A Guide to Real Estate Investing

with a Self-Directed IRA:

Everything You Need to Know From A to Z

E QUITY T RUST C OMPANY 1

®
After completing a successful real estate transaction, do you dread writing the check that must go to the IRS for taxes?
Do you ever wonder how many more properties you could buy if your profits weren’t split with the government
because of taxes? Do you ever turn down profitable deals just because you don’t have the funds available at the drop
of a hat?

It doesn’t have to be that way.

Handing a sizeable portion of your profit over to the IRS is a thing of the past. Realizing tax-free or tax-deferred profits
on real estate and alternative asset investing is a reality today.

Government sponsored retirement plans such as IRAs and 401(k)s

allow you to invest in almost anything (including real estate), not
just stocks, bonds and mutual funds. And all the benefits those plans
provide, tax-deductions and tax-free growth, apply to whatever
investment you choose.

The crippling effect that taxes have on your profits isn’t the only roadblock to successful real estate investing. A lack of
available funds can force you to pass on a multitude of profitable deals. With $4.8 trillion in IRAs and 401(k)s, you have
a virtually untapped funding resource available for all your deals.

In this special report, we’ll take you step-by-step through everything you need to know about using a self-directed IRA
to realize your real estate investing dreams. You’ll learn all the details so that you can take advantage of the
wonderful opportunities offered by a truly self-directed IRA—namely tax-free profits on a full range of real estate
investments, including tax liens, mortgages, foreclosures, options, and many others. We’ll even show you how to tap
into a nearly unlimited source of funds for your real estate deals.

Before we dive into the deep end, though, we’ll cover the basic information necessary to provide a solid understanding
of one of the most powerful wealth-building tools available to you.

First we’ll show you the importance of having an IRA and the benefits a self-directed IRA offers you. We’ll then reveal
the details of how real estate investing works with your IRA including a step-by-step example of how a real estate IRA
investment works. Finally, we’ll help you decide which type of IRA is best for you and how to get started today.

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What is an IRA and How Does it Benefit You?
Simply put, an IRA is a retirement account that has been given certain tax advantages by the IRS. This means that any
profit you can generate within an IRA will not be eaten away by taxes as you grow it.

Thanks to their tax-advantaged status, IRAs are a perfect investment vehicle as they can give you the full power of
compounding interest. Normally, your investment returns are reduced by taxes on yearly basis. You may take two
steps forward in profit but at the end of the year you have to take a step back and pay Uncle Sam. If the same invest-
ment is done within an IRA, though, you’re always moving forward.

And these special tax advantages aren’t the only way you benefit from using your IRA for your investments.
Retirement plans are typically given special protections from creditors and can be very useful for asset protection
purposes. When structured properly, you can even pass on your hard-earned profits for generations to come.

Tax-Free Scenario: The Power of Compound Interest

Let’s look at an example that illustrates the power of a tax-deferred environment. In this example, we have a man
who’s 35 years old and contributes $2,000 annually to his traditional IRA, until the age of 65. These 30 contributions
total $60,000.

Assuming a 10% annual rate of return, this individual’s IRA at age 65 will be worth over $400,275!

Remember, this example is based on contributions to a traditional IRA. A traditional IRA is funded with before-tax dol-
lars, which, in most cases, are tax deductible, and taxes are deferred until funds are distributed.

An even more powerful investment vehicle is the Roth IRA. With the Roth, contributions are made with after-tax
dollars, so you don’t receive a deduction, BUT your earnings will not be taxed when you make a qualified distribution.

Imagine making the same deals you’re currently making, but receiving your profits tax-deferred or tax-free! All simply
by using your IRA for your investment.

Taxable Scenario: The Loss of Compound Interest

Now, let’s look at the same investment made outside the IRA’s tax-deferred environment. We’ll use the same
assumptions as above, except the individual’s investments would be subject to a 28% annual tax rate. The total value
in the same individual’s account at age 65 would be just $227,220.

The federal, state and local governmental budgets he helps to support have claimed more than $170,000 of his profits.

Depending on the type of IRA, withdrawals from the account can also be completely tax-free!

