IRA Financial Group Review: Navigating Your Retirement Savings Plan
Deciding on a retirement investment strategy is critical, and you might be weighing IRA Financial Group’s offerings. This IRA Financial Group review will cut through the noise and give you the facts on their performance and whether their fees and services align with your financial goals for a secure retirement.
Key Takeaways
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IRA Financial Group distinguishes itself by offering self-directed retirement accounts like Self-Directed IRAs, Roth IRAs, and Solo 401(k)s for alternative investments, with checkbook control and a variety of plans tailored for self-employed individuals.
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They prioritize convenience and security with their IRA Financial app, facilitating easy management of retirement accounts and investment in IRS-approved assets, complemented by rigorous security protocols and an IRS audit guarantee.
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The company maintains transparency in fees with a clear, flat annual fee structure, provides extensive client support and education, and showcases a strong track record of customer satisfaction with high ratings on BBB and TrustPilot.
Unveiling IRA Financial Group
Founded by former tax and ERISA attorney Adam Bergman, IRA Financial Group has been lighting the path to retirement planning since 2010. The company’s core mission is to protect your hard-earned assets through self-directed accounts for alternative investments, a unique approach compared to many traditional financial institutions.
Exploring the Services Offered by IRA Financial
IRA Financial’s broad investment structure serves as the foundation of its services. Through Self-Directed IRAs, Self-Directed Roth IRAs, and Solo 401(k)s, they cater to a variety of alternative investments, providing a rich terrain for diversification.
Self-Directed IRA LLC
IRA Financial Group offers a comprehensive traditional Self-Directed IRA LLC package. It provides ‘checkbook control,’ which means you can manage your investments directly without needing custodial consent. This freedom to maneuver investments can be a game-changer for many investors.
This IRA LLC also allows for tax-deferred or tax-free growth of investments, leading to substantial tax benefits over time. To set it up, you need to:
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Establish an LLC
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Draft an operating agreement
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Establish an LLC bank account
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Transfer funds from your IRA custodian
Sounds complicated? Not really. The process is streamlined to ensure ease of setup.
Tailored Retirement Plans for Self-Employed Individuals
Recognizing the unique needs of self-employed individuals, IRA Financial Group offers a variety of tailored retirement plans. That’s why they offer a variety of retirement plans tailored to their specific requirements. The Solo 401(k) plan stands out among these. It’s designed for self-employed individuals with no employees other than a spouse and offers high contribution limits and exemptions from complex regulations.
But that’s not all. The company also offers the following plans for self-employed individuals:
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SEP plans
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Profit-sharing plans
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Money purchase plans
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ROBS structures
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Defined benefit plans
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SIMPLE IRA plans
Each of these plans has its unique features and benefits, providing self-employed individuals with a variety of options to choose from.
IRA Financial App: Your Investment Hub
The IRA Financial app provides a seamless experience in managing your retirement account. It simplifies the account setup, funding, and investment process in IRS-approved alternative assets. Designed with the user experience in mind, the app’s interface is intuitive and adaptable, making the establishment and management of self-directed IRAs a breeze.
But it’s not just about convenience. Security is also a top priority. The app integrates enhanced security measures to protect sensitive client information. Plus, it offers access to cryptocurrency investments through the IRAfi Crypto™ trading app, complementing traditional retirement investment options.
IRA Financial Trust and Custodian Relationships
Serving as a custodian is a vital aspect of IRA Financial’s operations. The IRA Financial Trust ensures that the tax-deferred status of your account is maintained by performing the necessary custodial and administrative duties. This includes:
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Processing IRA applications
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Maintaining Anti-Money Laundering programs
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Accepting contributions
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Fulfilling tax reporting obligations as per IRS requirements.
Bear in mind that custodians such as IRA Financial Trust:
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Do not provide investment, tax, or legal advice
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Their role is non-discretionary and passive, meaning they do not evaluate investment risks or ascertain investment suitability
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This ensures that they remain neutral and unbiased custodians.
Furthermore, IRA Financial Trust provides:
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A custodian-controlled IRA, enabling investments in both traditional and alternative assets without a minimum balance requirement
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Checkbook control
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A flat fee structure for its services
These options are not offered by every custodian or trust company.
The Cost of Investing with IRA Financial Group
As for the cost, IRA Financial Group levies the following fees:
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$460 for a Self-Directed IRA, with an additional $999 for setup
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$460 for Self-Directed IRA LLCs, with an additional $999 for setup
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$399 for Solo 401(k) plans
These fees include an annual compliance service that provides unlimited tax consulting and assistance with investment documents. The company prides itself on fee transparency, pledging no hidden fees. All pricing details for their flat annual fee structure are provided on their website.
Moreover, IRA Financial offers investment models with no transaction fees, no asset value fees, and no minimum balance requirement.
Evaluating IRA Financial’s Customer Support
Like any financial institution, IRA Financial Group places high importance on customer support. The company’s customer support is considered helpful and professional, providing clients confidence in their retirement planning. Quick responses to emails and queries further enhance their reputation.
Furthermore, IRA Financial provides comprehensive educational materials, including a learning center with videos, blogs, and podcasts. They also offer free copies of self-directed retirement books to aid clients in understanding investment opportunities. This commitment to customer education and satisfaction sets them apart in the industry.
