You can keep real estate in your IRA, but you'll need a self-directed IRA. Any real estate property you purchase must be strictly for investment purposes; you and your family cannot use it. Buying real estate within an IRA generally requires paying in cash and the IRA must pay for all property expenses. It's important to be aware of potential Gold IRA scams when investing in an IRA.
An IRA is a powerful financial planning tool that allows you to save for retirement or provide tax-advantaged benefits to your heirs. Most people invest their IRA funds in stocks, bonds, and mutual funds. However, others opt for non-traditional investments, such as real estate, in the hope of increasing their returns. While the idea of keeping real estate in your individual retirement account sounds good and may offer higher returns than stocks or bonds, the process has some pitfalls and pitfalls. Annual contribution limits still apply, so if you don't have enough money in your IRA, you can't just invest more to cover the purchase.
To purchase real estate within a retirement account, you must first set up a “self-directed IRA” with a custodian. Once you've established the IRA, you can use it to purchase virtually any type of real estate, including vacant land, single-family and multi-family homes, commercial properties, cooperatives, and condominiums. A real estate IRA is defined as real estate investments that belong to the retirement plan. This is not a single or standalone account type.
Any IRA can self-manage to invest in real estate. This strategy provides greater diversification and control. You can use your IRA funds to buy a nursing home abroad. Even if you never plan to live in it, overseas real estate can be a great way to diversify your portfolio and can generate high returns (depending on investment).
Since your IRA owns your property, your IRA will also benefit from any growth. This means that when you finally sell your real estate, the profits will be deposited in your IRA. This can be a great way to increase your retirement savings without the same tax implications as buying and selling on your own. As Ward points out, buying real estate through his IRA can lead to potential landmines for the user.
If you're not sure if buying real estate with an IRA is right for you, or how to do it correctly, consult a financial advisor. You can more easily invest in real estate investment trusts (REITs) or mortgage-backed securities (MBS) through your IRA than buying private investment property. The growth of those investments can be maintained in the IRA until retirement age, when you can withdraw tax-free or at the current tax rate, depending on the type of IRA you have.
