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Elementor #23742

May 24, 2022 by Usama Leave a Comment

gold

Filed Under: Gold

What is Rocket Dollar? | Reviews & Complaints to be Found?

May 23, 2022 by Glanz Leave a Comment

Today we will look at the Rocket Dollar reviews from consumer protection agencies. What is Rocket Dollar? They are an IRA custodian company that specializes mainly in investment opportunities for individual retirement accounts. Let´s look into this new company in the industry!

Company: Rocket Dollarwhat is rocket dollar

Website: www.rocketdollar.com

Founder: Henry Yoshida

Price: $360 Setup fee +$15 per month

Who is it for?: Self-directed investors, retirees

Overall rating: 3.8 out of 5 stars (3.8 / 5)


Warning!

There are many scammers who will trick you into giving them your hard-earned cash. 

They employ high-pressure sales techniques like calling you every day. 

To avoid this, please do your own research before you decide what firm to invest with. 

You can do this by checking the reviews and ratings independent 3rd party consumer protection agencies give them.

To discover which IRA investment firm consumers rate the highest… who won’t bother you with pushy sales calls… and who you can trust to protect and grow your wealth… then take a look at the top-5 lists of our Self-Directed IRA Dealers.

With that being said, let´s continue with the review on Rocket Dollar!


What is Rocket Dollar?

The company started in 2018 as a fairly new investment platform that positions itself as a low-cost platform for self-directed investors. They are there to ensure that their clients get all the help they need whenever they want to set up a Self-directed IRA or Solo 401k investment plan. The IRA or individual retirement account exists under a trust that holds investment assets acquired with an individual’s earned income for their eventual benefit in old age. The taxpayer is allowed by an IRA account to save their retirement benefits on a tax-deferred basis. 

rocketdollar reviews

Address of the company: 2028 East Ben White Boulevard Suite 240-4010 Austin, TX 78741

How Does Rocket Dollar Work?

Opening an account through Rocket Dollar is pretty simple. A client signs up online, after which he/she signs the required documents, then funds their investments. Once a client funds an investment plan, they can start buying any legal investment. It may seem simplistic, but a deeper review of the factors involved assists the understanding of the complexity of the work put into Rocket Dollar as well as how easy it is to go wrong.

By opening an account through Rocket Dollar, an individual also opens a limited liability company. This company is opened under the ownership of the client’s account. The funds used in investments and the returns go through the LLC’s checkbook since one cannot combine personal funds and investment funds.

The LLC’s control of an individual’s investments account is meant to assist in staying compliant with set laws concerning self-directed investments. However, the account holder should note that they still have to apply caution when buying and selling assets. Rocket Dollar emphasizes that it is illegal to “self-deal” or buy or sell assets you or your business own. Due to this reason, Rocket Dollar offers to help fill the form 5500 for a client whenever it’s required as part of the client’s customer service.

What products do they offer?

Self-directed retirement accounts

is rocket dollar a scam

Rocket Dollar facilitates the operation of self-managed retirement accounts by handling back-office documentation and connecting its users with prospecting investment partners. The platform offers self-directed IRAs and solo 401(k) accounts. Like retirement accounts, a Rocket Dollar user’s investment can save a huge amount of money in tax savings with high-yielding investments. 

The self-directed retirement account offers investors a broad universe of IRS-approved investments.

The investments opportunities available to Rocket Dollar clients include:

  • Real estate
  • Metals: including IRA-approved gold and IRA-approved silver, among others.
  • Precious metals are available in bars, bullion, and even coins.
  • Commodities
  • Cryptocurrency
  • Equity Crowdfunding
  • Private equity lending
  • Start-up lending
  • Conventional lending
  • Peer-to-peer lending

With Rocket Dollars, a client can invest in options that are not on the platform through the “Bring Your Deal (BYOD)” provision, which turns an unlisted option into an investable opportunity. 

As a client, one gains a wide selection of investment options to choose from whenever one needs to invest. With your hard-earned dollars positioned correctly, you will be at peace, knowing you will not lose it all in a moment. Even with the current economic and political scenario’s complexity of existing risks, you will still reap the benefits of your investment in your assets many years later. 

**Also read:

Gold in war (hedge against inflation)

How to protect your 401(k) from a market crash

How to get started?

The company’s excellent customer service makes starting an investment plan with them fairly simple. However, it is advisable for you to start by accessing their website and reviewing the different products they offer. On the website, you will also get a free guide that can provide you with more information concerning IRA plan investment and factors to keep in mind when investing. The guide is considerably helpful to investors looking to open a self-directed IRA account for their retirement. 

This will also provide some background into the company their history. Staying informed will assist you as a client in assessing the viability as well as the security of the intended investment. Should you prefer their services, the next step should be to contact the company through one of the various options given on their website.

A customer support specialist will get in touch with you and provide you with the guidance that you need to open a self-directed IRA or a Solo 401k account. They will also assist you through the investment process.

Whom Are Rocket Dollar’s Partners?

With Rocket Dollar, you can invest in almost anything with the self-directed IRA. The company has several online investment partners that assist when investing in the various options listed above. However, you should not take my word for this; it’s advisable to do your research on these companies.

The point to note is that, even if the partners are not impressive to you, with a self-directed IRA, you have the option to invest and set up accounts in the name of your IRA or Solo 401k, even when they don’t partner with Rocket Dollar.

What Are Rocket Dollar’s Fees?Gold Retired

Each account requires a $360 setup fee and an additional $15/month maintenance fee in Rocket Dollars’ silver option. Considering your account balance, this can be a preferable deal. Any additional fees incurred are included alongside these fees charged by Rocket Dollar.