There’s no other investment vehicle available that provides such powerful tax advantages.

What Makes a Self-Directed IRA so Special? You Can Invest in What You Know Best -
Real Estate
In more ways than not, a self-directed IRA is exactly the same as any other IRA. A truly self-directed IRA is set apart
from the accounts offered by your typical brokerage houses by the virtually endless choice of investment vehicles.

At traditional firms, you’re restricted to a select subset of the investments that the IRS allows. You may have a choice of
a few mutual funds (usually those managed by the firm that holds your account), government bonds or low-rate CDs.
If you’re the type of investor that seeks a better-than-average return and control over your own investments, this just
won’t work for you.

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Enter the self-directed IRA. Unlike the accounts offered by traditional firms, truly self-directed IRAs aren’t hindered
by unnecessary restrictions imposed by the custodian. You’re free to make the investment choices you feel will best
benefit your financial future.

When first learning about self-directed IRAs, most people become skeptical and think it might be too good to be true.
Enjoying tax-advantaged real estate deals for the rest of your life does sound pretty good.

Well, it’s not too good to be true. In fact, since the IRA was created in 1974, investing in real estate and other alter-
native assets has been legal. IRS Publication 590 (dealing with IRAs) states what investments are prohibited; these
investments include artwork, stamps, rugs, antiques, and gems. All other investments, including stocks, bonds, mutual
funds, real estate, mortgages, private placements, or even livestock are perfectly acceptable as long as IRS rules
governing retirement plans are followed.

Most investors haven’t heard of this opportunity because most IRA custodians don’t offer truly self-directed IRAs that
allow you to invest in real estate and other non-traditional investments.

Often, when you ask a custodian/trustee, “Can I invest in real estate with an IRA?” They’ll say, “I’ve never heard of that”
or, “No, you can’t do that.” What they really mean is that you can’t do this at their company because they only offer
stocks, mutual funds, bonds, or CD products.

As the IRS puts it on their website, “IRA trustees are permitted to impose additional restrictions on investments. For
example, because of administrative burdens, many IRA trustees don’t permit IRA owners to invest IRA funds in real
estate. IRA law does not prohibit investing in real estate but trustees are not required to offer real estate as an
option.”

If your retirement nest egg is dependent on your investment knowledge, then you should be able to invest in what
you know—whether it’s real estate, tax liens, mortgage notes, or stocks and bonds.

Only a truly self-directed IRA custodian will allow you to invest in all forms of real estate or any other investments not
prohibited by the IRS with an IRA.

See How Your Real Estate Investing Can Get

Supercharged with a Self-Directed IRA
John is a real estate investor and an Equity Trust client. While searching for investment properties, he discovered a
two-bedroom home that he was able to purchase for $24,000.

Recognizing that this would be a good deal for his retirement account, Purchase Price: $24,000
John instructed his custodian (Equity Trust) to purchase the property on Rehab #1: $7,500
behalf of his IRA.
Rental Income: $10,000
The property needed improvement so that it could be rented out, and Rehab #2: $20,000
John instructed Equity Trust to submit $7,500 from his IRA to a general Final Sale Price: $135,000
contractor. After repairs were complete, the home was put on the market
as a lease-to-own property and was rented out for one year at $10,000.
Tax-Free Profit: $93,500
The rental income flowed directly into John’s IRA. During this time, John
added a third bedroom that cost approximately $20,000, paying for it
out of his Equity Trust IRA. The following year, John’s tenant qualified for
financing and John’s IRA sold the home for $135,000.

Let’s take a look at how this deal worked out for John.

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With the $24,000 initial purchase price and $7,500 in fix-up expenses, plus $20,000 for the addition, John had total
expenses of $51,500 in the deal. He had $10,000 in rental income and netted $135,000 on the sale, for total income of
$145,000. After expenses, John realized a $93,500 profit!

This profit remained in John’s IRA at Equity Trust, ready to be invested in the next deal he found. If he’d done the same
investment outside of his IRA, using personal money, John would’ve paid 28% in federal, state and local taxes.

The difference for John, in just this one deal, was $26,180!

