When Medical Expenses Are – And Aren’t – Tax Deductible
If you had significant medical expenses last year, you may be wondering what you can deduct on your 2025 income tax return. Income-based thresholds and other rules can make it hard to claim the medical expense deduction. At the same time, more types of expenses may be...
Real Estate and Private Lending in 2026
What Is Working Now and What Needs a Second Look From Rules to Real World Opportunity At this point, most self-directed investors understand the rules. They know what is permitted, what is prohibited, and how alternative assets fit inside an IRA. The question...
Common Fair Market Value Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Fair Market Value reporting is straightforward once expectations are clear, but there are a few common mistakes that tend to come up year after year. The good news is that most of these issues are easily avoided with a bit of awareness and preparation. Using the...
What Is Fair Market Value (FMV) and Why Does the IRS Require It?
Fair Market Value, often referred to as FMV, is the estimated value of an asset if it were sold in the open market under normal conditions. In simple terms, it reflects what a willing buyer would reasonably pay a willing seller at a given point in time. For...
Why Fair Market Value Matters for Your Self Directed IRA
Fair Market Value is more than an administrative requirement. It plays a meaningful role in how your self directed IRA is reported, monitored, and managed over time. Accurate FMV reporting helps ensure your account stays compliant and prevents avoidable issues as...
How Often Does Fair Market Value Need to Be Updated?
Fair Market Value must be updated once per year for self directed retirement accounts. Even though many alternative assets are long term or not frequently traded, the IRS still requires an annual snapshot of the account’s value. This yearly update ensures retirement...
How to Determine Fair Market Value for Real Estate Held in an IRA
Real estate is one of the most common assets held inside a self directed IRA, and it is also one of the most misunderstood when it comes to Fair Market Value. The goal of FMV reporting for real estate is not perfection. It is to provide a reasonable and supportable...
FMV for Private Lending Notes and Promissory Notes
Private lending and promissory notes are popular investments inside self directed IRAs, but they often cause confusion when it comes time to report Fair Market Value. Unlike real estate or publicly traded assets, the value of a note is not always the same as the...
FMV for LLCs and Private Equity Investments
LLCs and private equity investments are common inside self directed IRAs, and they are also some of the most challenging assets to value. Unlike publicly traded investments, these assets do not have daily pricing or open market quotes. Because of this, FMV reporting...
FMV for Alternative Assets (Crypto, Precious Metals, Notes, and More)
Alternative assets inside a self directed IRA can take many forms, from cryptocurrency and precious metals to notes and other nontraditional investments. While these assets differ in structure, they all share one common requirement: an annual Fair Market Value must be...