Tax Liens Inside a Roth: How High-Interest Returns Compound Tax-Free
Tax liens are one of those investments that tend to spark curiosity the moment people hear about them. The idea is simple: when a property owner falls behind on their property taxes, many local governments sell the right to collect that debt, plus interest, to...
The Benefits of Increasing Your 401(k) Contributions Before the Year Runs Out
As 2026 draws to a close, your employer’s 401(k) plan may offer an opportunity to reduce your current income taxes while building your retirement savings — or to boost your future tax-free retirement income. If you haven’t been contributing, it may not be too late to...
The Real Estate IRA Rules That Trip Up Even Experienced Investors
If you've been investing in real estate for years, buying property inside a self-directed IRA can feel like familiar territory. You know how to find a deal, run the numbers, and manage a property. What catches many seasoned investors off guard isn't the real estate....
What Higher 2026 AMT Risk May Mean For Your Year-End Tax Planning
Tax law changes taking effect this year will increase alternative minimum tax (AMT) risk for some higher-income taxpayers. If you may be affected, consider the AMT before implementing income or deduction timing strategies. A move that would reduce your 2026 regular...
SEP IRA vs. Solo 401(k) for Alternative Assets
If you're self-employed and investing in real estate, private lending, or other alternative assets, you've probably come across two retirement plans again and again: the SEP IRA and the Solo 401(k). Both are built for business owners. Both can be self-directed. And...
Separating or Divorcing This Year? Consider These Tax Issues Before Year End
Dissolving a marriage involves numerous financial and nonfinancial decisions, and tax considerations can easily fall by the wayside. But decisions made before your divorce is finalized can affect your current-year income tax liability and your tax situation in future...
When Roth Makes Sense & When It Doesn’t
Roth accounts have a great reputation, and for good reason. Money goes in after tax, grows over time, and qualified withdrawals come out tax-free. It's easy to hear that and assume Roth is always the smarter choice. But "tax-free later" always comes with a price:...
What Kind of Investor Are You?
When people first learn they can use a self-directed IRA to invest in real estate, private lending, or other alternative assets, the next question usually isn't "what should I buy?" It's something more personal: "How involved do I actually want to be?" That's a great...
Working Teens Can Maximize the Power of Tax-Deferred — or Tax-Free — Compounding with an IRA
Retirement is far from most teenagers’ minds when they get their first jobs. Most young people are more interested in spending their earnings or saving for a shorter-term goal. But those early earnings create a significant financial opportunity: decades of potential...
The SEP IRA Loophole Real Estate Investors Overlook
If you're a real estate investor, you've probably heard plenty about using a self-directed IRA to buy property. What gets talked about far less is which retirement account you use to build up those dollars in the first place. For many people who earn their living in...