Unbeknownst to 98% of working people, the 40 year career plan is over. Statistics show that by age 65 less than 2% of Americans can truly retire in comfort without the help of family members or the government. The lackluster performance of the stock market over the past 6 years has dashed many people's hopes of retiring early. It used to be that you could get a great education, get a great job and settle with a company by the age of 25, keep your nose clean, work your way to the top of the corporate ladder, invest in your company's stock program along the way and by the age of 65 retire from the company you sacrificed for with a good pension and medical expenses covered for the rest of your life.
For many hard working people this is now just wishful thinking and a pipe dream.
Today's norms:
The harsh reality is: Corporate down-sizing (e.g. Gillette, Ford, and GM). Corporate bankruptcies - Enron, Worldcom). Companies robbing corporate pension plans and judges standing by allowing it to happen just ask people working for the airlines, illegal insider stock trading, age discrimination, companies cannot afford to pay health insurance premiums because they have sky-rocketed and guess what? People are living longer.
Other forces: World Instability, unfettered nuclear proliferation, September 11th, natural disasters all cooked together.
Yes, the poor performance of the stock market, lower interest rates and the recent real estate boom have contributed greatly to people looking for alternative investment strategies such as opportunities to invest in real estate with a self directed ira and other retirement funds. But, in of itself this phenomenon is not the only outside stimulus contributing to this financial paradigm shift.
For example, the Internet, information proliferation, people's ability to share information on blogs, the availability of online financial software, and access to real time stock quotes have empowered investors like never before to think outside of the traditional array of investment strategies.
Benefits of investing with a self directed IRA account:
It can stimulate a slowing or sluggish economy A self directed IRA plan is great for recession proofing the economy. For example, money freed up from a retirement account if used to purchase real estate enables construction crews employed.
With the ability to look outside the stock market, an investor may find alternative investment vehicles that are safe, secure and tangible that produce higher returns. This is great for investors who nee to make up for lost time.
Is flexible and permits true retirement diversification and wealth accumulation in tangible assets.
Global investing With your self directed IRA LLC with checkbook control, you can invest in international real estate by simply writing a check from your IRA account and without asking for trust or custodial approval.
Granted self directing your retirement portfolio to purchase real estate is not for everyone as there are IRS rules to follow and a new vocabulary to become familiar with. But seriously, what are your legitimate alternatives?
Joshua Geary is an avid writer, business strategist and online marketing consultant. For more information on how to turn your Self Directed IRA into a wealth building money magnet visit his company online at http://www.MyRealEstateIra.com