Performance and Reliability: Client Testimonials and Ratings
Customer testimonials and ratings serve as indicators of a company’s performance and reliability. IRA Financial Group proudly boasts an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB). On TrustPilot, the company earns a commendable 4.3 out of 5 stars from 125 reviews, indicating a high level of customer approval.
The company, being a part of the ira financial team, has advised over 23,000 individuals and facilitated the investment of more than $4.6 billion in alternative assets. These achievements, along with the positive client testimonials, solidify IRA Financial Group’s credibility and industry expertise.
IRA Financial Group Reliable: Fact or Fiction?
IRA Financial Group’s reliability manifests in its successful track record and stringent protection services. The company has:
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Successfully assisted over 24,000 clients with investing $3.2 billion in alternative assets through IRA services trust company
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Managed about $4.9 billion in retirement funds
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Provided a comprehensive IRS audit protection service, ensuring that clients’ self-directed IRAs comply with IRS regulations.
These facts, along with positive client testimonials and swift responses to negative reviews, further reinforce the company’s reliability.
Pros and Cons: Is IRA Financial Right for You?
Whether IRA Financial Group is the right fit for you hinges on your specific needs and circumstances. As an account owner with IRA Financial, you manage your investments, choose your custodians, and are responsible for due diligence and understanding the tax implications of your investment choices. This level of autonomy may be highly appealing to some investors, while others may find it daunting.
Before deciding, potential clients should research IRA Financial’s services, compare them with other companies, and inquire about balance requirements and potential fees. IRA Financial Group provides both benefits and drawbacks that vary per individual, suggesting a need for thorough consideration before choosing their services for retirement planning.
Navigating the Account Setup Process
Thanks to their streamlined process, setting up an account with IRA Financial Group is a straightforward task. Through the IRA Financial app, you can:
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Create an account
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Select the type of retirement plan suited to your investment goals
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Fund your IRA by transferring funds from an existing IRA or retirement plan or through direct monetary contributions.
The transfer of funds between custodians typically takes 7-21 days, depending on the financial institution and type of assets. To make this journey smoother, IRA Financial ensures direct access to tax and ERISA professionals for compliance and offers various communication methods for assistance.
Diversifying with Alternative Assets
In investment, diversification is an essential strategy to mitigate risk and maximize returns. IRA Financial Group offers a broad spectrum of alternative assets for diversification, including IRS-approved precious metals, cryptocurrencies, and a wide range of commodities.
The company provides expertise in private investing in assets such as private business stock, private equity, debt, real estate, and venture capital.
They also allow clients to use their retirement funds, including retirement accounts, for various business investments such as mutual funds, from startups to funding specialized services globally. This wide array of options allows clients to diversify their portfolios and potentially increase their returns.
Compliance and Protection: Ensuring Your Investments Are Safe
With IRA Financial Group, you gain access to a wide range of investment options and assurance of your investments’ safety. The group adheres to regulatory standards as a licensed self-directed Retirement Trust Company under the South Dakota Division of Banking. This involves:
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Strict capitalization
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Compliance
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Anti-money laundering
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Consumer protection obligations.
The company stands behind the legality of their investment structures with a full IRS audit guarantee. They also provide a Self-Directed IRA LLC structure that offers limited liability protection, adding a layer of security for the investments within the IRA.
To protect against virtual threats, IRA Financial adopts advanced security measures such as CSP and HSTS, partnering with enterprise vendors to bolster infrastructure security. Client data security is a top priority with storage on secure cloud-based servers, multiple signatures required for fund transfers, and verbal client authorization needed for wire transactions.
Summary
To sum it all up, IRA Financial Group stands as a beacon in the complex world of retirement planning. With its unique focus on self-directed IRAs, a wide range of investment options, and robust compliance and protection measures, the company provides a comprehensive solution for individuals looking to secure their retirement savings. While it may not be the perfect fit for everyone, its benefits certainly make it a worthy contender for those seeking to diversify their retirement portfolios.
Are you prepared to expand your financial investments with the inclusion of gold?
The financial investment in gold and various other rare-earth metals can aid diversify your spending profile. Since gold has little or zero link with equity or bonds, it reduces the risk for you in total. You can put your money right into gold via specialized gold IRA companies.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who owns IRA financial trust?
Adam Bergman is the owner of IRA Financial Trust, as he is the founder and CEO of IRA Financial Group and IRA Financial Trust. He aimed to establish a company to assist retirement account holders with self-directed plans.
What can I do with my old IRA?
You have several options for your old IRA, including converting it into cash, doing a rollover into an employer-sponsored 401(k), leaving it alone, or moving the funds into a self-directed IRA. Consider each option carefully before making a decision.
How does a self-directed IRA work?
In a self-directed IRA, you find your own investments and direct the account custodian to process them. The custodian holds the assets and ensures compliance with IRS rules.
What are the fees associated with an IRA Financial Group account?
The fees associated with an IRA Financial Group account include an annual fee of $460 for a Self-Directed IRA, $999 for setup, and $460 for Self-Directed IRA LLCs, and $399 for Solo 401(k) plans.
What kind of customer support does IRA Financial Group offer?
IRA Financial Group offers helpful and professional customer support, providing clients with confidence in their retirement planning.
