The Ultimate Insider's Guide Can Help You Invest In Your Passion

Real estate IRA

Are you looking for the lowest price custodian that provides great service and is the best fit for your self-directed IRA?

The Complete Step-By-Step Guide of Self Directed IRA Resources: Everything You Need To Self Direct Your Retirement!

Does the stock market keep you up at night? Are you worried about your retirement? Are you looking to self direct your retirement, but you just need a little direction?

Hi. My name is Kirk Chisholm. I am a wealth manager and co-founder of Innovative Advisory Group. Our company's goal is to bring innovation to the wealth management industry and to provide individual investors with more control over their retirement.

While I am currently one of the industry’s most recognized experts on self-directed IRAs, I was not always in this position. Over 10 years ago I was in the position that you find yourself right now. I was a disenfranchised investor who was fed up with the typical Wall street investment products. I was looking for more.

What makes this ironic is that I was still working at a well-known Wall Street firm at the time.

I want to share with you a little bit about my background so you can understand why I am so passionate about bringing innovation to the wealth management industry.

In 2004, I learned about self-directed IRAs while working at Smith Barney. A client called me up and told me he wanted to use his IRA to invest in a secured private note paying 16%. First, he had to explain what exactly he was investing in since I was not familiar with private notes at the time. Then, he tried to explain that he could actually use his IRA to make this investment.

I told him that I was not aware that this could be done, but I would do some research to find out more. Naturally, my first conversation was with my manager. I asked him if my client could invest in this alternative investment with his IRA. His answer was a flat out “No”.

Not to be discouraged, I continued to probe my manager for information about this concept. Eventually, he relented and said, “Yes, it could be done, but we cannot do it here.” Ahhhh. The lightbulb went off.

Now it was clear. My company had no interest in this type of investment because they didn't offer it...

...I would have to continue this journey alone. If I was going to provide the best service and advice for my client I would have to educate myself on this concept of self-directed IRA investing with alternative investments.

After I did a quick google search for more information, I found a custodian that specialized in alternative investments. This was back in 2004, so the online resources were still quite limited compared to today. After a lengthy call with the company about self-directed IRAs, they sent me a book so I could learn more.

I spent the next 12 months learning more about self-directed IRAs and how I could bring this new found knowledge to benefit my clients’ investment portfolios.

I found all the Internal Revenue Code rules pertaining to self-directed IRAs, what investors can and cannot do with their IRA, which companies specialize in this area, what investments are allowed to be held in IRAs, and more. This was an extensive learning process. While I understood most of the financial industry language, many of these rules were new to me. It was very challenging to figure out the subtleties and how different parts of the Internal Revenue Code fit together since there were different applications in different parts of the code.

However, once I figured out how this secret tool for building wealth in IRAs worked, I was hooked.

real estate

My mind was blown when I realized what was possible for investors who typically invested outside the stock market. There were virtually an unlimited number of investment opportunities available to investors. Most of these investors were not even aware that this secret retirement investing tool existed.

The first week I worked as a financial advisor, back in 1999, I was cold-calling people trying to find new clients. One of my calls was to a real estate investor who told me he was not interested in any mutual funds or stocks. He said, “every nickel I make gets invested back into real estate. There is nothing you can offer me that I would be interested in.”

Most of the real estate investors I have met since then have more or less said the same exact thing. These investors are so emphatic about real estate investing, they will deliberately ignore their 401k, foregoing annual contributions because it would mean they have to invest in an asset that is not real estate.

I get it. Real estate is a great asset type and they definitely have passion for their investments. But it is sad to think about these investors foregoing their retirement planning in favor of investing in real estate. While I understand why they are choosing to ignore their IRA or 401(k) contributions, they are still missing out on this secret retirement planning tool that could provide them with additional tax benefits by combining both their 401(k) and real estate.

If only they knew that they could invest in their passion with their self-directed IRA or 401(k), they would have a higher probability of success than most investors who don't invest in assets they know well.

