If you have a trustee for your IRA retirement account, be aware that many of them will not act as the trustee if there are unconventional investments involved. This includes self directed IRA for real estate. In this case, the IRA account owner will have to find their own trustee that will provide the services needed. It is possible to find a trustee online, but you should start by asking your CPA to see if there is someone they recommend. If you do look online, begin by searching for “self-directed IRAs.” This search will return a list of qualified trustees that can handle you account and any unconventional investments. Nonbank organizations are approved by the IRS and can act as a trustee for your account. Trustees that do handle real estate investments will also oversee all other investments, including stocks, mutual funds and bond. The fact that they also deal with real estate gives them an edge when competing for business. Most often, trustees will not handle an account that involves any unorthodox investments.
When you locate a trustee, consult with your CPA before taking any further steps. In addition to advising you on what is the best IRA, your CPA can perform a credibility check which will determine if your selected trustee is professional and financially stable. It is very important to have the right trustee handling your investments. The wrong trustee can place all of your assets at risk. Continue reading ‘IRA Investments – Trustee, Self-directed IRA & Self-Dealing’ »