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He’s gone and done it now. Joe Biden is officially targeting your IRA and 401(k). If you value your retirement savings, you need to listen right now. I’m Bryan Ellis. This is Episode #327 of Self-Directed Investor Talk.
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Hello, Self-Directed Investor Nation, all across the fruited plane! Welcome to the SHOW OF RECORD for savvy self-directed investors just like you.
Joe Biden, Democrat candidate for President of the United States, has tried to slip in a doozy of a tax policy change that, frankly, will hit me and you right in the pocketbook… and he’s trying to make sure that nobody knows about it by not bringing any attention to it.
But this has not escaped the watchful eye of the team here at Self-Directed Investor Talk.
On today’s page, which being that this is episode #327, that page is, of course, SDITalk.com/327… On that page, I’ll link to the sources from which this data comes so you can judge it for yourself.
But here’s the bottom line: If you elect Joe Biden as president, your IRA and 401(k) tax benefits are going to be slashed. Period.
The specifics of the policy are not yet well described by the Biden campaign, because I suspect they’re trying to avoid the absolute CRAPSTORM that will result whenever the public gets wind of this. But it’s such a clear and obvious negative that, well… I’ll just read a quote to you from RollCall.com that has some good coverage of this issue. The quote is:
The former vice president’s "drastic" proposal, in the words of one industry lobbyist, would upend existing tax preferences for retirement saving in 401(k)-style plans. The Investment Company Institute, which represents mutual funds, exchange-traded funds and other investment vehicles in the U.S. and abroad, has already promised opposition.So, my friends, it looks something like this:
Under the current system - which has worked beautifully for decades - when you contribute money to a traditional IRA or 401(k), you get to deduct that contribution against your taxable income.
And old creepy Joe… it will work the same way under his system. But with one “little” caveat.
Joe will still let you take a deduction for your contribution. But he’s going to limit the amount of that deduction to some as yet underdetermined top rate… probably 26% according to current expectations.
So that means that, for those of you higher income earners - of which there are many in the SDI Talk audience - and whose marginal tax rate is not a mere 26% but is 32% or 37% or even higher…
Well… you’re just out of luck. Sure, you can still make the contributions… only your tax benefits will be puny under Joe Biden versus how every other President - Democrat and Republican - has handled things in the past.
But that’s not the worst of it, my friends. What happens whenever Washington begins to limit a tax benefit? The answer is always the same: They limit it EVEN MORE in the future.
So mark my word: If you elect Joe Biden and let him begin to slash your tax benefits on your IRA or 401(k) now… it’s just a matter of time… a matter of VERY LITTLE TIME… before somebody decides that even Joe didn’t slash your tax benefits enough…
...and soon enough, the tax advantage to your IRA and 401(k) is gone.
But you have a choice. You can make sure that doesn’t happen. If you’re made the connection that voting for anybody but Joe Biden could be a wise decision, you’ve reached a wise deduction indeed.
Oh… and a quick note… the latest edition of Self-Directed Investor Magazine is now out, and it’s a SPECTACULAR edition, if I do say so myself. If you’d like a complimentary copy, just send a text message to my office to request it and we’ll take care of you. The phone number is 678-888-4000…. Again 678-888-4000.
My friends… Invest wisely today and live well forever!
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It seems pretty clear that ONE of the two Presidential candidates absolutely opposes everything you and I stand for as self-directed investors. I'm Bryan Ellis. Right now in Episode #326 of Self-Directed Investor Talk, I give you the proof...
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Hello, Self-Directed Investors, all across the fruited plane. Welcome to the show of record for savvy self-directed investors like you, where in each episode, I help you to find, understand and profit from exceptional alternative investment opportunities.
It is the season for Presidential Politics... and you know, of course, that means I'll poke my head out of the shadows and begin to share with you the harsh realities of politics as it relates to my plight and yours as self-directed investors.
You and I, we think alike. We're looking for opportunity. We're looking for a way to apply that most valuable asset of them all… our minds… to fortify our financial positions for the benefit of ourselves, our families, future generations and to help the causes that matter most to us.
Yesterday, Motley Fool published a list of 12 tax law changes that one of the Presidential candidates is pushing in his bid to serve in the highest office in the land for the next four years. I’ll link to it on today’s page, at SDITalk.com/326 so you can check it out yourself.
Now I won’t even sully the conversation by saying WHICH candidate – obviously there’s only Trump and Biden – but I won’t shift this to being about those men. Let’s just look at the policies and how they’ll impact you and me as builders of wealth.
Policy Shift #1: An increase in the corporate tax rate from 21% to 28%. That’s an obvious negative… rising corporate tax rates are ALWAYS – I repeat ALWAYS – passed on to consumers. I could say more, but I suspect it’s unnecessary, so let’s look at...
Policy Shift #2: A minimum tax on corporate income. Basically the idea here is this: If a company complies with the tax law in such a way that even the U.S. Treasury is unable to fault their tax planning, and as a result that company does not have to pay income taxes, this policy would mean that that company must pay taxes ANYWAY. Basically, this is a tax on good planning.
They’re targeting this one at Amazon and some others that have been astoundingly good at using the tax law to their benefit. But hey, remember: This means that all of those Amazon packages WILL be more expensive in the future… no doubt about it. More expenses for the providers means more cost to the consumers.
But surely… SURELY… the remainder of these new policies won’t so directly target – and thus discourage – productive members of society… right?
Wrong-o. Whether it’s policy #5 that increases marginal income tax rates for higher earners, or policy #6 that raising the payroll tax on high earners or raising capital gains taxes on… you guessed it… high earners…
Well, it almost sounds like the particular Presidential candidate who is pushing for all of these changes really doesn’t like high earners or successful companies very much, does he?
And don’t forget… if building a FINANCIAL LEGACY is important to you, then the STEPPED UP basis changes – that’s policy #8 – will matter to you. This is a way of making sure that a horrible tax burden is transferred to your beneficiaries when they receive your assets in the future. Right now, that does not happen… but it would under this proposed tax policy.
All that isn’t even to mention the slashing of tax deductions for both personal incomes – that’s policy # 9 – or phasing out small business deductions if you happen to be a successful small business owner, which is policy #10.
If you hear a common theme here, it’s because there is one. The candidate who wants these policies to be law – none other than the basement baron himself, Joe Biden – wants, quite fervently, to punish your success.
In other words, if it’s your objective to minimize your taxes, creepy Joe wants to MAXIMIZE them.
If it’s your objective to build a small business, creepy Joe wants to make sure your tax bill stands in the WAY of your doing so.
If you want to build a basis of financial assets for the benefit of future generations, creepy Joe wants to make sure that when those future generations receive your assets, that they’re forced to sell off those assets to pay their tax bill.
My friends, a vote for Joe Biden is a vote against yourself. It’s that simple. Don’t vote against yourself.
My friends… invest wisely today and live well forever.
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CoronaVirus has created more abject terror than anything I’ve ever seen. If we’re to believe Warren Buffett, then wise investors are to be “greedy when others are fearful”. So how, exactly, can you be wisely greedy right now? I’m Bryan Ellis. I’ll tell you RIGHT NOW in Episode #325 of Self-Directed Investor Talk.
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The world changed radically a few weeks ago. Free countries went on total lockdown. The hottest commodites in the world became hand sanitizer, toilet paper and medical masks. And the stock market went on a volatility spree never seen before or since.
And yet, the whole time, savvy investors kept hearing the famous words of Warren Buffet echoing in their minds: "Be fearful when everyone else is greedy, and greedy when everyone else is fearful."
The question, my friends, is how to be very wisely greedy during a time when the prevailing emotion all around us is, without any doubt, not mere fear... but abject terror.
The one clear answer - well supported by history and the leadership of current experts - is to invest in well-vetted, well-operated RV Parks.
Now, in case you're not a user or owner of RV's yourself, I understand. I'm not either. Just in case you don’t know, RV stands for “Recreational Vehicle”… the big rolling hotel rooms like Winebagos.
But whether that’s “your thing” doesn't matter. Kind of like you don’t need to live in an apartment in order to justify investing in a great apartment complex.
So I’m going to make a very quick, but rather overwhelming, case to you right now that RIGHT NOW, in the height of this epidemic of terror and infection, that RIGHT NOW is the right time to jump into RV parks.
And as always, I don't expect you to take my word for it. In fact, I insist that you don't take my word for it... that's because history makes this case for me in such a compelling, unquestionable way.
Before CoronaVirus, the pinnacle example of economic downturn during most of our lifetimes was the Great Recession of 2007 & 2008... if any economic event was going to doom an industry where "recreation" is the literally first word in the name, the Great Recession would have been that phenomemon. But what actually happened?
Well... not much. As the economy of the United States slowed and weakened with each passing week, the data shows us that average length of stays at RV parks got LONGER. Not shorter… LONGER.
And I take this from a deeply authoritative source. It’s a report called “Effects of COVID-19 on the Campground Industry”. It’s written by American Property Analysts – the absolute leading valuation experts in America for the RV Park and campground industry. This report was written last week, at the request of and for the benefit of the banking industry. As the economic carnage began to mount from the CoronaVirus scare, banks who finance RV parks wanted to know where their exposure stood in connection with COVID-19, and of course, they hired the most knowledgeable experts in that field at American Property Analysts, Inc.
And according to that report, when looking at the Great Recession, it’s all summed up in this quote: "What campers did not do was discontinue using their RV's."
That report goes on to say that "In most locales, demand exceeded available supply" and that "attendance held fairly steady".
Now remember... the setting here is the aftermath of the Great Recession, when our country suffered the worst economic contraction since the Great Depression. It was a time when, according to the respected California-based newspaper called the Orange County Register, nearly 9 MILLION jobs were lost... 4 million homes were foreclosed EACH YEAR... and 2.5 million businesses were shuttered.
It was the worst of times for the American economy.
But what happened in the RV park industry? Well, I remind you: "attendance held fairly steady" and "in most locales, demand exceeded available supply."
But it's better than that still: To further quote the American Property Analysts report, "Waiting lists for seasonal sites popped up nearly everywhere, and many of those lists remain in place today at the more desirable properties. Some folks even paid non-refundable fees just to be on certain lists, and some of those campers are just now nearing the front of their lines."
If you understood me to say that the backlog of demand created during the LAST recession still exists to this day, you understand me correctly. I can't imagine how much demand and backlog the economic fallout of the CoronaVirus pandemic will create for the RV park industry... but history suggests it will be HUGE.
Am I suggesting to you that every RV park in America did a booming business during the Great Recession? No. Not at all. There will always be the superstars and the laggards, and doubtlessly that's true here as well.