"Invest in what you know."   - Peter Lynch 

The secret to successful investing is to "invest in what you know", according to Legendary mutual fund manager Peter Lynch. Peter Lynch spent 13 years running Fidelity's flagship Magellan fund earning it 29.2% annual returns (wow!).

Warren Buffett frequently espouses his idea of ignoring technology stocks because he doesn’t understand them. While he has certainly missed out on some great companies, he also has avoided some potential big mistakes on investments he didn’t truly understand.

The lesson is clear, whether you are an expert in real estate, horses, antique cars, tax liens or biotechnology, you should focus your investing efforts on those types of investments rather than other types of investments that your neighbor is recommending based on a "tip" or a recommendation you read in a media publication.

Using your IRA or 401k to "invest in what you know" is a secret that only a small percentage of the population even knows exists. Some of them have even managed to grow small fortunes in their IRA due to this knowledge.

According to a study done by the US Government Accountability Office (GAO), 1,000+ people have over $10,000,000 in their IRA. Mitt Romney and Peter Thiel are well known for having large IRAs. Mitt Romney’s IRA is said to be worth over $100,000,000.

Do you think you could retire on that amount?

The important lesson to take away from this is that these people grew their IRAs by investing in their individual areas of expertise. Peter Thiel, a famed venture capitalist invested in Facebook with his Roth IRA. Mitt Romney a famed Private Equity expert invested in some of his ventures. They didn’t grow their IRAs due to gambling or luck. They invested in their passion.

The question you have to ask yourself is, "what is your passion?"

The stock market is volatile. Is it making you seasick?

Since 2008, many investors have been scared and frustrated with the stock market. Some of them believe that it is a rigged game. Others are fearful of experiencing another 2008 crash. And still others feel forced to invest in assets that they are not familiar with.

One of the reasons that I chose to focus on alternative investments held in self-directed IRAs is because it gives the investor an amazing amount of flexibility of what they can invest in. It allows investors to choose investments where they can provide an edge over other investors because of their expertise. This edge is what some of the best and brightest on Wall Street are constantly searching for.

However, not all the best investments are located on stock exchanges. Many successful investments are closer than you might imagine. They may even be in your backyard.

Your choices for investments that you could invest in with your self-directed IRA are virtually limitless. The point is that whether you choose to invest in stocks or horses, you should invest in what you know.

You probably already know of this. At this point, you may even have a specific investment in mind. That is why you are reading this. You are here because you want to take control over your investments in a way you were not previously aware of. You want to self direct your retirement.

Years of research has helped us create this Essential Tool for self-directed IRA investors.

Right now, I suspect you are researching self-directed IRAs and how they work. You are probably researching which custodian or administrator to use as well. Does that sound about right???

Let me tell you a secret...

When I first learned about self-directed IRAs in 2004, it took me over 12 months to figure out how it all worked. That's right it took me over a year to learn everything I needed to know about self-directed IRAs. Even after the year was over, I was still learning more about the self-directed IRA industry.

There is a lot of industry jargon that can be confusing… even for industry veterans such as myself. I have worked in the financial services industry since 1999 and I am still learning new concepts and terminology. The industry is constantly evolving. New technologies, new systems, new products, new ways for investors to fine-tune their investment portfolios.

I understand how confusing most of this industry terminology is. I have been working in the financial industry for over 17 years. If it took me over 12 months to learn how this process worked, how long do you think it would take a layman with no background or experience in the financial services industry?

I don't know, but I expect it is a long time. And I doubt you want to endure that kind of challenge, no matter how interesting your investment opportunity might be. Time is your most precious commodity.

I am going to provide you with a solution that will save you a LOT of your valuable time...

This solution is the essential tool for every self-directed IRA investor

After my first experience with self directed IRAs, I wondered… how can I bring this knowledge to more investors so they can get the information they need to invest in their expertise?

The answer came a few years ago when I began building resources at Innovative Advisory Group to address the need for better information and resources for our advisory clients.