Raise Unlimited Capital for All of Your Real Estate Deals Using Self-Directed IRAs
One of the most common stumbling blocks to investing is not having enough cold, hard cash to act quickly to
participate in hot deals. Imagine being able to create a funding source from which you can easily and quickly draw on
funds to finance your investments. You can by using the “private bank concept.”

Recent estimates place over $4 trillion within IRAs, 401(k)s and other qualified programs across the country. These
funds can become available to you through self-directed IRAs.

The private bank concept is borrowing money from an individual’s IRA (not a financial institution) for investments. For
example, an investor can borrow money from someone else’s IRA to complete an investment and pay the IRA back
an amount of interest that is agreed upon in advance. Since IRAs are an exempt entity, interest earned on the money
loaned is tax-free or tax-deferred depending on the type of IRA.

Lending institutions, insurance companies and venture capitalists have been using similar concepts to raise money
for years. By utilizing self-directed IRAs, you can apply this concept to your investments, allowing you to become more
profitable and stay ahead of the competition.

How to Create Your Own “Private Bank” in Three Easy Steps

The following is a Private Bank example using real estate, but this concept can be used with other investments such as
notes, tax liens, and private placements.

1. Find an investment property and negotiate a 75% or less loan-to-value ratio to give your investors safety for
their investment. Build in enough gross profit to pay your investors an attractive rate of return. Remember, it’s
not the cost of money but the availability of it that’s important. Finally, leave yourself enough time, through a
contingency clause, to find your investors.

2. Present the deal to potential investors, such as business acquaintances and local professionals (e.g., doctors,
lawyers, and business owners). It’s important that you offer an attractive rate of return and explain the security
they have in the transaction by offering them the first lien on the property. Remind your potential investors that,
in addition, their returns will be able to grow in a tax-deferred or tax-free environment, depending on which
type of IRA they have.

3. Now that you have the investment and investors in mind, the final step is to open an Equity Trust self-directed
IRA for each investor.

Once your investors have established their accounts and the particulars of the investment have been agreed upon
you’re ready to utilize these funds for your investing strategy.

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“Private Bank” Advantages
• Allows you to participate in more deals
• More deals = More profits
• You’re able to offer cash for investments to receive deep discounts
• Beat out your competition
• Free up personal money for personal needs

What You Avoid by Creating Your Own “Private Bank”

• Lengthy committee approvals
• Bureaucratic red tape
• Potential credit risks
• Tying up your personal funds

Doctor Friend Business Owner Relative Attorney

IRA IRA IRA IRA IRA

Your
Private
Bank

Investments

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Making a Self-Directed IRA Work for You
Among all of the possible investments available
with a self-directed IRA, the most popular by far Real Estate Investments Are Virtually Endless in a Self-
is real estate. Equity Trust Company was founded
Directed IRA
by a real estate investor who knew just how
profitable real estate investments could be when
coupled with a tax-free investment vehicle. To The beauty of a truly self-directed IRA is that your
this day, a majority of the transactions that we see investment possibilities are virtually endless. No matter
come through our doors are related to real estate. where your expertise lies (in real estate or anything
else), you can use your unique knowledge and
Under the umbrella of “real estate” investments experience to ensure your financial success.
there’s a wide range of investment possibilities
depending on your level of experience and Below is a list of just a few of the options you have with
desired level of involvement. a self-directed IRA.
Residential real estate is certainly a popular choice
• Residential real estate—including apartments,
for investors, both inside and outside of IRA
accounts. The good news is that making an IRA
single family homes, and duplexes
investment in this type of real estate is virtually • Commercial real estate
the same as doing the deal with non-IRA funds. • Undeveloped or raw land
You still control what property you buy, negotiate • Real estate notes (mortgages and deeds of trusts)
the purchase price, oversee any repairs or • Promissory notes
upgrades needed, screen tenants or buyers and • Private limited partnerships, limited liability
draw up the necessary contracts for sale or lease. companies, and C corporations
• Tax lien certificates
The main difference is that you have someone • Foreign currencies
signing all the documents and cutting the checks • Oil and gas investments
for you. You just tell us what to do and we do it.
• Publicly traded stocks, bonds, mutual funds
We, as the custodian for your IRA, take all of our
instruction from you directly. We even give you
• Private stock offerings, private placements
full online access to your account to help • Judgments/structured settlements
simplify the management of your investments. • Gold bullion
• Car paper
If you prefer to be more “hands-off” with your • Factoring investments
investments, but still want your money in real • Accounts receivable
estate, there are options for you as well. Passive • Equipment leasing
real estate investments are on the rise as many
investors are looking for alternatives to traditional But don’t let this list limit you. As long as you follow the
markets. Promissory notes backed by real estate rules set forth by the IRS, nearly any investment can be
are a growing area of real estate investing and a
held within an IRA.
self-directed IRA provides an ideal vehicle for this
investment.

