What if there was an easy way to implement a whole new approach to retirement funding, pension planning, and Social Security? Would the politicians be interested? Let’s find out.

What if the new plan actually reduced payroll taxes, cut prices, created jobs, increased salaries, raised shareholder dividends, partially funded decreased healthcare costs, and was available to everyone?

Sound too good to be true, but it’s actually doable. The reasons for the present system’s failure are mostly political; the solutions are clear, practical, and non-partisan. What we want is a less expensive system for assuring that everyone is able to retire with an adequate income, higher than that provided now by Social Security.

What we need is a simple program, part mandatory and part voluntary, using experienced trustees who operate within the strictures of the prudent-man rule— a risk-minimizing legal doctrine that …

Smack, right up alongside the head. Your 401(k) investment program deteriorated rapidly as the stock market and the economy weakened. Who would have thought that there was so much risk of loss in those mutual funds, and ETFs? Fortunately, the pain is most often temporary, but the timing of the recovery could alter some participant retirement schedules and benefits— not to mention the hefty confiscation level retirees can count on from Uncle Sam.

The popularity of self-directed 401(k) benefit plans is understandable. Employees typically get an instant profit from generous employer matching contributions, a variety of investment products to choose from, and portability between jobs. But the benefit to employers is far greater— an easy, low-cost, employee benefit plan with virtually no responsibility for the safety of the investments, and no lifetime commitment to benefit payments. In some instances though, employees are required

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by Daniel Beckett
An Individual Retirement Account, or IRA, is a retirement plan that provides tax advantages for retirement savings within United States tax law. Unlike 401k plans, which must be provided by an employer, IRAs can also be created by an individual. Aside from one specific type, IRAs contributions are made before tax.

Types of Individual Retirement Accounts

Different types of IRAs work in different ways. Traditional IRAs have no real distinguishing characteristics. Roth IRAs are perhaps the most different in intent, as the funds are taxed before contribution, allowing tax free withdrawals later in life.

SEP IRAs are generally offered by small businesses or self-employed indivuals. SIMPLE IRAs are more similar to 401(k) plans than other IRAs, though they have lower contribution limits and simplified administration. Self-Directed IRAs allow the holder to manage the fund themselves, rather than appointing a manager.

Though there were once …

With home foreclosures on the rise, those with money just sitting earning pennies in a Checkbook IRA account can put their money to work for them. Why is now a great time to be investing in the foreclosure market? There are three reasons.

3 Reasons to Invest in the Home Foreclosure Market Now

Buy Low: The key to investing in the foreclosure market is to find “good deals.” What is a good deal? Simply speaking, a property that has enough equity in it for you to buy it and make a profit. Right now, the market is flooded with properties that have a lot of equity.

Presently, the market is being swamped with all kinds of properties that have lots of equity. Why? Two primary reasons can be cited. One, the economy is in a recession, which means many are losing their job. And two, Adjustable Rate Mortgages (ARMs) are coming …

Checkbook IRA accounts, also called self-directed IRA accounts, provide many options for account holders to increase their portfolio value through investing in real estate. As real estate investing is the number one way to make money in the U.S., it’s no wonder that many want to capitalize on this.

Real estate investing is a very diversified field, which can stymie some investors when it comes to determining how to invest their money. It needn’t be at all, however. Asking yourself a few questions will help you to quickly put together a real estate investment strategy for your self-directed IRA account funds.

3 Questions to That Help Formulate a Real Investment Strategy

Investor Personality: As in, what type of investor are you? Do you like to take chances, are you super conservative. Or, do you fall somewhere in between the two. Knowing your investor personality will guide in selecting the most appropriate investment that …

by Self Directed IRA Advisor
A self directed checkbook IRA allows you to have checkbook writing privileges of your IRA retirement account.

If you’re a seasoned real estate investor, you know just how fast expenses can add up on a piece of property. A few trips to your local Lowes home improvement store, a number of calls to your contractor or a simple mistake made by an inexperienced handyman means you have to shell out money, money, money - right out of your pocket.

Now imagine if in addition, you had to pay an additional fee to the custodian every time you needed to cover an expense related to your investment. On top of your financial losses, it can be an enormous expense of time and frustrating to say the least. Would you agree or disagree that this is no way to steward what is more than likely the most important …