Rocket Dollar has a Rocket Dollar Gold option for an expedited funding option. This option requires a $600 fee and a $30/monthly maintenance fee for people in need of support closing a deal quickly.

Comparing these fees with the free solo 401k plans by the major brokerage firms, they come out as expensive. However, this option allows you to control and invest in a greater variety of options.

How Do They Compare?

Rocket Dollar isn’t the only company in this trade. When looking for a Solo 401k or a Self-Directed IRA, the options are not limited to just a few companies, there are plenty of alternatives out there.

**On this page you can see our top-6 list of Self-Directed IRA Custodians.

However, here’s how Rocket Dollar compares to a couple of them (see more from link above):

                                 RocketDollar      ALTO           My Solo 401k Financial

Setup Fee:           $360                           $49                  $425

Annual Fee:          $180                           Up to $499    $125

Plan Types:           IRA & 401k               IRA                   IRA & 401k

What can we make out of these results?

This shows the slightly higher overall fees for Rocket Dollar; however, the effect it has on the company’s success, we are yet to see; as the company is fairly young, there haven’t been a lot of customer responses and reactions to derive from. 

How good is their support?

The Rocket Dollar platform is a self-directed IRA and solo 401k provider. It bases its operation on keeping its plan easy to set up and manage. This ensures clients can focus on other demands. They have excellent customer service, which makes their support great.

Is Rocket Dollar a Scam?Gold Retired

So, is Rocket Dollar a scam? No. The company is not a scam but a legitimate IRA investment company. They have real owners documented on their website as well as a real physical address. However, the company is still fairly young, so we are yet to know how well it develops.

Though it is a young company, it has the advantage of numerous alternative investment opportunities, so if you are experienced as a trader, the company will provide the universe of options you need as long as the high fees don’t scare you.

Rocket Dollar Reviews & complaints

One of the best way to research a company is, without a doubt, to look at reviews of the particular company, in this case, Rocket Dollar. However, we do not like to just look at “any” review but we focus mainly on the most well-knwon and trusted independent third-party consumer protection agencies. The reason why we look at those places and put the most weight on that is because only real customers of a product or service can leave their testimonials there.

Below are the reviews on Rocket Dollar:

BBB (Better Business Bureau)Gold Retired

Rating: N/A

Trustpilot

Rating: N/A

BCA

Rating: N/A

Trustlink

Rating: N/A

Yelp

Rating: N/A

As you clearly can see above we didn´t find anything on the most well-known and trusted consumer watchdogs… Again, Rocket Dollar is a very young company so that might be the reason for it.


Rocket Dollars PROS
  • Self-directed IRA or Solo 401k easy setup
  • Alternatives investment options in an IRA
  • An expedited setup option great for those with urgency
CONS
  • Slightly higher than average annual fees

Do you own or represent this company? 

Are you the owner or a representative of Rocket Dollar? Would you be interested in clarifying any of the details we have provided above or adding some details concerning the review? Any information will be added to ensure IRA prospecting investors get the best image of your platform. 

The quickest and easiest method to get in touch with us is to post a note in the comments section below or to send us an email at the following address: contact@goldretired.com.


Final words & Verdict

Verdict: Legit

Overall rating: 3.8 out of 5 stars (3.8 / 5)

Rocket Dollar makes it cheap and easy to invest retirement funds in alternatives. For an experienced person, this is a compelling opportunity. I would be reluctant to invest my retirement dollars in alternative investing. The company is still too young to predict its future capabilities.

For now, I would think it wise to wait until that platform has established a track record of successful investing outcomes. An alternative investment is a risky trade that depends on the prowess of the individuals involved. This is not a trait one can judge on impulse; it requires actual scenarios of triumph over the challenges in the business world to make what I would call “an informed decision.”

As of now, I give the platform a rating of 3.8 out of 5 stars. However, this may change to a higher or a lower index in due time as we update our reviews on this site as soon as new trends come up on the platform.

Recommendation + resourcesGold Retired

Please make sure to due your due diligence and ALWAYS compare different alternatives before you make any decisions to move forward with your investment. You are a smart person, I know that because you clearly understand the consept of doing your own research, you wouldn´t have read this far otherwise, right? So I am absolutely sure that you will find the company that suits your particular needs the best, and that you feel comfortable doing business with!


I hope you found this short review to be helpful and that you now got a better idea on what Rocket Dollar is and if it is something for you or not. We didn´t find any reviews from the consumer watchdog sites, so if you have experience yourself with this company then please share it in the comment section below as it can help others!

I wish you success!

Glanz, investor and team member at Gold Retired

Filed Under: Agriculture, Crypto, Gold, Real Estate, Retirement

is Safeguard Metals a Scam? | Warning some clear red flags!

May 19, 2022 by Glanz Leave a Comment

In this article, we will review Safeguard Metals. Is Safeguard Metals a scam or legit? It has long been common practice to store financial assets in gold and silver to protect them from market instability. How well does this particular company match up against the top alternatives in the industry?

Company: Safeguard Metalsis safeguard metals a scam?

Website: https://www.safeguardmetals.com/

Founder: Jeffrey Santulan

Price: No fees on display on their website?

Who is it for? Precious metal investors, retirees

Overall rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars (2.5 / 5) (below average)


Warning!

There are many scammers who will trick you into giving them your hard-earned cash. 

They employ high-pressure sales techniques like calling you every day.  

To avoid this, please do your own research before you decide what firm to invest with. 

You can do this by checking the reviews and ratings independent 3rd party consumer protection agencies give them.