By using your IRA to fund notes and mortgages, you’re essentially turning your retirement account into a bank. And as
the head of this “bank” you get to decide who gets to borrow your money and what the terms of the loan are. You set
the interest rate, repayment schedule and penalties for non-performance.

These are just two of the many ways you can use your IRA for investment in the real estate market. If your interest lies
in tax liens, short sales, commercial real estate or any other niche, don’t worry. By taking advantage of a truly self-
directed IRA you can grow your account through whatever method you choose.

So how does it really work?

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Step by Step Guide to Real Estate in Your IRA
1) Establish an account with a self-directed IRA custodian who will accept real estate investments -
Equity Trust Company.
Establishing an account with a self-directed IRA custodian is easy and usually takes around 10 minutes to
complete by filling out a simple application.

But before you begin filling out an application, there are number of things you should review with any potential
self-directed IRA custodian. To help you, below is a checklist of questions you should ask any custodian before
opening an account.

• How long have you been in business?

• What is your fee schedule? Do you have additional fees for certain transactions? Are there “hidden fees”?
• Do you provide education and support?
• How are you regulated?
• How are you insured?
• Am I working with a branch office/franchise or the main institution?
• Will there be an account representative to assist me if I have questions?
• What is the minimum initial investment?
• Do you offer brokerage services?
• Can I access my account online?

Answers to these questions will help you determine the best self-directed IRA custodian for you.

2) Fund your account.

Next you have to fund the account, and this is just as easy as opening the account. There are two ways to fund
your account.
• Contributions
• You can contribute to your account through a check or wire transfer, and contribution limits range
from $5,000 - $49,000 depending on which account you choose.
• Transfer/Rollover
• In most cases, if you have an existing retirement plan such as an IRA, 401(k), or 403(b), these funds can
be transferred to a self-directed IRA, allowing you to make real estate IRA investments. Check with
your current and previous employers regarding transferring such qualified plans.

3) Investing in Real Estate

Now that your self-directed IRA is open and funded, the next step is to make your investment. The following is a
basic example of a real estate investment process with a self-directed IRA investment.

Find an Investment Property, Negotiate A Deal

In this example, you have enough money in your self-directed IRA to purchase the property outright. After settling
on a purchase price for $125,000, you’ll have to sign a purchase agreement.

Special Note: At this stage you’re able to act as agent for your IRA and sign the purchase agreement (this isn’t the case
later). This is the only time you can sign documents on behalf of your IRA.

One of the most common mistakes (and cause of delays) in real estate IRA investing is improper titling of the
investment documents. Before a title company draws up documents or you create a purchase agreement, make
sure everyone’s aware of the proper titling. Frequently, the IRA owner’s personal name is incorrectly put on the
title of the property or in a purchase agreement.
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 Remember, you and your IRA are two separate entities, and as such, the property needs to be titled in the name of
your IRA and not you personally.

The correct title for most real estate IRA investments is:
XYZ Trust Company custodian FBO (for benefit of) Your Name IRA

I’ve Signed a Purchase Agreement, What’s Next?

To complete the agreement, you need to provide earnest money to the seller. Since you’re purchasing the
property outright, you agree to provide the seller with $500 for consideration. You can’t use personal funds for
the earnest money—all funds related to your purchase must come from your self-directed IRA.

