INVESTMENT GUIDE
Checkbook
IRA/LLC
Establish an LLC, fund it with your retirement dollars, and fulfill investments yourself.
As the account holder, you have “checkbook control” over the LLC funds, and thus checkbook control of your tax-advantaged funds.
Table of Contents
AT A GLANCE
What should you know about Checkbook IRAs/LLCs?
Some IRA investment strategies require a large number of disbursements from the IRA and/or the need to disburse funds quickly. To achieve this level of flexibility, some IRA investors choose a strategy called Checkbook Control which creates the ability of the IRA holder to write checks with IRA money. This structure is sometimes referred to as a Checkbook Control IRA, a Checkbook IRA, a Checkbook LLC, a Closely Held LLC, a Single Member LLC, or a Family LLC. Compared to a direct IRA investment, the LLC approach will likely involve additional set-up time, expenses (ideally offset by fee savings), operational responsibilities, and risk tolerance.
The set-up of Checkbook Control starts with the fact that the IRS allows an IRA to invest in an entity (in any percentage), as an investment while keeping the tax benefits associated with that account type. This entity can be a “closely held” entity, meaning that the IRA holder or another disqualified person is the manager of the entity.
The most common iteration of Checkbook Control starts with the IRA holder creating a new LLC. The IRA can’t be a member of an S-Corp or be a General Partner in a partnership. The IRA then buys 100% interest in the LLC, meaning the IRA Custodian (New Direction Trust Company) funds the LLC with the eligible retirement funds in the IRA. Once open and funded, the entity may access the checking account to initiate investment activities.
Possible Structures
Your IRA can own a percentage in a Checkbook LLC that invests in real estate, brokerage accounts, private debt, private equity, or any number of investments. By partnering with your LLC, you may be able to infuse additional capital into the investment.
100% sole ownership
Your IRA can be the 100% sole owner in a checkbook LLC, in which you have named yourself as the managing member.
You cannot use a previously established company that you own.
Ownership must be decided prior to initial funding of the closely held LLC; once the initial investment has been made, no disqualified persons or entities are allowed to partner with the company.
Partnering with yourself and others
If you’re looking for ways to increase the buying power of your closely held LLC, you can partner with yourself and other disqualified persons, as long as the percentage of ownership does not change after the initial investment.
Ownership between disqualified persons must be decided prior to initial funding of the closely held LLC; once the initial investment has been made, the percentages must remain in the same proportion throughout the life of the entity.
Financing available
Does your account lack the funds to buy an asset outright? No problem! A closely held LLC can take out a non-recourse loan to finance the acquisition of a property or boost its purchasing power to purchase more.
The loan must be a non-recourse loan, meaning personal finances of the IRA holder or another disqualified person cannot guarantee the loan. Non-recourse loans are typically made on income producing property and typically require 35-40% down payment.
For a list of non-recourse lenders, click here. NDTCO is always here for assistance however cannot recommend or endorse any specific non-recourse lenders.
Due Diligence
As the IRA holder, you are responsible for performing due diligence on your IRA’s investments. Neither the IRS nor NDTCO researches or endorses the investments, businesses, or principals involved in your IRA’s transactions.
New Direction Trust Company, as the custodian, is not responsible for the terms and conditions of the entity documents, i.e. operating agreement, subscription agreement, corporate documents, or for finding and pointing out possible prohibited transactions within it. It is your responsibility, and that of your legal and/or tax advisors, to ensure the entity documents conform to the existing IRS rules and regulations. Not only is it important that these funds be used solely for the IRA and it’s assets, there can be absolutely no “self-dealing” with regard to the assets purchased or services provided to the asset. As the manager or trustee of the entity, it is also your responsibility to understand the Prohibited Transaction rules as stated in IRC 4975.
A competent professional in the legal, financial advice or accounting fields can also be engaged if you need additional help deciding if the investment being considered is legitimate, meets your risk tolerance parameters, and is right for your investment goals.
We are responsible for:
- Ensuring the entity documents reflect the proper titling of the IRA as the member
- Providing accurate record keeping of IRA account activity
- Annual IRS reporting and filing for the IRA only
You are responsible for:
- Ensuring your investment does not complete prohibited transactions
- Providing annual valuations
- Due diligence on your IRA’s investments
- Ensure all funds return to your IRA and not to you personally.
- Any expenses paid come from your retirement funds and not your personal funds.