But what I am telling you... scratch that... what the historical data cited by the American Property Analysts report is telling you is that, overall, RV parks as an industry hardly - if at all - noticed that a recession happened at all.
And my friends, history is repeating itself right now. And if you think about it, it makes complete sense for at least 3 strong reasons:
Reason #1: One of the immediate results of the national shutdown from CoronaVirus was the closing of National Parks. Now that's an awful thing because I, for one, realy love and frequently visit the parks in my area. But as owners of RV Parks, we aren't sad to see it. Why? National parks are one of our biggest sources of competition. Right now, that competition is completely GONE... Kaput... poof. It'll return someday, but for now, it's GONE.
Reason #2: The totally justified concern over the risk of infections connected with hotels, cruise ships and other recreational destinations likely will drive growth in the RV industry, as one's RV is a completely private space, not subject to the risk of exposure from third parties.
and Reason #3: I'm happy to report to you that our EXPERIENCE is matching the THEORY I've shared with you, because presently, we've seen exactly ZERO cancellations at any of the RV parks that we already own... and there has DEFINITELY been an uptick in interest since CoronaVirus was declared a pandemic and the nation was put on lockdown.
My friends, I return again to Buffett's famous advice: Be fearful when others are greedy, and greedy when others are fearful. Now here’s what you might not know about RV parks: Even average ones can be incredibly profitable. Imagine if you had all of the benefits of owning a great apartment complex, but your cash flow was more like a mobile home park. Well, it’s like that, only better. Well-vetted, well-operated RV parks don't merely compare favorably to other real estate asset classes, RV Parks dramatically outshine them and the data makes that overwhelmingly clear.
So where does that leave you? If you're savvy enough to take seriously the advice of Warren Buffet, the man widely considered to be the greatest investor of our lifetimes, then the only reasonable conclusion you can draw is this: These are times of great fear... and that's your signal to be wisely greedy. And there's no better asset class - as proven by history - for that wise greed he recommends than RV Parks.
The time is now.
Thank you for listening in today. Every now and again, we encounter exceptional RV park investment opportunities. Best for well-qualified investors, these opportunities always fill rather quickly as only a small number of openings for outside investor partners are made available. If you'd like to be considered for participation in the next such project, please send an email now to [email protected], that’s [email protected]., `to set an appointment to speak with me or a member of the team. Happy investing!
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There’s an asset class that affluent investors REALLY love… extraordinary cash flow is the norm and the tax benefits are the best around. But there’s a HUGE LANDMINE just waiting for affluent investors who try this in their self-directed retirement account. I’m Bryan Ellis. Today, you affluent investors learn how to sidestep certain disaster in Episode #324 of Self-Directed Investor Talk.
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Hello, Self-Directed Investors, all across the fruited plane. Welcome to the show of record for savvy self-directed investors like you, where in each episode, I help you to find, understand and profit from exceptional alternative investment opportunities.
For you folks with a bit higher net worth, you need to pay close attention today.
So for those of you who may not yet quite be in the high net worth world, something you should know about your wealthier brethren is that one of the most popular asset classes among them is one I’ve mentioned here before, but only very briefly… and that is oil well drilling.
It makes perfect sense because the cash flow beats the heck out of basically everything else, and the tax benefits makes real estate and other supposedly tax efficient investments look like child’s play. Yes, the risk is theoretically higher, and that’s why this is the domain primarily of accredited investors.
But to set up this dilemma, and the brilliant solution for it, let’s consider a scenario, with real numbers. So here’s the deal.
This investor… we’ll call her Tara… has decided to invest in an oil drilling deal. It looks like a pretty good one, I’m actually quite familiar with it… she’s got to invest $150,000 to buy into the deal, and based on the preliminary geological research, the expectation is that she’s going to bring in something on the order of $12 to $13,000 per month or so, based on current oil prices.
Now if you’re doing the math, you know that $12,000 per month equals $144,000 per year, which is shockingly close to being a 100% cash-on-cash return. Well, that’s one of the reason high net worth investors love this stuff… the cash-on-cash numbers are just breathtaking, enough so that the additional risk is quite regularly totally worth taking.
So that’s great, right? Tara makes this investment, and assuming it works like expected, then she yields a MASSIVE cash-on-cash return for 5-7 years until the oil well runs out… and then she’ll likely do it again, if she’s like most high net worth investors I’ve worked with.
And to make it better, she’s doing this in her Roth IRA… so all of that juicy ROI is totally tax free! Right? Right? Isn’t it tax-free?
Well… no.
Here, my friends, we consider an important distinction between the two types of income: Earned and Unearned. Earned income is just what it sounds like… money you earn from a W2 job or a 1099 contracting position or something like that. You work, you get paid. That’s earned income.
Unearned income, on the other hand, is profit from investments… it’s a more passive type of thing So if you buy stocks and they rise in value or pay dividends, that’s unearned income. If you buy real estate and it appreciates and/or generates cash flow for you, that’s unearned income. If you make a loan and are repaid for that loan, that’s unearned income.
So here’s the thing: it’s widely believed that IRA’s and 401(k)’s – particularly the Roth variety – are just not taxable. Unfortunately, that’s not true. It’s almost ENTIRELY true that any UNEARNED income – the kind from stocks and real estate and loans, for example – pretty much all of that will be tax-favored inside of a retirement account and that’s great!
But this is where we return to Tara’s oil & gas deal. Yes, she’s going to make a lot of income from that deal. But there’s a catch. Federal tax law makes it abundantly clear that under most circumstances, the income generated from drilling an oil well and selling that oil is NOT UNEARNED income, but is EARNED income.
That means two things: First, that the money is taxable. And second, that the tax rate that’s relevant in that case is NOT personal income tax rates, but is the income tax rates for TRUSTS, since both IRA’s and 401k’s are, under the law, types of trusts.
And that, my friends, is BAD news. You see, income tax rates for trusts are, for all intents and purposes, 37%. That’s astronomical. If Tara brings in $12,000 per month on average as expected, that equates to $144,000 per year. 37% of that is over $53,000… so her IRA would have to stroke a check for over $53,000 to pay income taxes. That would leave her with a net of nearly $91,000 per year which is still just off-the-chain exceptional… but still… that’s a BIG tax bite.
What to do, what to do? Most of the time, investors do oil & gas deals OUTSIDE of a retirement account because the VERY BEST tax benefits in oil & gas don’t really apply to IRA’s and 401k’s. But in Tara’s case, that’s where she happens to have the available capital, and quite justifiably, she doesn’t want to miss this opportunity.
So here’s what I recommended to her: Since we can’t eliminate those taxes, why don’t we just slash them dramatically? You may remember that one of the thing that President Trump’s signature tax bill did was to slash corporate tax rates to 21% as the maximum. So I suggested that Tara form a c-corporation inside her IRA, and capitalize it with $150,000 from the IRA. She could then buy the oil & gas interest with that money, inside the corporation. That money – we’ll just say $144,000 per year – will still be taxed, but not at 37%. It’ll only be taxed at 21%. Bottom line… she’ll pay about $23,000 PER YEAR less in tax this way!
Over the course of 5 years, that’s a very real saving of over $100,000… just by using the subtle brilliance you learned right here on Self-Directed Investor Talk!
Now before I sign off for the day, I’ll go ahead and answer the question I know is coming: Maybe. The answer is maybe. The question, of course, is something like: “Bryan, I just heard you talk about the crazy results people are getting from oil and gas deals… can you hook me up with some of those opportunities?” Well, the answer is MAYBE.
There are some qualification requirements. So the best path to take is this: If you’re interested in learning more, just text me now at 678-888-4000 and I’ll be happy to have a team member talk this through with you. Again, just send a text to me at 678-888-4000 and we’ll chat about it right away.
My friends… invest wisely today and live well forever!
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Coronavirus, real estate investors and the stock market… or, how real estate investors are making absolute jackasses of themselves during a very bad time. I’m Bryan Ellis. This is Episode #323 of Self-Directed Investor Talk.
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Hello, self-directed investors, all across the fruited plane. Welcome to the show of record for savvy self-directed investors like you where in each episode, I help you to find, understand and profit from exceptional alternative investment opportunities.
Today, my friends, I share with you my expectations about the REALITY of the coronavirus and how I see it affecting our economy and more importantly my and your investments. But first, a quick word about a clear way to identify some people who, at their very core, are clearly complete jackasses.
Now, note that this isn’t a test for ALL jackasses, just some of them. But here we go:
You probably know that, due to Coronoavirus fears, the stock market has taken a MASSIVE dive in the last two weeks. The Dow Jones Industrial Average has fallen by over 15%... it’s been just absolutely brutal. I’ll tell you when that ends in just a minute, but that’s a different story.
So back to identifying jackasses: If you see a real estate investor post something on Faceobok or elsewhere that basically says: “Hey, all you stock market investors, you’re really taking it on the chin now, aren’t you? I’ll bet you wish you had gotten into real estate instead of stocks now!”
When you see something like that, what you’re seeing is a jackass. Someone who is childish, pathetic and heartless. Such a person, regardless of whether they’re successful in real estate, deserves to be ostracized and ridiculed for their short-sighted and juvenile attitude.
So to all the jackass people out there, remember: You’ll get yours. I don’t wish it on anybody, but nobody bats 1.000. Where financial market losses are concerned, your attitude should always be: There but for the grace of God go I.”
Now, as for the Coronavirus, the stock market and the economy?
Totally overblown. I see stocks beginning to recover today, frankly. Is it a serious thing? Yes… but almost entirely for psychological reasons… because the media has scared people so badly that there’s a lot of irrationality out there.
Remember this: We all keep hearing that 2% of the people who get this disease die from it, compared to the flu, which kills only 0.1% of the people who get it.
That would be disturbing, for sure. BUT there are 3 facts you should know.
Fact #1: The actual mortality rate in China, according to a report from China published in the New England Journal of medicine 3 days ago, is much lower, at only 1.4%. That’s a significant difference.
Fact #2: The mortality rate is almost certainly much lower than that because most of the cases of it are so mild that they are never caught or reported. That’s not my opinion… but the opinion of Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases… the one guy who everybody agrees is THE authority on these matters here in the U.S.
And finally, Fact #3: Whatever the mortality rate, that’s the mortality rate in CHINA… not in America. CHINA! That’s a country that literally is happy to execute their citizens as a matter of convenience… an evil regime that exists to protect the Xi Xinping and the Communist Party as it’s highest priority… a place where the health of the citizenry is the last thing they care about.
So how you SHOULD think about this is as follow: Even in China, the death rate of coronavirus is, at worst, 1.4%. We don’t really know how many people are killed by the flu in China. I’ll bet it’s quite comparable.