You need to instruct your custodian to send the money on behalf of your IRA. Often, this is completed by filling out
a Real Estate Direction of Investment (DOI) form to remit funds ($500) to the seller for earnest money. This form
tells the custodian the specifics on the property you’d like to buy, how much money you need, and where to send
the funds. When submitting your DOI, please include a copy of your purchase agreement.

Preparing for Closing

After signing the purchase agreement and providing earnest money, you’re ready to meet with a title company or
closing attorney to draw up documents for the closing.

You’ll need to submit another request for funding (similar to the one submitted for the earnest money) for the
remaining price of the property to close.

Funds are Remitted from Your IRA

With everything in place, funds will be remitted to the title company or closing attorney for your new property.

Your IRA Owns the Property!

After following the simple steps above, you’re ready to enjoy tax-free or tax-deferred profits!

4) What happens after your IRA owns the property?

Now that your IRA has purchased the property, you need to remember two things:
• Expenses: Any expenses associated with the property (maintenance, improvements, property taxes, condo
association, general bills, etc.) must come from the IRA.
• Cash Flow/Profits: All profits must return to the IRA, meaning all income (rent) and profits (selling of
property) are deposited back into your IRA account tax-free!

Expenses Related
to Investment

$
You Your Equity Trust Account Your Investment

from Investment

That’s all there is to it. It’s as simple as 1-2-3. In no time at all you can be investing in real estate, receiving tax-free or
tax-deferred profits for the rest of your life.

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Here’s How to Get Started
What IRA Plan Will Fit My Needs?
When you’re ready to jump in and take advantage of tax-free profits on your real estate deals, you’ll have many
different IRAs to choose from—both individual and small business plans (and you’ll find out later that, as a real estate
investor, you most likely qualify for the small business as well as individual plans).

The most popular individual plans are the traditional IRA and the Roth IRA. Both plans offer tax advantages to help
you save money for retirement, but they differ in a few ways.

Traditional vs. Roth

By asking one simple question, most people have a better idea which plan is right for them. Do you want to pay taxes
on the seed or the crop?

In both plans, your investment profits are growing tax-free but the differences are when you receive the tax-
advantages to the principal investment and yearly contributions. With a Roth IRA you don’t receive a tax deduction
on your yearly contributions, but when you take your money out of the account you don’t have to pay any taxes. A
traditional IRA gives a tax deduction every year based on your contribution, but you’ll have to pay income tax when
you take your money out of the account.

Which Plan Should I Enroll In?

If you prefer to get deductions over the years as your investment grows, then a traditional IRA is probably your best
choice. If you don’t want to pay taxes when you take your money out (the distribution), then the Roth IRA (and its tax-
free distribution) is right for you.

The Roth IRA has a special qualifying income requirement, though. In 2011, you may only contribute to a Roth IRA if
you have taxable compensation and your modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) is less than $122,000 ($179,000 if
you’re married and file a joint return, and $10,000 if you’re married, lived with your spouse and file a separate return).
ROTH CONVERSION NOTE: As of January 1, 2010, the previous income limits for converting to a Roth IRA were lifted
allowing many who didn’t qualify in the past to complete a conversion and enjoy the advantages of a Roth IRA.

Don’t worry if you don’t qualify to open a Roth IRA, later you’ll discover a plan (Roth Individual(k)) that has Roth
advantages without the income limits.

The table on the following page highlights the differences between the Roth and Traditional IRA, helping you decide
which plan is right for you.

If you have any questions about this section or self-directed accounts in general, please
contact an Equity Trust Retirement Plan Specialist at 1-888-ETC-IRAS (888-382-4727).
Equity Trust will help you decide the right plan for your future.

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 Comparison of Traditional and Roth IRA Plans

Traditional IRA Roth IRA

Government savings plan that Government savings plan that offers

offers tax advantages for individuals tax advantages for individuals to set
Description to set aside money for retirement. aside money for retirement.
Contributions are made with pre-tax Contributions are made with
dollars. after-tax dollars.

Account balances compound tax-

Possible tax deductions for
deferred. BUT funds that are
contributions. Account balances
Tax Advantages withdrawn are tax-free if account is
compound tax-deferred until funds
five years old and account owner is
are withdrawn.
over 59 1/2.

