Are you ready to invest with the industry's best Self Directed IRA?

Madison's Self Directed IRA gives you the ability to invest in virtually any asset with low fees and stellar client support!
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What is a Self Directed IRA?

What is a Self Directed IRA?
Why have you never heard of a Self Directed IRA?
What are the benefits of a Self Directed IRA
How does a Self Directed IRA work?
Self Directed IRA – Pros and Cons
A Self Directed IRA is just like a regular IRA. It is a retirement account that you contribute funds to and those funds grow via various investments. The only difference between a standard IRA and a Self Directed IRA is what kinds of investments you can choose. In a standard IRA you will be investing in stock market products like stocks, bonds, and mutual funds. In a Self Directed IRA you can choose almost any asset. Popular Self Directed IRA assets include real estate and private placements.
The concept of a Self Directed IRA is a novel one to many, as the majority of Americans hold their IRAs in large brokerage houses. They automatically assume that IRAs can only be invested in stocks, bonds and mutual funds since those are the products offered to them. Brokerage houses do not accommodate alternative investments due to the administrative burden involved and loss in commission.

Portfolio Diversification

A Self Directed IRA allows investors to diversify their retirement portfolios to include assets which are inaccessible in a standard IRA. Self Directed IRA custodians specialize in custodying privately held investments like real estate, private businesses, promissory notes, cryptocurrencies and more, all within a tax-advantaged account. .

Hands-on Investing

Self Directed IRAs encourage individuals to invest in what they are familiar with. It provides investors with the power to put money in investments which make sense for them personally. Different people have different strengths and expertise, and it makes sense that their investments should reflect those differences.

Stability

With a Self Directed IRA, one can diversify from the volatility of the stock market, and invest in products with a steadier and more reliable revenue stream. Popular choices include rental real estate, secured promissory notes, and tax liens.
Like its standard counterpart, a Self Directed IRA is held by a qualified Custodian. The Custodian will hold your funds, execute transactions, and assist with any necessary tax filings. When you want to make a specific investment, here are the basic steps:
1
Choose an asset
This part is fully up to the investor. (In most cases, a Self Directed IRA Custodian will not offer specific financial advice.) You should choose an asset for which you have a good grasp of its potential profitability, as well as one that you have the means to manage.
2
Submit an Investment
Investment Authorization Form – Fill out the form, submit it to the Self Directed IRA Custodian, and the Custodian will perform the transaction. Of course, certain assets will have more extensive paperwork associated with their purchase. This is not due to the Self Directed IRA, but rather to the nature of the asset itself. For example, real estate often possesses a more involved process, including title and deed processing.
Standard IRA
Self Directed IRA
Asset Choice
Standard stock market products. These can be individual stocks as offered by online trading platforms or aggregated products like mutual funds.
Diverse asset choice. Investors can purchase real estate, shares in a private business, or precious metals and immediately transform them into retirement assets. Almost any asset can be purchased with the exception of collectibles and life insurance settlements.
Asset Security
No guaranteed security. The value of the IRA will generally rise and fall with the stock market.
No guaranteed security. Some assets like real estate tend to retain value while others like cryptocurrency can be more volatile.
Fees
Standard fee schedules are asset-based. That means a defined percentage of the overall account will be assessed as the annual fee. The larger the account (and the more it grows,) the higher the fee charged.
Different Self Directed IRA companies have different fee structures. Madison charges a flat annual fee that is not dependent on account size. There can also be transaction fees for active buying and selling.
Account Opening
Simple. Can be done in 15 minutes.
Madison's custodial Self Directed IRA can be opened in 15 minutes. A Checkbook Self Directed IRA can take longer to set up due to the establishment of the LLC or Trust.
IRS Rules
All retirement accounts are subject to the same rules. A standard IRA will normally not run into any potential infractions due to the third-party structure of the investing
A Self Directed IRA has the same rules as a standard IRA. However, due to the more hands-on nature of the account, account holders need to be more sensitive to rules like Prohibited Transactions.
Sourcing
Most banks, brokerages, and online trading platforms offer IRA accounts.
Offered exclusively by Custodians who specialize in Self Directed IRAS (and the asset-specific IRAs that utilize them.)

Our Top 3 Asset Types

Real Estate
LLC / Private Business
Notes / Loans
To see a complete list of Assets you can hold
Click Here
Have an investment in mind? Invest with IRA money into that idea.
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Why Invest with a Madison Self Directed IRA?

Incredible Client Support
Straight Forward Fees
Industry Knowledge
Madison Trust was created with one goal: give retirement investors an amazing financial experience. The first step in that experience is unparalleled customer service. You’ll always be able to speak to a live and knowledgeable representative.
Among the lowest in the industry, Madison's flat rates help ensure the profitability of your investments. See how we compare to the competition with our Comparison Calculator.

Comparison Calculator

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Calculate Fees

Annual Fees

Trust Company

Annual Fee

Overall Rating

Trust Company

Madison Trust

Annual Fee

$380.00

Overall Rating

(4.8)

Trust Company

Strata

Annual Fee

$450.00

Overall Rating

(4.1)

Trust Company

Kingdom

Annual Fee

$360.00

Overall Rating

(1.4)

Trust Company

Millenium

Annual Fee

$700.00

Overall Rating

(2.5)

Trust Company

Provident

Annual Fee

$395.00

Overall Rating

(2.5)

Trust Company

Forge Trust

Annual Fee

$460.00

Overall Rating

(2.5)

Trust Company

Pacific Premier

Annual Fee

$750.00

Overall Rating

(2.4)

Trust Company

Equity

Annual Fee

$500.00

Overall Rating

(3.3)

Trust Company

Goldstar Trust

Annual Fee

$225.00

Overall Rating

(2.6)
Every Madison Specialist has completed rigorous CISP training. That means that every answer you get will be financially informed. Madison understands that your retirement funds are essential, and you deserve the best information available.

Setting up a Self Directed IRA is as easy as 1-2-3!

1

Open

Open a new self-directed account online or over the phone in under 10 minutes

2

Fund

Fund your account by transferring from an IRA, rolling over from a 401K, or contributing to your account

3

Invest

Invest in the asset of your choice

Get Started

Ready to start investing in your future?

Fill out our form, and one of our IRA Specialists will answer any questions that you may have.
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