Other Investments

How to Take Advantage of a Self-Directed IRA with Just $5,000

October 29, 2012

There is a common misconception out there regarding self-directed IRAs that you have to already have a lot of money in your IRA to get started with self-direction. Here’s an example of an investor who started out with just a 5,000 contribution to her self-directed Roth IRA.

This particular investor had some friends in the real estate business who specialized in buying and selling Real Estate Contracts. Her friends helped her find an individual who was looking to get some cash by selling his Real Estate Contract for a small piece of property in the Appalachian Mountains. The contract was originally sold to him for $23,000 and he had invested a significant amount of equity in the property and paid down the contract considerably. In fact, if he were to continue making payments, he would have the property paid off in roughly two and a half years.

Therefore, the investor decided upon what she would like to offer the seller for his Real Estate Contract, and after some negotiation, agreed upon a price that would earn her 10% on her money over the next 2.5 years. A check was sent to the seller through her self-directed IRA, completing the entire transaction in less than a week!

You may not think that 10% on $5,000 is very much money, but what if you have 10 investments like this or you start buying bigger contracts? The possibilities are endless with a self-directed IRA. Whether you are looking to issue notes or mortgages, invest in tax liens, or purchase real estate, the choice is yours with a Florida self-directed IRA from NuView. Call us at 407-367-3472 to get started!

Retirement Obsession Disorder

October 17, 2012

There are certain phenomena that can only be explained through experience. Once such event is what happens when you achieve the age of fifty.

When I was thirty, my viewpoint of those meeting the mid-century milestone was a bit jaded. It seemed that the “older” generation’s musical tastes included artists such as Johnny Mathis, Andy Williams and perhaps the more wild confessed to owning an Elvis record or two. This graying set drove large, boat-like cars, the men wore their pants a bit higher and tended to schedule their dinner out earlier. They never could effectively communicate with us younger types and seemed overly concerned with their investments. Certainly I would never become like them.

Then I turned fifty.

Everything changed – perhaps not all at once, but certainly in rapid fashion. Let’s see. My musical tastes tend to be reunion tours of geriatric groups such as the Eagles, Bruce Springsteen, and even an occasional Broadway musical. I now drive a Cadillac, though I would like to point out that it isn’t the size of my Father’s car. While the waistline of my pants hasn’t risen too much, I must confess, I have become more obsessed than ever with funding my retirement.

The equation is quite simple. If I want to retire at age 65, I now have 15 years to take what I have managed to save so far, contribute more to it, and invest it wisely enough to live out my years in blissful retirement. This may be easy to understand, yet hard to execute, especially if the gains are subject to taxation. It becomes even more difficult when traditional, relatively “safe” investments are providing sub-standard yields.

Retirement obsession disorder (ROD) has hit me hard. One cure that I have found to this malady is self-direction of my retirement plan – and partnering with smart people that can help guide me to the best combination of risk/reward to accomplish my objectives. Through a self-directed IRA, I am able to reinvest my returns, without the tax toll gate that diminish the gains of those who choose to use after-tax money for those same investments. Rental real estate, private lending, and new business start-ups are all part of my IRA investments, along with a few Wall Street funds.

As the principal of NuView IRA, a self-directed IRA administrator in Florida, I share the perspective of thousands of clients investing hundreds of millions of dollars with the objective of improving their retirement outcomes. If you suffer from ROD, seize control of your retirement funds and start self-directing your IRA. Stay involved, save slavishly and invest in things you know and understand. If you are over fifty, best of luck avoiding those pesky AARP applications. If you are younger, listen to your elders and start your retirement early, much earlier than I did.

All the best in your investments,

Glen

Giving Our Clients Access (Online and Human)

September 21, 2012

My name is Radha Persaud and I am a founding member of NuView IRA, a Florida self-directed IRA administration company. It’s flattering to be known as a founder I must say. As I came on board, Entrust Administration Services was getting ready to change its name to NuView IRA. With the change, came many welcomed improvements and many challenges along the way, but I am so thankful that I am part of a cohesive team that always rallies together.

One of our biggest challenges during the name change was the switch to a different platform for online access. The system was new, very different and some our clients had a difficult time adapting to the new system online. I can understand their frustrations, as many of our clients had been with us since we first opened our doors in 2003 and were used to the old online platform. Our President and management team heard their frustrations and wanted to make the change a more positive experience. To that end, they elevated my title to include “the queen of on-line access”. They wanted to ensure our clients had a live person to connect with for help with online access, rather than be transferred to a call center.

So, if you are having difficulties with our new system, or just simply want to talk with someone, I’m here for you. From log-ons to password updates, or historical statements, your account history is either a click or a phone call away. Just call 407-367-3472!

I’ll be standing by……

Radha (on-line queen)

Are You Better Off Than You Were Four Years Ago?

September 19, 2012

Article by Glen Mather, President & CEO, NuView IRA, Inc:

Thirty two years ago, this question was asked during the 1980 presidential debates, and one that is often reprised when the incumbent administration is faltering. But I couldn’t help but translate it to, “ is your dream of retirement more secure today than it was four years ago”?