100% of earned income, up to $5,000 100% of earned income, up to $5,000

in 2011. Plus an additional $1,000, if in 2011. Plus an additional $1,000, if
age 50+. Total of $10,000 for married age 50+. Total of $10,000 for married
Maximum Contributions
couples in 2011. (Contribution limits couples in 2011. (Contribution limits
are reduced by any contributions are reduced by any contributions to a
made to a Roth IRA.) Traditional IRA.)

Individuals must have earned

Individuals must be under 70 1/2 and income* and adjusted gross
Eligibility
have earned income*. income less than $122,000 for single,
$179,000 for married couples.

Tax Deductions on Contributions Yes No

10% penalty for withdrawals

10% penalty for withdrawals before before 59 1/2. (Note: Initial Roth
Penalties for Early Withdrawal
age 59 1/2. contributions can be taken out
at any time without penalty.)

Exceptions for 10% Penalty Yes Yes

Maximum Age to Make

70 1/2 No Limit
Contributions

Yes. Minimum withdrawals begin

Required Distributions None
after the age of 70 1/2.

*Earned income is defined as the salary or wages you receive as an employee. If you’re self-employed, earned income is your net income
for personal services performed. Passive income such as interest, dividends, and most rental income is not considered earned income for
the purpose of funding an IRA.

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Higher Contributions and Higher Deductions
With Other Popular Retirement Plans
In addition to the Traditional and Roth IRAs, there are a number of other plans for individuals and small businesses that
are perfect investment vehicles (i.e., tax-free or tax-deferred profits) for investors interested in real estate and other
alternative assets.

As a real estate investor, you qualify for SIMPLE, SEP, Individual(k) and Roth Individual(k) plans. While some of the plans
seem only appropriate for just small businesses, it’s important to note that real estate investors, like you, qualify for
these plans in addition to a traditional or Roth IRA.

The advantages of these plans are larger contribution limits and larger tax-deductions, plus your spouse, if employed,
is eligible to participate. The best part is that you can still contribute to standard individual plans like a traditional or
Roth IRA in addition to a small business plan like a SIMPLE or SEP.

The following pages include descriptions of each plan and tables to help you determine which plans are right for you.
Before you get to those pages here is a quick guide to the plans:

SIMPLE
The SIMPLE is popular with investors that pay themselves $45,000 or less and do have employees. Participants can
contribute up to $11,500 annually ($14,000 if you’re 50+) while the employer can match 1-3% of salary.

SEP
The SEP allows for contribution amounts up to 25% of your salary, with a maximum of $49,000. The downside of the
SEP is that it requires the same contribution percentage for all employees. If you have employees, the SEP could be
cost prohibitive.

Individual(k)
The Individual(k) is often the most attractive plan to investors, if they qualify, because it combines elements of the
SEP and SIMPLE. You can make a salary deferral contribution of $16,500 annually ($22,000 if you’re 50+), plus a
profit-sharing contribution of 0 – 25% of your salary. The total from both sources cannot exceed $49,000 ($54,500
if you’re 50+).

Roth Individual(k)
The Roth Individual(k) has the same benefits as the standard Individual(k) (Contribute $16,500 or $22,000 in catch-up
through salary deferral) but with a similar tax treatment to the Roth IRA (i.e., tax-free distributions). This plan benefits
high-income individuals who cannot qualify for a Roth IRA because of income limits. The table on the following page
highlights the differences between the SIMPLE, SEP, and Individual(k).

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 Summary of SEP, SIMPLE, and Individual(k) Plans

SEP SIMPLE Individual(k)

The Individual(k) was created in
2002 to enable sole proprietors
Designed for small businesses to set up and contribute to a
Specifically designed for
with 100 or fewer employees. plan offering the same benefits
self-employed people and
The plan is funded by elective as the conventional 401(k). It
Description small business owners who
employee salary deferral and by is only appropriate for a sole
typically employ fewer than
employer matching proprietor or a business (either
25 employees.
contributions. a partnership or corporation)
in which only the owner(s) and
spouse(s) are employees.
Employer is required to make
either an annual matching
The employer profit sharing
Employer Required uniform % of each contribution between 1% and
contribution limit is up to 25% of
Contributions employee’s pay (0-25%). 3% or an annual non-elective
pay, or 20% for self-employed.
contribution of 2% of
compensation.
Plan must cover all
Plan must cover all employees
employees who earn at least
who earn at least $5,000 in the
Minimum Coverage $550, are at least 21 years Plan can only cover owner(s) and
current year and have received
Requirements of age and have worked for spouse(s).
at least $5,000 during any two
employer in 3 of the last 5
preceding years.
years.