- General management of your investment, this list may not be an exhausted list
Disqualified Persons/Entities
All IRAs have a list of people who are disqualified from having certain interactions with that account. Below is a graphic that delineates which persons are disqualified. Keep in mind that any entity that is owned or controlled by a Disqualified Person is also disqualified.
- Neither the IRA holder nor any other Disqualified Person to that IRA may live in or use the property.
- Disqualified Persons cannot work on the property, for free or for pay. “Sweat equity” is not allowed. Any remodeling, repair, improvement, and even maintenance must be performed by a non-disqualified person or entity.
- Your IRA cannot purchase a property from you or any Disqualified Person, nor can your IRA sell a property to a disqualified person.
- Neither you nor a Disqualified Person can guarantee a loan for an IRA property.
- Disqualified Persons are not allowed to be paid by the IRA.
- All earnings from your LLC must flow directly back to your IRA, before taking personal possession. Receiving dividends, returns of capital, or assets in-kind personally, instead of through the IRA, may be construed as a prohibited transaction and result in the distribution of the IRA entirely, along with taxes and penalties.
NON-DISQUALIFIED PERSONS INCLUDE:
- Brother
- Sister
- Brother-in-law
- Sister-in-law
- Niece
- Nephew
- Aunt
- Uncle
- Cousin
DISQUALIFIED PERSONS & ENTITIES INCLUDE:
- The account holder (you)
- The account holder’s linear ascendants (parents, grandparents, etc.)
- The account holder’s linear descendants (children, grandchildren, etc.) and their spouses
- Fiduciaries to the account (accountants, financial advisors, attorneys, etc.)
- Tax-advantaged savings accounts held by any of the aforementioned individuals
- Businesses or entities owned or controlled by any of the aforementioned individuals
- Spouse
- Children of spouse
Fees
ANNUAL ADMINISTRATION FEES
(Assessed and billed annually per asset)| Checkbook IRA Assets | $390 per asset |
PROCESSING FEES
| Purchase, Sale, or Exchange | $130 |
OUTGOING MOVEMENT OF FUNDS
Due when funds leave your account| ACH | $0 |
| Check | $20 |
| Cashier or Official Bank Check | $35 |
| Wire | $35 |
| International Wire | $35 |
| Overnight Mail | $50 |
| Returned Item or Stop Payment Request or Void Check | $50 |
TRANSFERS OUT AND DISTRIBUTIONS
| In-Kind Asset Registration | $75 |
| Transfer Out and Distribution | $150 |
- Annual Administration fees are charged based upon the custodial services provided and are not dependent upon an investment’s performance. Thus, Administration fees are non-refundable regardless of whether the client is unable to generate profits or returns.
CHECKBOOK IRA/LLC
The Investment Process
The Investment Timeline
STEP 1
Open Account
Completed online within minutes
STEP 2
Fund the account
1-4 weeks
STEP 3
Setting Up the LLC
Timeline varies
STEP 4
Assemble Documents
1-3 Business days
STEP 5
Investment Funding
3 Business days
- Please note this is only a potential and predicted timeline. Actual timeline may vary depending on various factors.
Required Paperwork
- Buy Direction Letter * – directs NDTCO to fund the entity
- Closely Held Entity Acknowledgement – confirms acknowledgement of high-risk investment nature of closely held entities in regards to sections 4975, 408, 408A, and other relevant sections of the Internal Revenue Code (IRC)
- Manager’s Acknowledgement Letter – to be completed by LLC Manager if you, the account holder, are not managing the LLC
- Operating Agreement – signed as “read and approved”
- Attorney’s Opinion Letter- If applicable, see below for more information
- Table of Membership – entity must reflect the proper titling of the IRA as the member or beneficiary, and list the IRA’s capital contribution and percentage of ownership
- Organizational Documents (from Secretary of State)
- Tax ID Number of Entity
*In order to submit your Buy Direction Letter you will need to ensure you have sufficient cash in the account. If at the time of a purchase you don’t have sufficient cash in the account, consider a transfer-in, Rollover, Liquidation or contribution to fund the account before your purchase. If you are working with us already on a sale or funding request, check your account daily for incoming funds. As soon as funds clear in your account, you will be able to submit your purchase request.
Creating the LLC
The LLC manager will be tasked with the creation of the entity and filing all the necessary documentation with the entity. It is highly recommended that you consult a competent attorney or tax professional that is familiar with retirement accounts, tax law and IRS rules to create the entity documents, although this is not a requirement. New Direction Trust Company does not create or provide examples of entity documents.