Politics aside, the economic challenges of investing wisely has undergone significant shifts in the past four years. Stocks, as represented by the S&P 500, are at the same point now as they were in 2008. Gold has more than doubled, while the average sales price of a new home has dropped by 20%, and of course existing home sales prices have dropped much more. The US prime rate has remained unchanged at 3.25% with the target rate of fed funds at 0-.25%. Meanwhile, the Federal Reserve continues to artificially drive rates down by buying debt and increasing the inevitability of future inflation.

It’s difficult to make sense of it all, yet the inevitability of being one more day closer to retirement is a drumbeat that none of us can ignore. The professional money managers are moving to alternative investments as a way of increasing diversity and yield. According to Research Magazine (Oct 2011), 78% of all advisors are now using alternative investments in their clients’ portfolios. Morningstar also reported that in the ten year period from 2002 through 2011, alternatives outpaced stocks by over a three to one margin.

The attraction of a NuView self-directed IRA permits the alternate investor the broadest range of choices, even beyond the Wall Street offerings of Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITS), hedge funds, and oil leases. Our clients take advantage of bank lending constraints to gain yields of 6-15% or more on their self-directed loans. Instead of a stock-based real estate investment, they may prefer buying a duplex and having the rent accrue tax-free to their IRA. Others find entrepreneurs and help fund start-ups, gaining future profit potential.

No matter whether you watch Fox News, MSNBC, CNN or avoid the news altogether, no one will care more about your retirement than you. Get involved, make good choices, and your retirement dream will be much better four years from now.

To take control of your retirement future, contact NuView IRA at (407) 367-3472. With a self-directed IRA from our Florida self-directed IRA administration company, you’ll have the opportunity to invest in many ways you may have never thought possible!

The Power of IRAs

August 29, 2012

According to the Investment Company Institute, there are 46 Million US households with IRAs. What is remarkable is the difference in those households that have an IRA, and those that do not.

Assets of an IRA household were 8 times larger than those households that did not have an IRA. Eight times! While the IRA may not be the holder of all the wealth, there is little doubt that the discipline involved in saving and contributing to an IRA is likely illustrated by other choices made by the members of the IRA household.

Your ability to achieve your retirement dream is dependent on two variables: saving and contributing consistently, and investing wisely. For many, investing wisely is the most difficult challenge. The super investor Warren Buffet is often quoted as saying, “Never invest in a business you cannot understand.” Most of us that are invested in mutual funds and selected stocks seldom have any idea on what our investment dollars are doing.

If you are a bit frustrated with not being in charge, the answer may be to self-direct your IRA. We have thousands of clients who feel much more confident in their own choices that those brokered by others. Private placements, real estate, tax liens, and joint ventures are just some of the ways you can seize control of your retirement plan through NuView IRA, while earning tax deferred or tax free profits.

If you would like to learn more about your investment options with a self-directed IRA, contact our Florida self-directed IRA administration company by calling 407-367-3472.

Mitt Romney and the Mystery Behind His IRA

August 17, 2012

During Romney’s time at Bain Capital LLC, the company used a SEP-IRA that had a maximum contribution limit of about $30,000 per year. Assuming Romney maxed out these tax-deferred contributions, he would have invested approximately $450,000 in his individual retirement account during his tenure at Bain. BUT, he may have up to 227 times that amount in his IRA! The baffling mystery about Mitt Romney’s significant wealth is how he was able to build up between $21 million and $102 million in his IRA during the 15 years he was at Bain Capital.

So how did he do it? Of course, we don’t know, but there are several theories out there that attempt to make sense of it all.

One theory is that Romney contributed to his IRA using the low-basis, low-value stock he received as a partner at Bain Capital in the different buyouts the company did while he was there. Another theory is that Romney contributed limited-partnership interests to his IRA in Bain’s buyouts, and quite possibly only at a fraction of their market value.

While there are limitations concerning the amount of money that can be contributed tax-deferred to an IRA, there are no restrictions on the amount that the contributed funds can earn, and can continue to earn, on a tax-deferred basis, even after the contributions have stopped. Therefore, in the future when Romney withdraws funds from his IRA, the IRS will get a hefty sum of money in taxes. Too bad his money isn’t invested in a Roth IRA!

Diversify!

August 13, 2012

Diversification is a strategy that should be deployed by anyone who cannot accurately predict the future – which is just about everyone. While the stock market provides an ability to spread investment risks over geography, company size, market sectors, and other categories, the fact remains that public exchanges cannot provide full diversification.

You cannot own titled real estate purchased from your broker in your IRA – instead, he will likely offer a choice of publically traded Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITS). You cannot own gold bullion in your IRA if you rely on the stock market – rather, the market will proffer equity interests in mining companies instead. Most business startups have no access to public markets at all, with investors unaware of the potential attractive returns to the early equity participants.

Without a self-directed IRA from our Florida self-directed IRA administration company, it is unlikely that full diversification can be achieved in a retirement account. Whether you are looking for cash flow from property rentals, private lending and investing in tax liens, or instead investing for future appreciation in precious metals, limited partnerships or new business ventures, the choice is yours with a self-directed IRA. Call us at 407-367-3472 to learn more!