While I provide financial advice to my clients and their self-directed IRAs, I didn't want every self-directed IRA investor to have to endure the same challenges I went through to become educated about this type of investment strategy. I wanted to create a simple step-by-step process that anyone could follow to self direct their retirement without spending weeks or months of their precious time when they could be spending that valuable time finding the best investments for their portfolio.

We created this resource to provide self-directed IRA investors what they need: information, resources, and guidance. All this in a simple step-by-step guide.

If you have only done a small amount of research, I'm sure you have a number of questions such as, what is a disqualified person? How can I protect myself from prohibited transactions? Where can I find the relevant tax code to verify the rules? How can I choose the best custodian or administrator for my needs? How can I find a company with the lowest fees? What do I have to do once my investment has been completed? Are there ongoing requirements?

This resource was created to answer all of these questions and more.

However, getting answers to the questions you are asking is only part of your immediate challenge. The other part is knowing the right questions to ask. It is highly likely that you are at a point on the learning curve where you know a little, but not a lot. You can learn a lot by reading articles and blog posts, but you may miss some of the subtleties that are not frequently mentioned. This is your biggest danger. One small mistake could cost you money, time, and frustration. Ultimately, it could cost you your retirement.

One simple solution is to work with a licensed professional that specializes in self-directed IRAs. This could be an attorney, accountant or financial advisor. As long as they have extensive experience in this area, they should be able to help you navigate the typical problem areas.

However, you may be more of a do-it-yourself type. You may be looking for resources that don’t require you to pay for a licensed professional.

If this is the case, then you need a simple, step-by-step guide to investing in alternative investments with your self-directed IRA. You are the reason we created this solution, The Ultimate Insider’s Guide to Self Directed IRA Custodians and Administrators.

The Ultimate Insider's Guide to Self Directed IRA Custodians and Administrators

This ultimate self-directed IRA resource is the solution you need to help you to self direct your retirement in a simple step-by-step format. It will provide you with high-quality, unbiased information and save you time, money, and frustration. If you want to use a self-directed IRA to invest in alternative investments, this is an essential tool to help you reach your retirement goals.

You are here because you want to use your self-directed IRA to invest in alternative investments, and you want to know how to do it. We have created this The Ultimate Insider's Guide To Self Directed IRA Custodians and Administrators to provide you with a step-by-step approach to accomplish that goal.

The Ultimate Insider's Guide will teach you all about self-directed IRAs: what they are, how they work, common pitfalls you may encounter, the steps you need to take to help you reach your goal, how to choose a self-directed IRA custodian or administrator, how to estimate your fees, and more.

Truth be told, The Ultimate Insider's Guide to Self-Directed IRA Custodians and Administrators is not one guide. It is actually a combination of multiple resources put together to guide you through the self-directed IRA process. Each of these resources is essential to the process of setting up and using your self-directed IRA if you want to make the best choice for your investing needs.

Here is what is included in The Ultimate Insider’s Guide to Self Directed IRA Custodians and Administrators....

Included in This Ultimate Insider's Guide

  • Self-Directed IRA Road Map.
    If you are new to self-directed IRAs, this is going to be your first and best tool. This road map is a quick and simple step-by-step guide that will show you the exact process my firm follows for our advisory clients. If you are trying to set up and use your self-directed IRA to invest in alternative investments, this road map will show you what to do and when to do it. It will also provide you with, a translation of common self-directed IRA terminology, frequently asked questions, rules and regulations, and more.
  • Comparison Guide of Self Directed IRA Custodians and Administrators.
    The second step in this process is our comparison tool. This comparison tool will help you filter through over 40+ custodians and administrators to help you narrow down your choices to 5 or less. You can compare multiple custodians and administrators side-by-side using popular metrics that are important to you. Considering how much time it takes to find and research each one, this tool will save you weeks or even months of your precious time.
  • 5 Individual Self-Directed IRA Custodian and Administrator Profile Reviews.
    We have done extensive research and due diligence on each of these self-directed IRA custodians and Administrators, and we have compiled this information into a complete profile on each company. This is one of our most comprehensive due diligence tools. We provide over 100 data points for each company to help you narrow down your choices to the one which is the best fit for your investment needs.
  • 4 Free Bonuses.  (These bonus reports will provide you with additional resources to make your self directed IRA experience easier)
  • Custodian and Administrator Fees Calculators.                                                                       The Custodian and Administrator Fees Calculator will help you estimate the fees you pay for using each custodian and administrator based on your investment strategy. Many custodian and administrator fee schedules are complex. Depending on your investing approach, they could end up being much more expensive than you anticipated. If you are making an assessment on one of your investments, you will want to know exactly what your fees are to assess the impact on your performance. 

