Let’s get something clear right off the bat: there is nothing mediocre about being in the middle class. The rise of a proud middle class helped America become the greatest country on earth, fueling a level of prosperity that has allowed countless citizens retire in relative prosperity. But in the age of a shrinking middle class, the Self-Directed IRA may be needed now more than ever.

In a recent blog post at BiggerPockets.com, author Brad Lohnes summed it up perfectly: we are now looking at a shrinking middle class, a middle class in which those who want to retire with a comfortable nest egg have to make a very clear decision about their financial future. Will they spend themselves into oblivion or will they make the decisions necessary to control their finances, turn the wheel, and grow their wealth?

Why a Self-Directed IRA is Necessary Now More than Ever

It was an economic paradigm that many took for granted:

Go to college, get a good job, buy a house, save a little for retirement, and enjoy your twilight years with a comfortable pension. The American dream was not only possible for many generations, but it was readily available so long as you had the basic opportunities you needed to achieve financial independence.

These days, exploding personal debt and high cost of living give this dream more distance. A quality education and a solid-paying job will no longer take care of us in retirement. With the extinction of pensions, many citizens are finding that they must rely on themselves to provide their own pension.

For many, this means utilizing a Self-Directed IRA.

Why does a Self-Directed IRA allow you to “create” your own pension? Because by guiding your own tax-protected retirement account, you’re free to put aside money on your own terms, utilizing knowledge and skills in areas such as real estate investing to provide for your retirement future.

Overcoming “Middle-Class Mediocrity” by the Time You Retire

What is middle class financial mediocrity? Simple: it’s suffering from the lack of money when you could instead enjoy its abundance.

Too many people today lose money through simple mechanisms. If they’re not failing to save, then they’re losing money on expensive financial advisory fees. If they’re not anchored by student loan debt, they’re struggling to pay off their credit card bills.

Brad Lohnes writes that there are three necessary action steps to avoid this: education on personal finance, taking control of your own finances, and taking action to build that better future.

The Self-Directed IRA is fast becoming one of the most important tools with which to accomplish all three. Directing your own IRA requires more education in the world of personal finance. It allows you to take control of your wealth, and it certainly represents a step toward building that better future we all dream of.

Moving Ahead with a Self-Directed IRA

With a Self-Directed IRA, retirement investors can open up an entirely new world of investing. Not only can they invest in real estate, precious metals, and a variety of other broad asset classes, but they’ll learn about the tax-advantaged benefits that ensure you can keep more of the savings you put away.

Moving from mediocrity to something better means making the choices that others aren’t willing to make. And opening up a Self-Directed IRA can be one of those choices—so long as you’re willing to educate yourself and really take action steps toward putting money away for retirement.

There is no pension coming to give you the retirement of your dreams. Like the American dream itself, the dream of an independent retirement is built by empowered individuals, brick by brick. And no one can do it for you. All they can do is help educate you along the way.

If you want to learn more about Self-Directed IRAs, contact us at 866-7500-IRA or feel free to browse our website here at www.AmericanIRA.com.