Attorney Opinion Letter
New Direction Trust Company requires an Attorney’s Opinion Letter be provided if you, the IRA holder, or another disqualified person will be appointed manager of the entity after the funding. The Attorney’s Opinion Letter must affirm that according to IRC Sec. 4975, the funding of this structure does not constitute a prohibited transaction. The Attorney’s Opinion Letter is created by a competent legal professional. Here is a list of attorneys that could help you set up a Checkbook IRA.
Please follow the chart below to determine if an Attorney Opinion Letter is required to fund the investment:
Appointing IRA Owner or other disqualified person as Manager*
| Description | Attorney Opinion Letter Required |
| Single member entity | Yes |
| Entity with 1 or more disqualified persons owning an aggregate share of 50% or more | Yes |
| Entity with IRA and IRA holder personally or other disqualified person(s) owning aggregate share of 50% or more | Yes |
| For Trust Agreements, the IRA holder may be appointed Trustee prior to funding | Yes |
For further information on disqualified persons, see the disqualified persons section above.
Appointing a Non-Disqualified Person as Manager
| Description | Attorney Opinion Letter Required |
| Single member entity | No |
| Entity with 1 or more disqualified persons owning an aggregate share of 50% or more | No |
| Entity with IRA and IRA holder personally or other disqualified person(s) owning aggregate share of 50% or more | No |
| For Trust Agreements, the IRA holder may be appointed Trustee prior to funding | No |
All legal fees incurred for the registration/formation of the LLC must be paid from either your IRA account or by the LLC. When setting up the LLC bank account, banks typically require an initial deposit on the day of account opening. The initial deposit will need to be either your IRA funds or funds from a non-disqualified person who can be reimbursed from the LLC at a later time. This is in relation to IRS code 4975 for prohibited transactions. Some banks may allow the account to be opened before an initial deposit is made based on your relationship with the bank and the expected day of funding. The day of funding is reliant on completing all necessary paperwork, sufficient funds, and fee payment.
- To pay expenses using the online client portal Bill Pay (FREE), click here.
You will be asked to log into the client portal and then directed to the “Bill Pay” page. Please use the dropdown menu to select which asset you are paying a bill for and click “Pay Now.” You can then input all payment information into the online form. Simply hit submit, and you are done!
The LLC must be able to conduct all its business with the cash available in the business accounts without involving disqualified persons or your personal funds.
Titling/Signature Lines on Investment Documents
The name in which the LLC is to be held is: NDTCO as custodian FBO Client’s Name IRA
The initial investment documents to establish the entity should reflect the name of the IRA: NDTCO as custodian FBO Client’s Name IRA.
CHECKBOOK IRA/LLC
After the Purchase
Checkbook IRA Maintenance
Once all funds have been transferred from your retirement account to the entity’s bank account, the manager is responsible for the record-keeping of any investments made and any cash flow.
On an annual basis, NDTCO will request a Fair Market Valuation of the entity. This valuation will need to include the value of all investments, liabilities, and cash balances. You will need to provide supporting documents for each asset held by the LLC.
Changes to entity documents: The entity must not allow changes to the entity documents without member approval; in particular, the approval of the appointing or changing of managers or trustees. NDTCO must sign on behalf of the IRA for all changes made to the entity documents. Please note, if you have partnered with a disqualified person, once the initial investment has been made, the percentages must remain in the same proportion throughout the life of the entity.
Some of the responsibilities of managing an entity within your IRA are:
- Filing tax returns for the entity
- Filing annual reports with the Secretary of State
- Paying reporting fees to the Secretary of State
- Filing 1099s or other IRS reports as required
- Providing financial statements and annual valuation of the entity to New Direction Trust Company
Cash Flow
Additional Funding
To move additional funds from your NDTCO retirement account into your LLC, the process is very similar to the initial funding process. Complete the Buy Direction Letter to authorize NDTCO to fund the entity. The Buy Direction Letter can be completed online through your client portal, selecting “Invest” on the left-hand side of the screen.
If you have partnered with your IRA and other disqualified persons, any additional funding must be made in the same ratio as the original ownership percentages, defined in the membership table.
Capital Call Letter – Entity will supply the Capital Call Letter OR a new Subscription Agreement. For additional funding, a new purchase or subscription agreement may be required by the entity. The Capital Call Letter must include the name of the LLC, correct title for the IRA, amount of the additional funding, it will need to be signed by the manager of the LLC, and “Read and Approved”.
If the entity is a Closely Held LLC that is managed by the client, the capital call letter can be written and signed by the client/manager.
