What is a Self-Directed IRA?

Generally, a Self-Directed Individual Retirement Account, or "SDIRA" for short, is defined as an IRA where the account owner makes his or her own investment decisions and investments on behalf of their IRA. 

All IRAs Are Self-Directed IRAs

However, in reality, all individual retirement accounts are Self-Directed IRAs because the account owner always decides or chooses which financial institution to place or deposit his or her own IRA.  The account owner can choose to place his or her Self-Directed IRA at a bank, trust company, securities broker dealer, insurance company, or other IRS approved or authorized IRA Custodian.

Investment Flexibility

The real issue is how much flexibility (i.e. how much self-direction) the IRA Trustee or Custodian will permit the account holder to have in the selection of his or her investments to be made inside of the self-directed IRA.  What type of assets will the IRA Trustee or Custodian permit to be acquired and held inside the account owner's Self-Directed IRA?

Different IRA Trustees or Custodians will allow different types of investments or assets.  Bank IRAs permit various types of bank deposit products, trust companies and securities brokerages permit publicly traded securities, etc.  The majority of IRA Trustees and Custodians limit account holders to bank deposit products and/or publicly traded securities such as stocks, bonds, and mutual funds. 

The account owner should decide what type of assets he or she wishes to invest in and then select an Self-Directed IRA Trustee or Custodian that will permit those types of investments inside of an individual retirement account.

Self-Directed IRAs

Financial institutions or Third-Party Administrators ("TPAs") that market their IRAs as "Self-Directed IRAs" generally permit a greater range of investment options or choices above and beyond the traditional publicly traded securities, including real estate, notes secured by deeds of trust, promissory notes secured by mortgages, franchises, partnerships, private equity, limited liability companies ("LLCs") and tax lien certificates.

Comments

[John]

Great post, Really helpful information and a great explanation of a Self Directed IRA.