Now that you know what is in The Ultimate Insider's Guide to Self Directed IRA Custodians and Administrators, let's discuss what it can do for you. 

  1. Provide you with a road map: One of the more common problems we see with self-directed IRAs is that investors don't know where to start. We provide you with a road map that takes the guess work out of self-directed IRAs, so you don't need to wonder if you are missing steps along the way. We find that many people miss some essential steps in the process and end up getting frustrated due to the lack of proper guidance from third-party (biased) sources. This road map will help save you this frustration, time, and money by giving you step-by-step instructions for what you need to do.
  2. Help you choose the best self-directed IRA custodian or administrator for your investing needs: Choosing a self-directed IRA custodian or administrator can be a difficult task. There are over 40+ choices, each one is different and they cater to different types of investors. How do you choose the best fit for your investments? Our comparison tool provides you with a simple time- and cost-effective way to make this choice. Don't ask random strangers and don't spend months spinning your wheels trying to figure it out yourself. This tool allows you to make the decision quickly by providing the information you need to make the best choice.
  3. Save you time and money by finding a low-cost custodian or administrator: Our comparison tool combined with our fees calculator will provide you with tools so that you can find the lowest cost custodian or administrator for your investment strategy. I'm going to let you in on a secret that most people pay us to learn, there is no "best" custodian or administrator.  It's a myth. Every one of these companies is different in some way from their peers. That being said, there will be a "best" company for your investing needs. This "best" choice will be different for each investor since different investors have different investing strategies. I frequently see websites and forums where someone recommends one custodian over another, but the reality is that unless you have the ability to compare one company to another with relevant metrics, how will you truly know which make the most sense for your needs? Our UltimatE Insider's Guide solves this problem for you. You will never have to ask strangers for answers again.
  4.   Finding a company with the best service or similar metrics that specializes in your asset: Obviously there is more to consider than just fees. Would you want to use the lowest cost company if they frequently lost your paperwork, missed deadlines, and didn't respond to your request? Probably not. There is more to making a choice than just fees. Perhaps you want a company that specializes in the asset you are considering. Maybe you want a smaller company that is more focused on customer service. We provide you with up to 5 company profile reviews so that you can assess each company with 100+ data points to determine the best fit for your investment needs.

There is one more important thing to mention....

This Special Offer is Only Available here.

Innovative Advisory Group is a well-known wealth management firm that specializes in self-directed IRAs. They receive numerous requests each week from investors who are looking for answers to their self-directed IRA questions. Unfortunately, they cannot provide advisory service solutions to each one of these people.

Therefore, for a limited-time only, Innovative Advisory Group has arranged for you to get this special offer

We have agreed to allow access to 250 people (76 spots remaining) at this special discount. Once these spots fill up, this resource will only be available at the regular price. We want to ensure that you have the best experience possible, so purchase The Ultimate Insider's Guide to Self Directed IRA Custodians and Administrators today to get Instant Access! (See below for your bonus discount code)

The Ultimate Insider's Guide to Self Directed IRA Custodians and Administrators

Sign up now to reserve your spot for access to The Ultimate Insider's Guide to Self Directed IRA Custodians and Administrators. This essential guide will teach you about self-directed IRAs and help you find the lowest cost, best-fit custodian or administrator for your self-directed IRA. If you want to learn from the wisdom and experience of licensed professionals, this guide should be an essential part of your investment strategy. Remember to enter your Innovative Advisory Group Bonus Discount Code: IAG12122016SDYR201


kirk chisholm
Kirk Chisholm
Wealth Manager & Self Directed IRA Advisor

About the Author

Kirk Chisholm is a co-founder and wealth manager at Innovative Advisory Group, an unbiased fee-only investment advisory firm. As a licensed investment advisor, he has provided financial advice to individual and their families, companies, and non-profits since 1999. Kirk's unique insight into the markets, investment strategies, and the economy allows him to provide investors with a different approach to investing. 