Employee Up to $11,500 in 2011. (If age

Not Permitted $16,500 ($22,000 if 50+)
Contributions 50+, $14,000.)
Maximum employee
Maximum Total $16,500 ($22,000 if 50+) and 0 -
25%, up to a maximum of contribution of $11,500 in 2011
Annual 25% of salary, up to a maximum of
$49,000 for 2011. (if age 50+, $14,000). Employer
Contributions $49,000 for 2011 ($54,500 if 50+).
matches up to 3% of salary.
Salary deferral contributions
Salary deferral contributions may
Contributions are generally are generally deductible for the
be deductible for the employee,
Deductions tax deductible for the employee, matching
matching contributions for the
business. contributions for the
employer.
employer.

Withdrawals / Permitted, however, if under age

Permitted subject to Permitted subject to tax and,
Distributions 59 1/2, potential 10% penalty.
tax and, if under 59 1/2, if under 59 1/2, potential 10%
(Follows Traditional (25% penalty if account is less
potential 10% penalty. penalty.
IRA Regulations) than 2 years old.)

The deadline for establishing an

Any time between 1/1 and 10/1
Individual(k) and making a salary
of the calendar year. For a new
deferral election is the last day
Deadline for Any time up to date of employer beginning after 10/1,
of your business’ tax year. The
Establishment employer’s return (including as soon as administratively
deadline for funding the profit
of Plan extensions). feasible. Entries established
sharing portion is your business
during the year have until
tax return due date, including
12/31.
extensions

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Take Control of Your Future with Equity Trust Company
Now that you’ve learned the advantages of using a self-directed IRA as a vehicle for your real estate investments,
there’s just one thing left to do, call Equity Trust Company and get started!

Equity Trust is Your BEST Choice…

• More than 35 years experience assisting investors to create tax-free wealth
• Founded by a real estate investor, for real estate investors
• Management of over $10 billion in IRA assets
• Knowledgeable self-directed IRA specialists ready to serve clients
• Personalized account management teams for every client, including their own personal toll-free number to
ensure personalized attention for every call
• Low, all-inclusive fee schedule – clients don’t pay fees on every transaction
• Online account management 24 hours a day, seven days a week with eVANTAGE, the industry’s first online
account management tool for self-directed IRAs – pay bills, fill-out forms, download information into Quicken or
money financial software programs, and check account status anytime, from anywhere
• Quick and accurate investment processing (99.2% of transactions reviewed in 24 hours) – with incredibly fast
turnaround times
• Online trading through our affiliate, Mid–Ohio Securities, member NASD/SIPC
• Highly regulated – clients can trust Equity Trust with their investments
• 92% of our clients are likely to refer friends and colleagues to Equity Trust (based on client survey)

Best of all, Equity Trust will walk you through each and every transaction to make sure it’s handled
accurately and on time.

After reading this brief guide, you’re now ready to get started with real estate investing in your self-directed IRA.
You’ve seen the unique advantages that an IRA offers and how it can benefit you in your real estate investments. But
don’t delay. Every day that passes is one less day your self-directed IRA can benefit from the Earth’s most powerful
force (at least according to Einstein), compounding interest.

Start Receiving Benefits Today!

For more information about self-directed IRA real estate investing, the plans and
services available to you, and how to get started, please contact Equity Trust Company at
www.trustetc.com or 1-888-ETC-IRAS (888-382-4727).

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Equity Trust Company • 225 Burns Road, Elyria, OH 44035 • www.trustetc.com
©2011 Equity Trust Company®. All rights reserved. ET0002.11 Rev 1/11