To discover which investment firm consumers rate the highest… who won’t bother you with pushy sales calls… and who you can trust to protect and grow your wealth… then take a look at the #1 Recommended Gold & Silver IRA Dealer on our top-5 list.

With that being said, let´s continue with the review on Safeguard Metals!


What is Safeguard Metals?

Safeguard Metals is a gold investment company with many years of experience in wealth and asset protection. They are there to ensure that their clients get all the help they need whenever they need a simple way to convert their current 401k/IRA to a Self-Directed IRA that can hold physical gold and silver. They are simply a wealth preservation protection company that deals exclusively in bullion, either shipping gold or silver directly to your doorstep or within an IRA account.safeguard metals reviews

Investments in retirement funds are protected while also allowing them to make greater investments in their later years. Precious metals can also be purchased directly by customers who are collectors, investors, or other financial experts. To ensure the highest quality, they work with mints and distributors directly, inspecting all new stock thoroughly.

They offer the greatest possible standard of service. As a result, they only hire people who have a genuine desire to serve others and have proven competence in precious metals. As a team, Safeguard Metals’ professionals provide comprehensive education and help investors take advantage of their retirement account’s capacity to store precious metals in strict compliance with IRC Section 408(m)(3), with the greatest degree of integrity, transparency, and customer service in mind.

The precious metals can be purchased straight from them and delivered to your house or office. It’s easy to purchase gold to keep in your home with the company’s large assortment of precious metal products.

Direct purchase or IRA?

A partner who knows about the utilization of gold and silver as a form of asset protection is absolutely necessary. They’ll give you the insight you need to make smarter financial choices and protect the value of your assets from the effects of political and economic uncertainty.

They also provide an Individual Retirement Account (IRA) in gold, which is a wonderful retirement investment that allows you to make use of the power of gold to both build and safeguard your money. When it comes to protecting the value of your assets over the course of a long period, investing in gold is frequently the strategy that proves to be the most effective.

They also advise and guide you through the process of transferring your assets into a gold IRA without incurring any fines or costs. They are a trustworthy gold investment firm to work with because of their years of experience. Whether for retirement or otherwise, your gold investments will benefit greatly from the knowledge you gain from this resource.

Address: Warner Center 21550 Oxnard St. 3rd Floor Woodland Hills, Ca. 91367, California, United States of America.

What products do they offer?

Different physical precious metal goods are available for purchase directly from the company or investing in an Individual Retirement Account (IRA). These include IRA-approved gold as well as IRA-approved silver, and also other precious metals. Gold and silver can be found in various forms, including bars, bullion, and even currency.

Investing in or purchasing precious metals is easy because there are so many options available. Your reliance on them can be placed on the fact that they have devoted themselves to ensuring that you do not lose your wealth or assets in the event of an economic downturn.

Whenever you decide to invest in gold, this company will be there to advise you through the investing process and ensure that your valuables are receiving the best possible protection. As a prominent provider of wealth and assets protection services, you can rely on them to safeguard all of your investments.

You will feel protected and secure, knowing that you will not lose all of your hard-earned riches in a single night if you store your money in the proper location. Even if the current economic and political environment seems unachievable, you will still be able to obtain the value of your assets many years from now.

How to get started?

Customer service at Safeguard Metals makes starting up with the company a breeze. To get started, visit their website and browse through the various things they have to offer.

If you visit the website, you’ll be able to download a free booklet that explains more about precious metals investing and what to keep in mind before making a purchase. In order to open a self-directed IRA account, investors may find this instruction helpful.

This will also give some context to the company’s history, and what it has been doing for the many years it has been in business. Being educated all the way through the process is essential for protecting your money. Making good financial decisions and getting the best return on your assets are both (more likely) assured when you have this knowledge at your disposal.

They want to get in touch

Investing in gold with this company will be easier once you’ve thoroughly read the guide. As a follow-up step, you should use their contact page or the built-in, on-screen conversation feature on the contact page of their website to get in touch.

In order to start an IRA account for gold, a customer care representative will reach out to you and give you the necessary instructions. They can also assist you in purchasing actual gold and arranging for its delivery if that is what you prefer.

Additionally, they will give you the papers you need to fill out to register an account with the firm or make a purchase from them. If you have all of the information that you need ready, this process will only take a few hours or even minutes, and once you have filled out the paperwork, they will handle the rest of it and make it possible for you to make the investments that you need to make.


Safeguard Metals Gold & Silver IRA?

Safeguard Metals provides precious metals IRA services to their customers. That’s a good thing because a gold IRA has a lot of advantages, like tax advantages and the ability to protect investors from inflation and financial crises.

What IRA custodians do they work with?

Despite my best efforts, I couldn’t discover any information on their website concerning which IRA custodians (or custodians) they’ve associated with, which is a negative. That information can only be obtained by directly contacting Safeguard and asking.

What are the fees?gold

Unfortunately, the company’s website does not provide information about fees and prices. You have to ask for it when you start a gold-IRA account to get this. Another drawback is that all fees should be made readily visible on the company’s website. This would promote openness and accountability.

Important to mention here:

Before you sign anything, be sure you know exactly what fees you’ll be responsible for. Online, we’ve seen many examples of pensioners being ripped off by so-called “hidden fees”—not a nice discovery for those who hadn’t anticipated them. Before signing anything, make sure you know exactly what fees are involved. You want a corporation to be completely open and honest with you.

**See my Top-5 List of 100% transparent gold & silver IRA solutions on this page


Can you sell back your precious metals?

No. The precious metals you acquire from them have no buyback policy.

**Note: Want to learn about a company that got a highest price buy-back guarantee, then read here

How good is their support?

