Why a Self-Directed IRA Is Still the Best Vehicle for Alternative Investments

The Wall Street Journal recently highlighted a growing tension in retirement policy. President Trump’s administration has pushed to expand the use of alternative assets such as private equity, real estate, cryptocurrency, and hedge funds inside 401(k) plans. An executive order issued in August directed the Department of Labor to reduce the litigation risk that has long discouraged employers from offering these investments.

But the Journal makes one thing clear. Litigation remains the elephant in the room. Even with regulatory encouragement, most employers are unlikely to take on the legal exposure that comes with offering alternative assets in 401(k) plans. The fiduciary duty governing 401(k)s under ERISA is broad, subjective, and a frequent target for lawsuits.

For investors who want meaningful exposure to alternative assets, this leaves a more reliable and proven path: the Self-Directed IRA (SDIRA). Below is why SDIRAs continue to be the superior solution for building a diversified retirement portfolio with private investments.

The Litigation Problem with 401(k)s

One of the biggest obstacles to alternatives in 401(k) plans is not legality. Federal law does not prohibit them outright. The real issue is liability.

Employers and plan sponsors are required to act in the “best interests” of plan participants, a vague standard that has fueled hundreds of class-action lawsuits over the past decade.

The costs have been enormous. Major employers such as Boeing and Lockheed Martin have paid tens of millions of dollars to settle fee-related lawsuits.

The scope of litigation keeps expanding. What once focused mainly on excessive fees now includes challenges to investment lineups, plan design decisions, and administrative practices.

Even so-called safe harbors do not eliminate risk. As the Wall Street Journal notes, while the administration may issue guidance to shield employers that follow certain procedures, courts can still second-guess those decisions. That can mean years of costly litigation, even when employers believe they followed the rules.

For plan sponsors, the risk is simply too high. Even if alternative assets could improve long-term outcomes, the legal exposure is often a deal-breaker.

Why Alternatives Fit Better in IRAs

The IRA framework is fundamentally different. IRAs are individually controlled accounts, not employer-sponsored plans, and that distinction has major implications.

No Employer Fiduciary Risk

In an IRA, you make the investment decisions. There is no employer acting as a fiduciary for your choices, and no third party exposed to lawsuits based on your allocation to private equity, real estate, or other alternatives.

Broader Investment Flexibility

401(k) plans are limited to what employers are comfortable offering, which usually means mutual funds and ETFs. A Self-Directed IRA can hold nearly any asset the IRS allows, including real estate, private funds, promissory notes, startups, precious metals, and more.

Litigation Risk Is Largely Removed

ERISA lawsuits target employers and plan sponsors. That legal framework does not apply in the same way to IRAs. You are not going to sue yourself for making an investment decision. While custodians must follow IRS rules, the litigation environment that scares employers away from alternatives simply does not exist in the IRA context.

The Fee Debate

Critics of alternatives in retirement accounts often focus on fees. As the Wall Street Journal points out, litigation has helped drive 401(k) fees down by roughly 20 percent since 2009. Alternative investments, by contrast, often carry higher costs.

That observation is accurate, but it misses the point when comparing 401(k)s to Self-Directed IRAs.

In a 401(k), participants have no real choice. They are limited to what their employer offers. If a plan includes higher-cost investments, employees bear those costs whether or not the trade-off makes sense for them.

In an IRA, participation is voluntary. If you understand the fee structure of a private equity fund or a real estate deal and believe the potential return justifies the cost, that decision is yours to make.

The difference is control. In a 401(k), higher fees can be imposed on thousands of employees. In an IRA, you decide whether an opportunity is worth it.

Liquidity, Transparency, and Control

Opponents also argue that alternative assets are too complex, illiquid, or opaque for retirement savers. Those concerns may be valid in a 401(k) environment, where participants with varying levels of sophistication are funneled into the same menu of investments.

In a Self-Directed IRA, the dynamics are different.

Investors are self-selected. People who choose SDIRAs are actively seeking diversification beyond mutual funds. They tend to be more engaged, more informed, and more willing to handle complexity.

Control is direct. You decide how much of your portfolio to allocate to illiquid or higher-risk assets. If you want 10 percent in real estate and 90 percent in index funds, that is entirely up to you.

Transparency is manageable. In private investments, you can ask questions, review documents, negotiate terms, and demand disclosures. None of that is possible with a standard 401(k) investment lineup.

The one-size-fits-all problem that plagues employer-sponsored plans is precisely why IRAs are more adaptable.

Policy Uncertainty vs. Established Freedom

Another challenge with relying on 401(k) reform is political volatility.

Under the Biden administration, the Department of Labor issued warnings against private equity and crypto in 401(k) plans.

Under the Trump administration, those warnings are being rescinded and alternatives are being encouraged.

A future administration could easily reverse course again.

This back-and-forth creates uncertainty for employers and employees alike. By contrast, IRAs operate under long-standing provisions of the tax code. Alternative investments in IRAs have been permitted for decades under relatively stable rules governing prohibited transactions and unrelated business income tax.

Put simply, IRAs offer consistency. Access to alternatives in 401(k)s depends on shifting political priorities.

Practical Lessons for Investors

For individuals serious about building long-term wealth with alternative assets, the takeaway is straightforward.

If you wait for your employer’s 401(k) to offer private funds or real estate, you may be waiting indefinitely. Litigation risk makes widespread adoption unlikely.

If you rely on political promises, you are betting on regulations that can change every election cycle.

With a Self-Directed IRA, you can invest today under well-established rules, without depending on employer decisions or fluctuating regulatory guidance.

Conclusion: The Power of Choice

The Wall Street Journal is right to highlight the litigation risks that continue to limit innovation in 401(k) plans. That same analysis, however, reinforces why Self-Directed IRAs remain the best vehicle for alternative investments.

In an IRA, you are not constrained by employer risk tolerance, class-action exposure, or political uncertainty. You can diversify into assets traditionally reserved for pensions, endowments, and ultra-wealthy investors, while still enjoying tax-advantaged growth.

401(k) reform may dominate headlines, but the practical reality remains unchanged. For retirement investors seeking alternatives, the Self-Directed IRA is still the most effective and reliable solution.