Does that mean Coronavirus isn’t serious? Nope. Be careful, of course. But what it does mean is that while it is highly contagious, it’s more likely to be a pain in the rear rather than an issue of fatality.
As for the effect of Coronavirus on stocks?
I think we saw the bottom on Friday. I wouldn’t bet the farm on it… but I’d be willing to bet a barn door or two.
By the way… if you’re looking for an astoundingly powerful tax break that happens to be coupled with an investment offering a potentially exceptionally high yield… well, drop a note to me at [email protected] and I’ll fill you in. This is crazy good stuff, folks.
Well my friends, that’s all for now… invest wisely today, and live well forever!
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If for every dollar you put into improving one of your real estate assets, you could get that dollar back within 12 months… and then enjoy decades of free and clear cash flow… wouldn’t you do that? Right now, I’ll show you not 1, but 2 ways to do that in my current favorite asset class. I’m Bryan Ellis. This is episode #322 of Self-Directed Investor Talk.
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Hello, Self-Directed Investors, all across the fruited plane. Welcome to Episode #322 of Self-Directed Investor Talk, the SHOW OF RECORD for savvy self-directed investors like you. Guess what’s going to happen today? Today, I’m going to help you find, understand and PROFIT from exceptional alternative investment opportunities!
In yesterday’s exciting episode, I introduced you to the asset class that I think is stealing the crown from multi-family housing as the GO-TO real estate asset class. If you missed that episode… you missed a great one! Drop me a text message to 833-212-2112 and ask for the RV Parks episode I’ll send you a copy so you can get caught up…
...and you’ll certainly want to do that because today, I’m going to tell you two ways that, using that asset class - which is, of course, the high-cash-flowing world of RV parks - I’ll tell you not one but TWO ways that my partners and I - and maybe you, too, possibly - are planning to spend a bit of money on some of our RV park properties and generate a MASSIVE and rather immediate return of our capital… to be followed immediately by many years - possibly even DECADES - of free and clear cash flow.
But understand this: I’m not just bragging on our deals - though I’ve got to admit, maybe there’s a LITTLE BIT of that hehehe - but more importantly, I’m trying to show you what’s POSSIBLE… because deals like this are in much greater supply than financially similar deals in other asset classes like self-storage facilities and mobile home parks.
And I’m also telling you because, who knows, maybe you can actually participate in these deals with us. More on that in a bit.
So what are these two crazy-powerful value adds we’re going to perform?
So you may recall from yesterday, we’re acquiring 2 separate RV parks. Specifically on the one in Wisconsin… we’re going to be able to add, at a cost of about $50,000 per cabin, about one dozen nice little cabins which will be available for rental in our parks.
Now here’s the really CRAZY thing… based on the rates our clients are ALREADY PAYING for space in that park, it’s actually quite plausible to think that we’ll collect more than $50,000 of income per unit after just two, or maybe 3, seasons. RV parks, you see, are seasonal, generally with 2 4-month high seasons per year. And after only 2 or 3 of those season, those cabins will basically be totally free and clear cash flow, with only minimal incremental expense for maintenance!
That, my friends, is ASTOUNDINGLY WONDERFUL… super-high-ROI stuff. I’m so excited about this deal!
And that’s not all
For the property in Michigan, we’re going to add a particular water feature there which is an absolute super-powered electromagnet for attracting families with children. This is just an amenity we’re adding to the water amenities already onsite. It won’t be cheap to do this… with the cost coming in around $150,000 or so, but get this:
The evidence is absolutely overwhelming that this type of amenity brings more families with children to an RV park… and these are families who wouldn’t have otherwise come. In other words… new customers!
And what’s astounding is that there’s data - anecdotal, admittedly, but still relevant - that suggests that the presence of this type of water feature can, all by itself, increase the net income of certain well-run parks by 20-30% after 3 years. With rates like that, it takes no time at all to recoup the $150,000 and investment and then be SOLIDLY in the money.
And what’s EVEN BETTER is that I haven’t even begun to scratch the surface of what’s possible with RV parks. If you find multi-family real estate attractive because of the potential to add value and create new income streams, then you’ll find RV parks to be like an absolute candyland of potential, much of which can be realized near term and at shockingly low costs.
I couldn’t possibly be more excited about the future with these assets. We’ve already begun the hunt for even more of them.
If you’d like to learn more about investing in RV parks… and maybe even participate in some of the deals that my partners and I are doing, drop a text to me at 833-212-2112 and let me know. We haven’t yet decided if we’re going to take on outside investors, and if we do, we’ll open up an application process, the first step of which is to be on my investor alerts list… and the way you make that happen is to text me at 833-212-2112 and let me know you’d like to be included.
Oh… and failed to mention… you can actually use your IRA or 401(k) to do this type of investing! Want to know how? Well how about I give you those details in the very next episode of Self-Directed Investor Talk?!
My friends… invest wisely today and live well forever!
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For the last few years, the asset class that’s been all the rage is multi-family housing. But I’m here to tell you, my friends, there’s a new king of the hill. You’ll find out what it is RIGHT NOW in I’m Bryan Ellis. This is Episode #321 of Self-Directed Investor Talk.
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Hello, Self-Directed Investors, all across the fruited plane. Welcome to Episode #321 of Self-Directed Investor Talk, the SHOW OF RECORD for savvy self-directed investors like you. Guess what’s going to happen today? Well, I’m going to help you to find, understand and profit from exceptional alternative investing strategies and opportunities… so buckle up!
So, the telephone rings, and I recognize this guy’s name. He’s a friend, a fellow investor, and someone whose judgment I trust quite strongly. He’s the kind of guy that when he says “I’ve got a deal”, if you’re smart, what you say in response is “where do I send the money”.
So I picked up the phone, earnestly hoping that one of his life-changing opportunities awaited But that’s not what he said, this time. Instead, what he says, is this: I’ve got TWO deals… and instantly, I know this is going to be my lucky day.
I’m going to tell you about those two deals and why you should keep your ears open for similar opportunities for yourself. In fact, it may even sound to you, as I describe these deals to you, that I’m trying to sell YOU on investing in these deals with us.
Nope. We’re closing on both of them with our own money, because both of these are just too sweet to turn down. But I can tell you, with some confidence, that you’re going to wish you were in on this when you hear about it. Who knows, we may raise capital for these deals so we can get some of our money back out to find even more of them… but we may just keep them… they’re that good. If you’re already on my investor waiting list, I’ll let you know if we decide to make this available. And if you’re not already on my waiting list, and if you are liquid for atleast $100,000 - then you probably want to get on that list right away. Just text me at 833-212-2112 and ask to get on the waiting list and I’ll take care of you.
So what is this spectacular asset class?
Oh now… surely you can venture a guess? Think with me… the biggest demographic phenomemon of the last 60 years… the BABY BOOM generation… they’re retiring at the rate of about 10,000 people per day. A whole lot of them have MONEY, and lots of it. And all of their kids and grandchildren have spread out all over the country. What are these people doing? They’re buying RV’s - in MASSIVE volumes - and taking their home with them all over the country.
So what opportunity does this create for me and you… and what is the ACTUAL opportunity that my friend reached out to me about?
RV parks, baby! Imagine the benefits of owning a hotel… where you get a very, very high rental price for a very, very small portion of real estate… but you do NOT have to think about things like laundry or furniture or linens or any of the things that makes a hotel so very expensive to establish, operate and own.
Instead, what you’re renting out is, essentially, a piece of concrete. A small piece of concrete, where your customers bring THEIR OWN bed and THEIR OWN furniture and THEIR OWN linens. All you do is provide them with a hookup for electricity and water and, if you’re smart, some great amenities, and what do you have? You have a situation where you’re collecting hotel-like nightly rental rates in exchange for a service that is FAR LESS EXPENSIVE and SO MUCH EASIER to provide than with a hotel.
But there’s another HUGE benefit to RV parks… lots of them, actually. And this one explains why, we are expecting, conservatively, an internal rate of return of 15-20%+. That benefit is REPEAT BUSINESS! You see, we know, as a sociological fact, that people who use RV parks are, by and large, very habitual in their behavior. Once they find an RV park that they like, chances are they’ll come back every year or two over and over and over again…
...and that means not only are the profits in this business VERY HIGH, but they can also be incredibly CONSISTENT.
Both of the deals that we’re buying and closing on in the next two weeks are actually ALREADY very profitable… and the REALLY beautiful thing is this: A little money spent wisely goes a REALLY LONG WAY with RV parks. There are two examples I want to share with you, both of which will ABSOLUTELY blow your mind… you’ll see why we are SO UTTERLY THRILLED with this asset class.
But before I share those two examples with you, think about this name: Sam Zell. Sam Zell is a LEGENDARY real estate investor, Bloomberg pegs his net worth at $4.4 BILLION. Zell started and currently owns a very large percentage of several publicly-traded REITs - kind of like a mutual fund for real estate investments - and each of those REITs are focused on different real estate segments like commercial real estate, multi-family and… surprise, surprise… RV parks and mobile home parks. And guess which one is outperforming the others? According to a recent story in BisNow.com, the answer is no surprise at all: Zell’s RV parks are CRUSHING the results from commercial real estate, multifamily and every other real estate sector.
As for those two examples of how an investor can easily spend a TINY amount of money in an RV park and get that money back entirely very, very, very quickly… you’re just going to be bowled over, my friends.
Unfortunately, we’re short of time today, so I’ll tell you those two things tomorrow, so be sure that you have SUBSCRIBED to Self-Directed Investor Talk in Apple Podcasts or whatever podcast system you use.
If you’d like for me to send you a notice when I release that episode so you are sure you don’t miss it, just drop a quick text to me at 833-212-2112 and let me know.
I’ll look forward to pulling back the curtain for you a little more tomorrow, my friends… and I’ll even give you my advice on how YOU can get involved in this incredibly, incredibly attractive asset class yourself… maybe even using the money in your IRA or 401(k), so don’t miss it!
My friends… invest wisely today and live well forever!
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Want to flip real estate in your IRA or 401(k)? Think you won’t owe taxes on your profits? You’ve made a very common error… but so did I in a solution I devised to that problem. Maybe my error will keep you from making any of your own, and I’ll tell you about it right now. I’m Bryan Ellis. This is Episode #319 of Self-Directed Investor Talk.
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Hello, Self-Directed Investors, all across the fruited plane. Welcome to Episode #319 of Self-Directed Investor Talk, the SHOW OF RECORD for savvy self-directed investors like you, where each day, I help you to find, understand and profit from exceptional alternative investing strategies and opportunities!
