There’s an old saying: “seize the day.” But what if your life isn’t all about one day? What if your financial destiny for both the short- and long-term matter? Seize your dreams in your retirement years through a Self Directed IRA.

The truth is, we all want to seize the day, but not at the expense of the future. The more prudent investors among us know that it’s possible to seize not just the day, but to seize control over one’s financial destiny with a Self Directed IRA. And this refers to more than just how much you invest. It refers to understanding your strengths, your weaknesses, and your options.

That’s why we’ve put together a brief guide on taking charge of this financial destiny and finally seizing control over one of the most important areas of your life: retirement planning. Done properly, this doesn’t have to be a scary reminder that you haven’t saved enough. In fact, done properly, this should be an exciting time when you feel so well-prepared for the future that you almost can’t wait for it to arrive. Here’s how to take charge of your financial destiny today so that you have no regrets later:

1. Do a complete self-evaluation of your finances.

Assets. Debts. Income. Expenses. Savings accounts. College tuition. Loans. Rent. Mortgage payments.

Leave no stone unturned when it comes to evaluating your finances, because you’ll find that knowledge truly is power when it comes to this specific area of taking charge of your life. Give yourself an audit. You’d be amazed at what you can find. Sometimes you realize that there are old savings accounts that you can put to use. Sometimes you uncover weaknesses that you’d rather not deal with. Whatever the case, the self-evaluation will help you to pinpoint the exact places you need to work on when it comes to your finances.

This isn’t the “sexiest” of financial tips, but you’d be surprised to find that it can often be the one that makes the most difference in how you view your retirement.

2. Evaluate your retirement investment options.

Once you know what you already have in possession, it’s time to look at what you could have if you so choose. For many people, they don’t actually time to consider their full range of financial options simply because they don’t know all of the options that are out there. But if you take the time to research and talk to the right people, you’ll find that there are indeed ways to change your retirement plans for the better.

Okay, so what do we mean by “options”? Obviously you know about Self Directed IRAs simply from browsing around this site, and we certainly believe that this is one of the most key options people should consider when taking control of their financial destiny. But it doesn’t end there. There are options for investment within a Self Directed IRA which you’ll discover offer a lot of flexibility over the typical, standard, “bread-and-butter” advice.

3. Play to your strengths.

As an investor—and like it or not, we are all investors in some way or another—you have strengths and weaknesses. This is true of any investor. The key is understanding those strengths and weaknesses…for example, someone might outsource their stock investments to a mutual fund manager, and that’s a perfectly valid strategy. Other people might choose to be more proactive. What you do will depend on what type of investor you are.

4. Work within a Self Directed IRA.

Yes, we’re biased, but we think that the financial flexibility afforded by a Self Directed IRA is central to taking charge of your financial future. Call us at 866-7500(472) or keep exploring www.AmericanIRA.com to learn more about how you can use a Self Directed IRA to make smart choices with your money and your retirement.