Earnings
All earnings from your LLC must flow directly back to your retirement account. Receiving dividends or returns of capital personally, instead of through the IRA, may be construed as a prohibited transaction and result in the distribution of the IRA entirely, along with taxes and penalties.
If you have partnered between your IRA and other disqualified persons, any dividends must be made in the same ratio as the original ownership percentages, defined in the membership table.
To deposit a dividend or return profits and the value of the LLC is staying the same, the following is needed:
- Deposit Coupon– Select the asset associated with this deposit and select the deposit type as Dividend.
If the percentage or value owned by the IRA is being reduced, the following is needed to deposit funds from the LLC into your New Direction Account:
- General Sell Direction Letter– Applicable transaction fees will be charged.
The movement of funds from your LLC into your NDTCO account can be made through the following options:
Checks mailed to NDTCO
- Ensure the checks are payable to your IRA as follows: NDTCO as Custodian, FBO Client’s Name IRA.
- We cannot deposit any earnings from your investment via check into your IRA that are made payable to you personally. Any such checks will be returned.
- Funds received without identifying NDTCO documentation (Deposit Coupon or Sell Direction Letter) will not be deposited in your account.
- There is a 5-business day hold on incoming checks beginning on the date of deposit.
Deposit Service
- If you are expecting regular ACH dividends, we can help you by setting up a complimentary deposit service for those dividends to flow into. Once the deposit service is set up, it will be specific to your NDTCO account and a single asset in your account. You will receive a specific ABA/routing number and account number via portal message, which you can use for making direct deposits. No fees apply for the complimentary deposit service, this is included in your NDTCO annual administration fee.
- For NDTCO to establish a deposit service account, please submit a portal message request online. You will need to provide the following information…
- Type of deposit (contribution, rent, dividend, etc.).
- Asset the deposit is associated with.
- Percentage of ownership if it’s split with another account holder.
- Which account is applicable if you have more than one account with NDTCO.
Expenses
Money to pay for any expenses or fees related to the investments within the LLC, cannot be paid personally. The money needs to come from the LLC and not you personally.
Cash Distribution
All cash distributions must go through your IRA, and not directly from the LLC. Money needs to move from the LLC, back to the IRA and any distributions will come out of the IRA.
To take a cash distribution, the following items are needed:
- Complete the online Distribution and Notice of Withholding Form through your client portal. To access the form login to your client portal and select ‘Distributions’ on the lefthand and complete the section for cash distributions. Changes to scheduled distributions can be made directly through your client portal from the distribution page.
In-Kind Distributions
If you are looking to take personal ownership of your LLC or a portion of your LLC, it must be distributed and not sold directly to yourself.
To take an in-kind distribution, the following items are needed:
- Complete the online Distribution and Notice of Withholding Form through your client portal. To access the form login to your client portal and select ‘Distributions’ on the lefthand and complete the section for in-kind distributions.
- Fair Market Valuation (FMV) will need to be completed with documentation for each asset within the LLC. If the LLC holds real estate, a full appraisal will be needed (within 3 years if RMD age, within 1 year if under RMD age).
- Accompanying documentation-Operating agreement or membership table that reflects the changes in ownership.
In-kind distributions will incur both a distribution fee (unless the client is taking an RMD) and an in-kind asset re-registration fee. Please refer to our fee schedule for details.
In-Kind distributions are reported as income on tax form 1099, please seek counsel from a qualified tax professional if you have any questions about the form or how to report it with your taxes.
Annual Fair Market Valuations
Per IRS regulations, you must submit Fair Market Value (FMV) information for your IRA-owned closely held entity once per year at a minimum. This valuation will need to include the value of and documentation for all your investments, liabilities, and cash balances.
For the valuation to be processed, supporting documentation is required for each asset held by the LLC. Required supporting documentation (value of all investments, liabilities, and cash balances) will depend on the assets your IRA owned LLC holds.
Failure to provide an annual valuation may result in the taxable distribution of your asset. Accounts that have shown no activity, including the valuation, will not be held by NDTCO because we cannot meet the IRS requirement to annually update the value of your IRA and file an accurate IRS Form 5498 for your account.
To complete a Fair Market Valuation Form, please:
- Log into the NDTCO Client Portal.
- On the Overview page, find the appropriate asset and select Take Action and then Valuate in the right-hand column.
- Provide any requested information and upload your supporting documentation.
- Agree to the Terms & Conditions and click Submit. Done!