True diversification lies with understanding you choices, taking time to know the market, and executing your purchases with confidence, then staying involved in your investments.

Finding Opportunity in Private Placements

August 7, 2012

A hush sweeps over the ballroom of a four star Orlando Resort as a well-dressed CEO and CFO stride to the stage. They now have exactly 20 minutes to convince a sea of well-heeled investors and venture capitalists that their new business venture has a compelling market advantage, will enjoy meteoric growth, and one day, be acquired or “go-public”. They are seeking a five million dollar infusion for further product development and market expansion.

Meanwhile, across town, several leading bankers from competitive firms meet in secret at a private business club to discuss the chartering of a new community bank to serve an underrepresented business segment of the marketplace. It will take a minimum of $6 million to launch the bank, and over the course of raising capital, involve from 400-600 individual investors.

In 2006, there were 179 new banks chartered in the United States, led by 21 new financial institutions in both California and Florida. Over $1 billion was raised for these banks – all from the bank principals, board members and private individuals. In the same year, venture capital funds based in the US raised over $24 Billion – representing a mixture of pension plan dollars, combined with investments from high net worth individuals. Florida Venture, the sponsor of the annual ballroom event, has assisted in raising over $1.4 Billion for new companies headquartered in the Sunshine State.

What does each of these groups have in common? They each represent an opportunity for private investors to risk capital in order to potentially reap the rewards of significant growth – outside the traditional stock market choices. Just as importantly, these investments may be accessible to IRAs and Individual 401(k) plans through a self-directed administrator such as NuView IRA in Orlando.

While your stock broker may consider private investments a risk not worth taking, it may provide an important avenue to diversify your holdings and spread your risks across another class of investments. Here are just a few of the pros and cons of private placement investments:

Advantages:

Ability to meet/know the principals involved
Utilize your personal knowledge of an industry
Get in on the ground floor
Access large up-side potential
Help the company grow – through referrals, etc…
Participate in the excitement of funding a new venture

Disadvantages:

May be difficult to exit the investment quickly
May require investor qualification
True Market Value may be a challenge to determine
Company may have limited operating history to judge performance
Could be higher investment risk
May not be subject to certain government reporting requirements

The challenge of investing in private placements often can be locating the opportunity. If your interest is banking, most states will post a listing of denovo (newly chartered) banks on their state regulatory website, together with contact information. For other private ventures, you may turn to the myriad of venture capital clubs that meet routinely in cities across the country – one such listing is found on www.venturea.com. Simply by talking with financial professionals such as bankers, lawyers, CPAs, opportunities may also be uncovered right in your own community.

Regardless of the source, the responsibility is on the investor to properly vet the company, do the research and make a calculated decision on risk vs. reward. Self-directing your IRA or tax deferred funds may also prove to be the best source of capital for you, especially if the investment may be illiquid for several years – and the funds are not needed short term.

Glen Mather is President of NuView IRA, Inc., a leading self-directed IRA administrator in Orlando. He can be contacted at 407-367-3472 or gmather@nuviewira.com

Self-Directed IRAs

August 3, 2012

Last week, the Romney team visited the Villages, a sprawling community of over 100,000 residents over the age of 55, only about an hour from the NuView headquarters in Orlando. What does this group have in common? And why do politicians consider this a critical stop to deliver their stump speech? These residents have an obsession with protecting their social security, Medicare, and retirement plans. Politicians use this group as a surrogate to prove their policies are “senior-friendly”. I’m told that until you are retired, you cannot understand the helplessness of relying on personal savings, which have been ravaged by low interest rates and stock market uncertainty.

If only those of us who are still working had the same obsession about saving and investing wisely! Most workers continue to rely solely on the advice of money managers, or mutual fund managers to ensure their retirement is adequately invested. When the market takes a dip, participants in employer sponsored plans often scale back their contributions, due to a lack of confidence in their investments or their advisors. Most professional financial advisors see lower stock market prices as a golden opportunity to buy, while human nature moves investors to become more cautious and withdraw.

It’s time that we all woke up to the fact that no institution, money manager, or even financial advisor has more at stake than you do – in the health of your retirement funds. Despite the droning platitudes of the politicians, their ability to ensure a stress-free retirement for you is limited by huge budget deficits, tax stalemates, and the burgeoning growth in the number of taxpayers moving into their retirement years.

If you feel inadequate in making good investment decisions, find several friends, associates and professionals who can serve as your advisors – and avoid being influenced only by one source. Just as you wouldn’t subject yourself to a critical medical procedure without a second opinion, don’t move forward with important investment choices without consulting with several advisors.

As stated in the Wall Street Journal, over the next ten years, private investment choices are likely to outpace the public markets. Ensure that you understand all your options, including a self-directed individual retirement account that can access those private investment choices. You may find that understanding your options for investing in rental real estate, private lending, or buying precious metals through your IRA may be easier than reading a 100 page disclosure on the latest IPO. The best result is one that results in making your retirement political proof, providing a greater insulation against the potential damages of future policy decisions, and less reliant on the governments “dividends”.