When evaluating a company’s customer service, I pay close attention to whether or not they offer live chat on their website. As mentioned on their website, Safeguard does not offer this facility, and you may only get in touch with them via social media platforms, phone, or email. It has no online product inventory; instead, visitors are directed to a contact form. A live-chat option would have greatly improved their service and provided excellent quality as a customer service tool.


Is Safeguard Metals a Scam?

Then, does Safeguard Metals appear to be a fraudulent company? Well, if it is a gold IRA scam or not I cannot decide, however, it might not be your best alternative out there, so to speak… At least it doesn´t look like it.

In spite of the company’s legitimate ownership and physical address, investors claim it misled them into purchasing precious metals by making false or misleading claims about the safety of their standard retirement account assets.

Silver Law Group is investigating on behalf of investors who have suffered losses in Safeguard Metals’ precious metals IRAs or other accounts. Safeguard Metals LLC and Jeffrey Santulan were both sued by the SEC for breaches resulting from the fraudulent precious metals scam and exorbitantly priced silver coins and for providing unlawful investment advice. You can read more abou that here.

Safeguard Metals reviews, complaints & ratings:

BBB (Better Business Bureau)

Rating: NOT accredited business (click here for details) 

Trustpilot

Rating: [4.4] (from 98 reviews) click here for details (opens in new window)

BCA (Business Consumer Alliance)

Rating: N/A 

Trustlink

Rating: N/A

Yelp

Rating: N/A

Some additional red flags?

Even though a company’s overall rating appears to be pretty good, it is still possible to locate complaints. It’s important to remember that no organization, no matter how long they’ve been in business, can please everyone all the time. There are several exceptions to this rule, such as when there are many complaints, and they are serious.

Are there better alternatives out there?Gold Retired

Yes, that’s what I believe! You need to be aware that gold firms have hundreds of favorable evaluations on Trustpilot and all of the following consumer protection authorities. As a result, there are a lot more impressively rated choices out there. We have listed all top-companies on this site, and I am sure that any of them will suit your needs the best. For example, if you are a high-networth investor planning to invest $50,000+ into an IRA, then Augusta Precious Metals might be the perfect fit for you, as their minimum starts at $50k.

If you plan to invest the minimum in your IRA 20,000+ then Goldco Precious Metals might be a better choice instead, if you want to invest outside of an IRA, through a direct purchase, their minimum start as low as $3,500. Most importantl, both companies above got basically flawless track record and are 100% transparent and professional at everything they do. 

Safeguard PROs & CONs

The positive 

  • Quality gold and silver products
  • Pretty good ratings from Trustpilot

The negative

  • They do not display partnered IRA custodians or the fees
  • There are some complaints to be found
  • Here are lawsuits filed by the investors
  • They don’t have a live chat on their website
  • They overprice their gold and silver
  • Their customer service is wanting

Do you own or represent this company?

Are you the owner or a representative of Safeguard Metals? Is there anything you’d like to add or clarify about the information we’ve provided above? We can gladly update your company’s details and guarantee that potential gold investors positively view your business. If you need to get in touch with us, the quickest approach is to leave a remark here in the comment section below, or send us an email. at: contact@goldretired.com


Final words & Verdict

Verdict: Not recommended!
Overall rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars (2.5 / 5)

Summary: Okay, I think that’s a good summary of what I think about this business. As a legitimate financial organization specializing in wealth and asset protection, Safeguard Metals offers gold and silver Individual Retirement Accounts.

However, there are a few things I’d like to know, namely the price schedule and the names of the IRA custodians they use. Their website does not have information regarding these two subjects. Their agents provide subpar customer service and appear to dismiss investors’ questions.

Additionally, the complaints I uncovered while examining their rating score from consumer protection agencies lowered my total rating.

My current rating stands at a low 2.5 out of 5 stars, but this could change as we aim to update our evaluations on this site whenever new information comes to light about the firms featured here.

As always, the decision is up to you to make, please just make sure to ALWAYS do your due diligence and compare different alternatives before you make any investmen decision!

Ok, now what?Gold Retired

You are a smart person, I know that because you clearly understand the importance of doing your own research on a company. You wouldn´t have read this far otherwise, right?

So I am absolutely sure that you will find the right company for your particular needs, and that you feel comfortable doing business with!

We have listed over 160+ companies on this website, so if you are interested in a particular one you can use the search bar. Most likely, you will find that we have reviewed the company you are searching for.

Gold IRA recommendation


I hope you found this short review on Safeguard Metals to be helpful and that you now have a better picture on what it is and if it is a scam or not. Personally, I would rather look at other alternatives, however, if you have used any of their services then please share your experience in the comment section below as it can help others! Also, if you got any questions I would be more than happy to answer them below!

I wish you the best!

Glanz, investor and team member at Gold Retired

Filed Under: Gold, review

Best Self-directed IRA Custodians | Ranked by Main Features

May 18, 2022 by Eric Leave a Comment

best self-directed ira custodians

Today we shall look at the best self-directed ira custodians. In the recent past, we have seen a gradual increase in the number of investors seeking to diversify their retirement investment portfolios through opening self-directed IRAs (SDIRAs). To achieve this, these investors have to turn to reliable and efficient self-directed IRA custodians. If you are trying to take the route that these investors have taken, then you might want to read on till the end of this post to find out more. 


P.S.Gold Retired

See my Top-5 List of Gold & Silver IRA Solutions here


What is a self-directed IRA? 

