Traditional investments refer to publicly traded assets that most retirement accounts default to—like stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and ETFs. These are typically offered through brokerage firms and are valued daily on public markets. They’re familiar, liquid, and highly regulated—but they also tend to move with broader market cycles and offer limited diversification.

Alternative investments, on the other hand, include a wide range of non-public assets like real estate, cryptocurrency, private equity, precious metals, and private lending. These assets are generally held through a Self-Directed IRA or Solo 401(k) and are not available through most traditional custodians. While they can carry more complexity and require due diligence, they offer unique opportunities for diversification, inflation protection, and long-term growth outside of Wall Street.

In short: traditional investments are easy and familiar, but limited. Alternative asset investments require more involvement—but can offer more control, potential upside, and true portfolio diversification.

Alternative assets, or alternative investments, fall outside of traditional investments like stocks. Alternative investment assets include options like real estate, cryptocurrency, precious metals, private lending, private equity, tax liens, and more. These asset classes must meet IRS guidelines and be held through a Self-Directed IRA or Solo 401(k) to remain compliant.

Traditional investments refer to publicly traded assets that most retirement accounts default to—like stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and ETFs. These are typically offered through brokerage firms and are valued daily on public markets. They’re familiar, liquid, and highly regulated—but they also tend to move with broader market cycles and offer limited diversification.

Alternative investments, on the other hand, include a wide range of non-public assets like real estate, cryptocurrency, private equity, precious metals, and private lending. These assets are generally held through a Self-Directed IRA or Solo 401(k) and are not available through most traditional custodians. While they can carry more complexity and require due diligence, they offer unique opportunities for diversification, inflation protection, and long-term growth outside of Wall Street.

In short: traditional investments are easy and familiar, but limited. Alternative asset investments require more involvement—but can offer more control, potential upside, and true portfolio diversification.

To invest in alternative assets, your retirement plan must allow for self-direction. The most common retirement accounts that support alternative investments are:

• Self-Directed Traditional IRAs
• Self-Directed Roth IRAs
  Self-Directed SEP IRAs (for self-employed individuals or small business owners)
• Self-Directed SIMPLE IRAs (for small businesses with fewer than 100 employees)

Solo 401(k) plans (for self-employed individuals or business owners with no full-time employees)

Yes. The IRS allows many types of alternative investments but prohibits a few—including collectibles (like art or wine), life insurance contracts, and certain transactions with disqualified persons (like buying property from a family member). It’s important to work with an alternative asset custodian that understands these rules to avoid triggering penalties.

Each year, your alternative asset custodian is required to report the fair market value (FMV) of the assets held in your retirement account. For alternative investments, this typically means getting a third-party valuation or providing a qualified estimate. Proper documentation ensures IRS compliance and keeps your account in good standing.

Yes, you can hold both traditional and alternative assets in a Self-Directed IRA or Solo 401(k)—as long as the account is properly structured and the custodian supports it. For example, you might own both public stocks and a piece of rental property within the same retirement plan.

Since alternative assets aren’t traded on public markets, it’s your responsibility to research each opportunity thoroughly. That includes evaluating the asset’s value, risk profile, legal structure, and exit strategy. IRA Financial can help guide you through what to look for, but ultimately, you’re in control of your investment decisions.