I have a great show headed your way right now. If you’d like to get the transcript or links to the resources I share with you today, just send text the word ep319 with no spaces to 833-212-2112. Again, to get a link to the transcript and resource links for this episode, #319, just text the word ep319 with no spaces to 833-212-2112 and we’ll get it right out to you.
Well, I’ll admit it, folks… the brilliant idea I had yesterday isn’t going to pan out. Still, there’s a very helpful lesson in it that you’ll want to know, particularly if you like the idea of flipping real estate in your IRA or 401(k), and I’ll tell you all about it right after this…
So here’s the idea: In the last couple of episodes I’ve shared with you 5 reasons that I’ve reconsidered my formerly 100% negative stance against oil and gas investing. It’s not that I never believed it could work, just that I had a misunderstanding of how risk can be mitigated, so the risk was all I saw. I’m definitely infinitely more open to that asset class now, and one of the big advantages created by many oil & gas investments – which is HUGE tax deductibility – sparked an idea in my mind:
The idea was this: There are a lot of people who like to flip real estate in their IRA or 401(k). Unfortunately, most of those people seem to not be aware of the fact that most such transactions are technically “earned” income rather than “unearned” income, and as such, the IRA or 401(k) will have to pay income taxes on any profits realized from flips.
So here was my thought: If a person does a flip deal that generates a lot of profit, why not just – assuming you have the available capital to do so – just mitigate those taxes by doing a separate oil & gas investment? That would generate a tax deduction which would otherwise be totally irrelevant for a retirement account since oil & gas probably IS unearned income, and therefore shielded from taxes by the IRA or 401(k), so you could take the tax deduction generated by the oil & gas deal and apply it to the income generated on your flip deal and VOILA, problem solved.
Right?
Well… Yes… until recently, that is. During the end of yesterday’s show when I described this idea, I kept hearing a voice in my mind saying… check it out, check it out! It was as if this idea absolutely SHOULD work, but for some reason, it won’t… I just couldn’t remember why.
Well, I did what I always do when I have a question of this nature… I reached out to the Great One, attorney Tim Berry, for clarification. And he filled in the blanks for me. Apparently, before the recent Trump tax cut, it WAS possible for deductions generated by one investment to offset the profits generated by another investment in an IRA or 401(k). But apparently, that went away with the new tax law. That’s unfortunate. That tax bill has been so very good on such a broad basis and so clearly very good for our economy… but the fact is that there are still some somewhat crappy parts to it, and this is one of them.
So… this idea won’t pan out. Not all of them do. That’s ok. Let’s keep thinking creatively together, shall we?
My friends, invest wisely today and live well forever.
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News flash: I was wrong. There’s one asset class that I’ve never embraced and certainly never invested in because it is, I convinced myself, incredibly risky. Well, I was wrong. I’ll tell you HOW I was wrong… and the upside potential of this asset class RIGHT NOW in Episode #317 of Self-Directed Investor Talk.
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Hello, Self-Directed Investors, all across the fruited plane. Welcome to Episode #317 of Self-Directed Investor Talk, the SHOW OF RECORD for savvy self-directed investors like you, and today we have an excellent show for you.
Our telephone number here for you folks that have questions is easy to remember: 833-212-2112. And that’s also our TEXT number, too… because if you’d like a link to the recording of this show or to the transcript – maybe to review for yourself or forward to a friend of yours, it’s very easy to get that and costs nothing other than normal message and data rates. Just text today’s episode number – 317 – to 833-212-2112 and we’ll send those links out to you right away.
The asset class we consider today isn’t a new one, but it’s still a sexy one. Two of the most famous TV shows of the 1980’s – Dallas and Dynasty – were based on the immense wealth created by this asset class, and the frankly, the money involved in this arena has done nothing but get bigger and bigger and bigger.
That asset class is, of course, the oil & gas industry.
Now look… I’ve never invested a single penny in this asset class. I have no experience with it. None. My interest in it is solely because a friend of mine for whom I have great respect, and whose acumen as an investor is absolutely first-rate, and has been so consistently for many years now… well, he reached out to me as he does from time to time for help with raising some capital for a project of his. Given his success, I always take such calls quite seriously, but this time, his latest project stopped me cold: He wants to do a big oil & gas investment, and he wants me to help him raise money for that investment.
Normally, I’d turn down the request just because I think oil & gas is so risky. But I had to give him a fair hearing because of his track record. And I’ve got to say… I think I may have been operating under some faulty assumptions for a long time.
I’m still doing my research, but here’s what I’ve found out so far:
First, risk doesn’t exist in a vacuum in the oil business. I mean that, by and large, it’s relatively simple to know in advance, through the use of modern science, whether a particular high-risk, high-reward new oil well might be a total dud. In other words, if you’re careful, it’s not extremely likely you’ll ever be taken by surprise if you invest in a new well that ends up being unproductive. You’ll know going in about your odds of success, and you can likely mitigate that risk in several different ways, which leads to
The Second point, which is this: Risk mitigation is the key in oil & gas. It appears that the “smart money” in that business mitigates their up-front risk by a combination of careful and aggressive investment in the geological research necessary to make well-informed predictions, and by always spreading risk around by way of investing in not just one and only one oil well, but in MANY oil wells, so that the failure of any one can be overtaken, probably in substantial volume, by the other more successful wells.
Now those first two bits of learning are helpful and useful but not overwhelmingly surprising. But these last two points, I never would have guessed. And I’ll tell you what they are in about 45 seconds from now, when we return from this quick word from our sponsor.
Hey folks, Bryan Ellis here. An industry that’s really caught my attention lately is oil & gas. It’s not for everybody… but if you’re looking for the ability to take an income tax deduction for practically EVERY PENNY you invest into your deals…PLUS a method of investing so reliable that banks lend against this kind of income, you should reach out to my friend Aldo over at FlowTex Energy. I don’t know if they’re funding any investments right now or not… but what I do know is Aldo can help you see whether oil and gas is a good fit for you… and why it’s probably a much better fit than you think. Learn more now. Just text the word ALDO – that’s ALDO – to 833-212-2112 right now. Again, text the world ALDO to 833-212-2112 right now.
So, continuing on with the 5 things I’ve learned about investing in oil & gas that may be changing my mind about that asset class…
The Third thing I’ve learned is this: There’s more than one way to play the oil & gas game. You see, the thing we probably all think of – acquiring land, drilling for oil, hoping for big gushers and selling oil by the thousands of barrels each day – well, that’s certainly one way to play it and it’s a very HIGH DOLLAR kind of way. But it’s not the only way. For example: It’s actually quite common for niche-type companies to do very, very well in the oil and gas business simply by buying wells that are ALREADY PRODUCING and simply to monetize those wells. It turns out that the state of the art in science where oil and gas detection are concerned is sufficiently advanced that many banks will actually lend against the production capabilities of oil wells, so predictable and reliable is the ability of scientists to forecast the productivity level of any particular oil well.
But why would an oil company sell an oil well that they already own, that is producing reliably, and that has a predictable value in the future? Well, it has to do with the fourth issue I learned about, and that one – along with issue #5, which is the most important one of them all, the one that actually makes it HARD TO LOSE as an oil & gas investor, we’ll have to reserve for tomorrow, since we’re out of time for today.
I really hope this has gotten you thinking about the potential of oil & gas investing. I’ll be straight with you: I’m not yet 100% sold. But every day, the pendulum swing is getting closer and closer to a big, fat YES.
So join me tomorrow to hear about the final two HUGE things I’ve learned… more substantial even than the first 3. If you’d like to hear this episode again or read the transcript – or even forward it to a friend of yours you know is interested in oil & gas investing – then just text today’s episode # - which is 317, 317 – to me at 833-212-2112 and we’ll get those links to you right away.
In the mean time, my friends: Invest wisely today and live well forever!
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Is the big-time AirBnb boom opportunity winding to a close? There are three totally anecdotal, but eerily accurate, indicators I’m seeing, each of which gives an unambiguous answer to that question. I’m Bryan Ellis. I’ll tell you what those 3 indicators are RIGHT NOW in Episode #316 of Self-Directed Investor Talk.
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Hello, Self-Directed Investors, all across the fruited plane. Welcome to Episode #316 of Self-Directed Investor Talk, the SHOW OF RECORD for savvy self-directed investors like you, and today we have an excellent show for you.
To ask question, just call 833-212-2112. Or if you’d like to receive a link to this show you can listen again at your leisure or possibly share it with a friend, just text today’s episode number – 316 – to 833-212-2112 and I’ll get that link to you right away. Again, that’s text today’s episode number – 316 – to 833-212-2112 right now.
Today we jump into a topic that I bring up with some concern. I want the answer to this question to be different than I fear it might be. The question we’re considering is this: Is the big-time boom opportunity in AirBnb drawing to a close?
I’ll give you my answer, along with the 3 pieces of evidence I’ll cite to support that opinion. But first, a quick word from a sponsor I know you’ll enjoy hearing from:
Hey folks, Bryan Ellis here. An industry that’s really caught my attention lately is oil & gas. It’s not for everybody… but if you’re looking for the ability to take an income tax deduction for practically EVERY PENNY you invest into your deals…PLUS a method of investing so reliable that banks lend against this kind of income, you should reach out to my friend Aldo over at FlowTex Energy. I don’t know if they’re funding any investments right now or not… but what I do know is Aldo can help you see whether oil and gas is a good fit for you… and why it’s probably a much better fit than you think. Learn more now. Just text the word ALDO – that’s ALDO – to 833-212-2112 right now. Again, text the world ALDO to 833-212-2112 right now.
Ok, AirBnb… Very cool concept, I’ve really respected the creative thinking of this company since the beginning. The idea is simple: You have a property. You let AirBnb list your property for short-term – as little as a single night – rentals, and the two of you share revenue from that rental. And it turns out that that concept has been so popular that many people who otherwise would have tried to monetize their real estate by doing conventional year-long or month-to-month rentals have instead been making money, and frequently MUCH more money, by doing short-term rentals through AirBnb than by using the more conventional approach to generating rental income.
But all gravy trains slow down, and this one will too at some point.
Are we there yet?
I don’t think so. But I think we’re getting pretty close… close enough that making money on AirBnb is no longer easy as “shooting fish in a barrel”, so to speak. I’ll share 3 pieces of evidence that leads me to this thinking, but I’ll go ahead and readily admit:
Each of these 3 reasons are anecdotal, not statistical. You probably know that my formal education is in engineering and computer science, so I don’t typically have a lot of use for anecdote. But I have noticed that anecdotal evidence is frequently a leading indicator for the more empirical form of evidence I prefer, so I can’t ignore it and neither should you.