A Self-directed IRA (SDIRA) is a special type of individual retirement account that allows investors to invest in a wide range of alternative assets. In this case, the term alternative assets refer to precious metals, cryptocurrencies, real estate, startups, agriculture, startups, and many more.

Another thing about SDIRAs is that they have tax benefits such as those presented by regular IRAs (e.g. Traditional and Roth IRAs), where you can stay clear from paying taxes during the investment period. You should, however, familiarize yourself with the taxation rules and other rules, in general, to avoid being on the wrong books with the IRS.

What are the Benefits of a Self-Directed IRA? | Top 3 Pros


How to open a self-directed IRA

The steps followed to open a self-directed IRA differ from one custodian to the other, but you will generally be required to follow the steps below:

  1. Find a reliable custodian for your account
  2. Fund your self-directed IRA through an IRA rollover, or by depositing a check (or any other payment method allowed). 
  3. Select the investments you intend to make
  4. Instruct the custodian to purchase the assets on your behalf. If you are investing in physical precious metals, you should also make arrangements for the storage of your assets in an IRS-approved depository. 
  5. Track the performance of your investments. 

What are the advantages of a self-directed IRA? Gold Retired

Investing through a self-directed IRA offers a couple of unique benefits which include: 

  1. Tax breaks on the returns from your investments.
  2. Greater flexibility to hold the assets that you would prefer to hold in your account.
  3. The opportunity to pick and stick with assets that align with your experience or passion.
  4. Diversification of your retirement investment portfolio, in that you can hold assets whose price movements are negatively correlated.
  5. The opportunity to hold assets that have a significantly higher chance of appreciating with time. 

What are the downsides of a self-directed IRA? 

Whereas investing through this type of IRA can present you with the opportunity to have a thrilling time during investment, it can also have some downsides, which include: 

  • You are not allowed to invest in collectibles or life insurance
  • Most assets in such accounts may have a higher risk ( but with the promise of higher returns). 
  • Managing the SDIRA may be complex. 
  • The fees and charges with such accounts may be higher.

Gold Investment Rules 

Note that self-directed IRA custodians play a passive role, and do not guide or limit your choice of investment provided that they are all legal and allowed for use in SDIRAs by the IRS. The custodian purchases your assets and keeps them for you until it is time to sell them.

Gold IRA Rules and Regulations | Put Gold in Your IRA 2022


Which are the best self-directed IRA custodians?

We reviewed several top self-directed IRA custodians using criteria such as investment options allowed, fees, how easy it is to set up an account, as well as customer service, and compiled a list of the top SDIRA custodians as below:

1. Equity Trust

Equity Trust Company was founded back in 1974 and is one of the oldest firms of its kind in this industry. It takes pride and claims to be the leading custodian for real estate investors, having purchased, sold, and funded more than 200,000 properties. This privately-owned firm is regulated under the South Dakota rules of trust companies. 

Besides being a go-to option for real estate owners, Equity Trust serves a significant number of investors who have their retirement investment funds held up in:

  • Precious metals
  • Private equity 
  • Cryptocurrency 
  • Oil and gas
  • Livestock 
  • Agriculture and farmland
  • Mineral rights 
  • Show horses
  • Billboard signage 
  • Movie productions 
  • Equipment leasing 
  • Account receivables 
  • Royalty interests 
  • Structured settlements

Equity Trust is known for having higher administration fees than those of its peers (they may range from $225 to about $2250 depending on the contents of your IRA), but it makes up for that by not charging transaction fees. This makes it a favorable option for investors who intend to carry out several transactions annually. Setting up an account through their online platform will cost you $50, but if you want to do a paper application, you will be charged $75. 

One main downside to Equity Trust is that it does not offer checkbook control. This may however only be an issue for you if you want to take charge of all investment processes, including the purchase of assets, and related paperwork. 

Pros Pros

  • No transaction fees
  • Sufficient customer support
  • Long-term experience 
  • They also support traditional assets such as paper assets 

ConsDrawback

  • No checkbook control 
  • Annual admin fees are quite high

==> What Can I Invest in With a Self-directed IRA? What’s Legal?


2. IRA Financial

IRA Financial is a Miami-based SDIRA custodian firm that began its operations in 2010. It went on to expand its operations to all 50 states, where it serves over 28,000 customers and managed more than $4.6 billion worth of alternative asset investments. The company, which describes itself as the fastest-growing firm of its kind, does not also charge transaction fees. 

This company offers its services through partnering with 3rd party service providers e.g. Capital One, which offers banking services. Another example is Gemini, which offers cryptocurrency investment services. 

IRA Financial offers SDIRAs without checkbook control, but there’s also an option for individuals to open checkbook IRA LLCs. If you want to open an SDIRA with checkbook control, you will have to part with a $999 one-time establishment fee, followed by an annual $360 custodian fee. After that, you will not pay any transaction fees upon buying, selling, or exchanging investments. 

The asset classes allowed by this company include:

  • Precious metals 
  • Hard money loans
  • Real estate 
  • Cryptocurrency 
  • Hedge funds
  • Private equity funds
  • Tax liens 
  • Deeds 
  • Private businesses

Pros Pros

  • Offers checkbook control option 
  • Audit protection
  • Annual custodian fees are lower than some competitors

Cons Drawback

  • The account set-up process is lengthy

==> Can I Use A Self-Directed IRA To Invest In My Company Today?


3. uDirect uDirect

uDirect IRA is a California-based company that was established in 2009 to serve diverse clients. One of the key pillars of this company is its “learn and earn”  approach to winning over customers. Newbies in the industry can through uDirect’s webinars learn how to manage their self-directed IRAs. This company also offers plenty of tools and information needed to get even intermediary investors on a winning trajectory, without necessarily promoting any investments. 