Kirk co-founded Innovative Advisory Group to allow investors to invest in their passion and take control of their retirement. In Kirk's 18+ years of experience in the wealth management industry, he has successfully worked with over 200+ families to help them reach their personal and financial goals. Kirk is a frequent media contributor in various major media publications. He is frequently sought out for quotes and guest appearances on podcasts, conferences and other industry related events.

Kirk Chisholm as seen in

Is This Ultimate Resource Guide The Right Fit For You?

Now that you know what a great deal the Ultimate Insider's Guide is, let's discuss who this guide is for and who it is not for.

This Ultimte Insider's Guide is not for...

People with no retirement savings - I know it should be obvious, but if you have very little or no money in your retirement accounts, then this guide is not for you. Sure you could make good use of this guide and maybe even find some create ways to make abnormal returns, but the chances are that you will spend your money needlessly. Please don't buy this guide if you fit in this category. Wait till you have saved up a reasonable amount of money before you are ready to invest with a self-directed IRA.

Perpetual Students - Some people are always looking to learn new and different information without actually using it for practical purposes. While this guide will provide you with plenty of information for you to learn about self-directed IRAs, the real benefit of this guide is in determining the best self-directed IRA custodian or administrator for your investing needs. If you are only looking for information to satisfy your curiosity, you would be better off purchasing our Quick Start Guide to Self Directed IRAs. We have a special offer for you as well. Click here to purchase this quick start guide. Enter Coupon Code: IAG992016QS to get a bonus discount.

Licensed Professionals - This guide is only for investors who want to self direct their own retirement. This guide is not tailored for licensed professionals. While investors are looking for a specific solution to one problem, professionals may be looking for multiple solutions for multiple clients. This guide is not for licensed professionals. We do have an institutional version of the Insider's Guide called The Ultimate Due Diligence Guide for Self Directed IRA Custodians and Administrators for licensed professionals. If you are a professional looking for this type of resource, please contact us for more information. The institutional guide will allow you to provide your clients with individually tailored solutions based on their investment strategy. If you truly want to provide your clients with the best solution for their investment portfolio, this guide will help you find it with minimal time and effort on your part. If you are a licensed professional and are interested in the institutional guide, click here to contact us.

This Ultimate Insider's Guide is for...

Serious investors - This guide is for serious investors who want to take control of their retirement. If you are frustrated with the typical Wall Street investments, and you don't trust the stock market, this guide is an essential tool to help you take control of your retirement.

Do-It-Yourself Investors - While some investors need financial advice, other are explorers, trailblazers, and trend-setters. They want to take control of their portfolio and self-direct their retirement.

Specialists & Experts - If you are an expert in a specific field, or you know an asset very well due to your experience, then this guide is for you. We encourage that you invest in your passion. Invest in what you know. This guide will help you simplify your investing process and use the same road map Innovative Advisory Group uses this process for their advisory clients. Don't waste your valuable time trying to figure it out, when it has been done for you.

Frustrated Investors - If you have been considering self-directed IRAs as a part of your investment strategy, but you have been frustrated by the lack of information, poor information, and poor guidance from "salespeople", this is a solution to your problems. This guide will give you the unbiased information you need to take control of your IRA.

Typical Problems that Self-Directed IRA Investors run across.

This section shows a number of typical problems that self-directed IRA investors see and how The Ultimate Insider's Guide to Self Directed IRA Custodians and Administrators solves that problem.