Supporting Documentation:
- Valuation from the County Tax Assessors Office
- Comparative Market Analysis (CMA)
- Appraisals
- A letter from the borrower, a CPA, an attorney, or a public document
- Valuation letter or annual shareholder statement from the investment company, a CPA, an attorney, or public document.
- Statements from bank or brokerage accounts.
Supporting Documentation NOT accepted:
- Emails do not constitute valid supporting documentation for FMV purposes.
- Zillow screen shots are not valid for FMV purposes.
- Schedule K-1s.
- Documentation older than 6 months from creation date.
For further information on Fair Market Valuations (FMV) and how to submit a FMV, please use this link. Fair Market Valuations – New Direction Trust Company (ndtco.com)
Prohibited Transactions
A Checkbook IRA affords a greater degree of flexibility but also warrants more responsibility on the part of the investor. When investors have direct access to their retirement funds, there is an increased risk of performing a prohibited transaction.
The following actions are considered prohibited transactions and could result in the distribution of this asset from your plan. When an IRA buys into an entity, the entity is required to comply with the IRS prohibited transaction rules. Prohibited transactions apply to all disqualified persons to your plan.
- Engaging in a transaction between your account and a disqualified person
- Yield a commission/fee for the purchase, sale, or exchange of assets
- Cover account expenses with personal, non-account funds
- Use of your IRA’s assets as collateral for a personal loan
- Use of your IRA’s assets to guarantee credit for a loan
- Receive dividend or distribution payments directly instead of having them go to the IRA
- If you hold Real Estate within your LLC, it has to be for investment only purposes, you cannot live in the property or rent to a disqualified party.
If it is done correctly, it is possible to create an entity that has disqualified persons as members. Ownership between disqualified persons must be decided prior to initial funding; once the initial investment has been made, the percentages must remain in the same proportion throughout the life of the entity. Disqualified members must also receive the same deal, dollar for dollar on the entity investment. If a distribution from the entity is needed, all disqualified persons must distribute funds according to their ownership. If a dividend is paid by the company, it should be paid by percentage of ownership to all investors.
While we can share IRS rules with you, NDTCO does not give tax, legal or investment advice; refer to your financial or legal representative for further details or a possible solution.
Unrelated Debt-Financed Income (UDFI/UBIT)
Unrelated Business Income Tax applies to debt financed property in IRAs and also applies to operating income received from companies owned by IRAs and qualified plans. Typically, the debt financed income is taxable under UBIT rules for the percentage of the investment that is debt-financed.
The amount of UBIT is determined by the percentage of the amount of total indebtedness from the acquisition of the investment. Depending on the business activity of the LLC, it may be that the LLC is operating a business, and thus all of its earnings may be subject to UBIT as a result. IRS Form 990-T is used to calculate UBIT for your IRA. NDTCO does not calculate UBIT or submit form 990-T. Click here to download our free UBIT calculator.
- See here for more information on UDFI, UBTI, and UBIT.
Managing Your Account
Our online client portal combines human power and digital innovation, making it simple to view all your account information in one centralized location. Within the client portal, you have the ability to directly message our support team, review recent transactions, download account documents, and review a vast library of educational content easily and securely.
Simply log into our Client Portal to access and manage all your account information.
Forms
- Buy Direction Letter – Directs NDTCO to fund the entity
- Closely Held Entity Acknowledgement Letter – Confirms acknowledgement of high-risk investment nature of closely held entities in regards to sections 4975, 408, 408A, and other relevant sections of the Internal Revenue Code (IRC)
- Manager’s Acknowledgement Letter – To be completed by LLC Manager
- Sell Direction Letter-This form directs us to sell the asset. Please upload supporting documentation while completing the Sell Direction Letter.
- Distribution and Notice of Withholding Form– To access the form login to your client portal and select ‘Distributions’ on the lefthand side.
- Deposit Coupon-The deposit coupon allows you to deposit dividends into your account.
Please login to the Client Portal to view forms.
FAQ
Which accounts are eligible?
Any account offered at NDTCO can invest in a Checkbook LLC. You can learn more about each account type here.
Can I invest in multiple assets with my NDTCO account?
Yes! Within your NDTCO account, you are not limited to only one asset category. You can learn more about your investment options here.
Can NDTCO help me invest?
As the IRA holder, you are responsible for performing due diligence on your IRA’s investments. Neither the IRS nor NDTCO researches or endorses the investments, or investment providers, involved in your IRA’s transactions. A competent professional in the legal, financial advice or accounting fields can also be engaged if you need additional help deciding if the investment being considered within your closely held LLC is legitimate, meets your risk tolerance, and is right for your investment goals.