This firm was founded by Kaaren Hall, whose experience in mortgage banking, real estate as well as property management enabled her to set up uDirect in a manner that has enabled it to gain popularity. 

One main benefit of this company is that it has lower fees in comparison to most of its competitors. Customers are expected to part with $50 for the set-up of their accounts, and an extra $50 annual account maintenance fee.  

Some of the asset classes supported by uDirect include: 

  • Precious metals
  • Equipment Leasing
  • Factoring
  • Accounts receivable
  • Commercial real estate
  • Underdeveloped land
  • REITs 
  • Real Estate Notes
  • Limited Liability Companies
  • C corporations
  • Tax Liens
  • Oil and gas
  • Private stocks

Pros Pros

  • Offers checkbook control option
  • Low annual admin fees
  • Low set-up fees
  • A lot of informational materials for investors to use to learn about SDIRAs

ConsDrawback

  • Account setup process not streamlined

4. Entrust Group The Entrusted Group logo

The Entrust Group has been around since 1981, with its staff gaining sufficient experience to make it one of the most reputable firms in this industry. This company stands out in the manner in which it allows its customers to access its services directly or through financial advisors. The customers can in both cases access an online platform that enables them to effectively manage their investments as they also select more investment options from the list of assets provided for them. 

Entrust’s online platform also integrates with eMoney Advisor, which is quite a valuable addition amongst investors who are out to do holistic retirement planning. If you are, therefore, interested in managing your self-directed IRA through an online platform, then this is a company you can turn to. 

The fees charged by this company are within the normal range. If you are a new client, for instance, here is what you can expect to get charged: 

  • Account set-up fee – $50
  • Annual account administrative fees – these may vary based on the size of your account, but they range from $199 to $1995 annually. 
  • Transaction fees – these may vary based on the number of purchases or sales made, or the nature of the exchange of assets, but may generally range between $0 and $250.

Setting up an account with this company is relatively easy, and can take less than 10 minutes in some cases. Entrust can help you with the account opening process, but you are required to maintain your SDIRA on your own. You can also consult your independent financial advisor on whether they can offer help with the opening of an account with Entrust. 

Pros Pros

  • Very experienced in offering SDIRA custodian services.
  • Has an online portal with many reliable features.
  • Clients can use tools offered to access their own investment options

Cons Drawback

  • Fees charged may be high for some customers 
  • Does not offer a Checkbook control SDIRA option. 

5. Alto IRA

This company is still a newcomer in this industry, after having only been formed in 2018. Alto IRA has a unique sales proposition to its customers, in the manner in which it claims to democratize SDIRA investing in alternative investments, in a bid to empower investors who are out to seek greater returns, as well as diversification in their self-directed IRAs. Whereas setting up and investing through SDIRAs can be complicated and expensive for some investors, Alto IRA seeks to ensure that investors have it easy. 

Investors, for instance, have access to a wide variety of alternative investments that are offered through Alto’s platform, as a result of partnerships with companies in industries such as: 

  • Real estate lending 
  • Crypto exchange 
  • Angel investing, and many others. 

Clients can utilize Alto’s Checkbook IRA to acquire maximum control over their assets for better management, and potentially greater returns. Moreover, this company also supports other types of IRAs, including traditional IRAs, Roth IRAs, and SEP-IRAs, which a customer can open if they need to increase their number of tax-advantaged retirement plans. 

One of this company’s top objectives has been to make SDIRA investing affordable for the average investor, which it successfully does by offering two price tiers, which are:

  • Pro – $25 per month 
  • Starter – $10 per month 

You are also allowed to pay these fees annually, which in itself ensures that you save two months worth of fees. 

With the Pro Plan, an investor is allowed to come up with their own ideal portfolio of investments from different companies, while the Starter Plan limits investors to the investments that are offered by Alto’s partners. The good thing is that Alto has over 50 partners. 

Extra fees apply to the investments offered, in the following manner: 

  • Investments through the Starter plan – $10 to $50 
  • Investments through Pro plan – $75 

Opening an account with this company is quick and easy, and you can do so through their defined online application process. 

Pros Pros

  • An online platform that streamlines the investment process for investors 
  • Quick and easy online set-up process. 
  • Fees may be lower for most investors

Cons Drawback

  • New to industry
  • Complicated fee structure 
  • Deal sponsors are needed for one to create an account

==>16 coins to have in a Cryptocurrency IRA 


6. Rocket Dollar

Established in 2018, Rocket Dollar is also one of the new entrants into this industry. It has, however, managed to build for itself a good reputation in the industry, to the extent that it now competes with some of the best firms. Clients can automatically set up a checkbook IRA with Rocket Dollar and gain exposure to the many investment opportunities available for them, which include: 

  • Real estate ( Including crowdfunded real estate). 
  • Precious metals 
  • Cryptocurrencies 
  • Private equity 
  • Peer-to-peer loans 

Rocket Dollar’s fee structure can be quite attractive to investors who have larger portfolios since the total costs are not based on a sliding scale. This company charges a flat fee of $15 per month. 

The account set-up fee is $360, which is significantly higher than most of the other companies in this industry, but the good thing is that you only get to pay this fee once. If you are the type of client who prefers premium services, you can pay a $600 setup fee, followed by $30 per month, to access the Rocket Dollar Gold account. 

The account set-up process with this company is fast and easy, and there is no minimum deposit required during the account opening process. Customers can also contact the support staff through the dashboard on this company’s official website, at any time. 