So without further adieu, here are my 3 anecdotal indicators that suggest the AirBnb gravy train is slowing down:
Reason #1: Anytime there’s a cable TV show about an investing strategy, you’ve got to wonder if that strategy might be spent… or at least that there’s more competition than makes sense. And guess what? There’s now a TV show on the cable TV station CNBC called CashPad… and that show is about NOTHING BUT people turning their houses into AirBnb properties for profit.
Does this mean disaster is imminent? No, but it does mean it’s becoming so well know that it’s looking like a “good idea” to John Q. Public… and that’s historically not a good sign for anything.
Reason #2 the AirBnb gravy train might be slowing: The government. Look, the government is really only good at a few things, and the thing they do best is to destroy great business opportunities. That’s what is happening now in a number of jurisdictions where local governments are trying to flex their muscles and put rather onerous restrictions on AirBnb property owners. Some of these restrictions are reasonable, because AirBnb hosts and their guests aren’t always particularly respectful of the neighborhoods where they stay. But it’s bigger than that. Local governments see an opportunity here to generate more revenue, and frankly, I suspect this will, in many places, increase the effective cost of renting AirBnb properties enough to make serious, frequent travelers – the backbone of the hospitality industry – return exclusively to the big hotel chains.
And finally, reason #3: This is most anecdotal of all and I’ll admit it’s a little condescending, though I don’t mean that to be the case. Here’s the deal: Have you noticed that some of the people doing well with AirBnb’s don’t seem to be the sharpest knives in the drawer, if you know what I mean? Don’t get me wrong: I know that there’s not an actual connection between high intelligence and the ability to be successful as an investor. But it appears to me that the money has been so easy in that game that up until now, it’s been pretty easy for everybody – whether they’re more of the “wheat” or the “chaff” variety – to make a lot of money from it. And when something is too good to be true, there’s inevitably a market adjustment.
Now as I said, all of these reasons are “soft” reasons without data to back any of them up. They’re all observations, and they’re such soft observations that I’m certainly not suggesting anyone change their plans on the basis of what I’ve shared with you. But maybe, just maybe, it might be a good idea for you to keep an eye on this stuff.
After all, job #1 of the self-directed investor is to RESPECT YOUR OWN CAPITAL.
My friends, invest wisely today and live well forever!
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Have rental properties and want to set up a company and an associated self-directed 401(k)? Good idea… but the IRS might stand in your way. I’m Bryan Ellis. I’ll tell you all about it RIGHT NOW in Episode #315 of Self-Directed Investor Talk
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Hello, Self-Directed Investors, all across the fruited plane. Welcome to another action-packed, edge-of-your-seat thrill ride into the fantastic world of tax-free alternative asset investing. This is Self-Directed Investor Talk, the SHOW OF RECORD for savvy self-directed investors like you, and today we have an excellent show for you
This is Episode #315, so to get the transcript and other resources for today’s show, visit SDITalk.com/315, that’s SDITalk.com/315 for all of those resources, provided to you with our compliments.
So…
I regularly hear from rental property investors who want to use a self-directed 401(k). The idea is that they want to form a company connected to their rental properties since one must have a business in order to establish a self-directed 401(k). On the face of it, this isn’t a bad idea.
My regular listeners will, of course, know that I am a huge proponent of self-directed 401(k)’s as being the absolute crème-de-la-crème of self-directed retirement accounts versus any type of IRA in Every Single Way…
…Except one.
“Well Bryan, what is that one exception?” I can practically hear you asking right now? It is this:
Far fewer people actually QUALIFY to set up a self-directed 401(k) in the first place. The qualifications aren’t complicated – really, all you have to have is a business that you own which has no full time employees other than you and maybe also your spouse, and your business has to have earned income. That’s really about the size of it.
But therein, there’s a pretty big GOTCHYA for rental property owners who want a self-directed 401(k). What is it? Well, it’s that caveat of having EARNED INCOME.
Earned income, as you may know, is the type of income that results whenever an employer gives you a paycheck or, if we’re talking about a business rather than a person, it’s the type of income that results whenever a business is paid for the purchase of a product or a service. It’s income that’s earned on the basis of active effort.
You’ll note that that definition doesn’t directly apply to rental income. Rental income is, under the tax code, what’s known as UNEARNED income. Not unearned in the sense that you’re unworthy of receiving the income, but unearned in the sense that rent is payment for the use of an asset rather than for the purchase of a product or service. From a tax perspective, there’s no active effort involved in receiving rental income.
So that’s a problem. If the only income you are receiving comes from rental income, then all you’re receiving is UNEARNED income rather than EARNED income. And it really doesn’t matter whether those rents are being paid to you personally or to a company you form to own the properties. Either way, the nature of the income itself is still UNEARNED.
And if that’s the only kind of income you’re receiving, that’s not sufficient basis to establish a self-directed 401(k), I am sorry to say.
But NEVER FEAR, my friends. As always, I have a solution, which Self-Directed Investor Society clients have been using quite productively for years now, and it is this:
While RENTAL INCOME won’t qualify you to set up a self-directed 401(k), what COULD qualify you to do so is to establish a PROPERTY MANAGEMENT company which serves your rental properties. In other words, let’s imagine you have one or ten or a thousand rental properties… you could very realistically and legitimately establish a company that provides property management services to your rental properties, for which it receives payment, usually in the form of a percentage of rents collected.
And in your quest to set up a self-directed 401(k), that will go along way. Because while RENTAL income is UNEARNED and doesn’t qualify you to establish a self-directed 401(k), PROPERTY MANAGEMENT income is distinctly of the EARNED variety… and thus is a legitimate qualifier for the “earned income” requirement to set up a self-directed 401(k).
Capiche? The idea is simply to segment a small portion of your income and do something to convert it, in a legal and legitimate sense, to the form of income that will allow you to qualify to establish a self-directed 401(k).
But even this solution has a rather serious drawback. Two of them, actually. Did your investing guru – who isn’t an expert in self-directed retirement accounts – mention these drawbacks to you? I didn’t think so. But I, your exceptionally well-informed, highly opinionated, always lovable and deadly accurate host won’t hold back the goods from you.
But you’re going to have to listen in tomorrow to get THE GOODS because I’m out of time for today.
And that reminds me… if you haven’t SUBSCRIBED to Self-Directed Investor Talk, please do that now so you get a notice when we publish new episodes! As I suspect you can tell, this isn’t information you can afford to miss, and it’s not information you’ll get anywhere else.
And second… if you like this show… and hey… YOU KNOW YOU DO! Hehehehe. Seriously, if you like this show, please consider giving us a nice 5-star rating and review in Apple Podcasts… that really, really helps to get the word out and brings in more listeners, which motivates me to make this show better and better with each passing day.
That’s all I’ve got for you today my friends, except for this one parting thought:
Invest wisely today, and live well forever!
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Which is better for you: A self-directed IRA or a self-directed 401(k)? Today, you learn the first big distinction to help you answer that question in the best possible way for you. I am Bryan Ellis. This is episode #314 of Self-Directed Investor Talk.
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Hello, self-directed investors, all across the fruited plane! Welcome to Episode #314 of Self-Directed Investor Talk, the SHOW OF RECORD for savvy self-directed investors like YOU where each day, I help you to find, understand and PROFIT from exceptional alternative investment opportunities and strategies.
I, of course, am your sometimes opinionated, always accurate and consistently lovable host, Bryan Ellis. This episode – for which you can find all of the links and resources at SDITalk.com/314 – is the second installment of our “Choosing the Right Tool” series, where we’re looking at whether an IRA or a 401(k) is the right answer for you as a self-directed investor.
Now in the last episode I did share with you some circumstances under which you need not have EITHER type of self-directed account. I won’t rehash those other than to say that you MUST have one or both of earned income from a job/employer and/or you’ve got to have money in an existing IRA or 401(k) to transfer into the account. In other words, you’ve got to have an allowable way to get money into the account. The details are in installment #1 of this series, to which I’ve linked on today’s show page at SDITalk.com/314.
If you’ve been a long time listener of SDI Talk, first of all – THANK YOU for being a long time listener! – but if that describes you, you probably already know that I have a very, very, very strong preference for using a 401(k) over an IRA whenever possible.
To be clear, both tools have their place. But to my way of thinking, and for some reasons I’ll share with you now, if you’re investing in non-Wall Street assets, you should have a bias towards using a 401(k) rather than an IRA if that’s an option for you.
Now way back in the beginning of this show, Episode #3 – literally five years ago – I did a whole show that showcases rather clearly 7 big reasons that a properly structured 401(k) is vastly superior to a self-directed IRA. You’d do well to check that out, and I’ve linked to it from today’s show page at SDITalk.com/314.
But a quick recap of just SOME of the reasons – there are far more than just 7 – that you should use a 401(k) if you can are as follows:
1. You can contribute FAR MORE MONEY to a 401(k) than to an IRA
2. You and your spouse can contribute money to the same plan, thus POOLING your capital and making it easier to do bigger deals.
3. 401ks’ offer SUBSTANTIALLY better protection against creditors and lawsuits than IRA’s
4. Checkbook-like control of your investment capital is built into properly structured 401(k)’s. For IRA’s, on the other hand, that level of control is expensive, tedious and risky to establish.
5. If you’re using an IRA and you break the IRS rules about handling your account, you’re out of luck. It’s going to be very painful and there’s nothing you can do to fix it. Not so with 401k’s, that provide a clear path to correcting errors.
6. You can’t BORROW money from your own IRA, but you can from your own 401k!
7. A 401k includes BOTH Traditional and Roth subaccounts… you get both types in one 401k plan, which creates astounding flexibility not available in an IRA.
Again, there are MANY more reasons that I firmly endorse the use of a 401(k) over an IRA for any self-directed investor who qualifies for both. Issue #5 – the one about committing prohibited transactions – if that was the only difference, that would be more than enough. But the reasons are far more extensive than that.
But that caveat I mentioned: That you should use a 401(k) over an IRA if you qualify for both… it’s the question of qualification that’s our first determining factor, and that leads to the one, and I believe only, way in which IRA’s are superior to 401k’s.
That way is that nearly anybody who has a job or an existing retirement account can qualify to set up a self-directed IRA. There’s just not a lot required beyond having a source of earned income.
Not so with 401(k)’s. The requirements aren’t huge, but they’re notable. Here they are:
First, you have to be owner or partial owner of a business.
Second, that business have to make real income. It doesn’t have to be a lot of income, and it doesn’t even have to be profitable, but it does have to earn income.
