Limits vary with the different types of self-directed IRA's. Our link to the 590 Publication can help you determine what the limits are, or a tax advisor or CPA can also help with the determination for you as an individual.

The Custodian is a bank or savings and loan association, as defined in IRC 408(n), or any other entity that has the approval of the IRS to act as Custodian. In order to have a self-directed IRA, it needs to be held with a Custodian who will allow investments into non-traditional investments. There are very few of these types of custodians.

Click here and fill out the information. We will send you a packet in the mail about our IRA services and account opening procedures.

Salary deferral contributions may be made up to 100% of compensation (not to exceed $10,000 for 2006 and $10,500 for 2007 for investors under age 50, $12,500 for 2006 and $13,000 for 2007 for investors age 50 and over). Match employee contributions dollar for dollar up to 3% of compensation to a maximum $10,000 for the 2006 plan year and $10,500 for the 2007 plan year, $12,500 for investors 50 years old or older in 2006 and $13,000 in 2007.

FIRST SAVINGS BANK pays you a competitive rate of interest on those funds. They are held within your self-directed IRA as a Money Market Asset. You can always look at your un-invested cash and investments via our Private Banking Internet Site. Your Money Market Asset is FDIC Insured and regulated by those rules. All other investments are not FDIC insured, may lose value, and have no bank guarantee.

This is a difficult number to determine. However, the self-directed industry is growing at a rapid pace and is expected to see upwards of $2 trillion enter the market during the next two years. Some of the latest numbers show more than 45 million IRA holders in the U.S. and less than 4% of those funds are held in non-traditional assets.

Cash, property titles and all other assets of the IRA are held by a trustee or custodian. Unlike a qualified retirement plan, the law requires that the trustee or custodian be a bank, federally insured credit union, savings and loan association, or an entity approved by the IRS to act as trustee or custodian.

ANSWER: You may purchase a lot using your self-directed IRA. For more details, visit www.oceanstarestates.com/self-directed-ira.html. Ocean Star Estates website: plat map, lot information table, virtual walking tour, frequently asked questions, topographic map, etc. Contact us at 913-381-4520 (or toll-free within the U.S. at 866-465-3976) or info@oceanstarestates.com.

a Retirement Account Facilitator we need to make sure you understand all of your options. Click here to see how you can get started with self-directed investing.

Yes you can. Guidant Financial Group is a Retirement Account Facilitator. Because of this, we are able to offer many more options than a self-directed IRA custodian. Our business is to make this process simple to establish, easy to understand and effortless to maintain. However, we do not suggest you use a self-directed IRA to purchase a business. Plans such as IRAs and 401(k) which engage in business activity generate Unrelated Business Taxable Income (UBTI).

FIRST SAVINGS BANK limits the types of investments you make to Deeds of Trust, Mortgages, LLC's and Partnerships that invest in Deeds of Trust and Mortgages. FIRST SAVINGS BANK is a self-directed IRA custodian; as a passive custodian we do not offer investment advice nor do we recommend any investments or an investment product. We will not use any type of solicitations or pressure you to invest in certain products.

Knowledgeable investors with appropriate investment objectives and an acceptable risk tolerance may consider investing in futures in their self-directed IRA and Solo 401(k). As Millennium Trust does not offer investment advice, we do not warrant the suitability of any particular investment. Please consult with your investment advisor, broker and/or tax advisor to determine if futures are suitable for your investment portfolio.

Answer: A self-directed IRA is an account where the investor establishes and contributes to the account. The investor makes all of the decisions with respect to the investment and the assets held in the account. Remember that an IRA is a type of tax deferred savings plan and the Internal Revenue Code applies. If you wish to find more information concerning tax issues, contact the Internal Revenue Service at www.irs.ustreas.

That depends. Working with a traditional self-directed IRA custodian makes investments like tax liens, foreclosure homes and real estate difficult. With a traditional self-directed IRA custodian, the client cannot have any personal interaction with the IRA funds. They have to petition the IRA custodian to make an investment on their behalf. Banks move at a pace much slower pace than the investment community, and it can take weeks to complete a transaction.

SEP Contributions are limited to 15% of the participant's annual income, never to exceed $30,000. Each year the IRS sets a limit on the total compensation amount that the employer can consider. For example, in 1997, only $160,000 of compensation was allowed to be considered for maximum contributions, so this brings the current maximum contribution to $24,000 (15% of $160,000). All SEP contributions are made by the employer (or the self-employed individual).

IRAs for a taxable year can be opened and funded any time between the first day of a tax year and the date a tax return is due for that year, excluding extensions. For most taxpayers, this due date is April 15 of the following year.

You can contribute up to $4,000 ($4,500 if you are age 50 or older in 2005 and $5,000 if you are age 50 or older in 2006) or up to 100% of your compensation whichever is less. If you are eligible to do so, you may contribute to both a Traditional IRA and a Roth IRA in the same year, but the total amount you contribute cannot exceed the annual limits. Roth IRA contributions are not tax deductible.