Pros Pros

  • Quick and easy account setup
  • Automatically sets up checkbook control for IRAs
  • The fees structure is great for large portfolio holders

Cons Drawback

  • Has not been around for many years 
  • High account setup fees

==>How do I Open a Precious Metals IRA? | (How Much To Invest?)


Other Firms worth considering 

1. Pacific Premier Trust Company

Pacific Premier Trust was formerly known as PENSCO. It currently boasts one of the most extensive lineups of alternative assets in the entire industry, totaling nearly 42,000. It also claims to be one of the first firms of its kind to have offered its services through the internet, which it did since 1994. This San Francisco-based company was established in 1989 and has managed to refine its approach to service provision all through the years. 

It is currently a wholly-owned subsidiary of Pacific Premier Bank, which is equally popular (and currently worth over $20 billion). Beyond offering custodial services, this company also provides brokerage services for assets such as: 

  • Stocks 
  • Bonds 
  • Mutual funds 
  • Certificates of deposit 

Investors who turn to this company for SDIRA custodian services can hold assets in the following categories: 

  • Precious metals 
  • Land and mineral rights
  • Peer-to-peer lending
  • Wind farms
  • Private equity 
  • Real estate 
  • Promissory Notes 
  • Marketable securities 
  • Tax liens

The one thing that can scare off the average investor from using Pacific Premier Trust’s services is the high fees charged. The annual fee is $750. The administrative fees are as illustrated below: 

  • 0.30% charged on the first $1 million 
  • 0.15% on the next $4 million 
  • 0.10% on the excess of the amount that exceeds $5 million

Some of the other fees you will be expected to meet include: 

  • Asset processing services – $175
  • Asset registration fee – $75
  • Account closure fee – $225

Pros Pros

  • A wide variety of alternative assets supported 
  • Has been operational for many years
  • Different types of IRAs supported

Cons Drawback

  • High fees 

2. Strata Trust Company strata trust company reviews

Strata Trust Company is one of the widely-known alternative Self-directed IRA custodians. It supports a wide range of investment choices, the main ones on their list being: 

  • Precious Metals 
  • Crowdfunding
  • Real Estate
  • Private equity 

You can also invest in the above assets without necessarily relying on an SDIRA structure, though you may end up missing out on the tax-advantage element offered by the self-directed IRA. 

This company allows investors to open their self-directed IRAs in any of the following structures: 

  • Traditional IRAs
  • Roth IRAs
  • SEP 
  • SIMPLE 

This company charges a $50 setup fee for 3 different types of accounts, which are: 

  • Precious metal IRA
  • Basic IRA
  • Flex IRA 

The annual account fees for these accounts differ, as shown below:

  • Precious metal IRA – $75
  • Basic IRA – $100
  • Flex IRA – $250 

N.B. A basic IRA is an investment vehicle that enables investors to hold public investments such as brokerage accounts, CDs, REITs, and LLCs. With a flex IRA, investors can hold investments that are not considered public, such as private stock, real estate, precious metals, futures, commodities, and private notes. The precious metal IRA offered by Strata is strictly used for holding precious metals such as gold, silver, platinum, and palladium. 

Pros Pros

  • Low annual fees
  • Solid management team 
  • Has a robust resource center 

Cons Drawback

  • Does not have a cryptocurrency offering 
  • Does not have an individual 401(k) option.
More Interesting Reads:

How to Set Up a Self-Directed IRA? | Easier Than You Think!

Top-5 gold companies in the U.S.

How to protect your 401(k) in a market crash

Gold IRA Storage Fees | Comparison & Info on Top Companies

How to avoid gold IRA scams & gold scams in general


Frequently Asked Questions on “Self-directed IRA Custodians” faq

1. What are the main factors to consider when choosing the best self-directed IRA custodian?

To ensure that you end up with a reliable custodian, you need to scrutinize the efficiency of the companies you shortlist, based on a couple of factors, including:

  • Their fees and charges 
  • Minimum investment required 
  • Availability of checkbook control option
  • Ease of account set-up
  • Quality of customer service
  • Range of investment options
  • Learning materials/educational resources offered

The company you settle on should tick most if not all the boxes based on the above factors. You can check out the customer reviews and trust ratings on sites such as Trustpilot,  Better Business Bureau, and Business Consumer Alliance. 

2. Is a self-directed IRA right for me?

This depends on a number of factors including the type of assets you intend to use for the purpose of investment for retirement, as well as the amount of money you intend to put aside in your retirement plan annually. I would mainly recommend opening a self-directed IRA as the best option if you intend to hold alternative assets such as precious metals and cryptocurrencies.

3. How much does a self-directed IRA cost?

Most Self-directed IRA custodians charge their fees in form of:

  • Setup fees -most set-up fees range between $0 and $360
  • Annual maintenance fees – range from $150 to $2000+ (may be more or less depending on the size of the investment account)
  • Transaction fees – range from $35 to $250 per transaction. Some do not charge transaction fees at all.

4. How can I open a self-directed IRA? 

If you are convinced that a self-directed IRA is suitable for you, then you can open your account by simply visiting the official website of your preferred company, and filling out the account application forms. You can also contact their customer care staff to get the step-by-step instructions on how to open your account. 


Also Read:

==> See my #1 Recommended Gold & Silver IRA Solution

==> See Top-5 Recommended Cryptocurrency IRA Solutions


That will be all for this post on the best self-directed IRA custodians. I hope that you found this post helpful. If you have more questions regarding it, drop them in the comments section and I will get back to you ASAP. I wish you well, 

Eric, Investor and Team Member at Gold Retired!

Filed Under: Gold

Is Gold a Good Investment For Retirement? | Main Benefits

May 17, 2022 by Glanz Leave a Comment

Is Gold a Good Investment For Retirement?