Why is Checkbook Control considered a gray area?
The court case that is most often pointed to when discussing the legality of a closely-held entity is Swanson vs. Commissioner 106 T.C. 76 (1996). Mr. Swanson was operating a closely-held LLC where his IRA was the sole shareholder, and he was named manager after creation. Mr. Swanson was suing over legal fees incurred when the IRS tried to claim that his IRA was involved in a prohibited transaction. While the lawsuit was mainly regarding repayment of attorney fees, it did raise questions as to whether this structure is allowable- can the IRA wholly own an entity; can the account holder act as the manager over their retirement funds, and can the asset retain its tax-free or tax-deferred status?
The IRS lost the lawsuit and later released documents affirming the ruling and expanding further on some of the rules about transactions that the entity can participate in. Much is left unknown as to some of the legalities of the structure. Though the structure is considered legal, it can be scrutinized on the dealings and purchases the entity makes. The flexibility of checkbook control will require additional care by the IRA holder in avoiding prohibited transactions, but it is important to remember that the closely-held entity is an asset among your portfolio of self-directed assets. As such, your responsibilities as the plan holder of a Checkbook IRA will be no different than the custodian that typically holds the investments made by the entity. The account holder will have to understand that the rules remain hard and fast, regardless of the structure being used for the investment.
What is UBIT?
Unrelated Business Income Tax (UBIT) applies to debt financed property in IRAs and also applies to operating income received from companies owned by IRAs and qualified plans. Typically, the debt financed income is taxable under UBIT rules for the percentage of property that is debt-financed.
- See here for more information on UDFI, UBTI, and UBIT.
Are there FMV requirements?
Per IRS regulations, you must submit Fair Market Value (FMV) information for your IRA-owned closely held entity once per year at a minimum. This valuation will need to include the value of and documentation for all your investments, liabilities, and cash balances.
For the valuation to be processed, supporting documentation is required for each asset held by the LLC. Required supporting documentation (value of all investments, liabilities, and cash balances) will depend on the assets your IRA owned LLC holds.
Failure to provide an annual valuation may result in the taxable distribution of your asset. Accounts that have shown no activity, including the valuation, will not be held by NDTCO because we cannot meet the IRS requirement to annually update the value of your IRA and file an accurate IRS Form 5498 for your account.
To complete a Fair Market Valuation Form, please:
- Log into the NDTCO Client Portal.
- On the Overview page, find the appropriate asset and select Take Action and then Valuate in the right-hand column.
- Provide any requested information and upload your supporting documentation.
- Agree to the Terms & Conditions and click Submit. Done!
For further information on Fair Market Valuations (FMV) and how to submit a FMV, please visit this page – Fair Market Valuations – New Direction Trust Company (ndtco.com)
What is a prohibited transaction?
A Checkbook IRA affords a greater degree of flexibility but also warrants more responsibility on the part of the investor. When investors have direct access to their retirement funds, there is an increased risk of performing a prohibited transaction.
The following actions are considered prohibited transactions and could result in the distribution of this asset from your plan. When an IRA buys into an entity, the entity is required to comply with the IRS prohibited transaction rules. Prohibited transactions apply to all disqualified persons to your plan.
- Engaging in a transaction between your account and a disqualified person
- Yield a commission/fee for the purchase, sale, or exchange of assets
- Cover account expenses with personal, non-account funds
- Use of your IRA’s assets as collateral for a personal loan
- Use of your IRA’s assets to guarantee credit for a loan
- Receive dividend or distribution payments directly instead of having them go to the IRA
If it is done correctly, it is possible to create an entity that has disqualified persons as members. Ownership between disqualified persons must be decided prior to initial funding; once the initial investment has been made, the percentages must remain in the same proportion throughout the life of the entity. Disqualified members must also receive the same deal, dollar for dollar on the entity investment. If a distribution from the entity is needed, all disqualified persons must distribute funds according to their ownership. If a dividend is paid by the company, it should be paid by percentage of ownership to all investors.
While we can share IRS rules with you, NDTCO does not give tax, legal or investment advice, refer to your financial or legal representative for further details or a possible solution.
Who can help me create the LLC/entity?
The following attorneys can help you set up a Checkbook IRA. Please note that NDTCO does not endorse any of the below attorneys. The list is for informational purposes only.
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