Third, if your business has any full-time employees other than you, your partners and your spouses, then you’ll need to use a normal self-directed 401(k). But if the only full-time employees of your business are the owners and their spouses, then you can use the solo 401(k), which is the same thing but intended for smaller businesses.
So that’s it. You’ve got to own a business that makes money, even if it isn’t profitable. That’s basically what it takes to qualify to set up a self-directed 401(k) plan.
Again, my strongest advice to you is this: If you qualify to use a self-directed 401(k) plan, you almost certainly should do that rather than using a self-directed IRA plan. Again, check out Episode #3 of this show – which is linked on today’s show page at SDITalk.com/314 – for more information that compares 401k’s to IRA’s.
Here’s the good news and the bad news about 401k’s: They can be relatively simple and inexpensive to set up, but they are NOT all the same… and sometimes, the differences are REALLY severe. I’ll do an episode sometime in the future to help you see how stark those differences can be. But in the mean time, if you’d like to set up a self-directed 401k and want a referral to someone who can do that for you and do it exactly right the first time, just drop an email to me at [email protected] and I’ll be happy to get you connected.
Now, having clarified the general superiority of 401k’s over IRA’s, that still leaves us with a big question: If you only qualify for an IRA and not a 401k, which TYPE of IRA should you use? Because it turns out there are a LOT of variation with HUGE differences! We’ll dig into that question in the NEXT episode of our Making The Right Choice series here on SDI Talk, so stay tuned!
My friends… invest wisely today, and live well forever!
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Mark Cuban said WHAT? Political correctness rears its ugly, stupid head again. Today, we take a brief break from our “Choosing the Right Tool” series to address some utterly foolish comments made by a normally reasonable and thoughtful person. I’m Bryan Ellis. This is episode #313 of Self-Directed Investor Talk.
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Hello, Self-Directed Investors, all across the fruited plane! Welcome to Episode #313 of Self-Directed Investor Talk, the SHOW OF RECORD for savvy self-directed investors like you, where each day, I help you to find, understand and profit from exceptional investments and strategies.
Today’s show notes, transcript and resources are available to you, at no cost and with my complements, over at SDITalk.com/313.
Yesterday we began to focus on the question of determining which type of self-directed account is better for you: the self-directed IRA or solo 401(k). We’re going to return to that tomorrow and likely for a couple of additional episodes as well, but something came up today in my news feed that I thought I’d address with you.
Mark Cuban – the businessman who famously became a billionaire when he sold Broadcast.com to Yahoo in 1999 – is someone to whom I pay attention and whose words are generally surprisingly grounded given that he is, after all, a billionaire. I respect that.
Furthermore, I know a lot of you respect him and his work, too. And you and I as self-directed investors are obligated to pay attention to smart people since we make our own investment decisions. Unfortunately, it looks like Mark Cuban’s thinking may now be muddled and more politically-oriented than business-oriented.
Case in point: A new article on Yahoo Finance called “Mark Cuban describes the best way to reduce wealth inequality”. I’ve linked to it today from SDITalk.com/313, be sure to check it out.
Now right away, whenever you see the words “wealth inequality”, you know someone is speaking to a political audience and not an investor- or business-oriented audience, because wealth inequality is a totally contrived problem.
On the surface, the words “wealth inequality” seem to mean that some people have more wealth than some other people. Yep, that’s true. And thank God for it. Those who do better than I do provide great inspiration, motivation and examples for me to up my game. Hopefully I provide a good example for those not at my level. That’s what “wealth inequality” really is: The scorecard of capitalism and the financial representation of dogged determination.
That’s capitalism at the core, and capitalism is a good thing. My model of wealth building and your model of wealth building – self-directed investing – depend on capitalism. Always remember that.
Now “wealth inequality” might represent an actual real problem, rather than a totally contrived one, but only if our economy was a zero-sum game. If, in other words, it was the case that every dollar I make means that you can’t make that dollar… well, in that case, the scarce supply of wealth might change the game. But that’s not reality. When another oil well is found, new wealth is discovered. When a new software program is developed that has commercial appeal, new wealth is created. Wealth in a capitalist economy like ours is not a zero-sum issue, but is simply a representation of the value of resources and ideas. There are zero circumstances under which it can be said that the fabulous wealth of Bill Gates or Warren Buffett or Jeff Bezos or Mark Cuban has hurt my ability or your ability to become wealthy in any way. In fact, it’s likely that every one of them have IMPROVED your odds in some way.
That’s why Cuban’s promotion of this issue is disappointing to me, and also quite illogical. In the Yahoo Finance interview, he’s suggesting, for example, that to really change the wealth inequality situation, that people on the lower end need to begin accumulating assets. I totally agree with this, by the way. But then he goes on to suggest that one of the provisions of the new Federal Tax law – the provision whereby a cap is placed on the amount of federal income tax deductions one can take for the STATE and LOCAL taxes they’ve already paid – Cuban suggests that this provision makes it harder for lower-income people to actually buy houses or other assets in order to get themselves above the lower-end of the financial spectrum.
That sounds good to people of a certain political persuasion, but here’s the problem: It’s wrong. Low-income people are, almost by definition, unaffected by the tax code provision he cites. As in, an effect of zero, zilch, nada. It just doesn’t make any sense what Cuban is saying here.
Of course, some of the other things in the interview he says DO make rational sense, so I’m not saying that this guy is a fool or is absolutely misleading. What I am saying to you is this:
Mark Cuban is now definitely endorsing some ideas that only make sense in a political world, not in the real world. Not all of them, but definitely some of his ideas can be described that way. So if you’re like me, you’re a self-directed investor and you’ve taken Mark Cuban’s advice to be the kind of advice which is inherently always worth considering seriously, well… maybe it’s time we rethink the degree to which we take his opinions seriously.
Because at the end of the day, folks, this is true: When it comes time to pay for your retirement, you’re not a Republican and you’re not a Democrat. You’ve got expenses to cover and bills to pay… and nothing said by a politician or aspiring politician will help you with that.
My friends, invest wisely today and live well forever.
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What’s better for you: A self-directed IRA or a solo 401(k)? This is a critical and distinctly untrivial decision… particularly if you’re investing in real estate, syndications or any type of complex transactions. I’m Bryan Ellis. I’ll tell you how to make the right choice for you right now in episode #312.
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Hello, self-directed investors, all across the fruited plane! Welcome to Self-Directed Investor Talk, the SHOW OF RECORD for savvy self-directed investors like YOU where each day, I help you to find, understand and PROFIT from exceptional alternative investment opportunities and strategies.
I, of course, am your kind, lovable host, Bryan Ellis. Today we venture into the start of a new series that I call the “Choosing The Right Tool” Series wherein you’ll see rather clearly how to choose which type of account is right for you, because the answer is truly not the same for everyone.
This, my friends, is episode #312. To hear the episode again or to read the transcript or enjoy the resources I mention on today’s show, feel free to visit SDITalk.com/312 and you’ll find it all there, available for you to freely enjoy with my complements.
Before we jump in today, I have a quick announcement that’s very exciting! Next month, July of 2019, will see the publication of Issue #1 of a brand new magazine that’s being published by yours truly. It’s called Self-Directed Investor Magazine and if you enjoy this show – and come on… come on… you know you do! – hehehe if you enjoy the Self-Directed Investor Talk podcast, you’re going to LOVE Self-Directed Investor Magazine.
Furthermore, it will be under the editorial control of my wife, Carole Ellis, so it will be GREAT. She didn’t get that job because we’re married. She’s got that job because she is the best there is for this task. She has VAST editorial experience, having been editor-in-chief for the well-respected journal called Research (published by the University of Georgia). She was also the editor in chief of Think Realty Magazine, a niche publication for individual real estate investors. And she also had full control of my own real estate newsletter, the Bryan Ellis Investing Letter, and it’s subscribership of over 600,000 investors worldwide. Point is: Carole is a highly-regarded professional in the sphere of magazine editorial work and there’s literally no one I’d hire instead of her. I’m genuinely honored she’s decided to do this, and I know you’re going to enjoy the fruit of her effort too.
And oh… by the way… would you like a free subscription to Self-Directed Investor Magazine? I mean… totally free? Well, I’ll tell you how to do that momentarily. But first:
So which is right for you: A self-directed IRA or solo 401(k)? That’s a great and very important question, as you’ll begin to truly understand forthwith.
First, let’s define exactly what I mean. When I say “self-directed IRA” or “solo 401(k)” or even the more generic “self-directed retirement account”, I’m referring generically – unless I say otherwise – to a retirement account that has nearly no limits on the types of investments you can make. This is in contrast to the term I coined for the other type of IRA which is the “captive” retirement account.
Captive accounts are the ones provided by your bank or your company’s 401(k) plan or your stock brokerage company. It’s not necessarily easy to know, just based on the name of the account, whether you’re using a “captive” account or a “self-directed” account because a lot of the companies that provide captive accounts still called them “self-directed” or something similar to that.
So if you need to know which type you’re currently using, here’s a simple and very decisive test: Call up your retirement account provider and ask them this question: Can I use the money in my retirement account to purchase a herd of dairy cattle? If the answer is “yes”, you’ve got a self-directed account. If the answer is “no”, then you have a captive account. Easy-peasy.
With that foundational question out of the way, we’ll return to the question of whether a “self-directed IRA” or a “solo 401(k)” is the better tool for you. Now, you might notice the bias from which I’m working, that being that you should definitely be using one or the other of those types of self-directed accounts.
I’d like to disabuse you of such thinking right now. In fact, not everyone needs a self-directed account. They really don’t. And if they don’t actually need these accounts, they shouldn’t use them.
Who might NOT need a self-directed IRA or solo 401(k)?
Well, if you are deeply and exclusively committed to investing only in the assets that are available to you from your current IRA or 401(k) provider, then there’s no real need for you to have a self-directed IRA or solo 401(k) at all. You’re not going to get better investment results by investing in publicly-traded stocks or mutual funds simply by performing those investments inside of a self-directed retirement account.
Also, you really need not have a self-directed account unless you have a way to get some money into that account. In general, there are two ways to get money into a retirement account. The first one is that you set aside some money from the income you earn from your job or business. So in tax parlance, this means you must have what is called “earned income” in order to qualify to make contributions to any kind of retirement account.
The other way to get money into a retirement account is by way of TRANSFER. So let’s just imagine you have a 401(k) from a previous job or maybe an IRA that you began building years ago. If you wanted to have a self-directed retirement account, it’s quite likely you could simply transfer the money in your existing accounts – which are probably with “captive” account institutions like your bank or stock brokerage – over to a “self-directed” account so you have the ability to invest that money any way you want.
