There is a way to hedge yourself from the stock market losses we’ve seen the last few years that have endangered people’s retirement savings. With the volatility of the market, many people have seen 50%, 60% and even more of their investments vanish, with no hope of recovery. That situation makes it critical that you take control of your investment portfolio, and begin seeing returns that are not taxable until you remove the money for retirement. The intelligent pick is a self-directed IRA. Within that IRA, either a traditional IRA or a Roth IRA, you have a variety of allowable non-traditional investment choices from gold to real estate. Self-directed IRAs have been part of the tax and investment code since 1972, yet the majority of people are unaware of them. There area number of reputable custodians that focus on self-directed IRAs; among them Equity Trust Company and Entrust New Directions IRA. Fees for these custodians vary, so be sure to have a clear idea of the number of transactions you project making before deciding on your custodian company. You may pick out non-traditional investments without taking un-needed risks, and still see excellent returns . You can even join in with other people, invest in a fund and spread out both the risk and returns. You can set up an LLC and have it make investments for your individual retirement account.

If we remember anything from history , it is that there is a cycle to industries that smart investors see and take advantage of. Currently real estate markets are undervalued in many areas of the country, making this a buyer’s market, and making real estate a potentially wise buy for a self-directed IRA portfolio . Look for a real estate investment secured by a note or deed with a fixed rate of return within your IRA, or a real estate fund that minimizes risk by allocating the investment over a number of properties with moderate LTV (loan-to-value) ratios.

Taking charge of your IRA portfolio means greater opportunities to secure your financial future.