Sweet Retirement: A Flavorful Lesson from Ice Cream Sundaes and Self-Directed IRAs

Written By: Daniel Gleich

Key Points

With a Self-Directed IRA, there are many investment choices just like there are ice cream toppings.
Building your retirement portfolio is just like building the perfect ice cream sundae.
Diversifying your retirement portfolio with a Self-Directed IRA can help you gain exposure to assets beyond Wall Street.

Treat Yourself

Three spoons: one with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, one with chocolate, and one with strawberry ice cream

Generally, one scoop of ice cream sounds like a promising idea. To some people, placing all their investments on Wall Street sounds like a good idea, too. However, what if you could have two flavors of ice cream, or invest beyond Wall Street? Chances are, you could have a more rewarding experience, with both the ice cream, and your investing.

Investing beyond Wall Street can increase your savings nest egg available for retirement. It is similar to adding toppings to an ice cream cone, which enhances the deliciousness of the experience. In the world of alternative investing, there are so many exciting ways to diversify. Grab your spoons because we are going to dig in!

A Vanilla Strategy

Research suggests that vanilla is America’s favorite ice cream flavor. Vanilla ice cream can be comforting, straightforward, and an easy choice to order. A Self-Directed IRA is like vanilla ice cream.

There are three easy steps to set up a Self-Directed IRA.

Open: Open a Self-Directed IRA with Madison Trust by completing our easy online application.
Fund: Fund your Self-Directed IRA by transferring or rolling over funds from an existing retirement account, such as an IRA or 401(k), or by making an initial contribution.
Invest: Instruct Madison Trust to send your IRA funds directly to your investment.

An ice cream sundae with vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry ice cream scoops with whipped cream and toppings with the words "open, fund, invest, & enjoy" depicted on each scoop of ice cream.

Or in ice cream terms, think of it this way: Open, fudge, and ingest! Just remember to watch out for brain freeze - there can generally be a risk when ingesting or investing.

Building Your Perfect Scoop

Constructing your investment portfolio involves diversifying your assets across all sorts of investments. Set yourself up for success by including alternative investments in your retirement portfolio. This is like adding a variety of flavors to your ice cream cone. That way, if one scoop does not meet your standards or falls on the ground, you will not be disappointed.

Sprinkle on Some Self-Direction

The nature of a truly Self-Directed IRA is to provide the account holder with a sense of authority and autonomy regarding how they pursue their financial goals for retirement. Greater diversification and more control are only two of the benefits of a Self-Directed IRA. All investments may carry risk, but diversification and active investing provide more of a driver’s seat feeling compared to just being along for the Wall Street ride. A Self-Directed IRA at Madison Trust provides more control and freedom to invest in the assets of your choice.

Hard Ice Cream, Hard Assets

An ice cream cone filled with 100 dollar bills of American currency

With a Self-Directed IRA, you can invest in what you know and believe in. The possibilities range from real estate to rocky road, precious metals to mint chocolate chip, and private placements to pistachio. Investing can really work up an appetite... for ice cream.

Remember when an ice cream truck would pull up on your street? The person in the truck could help you choose a frozen treat. Customer support at Madison Trust offers unparalleled service in the industry, and our Self-Directed IRA Specialists want you to be as happy as the owner of the ice cream truck.

Stay Cool and Self-Direct

Investing, much like savoring an ice cream cone, can be a delightful and fulfilling experience. From the diverse opportunities available to the importance of choosing investments carefully, we are reminded that investing is not only about numbers, but also about enjoying the process and the ultimate reward it can bring. Remember, anything is “popsicle.”

Indulging in your favorite frozen treat is a sweet reminder of the exciting investment opportunities that you can invest in with a Self-Directed IRA. Discover the flavorful world of investment opportunities and explore all the possibilities with Madison Trust.

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Disclaimer: All the information contained on our website is a general discussion for informational purposes only. Madison Trust Company does not provide legal, tax or investment advice. Nothing of the foregoing, or of any other written, electronic, or oral statement or communication by Madison Trust Company or its representatives, is intended to be, or may be relayed as, legal, tax, investment advice, statements, opinions, or predictions. Before making investment decisions, please consult the appropriate legal, tax, and investment professionals for advice.   