So what we have so far is: If you don’t plan to invest outside the realm of publicly-traded securities, then you don’t need a self-directed account at all. And if you want to have a self-directed account, you must have one or both of some sort of earned income and/or an existing account in order to fund your new self-directed account.
Now, unfortunately we’re out of time for today, so when we resume tomorrow, having this well-established foundation, we’ll dig deep into the question of which type of self-directed account – IRA or 401(k) – is the superior choice for YOU and YOUR needs.
Hey my friends if you have any questions you’d like for me to address, be sure to send them to [email protected] and also – about getting a free subscription to the magazine – join me for tomorrow’s episode #313 and I’ll tell you how to do that then.
In the mean time: Invest wisely today and live well forever!
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This may be the most astoundingly brilliant and simple way to bring in a 6-digit bump to your retirement account balance practically overnight and without risk. I’m Bryan Ellis. Get ready to be blown away right now in Episode #311 of Self-Directed Investor Talk.
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Hello, Self-Directed Investors all across the fruited plane! Welcome to Self-Directed Investor Talk, the SHOW OF RECORD for savvy self-directed investors like you.
I, of course, am your host, Bryan Ellis. Today is Episode #311… so when you get the itch to hear this show again or to review any of the resources I refer to in today’s episode, remember that that’s available to you at no cost by visiting SDITalk.com/311.
So let’s do this.
Ok, I’ve got to clearly disclose something to you… I’m still doing my research into what I’m about to share with you. I’ll have some excellent additional clarity on this within 2 weeks, and if you’d like to find out what I determine as a final matter, I’ll tell you how to get that info in just a minute.
So the premise today is this: I’m going to tell you how to bring in a 6-digit bump to your retirement account balance in no time flat with no risk. Sounds too good to be true, doesn’t it? Maybe it is… I’ll know within 2 weeks… but I have great reason to think this is going to work out.
So let’s set the stage here.
One of the most interesting investment strategies I’ve ever heard of is called “viatical settlements”. The basic idea is this: An investor identifies a person who has a life insurance policy and who, for whatever reason, would rather have money right now rather than waiting for their beneficiaries to receive the money later.
So maybe this person has a life insurance policy that will pay out $1,000,000. If you’re investing in viatical settlements, then the amount you’ll offer for that policy is based entirely on how soon you’ll receive the payout. So if the person is already in a hospice care facility and will likely pass on within a few weeks, then maybe you’ll have to pay $950,000 for the policy, because you won’t have to wait long for the payout.
But if the person is 60 years old and in great health, then you might only pay $100,000 because it could still be 30 years before you receive a payout on that policy.
So that’s what a viatical settlement is, and it’s always interested me as an asset class.
But then recently I was having lunch with a dear friend of mine, whose name is also Bryon. Bryon has been a very good friend to me… he’s eclectic, he’s brilliant, and he’s definitely among the most generous people I’ve ever encountered. He’s also been rather successful financially, and also comes from a family who experienced great financial success, and he has the wonderful frame of reference that goes with such an upbringing.
Bryon once told me something about his father that totally blew my mind and struck me as utterly brilliant: His father was seriously involved in viatical settlements… but as a seller, not a buyer!
In other words, what he’d do is to establish a life insurance policy, and then promptly sell that policy to a viatical settlements investor. So maybe he would set up a $1,000,000 policy and then sell that policy to an investor for $100,000 to $200,000.
Just think of where that put him… With no more effort than establishing a life insurance policy, he suddenly has $100,000 to $200,000 cash in his pocket that he can use for whatever he wants! This is astounding!!!
And what if you need to establish or quickly grow the size of your retirement savings?
Well, my friends… here’s where my research is still ongoing, so don’t take what I’m about to tell you as absolute gospel. Rather, I’m telling you about the research I’m doing. But here’s how the theory goes:
If you happen to be wise enough to be using a self-directed 401(k) for your retirement investing, this could work for you. It won’t work for self-directed IRA’s because they can’t own life insurance.
But if you use a self-directed 401(k), it is actually allowable under certain circumstances for your 401(k) to buy a life insurance policy on YOUR life… and then instead of YOU selling off your life insurance policy to a viatical settlement investor, your 401(k) would do it instead. And voila! Your 401(k) suddenly has a big chunk of income and has done so in a risk-free manner.
Just think of that, folks… that could be HUGE… really huge.
Now my friends, let me remind you: I’m still doing the research to confirm whether the fact is as good as the theory on this, including whatever tax ramifications may exist. I’ll know soon and will be happy to update you soon as I know. If you’d like for me to be sure to let you know when I get conclusive information on this, then do this:
Drop an email to me at [email protected] and just let me know you’d like for me to update you when I get the info and I’ll be happy to do it. Again, just drop an email to me at [email protected] and I’ll update you within a couple weeks when I have final information.
My friends, I hope you’ve enjoyed this excursion into some rather creative investment thinking and remember this: Invest wisely today, and live well forever.
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What are the big assumptions you’re making in your investment decisions? Can you list them? Is there any chance they’re WRONG? I’m Bryan Ellis. We’ll look at this serious but nearly never-discussed issue right now in Episode #310 of Self-Directed Investor Talk.
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Hello, Self-Directed Investors, all across the fruited plane! Welcome to the SHOW OF RECORD for savvy self-directed investors like you.
This is episode #310 of Self-Directed Investor Talk, and should you be so inclined, you’re welcomed to visit today’s show page to get a transcript and links and resources that are relevant to today’s discussion. The address for the episode #310 show page is https://SDITalk.com/310
So the big question today: What are the big assumptions you’re using as a basis for your investment decisions? More importantly, is there a chance any of them are wrong?
That’s a big, important question. Here’s some context for why I ask it:
I’m something of a science geek. I routinely and very happily spend a relatively large amount of time learning what’s going on in the world of scientific research. One of the geekiest things that I do – and that I really love to do – is to watch formal debates that feature scientists and philosophers duking it out intellectually to see where everyone’s ideas fit in the grand scheme of things.
And do you know what kind of evidence I’m seeing a LOT in the last 3 years… I mean, a LOT of it? And as I answer that question, remember that the topic of today’s show is a look at the big assumptions you’re making in your portfolio, and whether they could possibly be WRONG.
So here’s what I’m seeing a lot of: I’m seeing a LOT of scientists who are absolutely the very top people in their respective fields offering very, very serious scientific resistance to the famous theory of evolution posited by Charles Darwin in the mid 1800’s. I mean, legitimate, top-tier people like the famed synthetic organic chemist Dr. James Tour at Rice University. There’s also Dr. Marcos Eberlin, the internationally renowned mass spectrometry expert at the University of Campinas in Brazil. And Michael Behe, the respected biochemist at Lehigh University. Now some people try to disregard the opinions of those guys because all of them have religious beliefs which would predispose them to resist the theory of evolution. But then you’d have to explain away highly-regarded atheistic and/or agnostic scientists and professors who also openly criticize and question Darwinian evolution like famed philosopher and mathematician Dr. David Berlinski, biologist Dr. Denis Noble at the University of Oxford, and professor Thomas Nagle at NYU. And frankly, this is only scratching the surface of dissent among serious academics and scientists of today. If you knew the extent of it all, you’d be utterly blown away.
Now look, this isn’t a discussion about Darwinian evolution. Unless I have the pleasure of meeting you in person and you’d like to discuss this, then right now I don’t care what you think about that question and you need not care what I think, either.
But the question is this: Can you think of any assumption that has been pounded into all of as being any more fundamental than the theory of evolution? I can’t either… and yet, whatever your position on the matter, any objective look at that theory suggests there’s a real chance that, after all of this time, the entire theory is just a crumbling house of cards. We don’t know that yet, of course, but it surely looks that way.
So let’s shift that line of thinking over to our investments. Ask yourself: What are the core, operating assumptions you’re making each and every time you make an investment decision? The assumptions that are so deep that you don’t even think about them consciously?
I’m thinking about this for myself, and some of them are:
· Paying less tax is better than paying more tax
· Making more profit is better than making less profit
· Only take calculated risks
· Physical assets are more secure than paper assets
· Etc…
Now having thought about this for a bit of time, I’m coming up with a lot of fundamental assumptions that I’m making, far more than the few I’ve mentioned here. And here’s how this becomes interesting:
If considering each and every one of my fundamental assumptions, I then ask myself these questions:
· Is this absolutely true?
· Is this absolutely false?
· Is this relatively true or relatively false, depending on the circumstances?
· Is there a better assumption that I could adopt?
This has been enlightening for me, my friends, for this reason: I’ve again shown myself that having extremely dogmatic rules about anything can be a very dangerous thing UNLESS you take the time to clarify not just the rule or the assumption, but also clarify what I call the two C’s: context and caveats.
For example: Physical assets are, I think, more secure as an investment than paper assets. But a relevant context might be that that’s true only in an environment where it’s legal and practical to sell that asset when I need to do so, since physical items are usually not highly liquid. And a caveat to that rule might be that if owning the physical asset entails more direct, physical involvement in the asset than I am willing or able to provide, then in that case, it might make sense for me to do something like own shares in a real estate investment trust rather than owning real estate directly myself.
These are simple examples, but I’ve learned a lot about myself and my assumptions I preparing for this episode… and where those assumptions may not be serving me well. Let’s you and I do our best to see to it that the only things that are crumbling are faltering scientific theories rather than our life’s savings.
My friends, invest wisely today, and live well forever.
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For the longest time, the big boys of Silicon Valley – Facebook, Amazon and Google – were all the reason you needed to be invested in stocks. Now, they’re the best reason to get out. I’m Bryan Ellis. I’ll tell you why right now in Episode #309 of Self-Directed Investor Talk.
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Hello, Self-Directed Investors, all across the fruited plane! Welcome to today’s special edition of the SHOW OF RECORD for savvy self-directed investors like you.
This is episode #309. That means you can find today’s transcript and show notes over at SDITalk.com/309.
The stock market, as you likely know very well, has been booming with astounding consistency since the day that President Trump won the Presidency in 2016. Yes, there’s certainly been plenty of volatility, but even this year, 2019, when the markets have been a bit rougher than in some other years, still, the Dow Jones Industrial Average is STILL up by about 10% since the start of the year, and we’re not even halfway through. So the bull market rages on in a HUGE way.
But there is a headwind resisting the markets which will only get stronger… and frankly, this one may just be the thing to motivate SOME OF YOU – and you know who you are – to begin diversifying some of your assets AWAY from Wall Street and into alternatives like real estate or private companies or… nearly anything but Wall Street assets.
