Does Your Retirement Plan Look Like the Wild West?
Published on September 8, 2015
Which way out of Dodge?
The stock market went berserk on Monday, August 24, 2015. Stock values tumbled (including a 1,000—point drop in the Dow Jones Industrial Average), building on the market’s worst week in four years. Analysts, brokers and investors felt like they’d stepped into the OK Corral for the big fight.
For individuals working hard to save for retirement, and looking at their 401(k)s or other retirement plans, they may be wondering, “Which way out of Dodge?” Is it a shift to equities? Bonds? Asset reallocation? Stay the course or change investment course? All good questions to ask.
It might not be a question that owners of self-directed retirement plans are asking, however. That’s because they are likely to be investing in a passel of alternative assets instead.
Nontraditional Investments
Of course, everyone’s individual financial and investing picture is different, depending on age, investment strategy and knowledge, earnings, tax bracket and more. But investors who are self-directing their retirement plans have many more types of nontraditional investments they may include in their plans. And at a time when stocks are on a downward trajectory (or uncertain, at best), including certain hard assets in a retirement plan can keep that plan from getting caught in the crossfire of a roller coaster market.
Do you already know and understand real estate investing? Do you already invest in precious metals? Include foreign or domestic real estate, or investment-grade gold or silver bars in a self-directed IRA. Including alternative assets in your self-directed plan enables you to broaden your retirement savings strategy and steer clear of sharp market shifts like the one we saw the other day. Heck, you can even include livestock or have your IRA buy shares in a ranch.
Need more information about how to keep your retirement plan out of Wild West territory?
Contact one of Next Generation Trust Services’ knowledgeable professionals who can answer your questions about self-direction; they’re at (888) 857-8058 or Info@NextGenerationTrust.com.
You can also rope this white paper that has lots of helpful information about this retirement wealth-building strategy.
