With gas prices and virtually every other cost of living rising, responding to the declining dollar is something we all have probably thought about by now. One option available to us all is precious metals: namely gold, silver, and platinum. The trick with getting metals into a retirement plan is … [Read more...] about Precious Metals for Keeps
Self Directed IRA Solo 401k
Green from Green
In case you haven't heard about the latest buzzword, it's "green". Green living, green cars, green houses, green lifestyle, and now - green investing. The mutual fund market has been quick to provide a push button conscience cleaner - SRI (Socially Responsible Investing) index funds. Let's take a … [Read more...] about Green from Green
Real Estate in the Wild West
"Buying foreign real estate is kind of like buying real estate in the Wild West. 150 years ago they probably didn't have an MLS, local board of Realtors, or disclosure laws," says foreign investment specialist Tom Phelan. I had the chance to catch up with him today and pick his brain. As described … [Read more...] about Real Estate in the Wild West
Eliminating securities problems – Part 2
I previously discussed what a security is and who are accredited investors. Non-accredited investors are typically excluded from most syndicated private placements. This is part of the cause of the investor isolation in the self directed IRA/401k marketplace. The stock market's growth has been … [Read more...] about Eliminating securities problems – Part 2
Eliminating securities problems – Part 1
There's a case (the Howie case - can somebody provide me a good link that explains it?) that defines a security as an investment contract in which a person invests their money into a pool and expects to receive a profit solely from the efforts of others. So typically, when a person invests in … [Read more...] about Eliminating securities problems – Part 1
Increasing buying power
These are the primary ways of increasing buying power when putting real estate into a retirement account: Mortgage financing - This has to be in the form of a non-recourse loan, which is typically limited to about 70% LTV. This can double or sometimes triple your buying power, allowing you to have … [Read more...] about Increasing buying power
Huge risks for huge returns – A good idea?
The previous post explained how thousands of isolated self directed IRA/401k investors could all be making the same mistakes. I see that many self directed accountholders are pursuing high returns by simply taking high risks. I believe intelligent investing is about having an extraordinarily … [Read more...] about Huge risks for huge returns – A good idea?
The Cost of Isolation
Most of my product and service development is centered around the theory that for most average Americans, a self directed IRA/401k actually is too risky. The conventional way of investing involves pushing a button or placing a phone call to effect a securities transaction. This new way of investing … [Read more...] about The Cost of Isolation