Typical Problem

  • ​Self-Directed IRA terminology is confusing.                                                                                                                                       
  • Unbiased high-quality information is hard to come by.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
  • It takes too long to educate myself about self-directed IRAs.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
  • Making a small mistake (e.g. prohibited transactions) could derail or destroy your retirement account savings.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     
  • Relying on a custodian, administrator, or investment sponsor - thinking they are giving you financial advice about your self-directed IRA.                                       
  • Choosing the wrong self-directed IRA custodian or administrator. Then getting frustrated because it takes 4-6 months to transfer your assets to a new one.                                                                         
  • Finding a company with the lowest fees for your investment strategy.                                                                                                                                                 
  • Estimating self-directed IRA custodian or administrator's fees.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

Your Solution

  • ​We provide simple, easy-to-understand definitions and descriptions to all industry jargon. There is no more guessing involved.
  • All the industry information that we provide is unbiased and derrived directly from each company and relaible sources to ensure its accuracy. Some of the reliable sources are experienced industry professionals who know the industry inside and out. Who better to answer your questions than the experts.
  • Our Quick Start Guide provides you with the information you need to self direct your retirement. We have compiled everything into one simple, easy to follow guide. You no longer need to "figure it out yourself".
  • The Quick Start Guide provides you with some common prohibited transactions so you can protect yourself from losing your retirement savings to penalties and taxes before you are ready to withdraw the funds. The Quick Start Guide also includes relevant rules and regulations, frequently asked questions, and other great resources.
  • If you need legal, tax or financial advice, get it from licensed professionals. We provide you with a list of licensed professionals that specialize in self directed IRAs.
  • Our unique process for choosing a custodian or administrator will help you choose the best self directed IRA custodian or administrator for your investment needs. Our solution helps you make the right choice the first time.
  • Our comparison tool is a unique tool that can help you find the company with the lowest fees and the best-fit to your investment strategy. 
  • Our unique custodian and administrator fees calculator will help you estimate your fees so that you can assess their impact on your investment strategy. This will allow you to know what your fees are before you open an account. Very few people do this, but it is one of the most impactful things you can do to improve your performance.                       
Self Direct Your Retirement

Here's "What You Get" in The Ultimate Insider's Guide to Self Directed IRA Custodians and Administrators

  • The Quick Start Guide to Self Directed IRAs - This is your road map and guide that can walk you through the self-directed IRA process.       
  • Self Directed IRA Custodian and Administrator Comparison Guide - This guide will help you to compare each custodian and administrator with some of the most popular comparison metrics.  
  • Self Directed IRA Custodian and Administrator Fees Calculator - This guide will help you estimate your custodian and administrator fees based on your investment strategy.  
  • 5 Self Directed IRA Custodian and Administrator Profile Reviews - You can use up to 5 company profiles to finalize your decision on the best custodian or administrator for your investment needs.        
  • 4 Free Bonuses - You will get 4 free bonuses as part of your purchase.

Remember to enter your Bonus Discount Code: IAG12122016SDYR201 if you want your special discount.

100% Satisfaction Guarantee

You are fully protected by our 100% Satisfaction-Guarantee. If you feel this guide does not provide you with everything you need to self direct your retirement in the first 10 days, just let us know and we'll send you a prompt refund. Please see our refund policy for more details.

Frequently Asked Questions

What comes with this guide?

How long do I have access to this guide?

Why are there only 5 profiles provided with this guide?

What information is provided in each company profile?

Will this guide answer all my questions?

Why is this information so inexpensive?

Is this information available anywhere else?

How can I access the institutional version of this Insider's Guide?

What is your refund policy?

Can I contact you with specific questions?


P.S. Remember, this exclusive offer is only available for purchase to the next 250 people (76 people). When we reach our limit, we will close this offer.

P.P.S. If for some reason you miss this offer, it will be available at the regular price as well. Purchase this guide now and any additions will be included at no additional cost during your 12 months of use. We recently added the fees calculator, as an added bonus to your purchase. But this only applies to the first 250 people who sign up for this guide.

And remember to use your Innovative Advisory Discount Code for a Bonus Discount: IAG12122016SDYR201

Purchase The Ultimate Insider's Guide to Self Directed IRA Custodians and Administrators Today!

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