Now if you guessed that the headwinds have something to do with the ongoing trade wars with China, which now seems to be engulfing Mexico as well, you’d not be unreasonable to make that guess, but you’d be mistaken, my friends.
Rather, the big issue is the intense regulatory scrutiny of the big tech companies that is coming from both the department of justice and from Congress. Just when the word “bipartisan” seems an impossibility, it appears there’s support from both sides of the aisle to limit the power of Big Tech, albeit for entirely different reasons.
The companies most at risk in here are Facebook, Amazon and Google. I suspect there might be some saber rattling towards Twitter as well, but the truth is that Twitter is not relevant in the grand scheme of things. But Facebook, Amazon and Google? They’re going to feel some real heat, and with good reason.
And while I certainly have an opinion on whether regulator scrutiny is called for, that’s not relevant to the bigger point today, which is this:
Anti-trust actions – which appears to be the path that Google will face, and maybe Amazon and Facebook too – can be utterly devastating and require decades for recovery. You have to look no further than Microsoft. Under the command of Bill Gates back in the 90’s, Microsoft became the most valuable company in the world and was the envy of the world. Gates was practically a cult figure, and Microsoft was so profitable it could do almost literally anything it wanted…
…until the FTC took an interest in a serious way. When Microsoft’s anti-trust trial was done, restrictions so severe were placed on the software giant that its stock would flounder for year after year… and it would take until 2016 for Microsoft’s share prices to again reach the previous high point it had achieved way back in 1999, nearly 17 years earlier.
17 years is a LONG TIME for a stock to be flat, but that’s exactly what happened. Now at that time, Microsoft was the clear market leader. No doubt about it. And guess what happened to the market as a whole when it’s leader went flat for years on end?
You guessed it: The broader market did the same thing. At basically the same time as all of the air went out of the tires of Microsoft’s stock in 1999 and 2000, the broader market just treaded water for several years.
As the market leader went, so went the market.
And now, it’s like déjà vu all over again… only the names have changed. This time, the crosshairs are focused on Facebook, Amazon and Google. If your last name is Zuckerberg, Bezos or Pinchai, you should be sweating right now.
And if your portfolio depends on those companies, you should be sweating too. But not just on those companies. The Microsoft lesson from the 90’s and early 2000’s is clear: When the Department of Justice gets involved, that can change the market as a whole. And not only is that happening right now, but Congress is apparently launching its own investigation of Facebook, Amazon, Google and… APPLE. That’s right, folks… Apple is under the microscope, too.
Why do I share this with you?
Well, I don’t want you to lose your money, folks. And history tells us this could be a risky time for the market.
What should you do? That’s up to you, but strategically I think it would make some sense to put yourself in a position to be able to very easily diversify OUT of stocks and into some other asset class whenever you decide to do that.
You could, after all, simply transfer your IRA or 401(k) into a self-directed IRA or 401(k) without even cashing in your stocks… just leave your money invested as is… but go ahead and get your money into a self-directed account so that when the time is right for YOU to cut bait and move on to greener pastures, you’ll be ready to do that at a moment’s notice.
And, of course, if you need any help with that, reach out and I’ll be glad to help. You can reach me at [email protected]. I’ll be happy to give you some good, unbiased advice since I’m not an IRA or 401(k) company… I just want you to be set up for success.
My friends, invest wisely today and live well forever!
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When does the stock market give you great clues to investing in REAL ESTATE? When a stock chart looks as beautiful as this newly-public real estate company’s chart looks. I’m Bryan Ellis. I’ll identify the company and extract some valuable investment intel for YOU, right now in episode #308.
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Hello, Self-Directed Investor Nation all across the fruited plane! Welcome to today’s special edition of the SHOW OF RECORD for savvy self-directed investors like you.
This is episode #308. If you want to circle back for the transcript or to listen to the show again, go to SDITalk.com/308, SDITalk.com/308.
Let’s jump right in, shall we?
Back in January of 2018, an Atlanta-based company began went public on the New York Stock Exchange. There wasn’t a huge pop on the IPO day. In fact, the share price started at $16 never got higher than about $18 bucks and change for nearly 3 full months. Then that company’s stock went on a tear that continues to this day. Now trading in the low $30’s range – nearly twice it’s IPO level of just 18 months ago – this stock is turning some heads.
Now if you’re asking, “why, oh why, Bryan, do you fill my ears with tales from Wall Street when you know I am focused on real estate or other alternative assets?”… Well, dear listeners, I shall endeavor to answer you plainly now.
So what is the company to which I refer? This isn’t just any company, it is a real estate investment trust, also known as an REIT or REIT for short.
For those of you not familiar, a REIT is a special type of entity that can trade on public markets and which is designed for businesses whose income is almost entirely generated from the ownership and monetization of REAL ESTATE. Ah yes, so now the relevance to you and me begins to peek through, does it not?
But there are many publicly-traded REITs. Why is this one different or unusual?
Well, my friends, it’s because of the KIND of real estate upon which they focus. This company is called AmeriCold Realty Trust, and as you might guess from the name, their specialty is COLD STORAGE warehousing… the kind of commercial space required primary by food delivery companies.
I learned about this on an unusual source. Every now and again – and with decreasing frequency, frankly – the people over at CNBC push past their political agenda and cover actual financial news. This is one of those days, as there’s an interesting article on their website about the very topic of our discussion. It’s linked on today’s show page at SDITalk.com/308.
So the rationale being given for a glowing analysis of this sector is simple: There’s not a lot of cold storage warehousing available, and the demand for it is skyrocketing because of food delivery companies like Peapod, Blue Apron and of course Amazon Fresh.
Well, to me that sounds like enough of a reason to look into cold storage as a way to invest one’s portfolio. And should you deem the business of frigid commercial space to be worthy of your investment capital – and in particular your retirement savings – what are you to do?
One alternative – likely the simplest – is to direct your stock broker to buy shares of AmeriCold. I’m not recommending for or against that. What we know is that so far the stock has done very well, and that’s positive.
But investing via publicly-traded assets, while very simple, represents a different risk: The risk of the lack of choice and control.
So a second alternative is to find a syndication or partnership that focuses on cold storage into which you can invest. This will allow you to use the resources and expertise of the investment partner to run the investment so you can passively provide the capital.
Your final alternative sacrifices the simplicity of investing in either publicly-traded stocks or privately-held syndications, but what you get in return is absolute control and absolute choice. That is, of course, to invest directly into the acquisition or construction of a cold storage facility of your own. This is a big commitment, of course… but is a very legitimate option which should not be ignored.
What’s best for you? That’s a decision only you can make, with appropriate input from your advisors, of course. But here’s the bigger point relevant to you no matter whether you care anything about Cold Storage or not:
If you happen to be investing your RETIREMENT funds, chances are very good that only ONE of those three options is available to you. Unless you have already transferred some of your retirement savings into a self-directed IRA or 401(k), your retirement portfolio will be handcuffed to Wall Street, wholly denying you the opportunity to work with an expert partner through a syndication and denying you the alternative to acquire or construct a cold storage warehouse of your own.
You must ALWAYS be ready to make investments – whether in cold storage facilities or anything else – by having your capital in an accessible situation, because all too often, opportunity requires quick movement. So to the extent that your portfolio is held within retirement accounts such as IRA’s or 401(k)’s, don’t delay in moving your money into a self-directed retirement account. Do it today. The days or weeks required to make that transition may just mean you’re too late.
And by the way, yes, it is a big and important choice to use the right kind of account and to use the right self-directed IRA or 401(k) provider. If you need some unbiased help getting to those answers, drop me a note to [email protected]. I’ll be happy to help you.
My friends, invest wisely today and live well forever!
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What is the mysterious QRP? And how is it different from the self-directed 401(k)? I’m Bryan Ellis. I’ll give you the answer right now in Episode #307 of America’s largest, fastest growing podcast for self-directed investors
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Hello, self-directed investor nation, all across the fruited plane! Welcome to the show of record for savvy self-directed investors like you, where in each episode, I help you to find, understand and profit from exceptional alternative investment opportunities and strategies.
Earlier this week I was having a conversation with a colleague who heads a really cool group of dentists and doctors who mastermind together to build great investment portfolios. He told me that several of his members reached out to him because they’d heard about something called a QRP that was clearly superior to a self-directed IRA, and maybe even better than a self-directed 401(k) as well.
Whatever it was, it generated a lot of excitement. The propaganda that my colleague’s clients heard suggested rather heavily, but maybe only indirectly, that this mysterious new financial tool was a different sort of animal… distinct from self-directed IRA’s, distinct from self-directed 401(k)’s… a different animal entirely.
My colleague asked me about it, and wanted to know what I thought about it. It immediately struck a strange tone with me, because the acronym QRP is not well known in the world at large, but is extremely well known in the retirement industry. It stands for Qualified Retirement Plan.
In a generic sense, a qualified retirement plan isn’t actually an account type… it’s a broad category of account types that includes other categories like “defined benefit” plans and “defined contribution” plans. So QRP is a known quantity to people in the retirement industry.
But the way it was described to my colleague… and indeed, the marketing propaganda that support this particular offer, try very hard to maintain an air of mystery about the QRP and to suggest that it is something totally unique and distinct. It claims some wonderful features, such as:
· Very high contribution limits
· Very favorable tax treatment of debt-financed investments, which is a big problem area for IRA’s
· Near instant access to a $50,000 loan from the account at any time
· Checkbook control of the funds in the account
· No income limits
· And a few other things
Really attractive features, to be sure. But those features make it sound strikingly like something you and I know very well… the solo 401(k). But was it actually something different? Why was this promoter calling it a QRP? Had he stumbled onto a wonderful tool about which I was not aware?
Well, no. It was exactly as I thought.
The “dirty little secret” of the promoter who pushes QRP’s is simply using the term QRP to refer to self-directed 401(k) plans. That’s kind of misleading because 401(k)’s are only one of a large number of types of qualified retirement plans, but hey… whatever, you know?
So to you, my dear friends in SDI nation… allow me to tell you with the utmost clarity: As has already begun to happen, you’re going to see more and more people marketing solo 401(k)’s, because it turns out that you don’t really have to have any particular licensing to do so. And some of them are going to be creative in their marketing and will call their product by a different name like QRP.
I guess I don’t blame them. It’s different than the typical name “solo” or “self-directed” 401k… and being an unusual acronym, QRP sounds mysterious.
But don’t let yourself be distracted. I can tell you now with astoundingly high confidence that anytime you hear about a self-directed account that offers that collection of features, it’s nearly certain that what you’re dealing with is a solo 401(k), no matter what else it’s being called.
My friends… invest wisely today and live well forever.
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