-in-class service. I also believe passionately in the power of knowledge and making what seems complex simple.

Self-Directed IRAs (SDIRAs) come with a lot of benefits, if you follow the rules and conduct due diligence on your investments. Real estate professionals are well-poised to take advantage of these benefits. Their real estate knowledge, experience, and access to good deals can be leveraged to reap the benefits of SDIRAs. But most aren’t taking advantage of the opportunity to build retirement wealth and grow their business at the same time.

After 16 years in the self-directed IRA industry, I’ve gained insight into some of the major complaints and pain points self-directed IRA investors deal with. As an investor myself, I’m empathetic to these challenges— especially as someone who works behind the scenes to create excellent customer experiences. With my experience working in all aspects of self-directed IRAs and alternative investments, from marketing to business development, I’ve had the opportunity to learn from savvy self-directed IRA investors of all levels. After much research and discussion with our clients as to why they’ve moved their IRA to IRAR Trust, here’s what I’ve found.

During the month of February, there’s a lot of focus on love, hearts, friendship, and— yes, self-directed IRAs. Besides googling what to buy your significant other, everyone’s researching how to open an account to get that tax break before April 15^th rolls around or how to transfer their account to save on high fees. As a marketer, I’m always curious what people are looking for during holidays and national events— they influence people in ways you wouldn’t expect. It’s interesting to see what influences search trends, but what does this have to do with self-directed IRAs and fees?

Fees have a big impact on retirement accounts— they slowly add up over time, preventing you from putting your hard-saved money to work for your retirement. To help you make the most of your money, we’ve complied a guide to these fees. After all, if you’re doing some of the work with self-direction, you shouldn’t have to overpay for your IRA.

You hear it all the time— in endless blogs, books, and articles. The most important part of a successful real estate investor is the team behind you. When investing with your self directed IRA, your custodian is an essential part of that team, one that can help or hinder depending on the company.

Is your provider helping or hindering?

If you have a self-directed IRA, at end of the year you'll receive a notice from your IRA custodian requesting you update the value of the assets in your account. This is called a “Fair Market Valuation” (or FMV) and it is used to adjust the value of an asset in your account— and with that, the total value of your IRA.

Real Estate IRAs are the hottest investment trend for real estate investors. However, some potential investors are put off by the fees and some self-directed IRA providers. Here are 3 factors you should consider when opening a self-directed IRA to invest in real estate: fees, service, and knowledge.