When investors learn that a Self-Directed IRA can mean using investments like private notes and loans, it is a powerful experience. Rather than simply relying on one type of asset for the future—such as the stock market—it can create a powerful incentive to stock money away with alternative assets. Private lending and notes are assets that many people might not associate with retirement investing. However, investors can hold these within a retirement account. And that opens up all sorts of possibilities. Let us take a closer look at how Self-Directed IRA private lending works, and what you will need to know about this practice.

Understanding Self-Directed IRA Private Lending

You may already be familiar with viewing the concept of a loan as an investment. When you give a loan to someone in writing (from the lender’s perspective, this is called a “note”), you are essentially acquiring an asset: someone else’s debt. This is an asset because it means you now have money coming to you. And with the interest on the note, you have money coming to you that should also come with returns that exceed the initial investment.

This is a powerful way to invest because it means generating a certain amount of money simply for putting your money to work. But like any other investment style, it has its risks. What if the person to whom you loaned the money is unable to pay it back? What if there is sudden economic hardship that means higher inflation rates, which essentially works to the benefit of the person paying back the loan? Like any investment, it carries its own risks, which a Self-Directed IRA investor will have to weigh themselves, as they are in charge of their own retirement destiny.

Investing in a note from a Self-Directed IRA can be powerful for many people, because in many cases, that is where most of an individual investor’s money may be located. This makes it possible for them to put that capital to work in the form of an investment like a note.

What Types of Loans Can an Investor Make Within a Self-Directed IRA?

There is a lot of latitude here. An investor may be issue private notes for mortgages and trust deeds, car loans, property liens, bridge loans, and more. An investor can also create a business loan from the funds within a Self-Directed IRA.

This might seem like a great way to start generating passive income into the retirement account—and it can very well be. However, investors should recognize that with a Self-Directed IRA, they are the ones calling the shots. That means that they may not be reviewing previously vetted loans through a specific platform. An investor has to do their own due diligence to help mitigate the risks associated with creating these loans. After all, if the other party is genuinely unable to pay back the loan for a variety of reasons, it leaves the original investment hanging. That is a risk that comes with being able to generate the interest that comes with a loan.

However, the tax benefits of working within a Self-Directed IRA can also help incentivize investors to be responsible with their retirement money. Since it is up to the individual investor to make these choices, it is important for account holders to work with an experienced Self-Directed IRA administration firm that can handle the paperwork. American IRA is one such firm, acting as “custodian” on an account. But it is always important for investors to realize that a Self-Directed IRA means exactly that: they are the ones in charge of making the investment decisions.

Interested in learning more about Self-Directed IRAs?  Contact American IRA, LLC at 866-7500-IRA (472) for a free consultation.  Download our free guides or visit us online at www.AmericanIRA.com.