‍Are you worried about the future of your retirement savings? Do you wonder if you should invest your money in gold instead? If so, you’re not alone. The prospect of retirement can be a stressful time for everyone. We all have unique concerns and worries that may prevent us from enjoying the future ahead of us. 

Because of this, many people think of investing their money as a way to secure their future. And while that may not be a correct assumption, investing in gold does have its benefits. 

Let’s take a look at why investing in gold can be a safe and secure way of protecting your retirement.


Warning!

There are many scammers who will trick you into giving them your hard-earned cash. 

They employ high-pressure sales techniques like calling you every day. 

To avoid this, please do your own research before you decide what firm to invest with. 

You can do this by checking the reviews and ratings independent 3rd party consumer protection agencies give them.

To discover which investment firm consumers rate the highest… who won’t bother you with pushy sales calls… and who you can trust to protect and grow your wealth… then take a look at the #1 Recommended Gold & Silver IRA Dealer on our top-5 list.

With that being said, let´s continue with the article!


Gold is a safe haven assetGold Retired

The prospect of a secure retirement can be a much-needed source of calm in your life. But what if you’re not quite ready to fully enjoy it? What if you’re still worried about the future? Gold is one of the oldest and most widely used forms of money. It has a long history of being used as a safe asset for storing value. And this is why you should consider investing some of your retirement savings in it.

The main reason people choose to invest in gold is that it is a safe haven asset. In other words, it is a store of value that is protected from inflation. As society becomes more and more dependent on technology and continues to adopt new and innovative ways of living and working, there is a strong possibility that technology could negatively impact our lives in the future. 

An investment in gold provides you with a store of value that is protected from inflation. It allows you to protect your finances in a way that doesn’t require you to be responsible for making any financial decisions. With this, it is important to have an emergency savings fund that can protect you against any significant financial loss in the future, such as an emergency hospital stay or a large medical bill.

Gold is an inflation hedge.inflation

Believe it or not, gold has a remarkable ability to act as a hedge against inflation. And this is why it is such a safe and secure way of saving for the future. Investors use a wide range of financial instruments and assets to protect themselves against future inflation. But most of these options are only good for a certain period before they expire and lose their usefulness.

The most relevant reason investing in gold is a good idea is that it is a hedge against inflation. In addition to being a safe haven asset, gold is also a hedge against inflation. In a country where inflation is high, the purchasing power of your money decreases over time. If you want to protect your savings from this loss of purchasing power, you can choose to invest in gold. 

Because your investment in gold will not decrease in value like your money will in an inflationary environment, it acts as a hedge against this loss of purchasing power. Furthermore, if the price of gold goes up, your purchasing power will be preserved because you have invested in an asset that is going up in price.

**Also read – How to protect your 401(k) from a market crash

Gold is a transferable wealth asset.

You might be wondering why you would want to invest in gold if it doesn’t provide any actual returns. But investing in gold is a way of transferring wealth from one generation to the next. And this is why it can be such a safe and secure way of saving for the future. Gold can be bought and sold on commodity exchanges. And by doing so, you can trade it with other investors. And this means that you can also sell portions of your gold at market prices if you ever decide that you don’t want to keep it.

The world is becoming more and more connected with each passing day. This has led to the creation of many new trade routes that make it possible to transfer money between countries quickly and easily. Also, what this means is that you can transfer your wealth from one country to another. 

Gold is a very portable asset. This means that you don’t have to worry about transporting it when you move from one country to the next. If a country were to experience a major financial crisis, it becomes possible to quickly move your savings out of that country and into a safer one. 

Gold has a long-term investment horizon.

Investing in gold has the potential to last for decades. And this makes it a great long-term investment for retirement. This is because most of your retirement funds typically won’t be invested for less than five years. 

Gold has been used as a currency for thousands of years. It has proven to be a remarkably stable store of value during this time. It is very unlikely that you will encounter a time in the near future when it experiences a major drop in value. This makes it a great investment for your retirement funds.

**Also read – What is the gold standard?

Gold has a physical presence.

A final and notable reason investing in gold is a safe and secure option for your retirement savings is its physical presence. When you invest in gold, you are not only securing yourself from future inflation. You are also ensuring that your wealth remains in the real world. And this is why many people choose to invest in gold as a safe and secure way of saving for the future.

Unlike paper assets like stocks and bonds, gold does not experience any price change as a result of a company’s financial performance. Therefore, it does not rely on other financial assets for its value. 

**Also read – Gold ETF Vs. Physical Gold

Investing in gold has a physical presence that you can rely on for safe keeping. It has a physical presence in the form of a coin or a bar that can be stored in your home. This means that you don’t have to worry about damaging it or losing it.

Summary

Investing in gold is a very secure way of protecting your retirement funds because it has many benefits. It is a safe haven asset, a hedge against inflation, a transferable wealth asset, and it has a long-term investment horizon. Combining these benefits makes investing in gold a highly secure way of protecting your retirement funds.

Recommendation:

Please always compare different alternatives before you make any investment decision.In my opinion, there are a handful of gold investment companies that stands out among the crowd. I have listed all of them on this website, just as I have listed the “not so good ones” so please feel free to use the search bar to research any particular company you are interested in. There is a big chance you will find that company on this site as we have reviewed over 160+ gold firms during the years.


Please share your own experience, opinion and question in the comment section below! Also, feel free to share this article with someone you think would find it interesting and helpful, they might thank you for it!

I wish you success!

Glanz, investor and team member at Gold Retired.

Filed Under: Gold

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