A Self-Directed Roth IRA

What's a self-directed Roth IRA?

That's a great question to ask if you're thinking about setting up your own Roth IRA...

Because a self-directed Roth IRA is nothing more than a Roth IRA which YOU control.

But wait... Don't you already control your Roth IRA?

Well, sure. In theory...

It's true that every individual Roth IRA account belongs to the individual whose name is associated with it. But not every person who has a Roth IRA actually controls what he/she invests in...

A lot of people opt to have "financial advisors" make decisions for them. They have the advisor set up a Roth IRA, choose the investments, watch over the account, and then hope and pray everything to works out in the end.

That's one option, but...

Does it sound like the best option?

A self-directed Roth IRA offers you a great alternative.

With a self-directed Roth IRA, you choose your own Roth IRA investments. You take responsibility for your own retirement, and you take control of your own future!

Does that sound intimidating?

Don't let it be. In fact, you'll actually find it liberating...

Why?

Because a self-directed Roth IRA puts power in your hands, so you control your financial future instead of someone else.

Why do want control?

Because if you don't have it, someone else does... Probably a "financial advisor."

Notice those quotation marks wrapped around the phrase "financial advisor"?

There's a reason for those quotation marks...

Why Direct Your Own Roth IRA?

Quotation marks surround the name "financial advisor" because it's an extremely misleading title.

The sad reality is most people think they get advice from a financial advisor when, in reality, they get advice from a financial salesperson.

As Warren Buffett pointed out...

"Wall Street is the only place that people ride to work in a Rolls Royce to get advice from those who take the subway."

So what's the difference between a real financial advisor and a financial salesperson disguised as one?

Well, in theory, an advisor provides informed advice on what's best for you.

But a salesperson?

A salesperson's goal is nothing more than to...

Get the sale! If they don't sell, they don't eat.

Does that make you confident in the products most financial salespeople sell?

It shouldn't.

Why?

Because most financial salespeople peddle products packaged by the same company that employs them. These products include the usual suspects... annuities, mutual funds, and other so-called "diversified" and "safe" investment products the financial industry sells. It's a very lucrative, high-profit industry.

But did you know the majority of mutual funds underperform the stock market...?

Unfortunately, when the stock market tanked in 2008, far too many people discovered exactly that.

Don't make the same mistake.

Take responsibility for your own financial future. Take the time to understand your retirement accounts and your investments. If you don't do it, no one will do it for you.

So how do you take control of your financial future starting right now?

By opening a self-directed Roth IRA...

A Self-Directed Roth IRA: Taking Control of Your Future

Opening a self-directed Roth IRA is one of the best financial decisions you'll ever make.

Don't trust your retirement future to a financial salesperson. You don't have to...

You have the intelligence, competence, and ability to make your own financial decisions. Do you think anyone else will guard your money with the same level of attention and detail as you?

The fact of the matter is you're a great steward for your money!

Don't believe me?

You prove it all the time...

When you buy a new refrigerator or a new iPod, don't you shop around for the best deal?

Don't you compare prices, quality, and value before making any major purchasing decision?

When buying a new dishwasher, do you just take the salesperson's word for it?

Of course not!

So why take a financial salesperson's word for it?

Do you really want to know why?

It's the same reason we take our doctor's word for it. We assume our doctor knows more about medicine than we do, so we just take his word for it...

But that same level of trust applied to our financial life can prove deadly.

In most cases, we assume the "financial advisor" dressed in nice clothes knows more about finance than we do. But, in reality, most "financial advisors" are nothing more than glorified salespeople peddling mutual funds, annuities, and insurance products. In all likelihood, their financial expertise is inferior to yours!

If those same people offered to sell you a car or a refrigerator, would you be so trusting? Would you automatically assume they know more than you? That they know what's best for you, and you don't?

Of course not.

The truth is, you know better than anyone what's best for you.

So start making decisions that matter by setting up a self-directed Roth IRA. You can save a lot of money in sales commissions and management fees by simply taking control of your own retirement accounts.

How to Open a Self-Directed Roth IRA

You can open a self-directed Roth IRA with any online discount broker. Once you pick a broker, just follow the online instructions for opening a Roth IRA. After you fill out the forms, you're free to invest in a wide array of options, including...

• Common Stocks
• Bonds
• Mutual Funds
• Certificates of Deposit (CDs)
• Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs)
• Money Market Accounts
• Savings Accounts
• Treasury Inflation Protected Securities (TIPs)
• Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)
• Platinum, Gold, and Silver Coins

I personally recommend either investing on autopilot with ETFs or investing in individual common stocks.

Why?

Because stocks historically offer the best inflation beating returns.

What's a Self-Directed Roth IRA Custodian?

Don't let this term confuse you. A self-directed Roth IRA custodian is just a fancy phrase for the financial institution responsible for holding your Roth IRA account. Sometimes the word "trustee" is used instead of "custodian," but they both essentially mean the same thing.

The trustee or custodian of your Roth IRA must be a federally insured bank, credit union, savings and loan, brokerage firm, or other financial entity approved by the IRS to serve as a trustee or custodian for your account.

The IRS expects the custodian to oversee the administrative functions of your account, making the necessary reports required by law, and notifying the government of the account's existence.

Conclusion

Setting up a self-directed Roth IRA is one of the best financial decisions you'll ever make.

Why?

Because when you make your own investment decisions, you won't be listening to a financial salesperson masquerading as a financial advisor.

You are your best financial advisor. You have your family's best financial interests in mind. So why place your family's financial future in the hands of someone else?

Take control of your future with your own Roth IRA today.