Archive for December 12th, 2009

Determining whether or not you should invest your self-directed IRA assets into real estate can be challenging. It clearly depends on how much of your net worth is tied up in real property. I have read articles saying that everyone should have 20% to 30% of their investments in real estate. Now I’m not going to prescribe a specific percentage. Each person has their own comfort zone. But certainly everyone should have some form of real property investment, even if it is a real estate investment trust (“REIT”).

Not only is real estate a great investment, but it is less volatile than stocks and is also negatively correlated to stock market returns. But because it is generally actively managed, many folks may not have the stomach for it. So determining whether you should hold real estate in your IRA depends, in part, on your overall portfolio mix and your temperament.

When investing in real estate, the tax deferred nature of IRAs should not be ignored. An IRA may be a great vehicle for your investments if you have a strategy that would otherwise result in short-term capital gains. Continue reading ‘Self-Directed IRA – Should I Use it to Invest in Real Estate?’ »

Church fundraisers are surprisingly simple to plan, easy to carry out and the results are often spectacular and unexpected. If there’s one organization that can amass enough money for a worthwhile and worthy cause, it’s a church. Most people have no qualms in donating to the church, because of its religious significance, as evidenced by the weekly giving of tithes and offerings. However, there may be extenuating and miscellaneous expenses that must be funded for the church to be presentable, or for it be run properly. This is where fundraisers come in.

Fundraiser Themes

Fundraisers are a quick and easy way to raise money for your church. Yard and garage sales, where church goers donate their novelty items,clothing, bags, shoes and sometimes even jewelry. Bake sales and soup kitchen days, while raising the revenue of the church; also attract people around the vicinity of the neighborhood to see what is happening at their local church. With a full stomach and a ready ear, a local pastor may opt to evangelize these people and invite them to regularly attend their congregation. Continue reading ‘Christian Church Fundraiser Ideas’ »

With many companies struggling to stay afloat in this economy it’s understandable that people are hesitant to invest in assets such as stocks or real estate. With so much financial uncertainty, it makes even more sense today to diversify investments to reduce risk. Given the nature of mutual funds, they are perfect candidates for investments as they allow diversification and professional management.

The benefits include being able to have holdings into multiple companies as your funds will be allocated towards different assets which can range from aggressive to passive. There are literally hundreds of different categories available so you are bound to find one that interests you. In addition, most funds are professionally managed by a board of advisors who will make investment choices for you. Continue reading ‘Mutual Fund Investments – Are Mutual Funds a Smart Investment in This Economy?’ »

Advanced Allowable IRA Investments

Statistics have revealed that at the end of 2001, 42% of U.S. households had an IRA account. The total value of these accounts was $2.4 trillion. The wealth from these Traditional IRA accounts constituted almost half of all financial assets for the households involved. Due to the downfall of the economy and the poor results of the stock market over the past few years, $5 trillion has been lost. Much of this money was retirement money that was in Traditional IRA accounts. Now, IRA owners are desperately searching for other means of investing their IRA funds. By investing in other options besides typical stocks, bonds and mutual funds, these individuals have managed to begin building their retirement plans again because making money through any investment vehicle is the purpose of any Roth IRA.

Is Real Estate in your IRA the Solution?

Real estate is one of those possible investments. The Roth IRA rules and simple IRA rules regarding investments in real estate are complex, but the rewards from such investments can be huge. Many people have the wrong concept of their IRA retirement account. They believe these accounts must be offered by an insurance company, a bank or a brokerage house. This is not true. While the IRA does require a large institution to act as a trustee, it should be remembered that the IRA itself is merely a trust that is given tax benefits. These tax benefits are available as long as the trust contains provisions. So, basically, an IRA is nothing more than a trust that must conform to certain conditions. Continue reading ‘IRA Investment – Investing IRA Options’ »