When your clients want Alternative Assets, we’re the custodian behind them
IRA Financial partners with companies and professionals whose clients, investors, or members would benefit from holding alternative assets in a self-directed retirement structure. You keep the relationship and the advice. We hold the account, administer the transactions, and handle the IRS reporting.
Where we fit
We hold the account, the asset, and the administration behind it.
We never sell investments or give investment, legal, or tax advice.
Start with a conversation with our partnerships team about what fits.
You keep the client relationship, the advice, and the strategy work.
27K+
Active Accounts
$8B+
Assets Invested
97%
Client Retention Rate
4.7
Trust Pilot Rating
Most of your clients don’t know their retirement money can do this
A self-directed retirement account lets an individual invest their IRA, old 401(k), or HSA in assets outside the public markets — real estate, private placements, precious metals, cryptocurrency, and more. For the professional advising them, that opens a second source of funding they already have but rarely think to use. For a sponsor or platform raising capital, it opens a pool of money that would otherwise sit in a brokerage account.
IRA Financial acts as custodian and administrator. We don’t sell investments and we don’t give investment, legal, or tax advice — so we’re not competing with you for the relationship you’ve built.
Accounts we administer
Self-Directed IRA
Control your own retirement investments with custodian support.
Solo 401(k)
Tax-advantaged retirement for entrepreneurs.
ROBS
Use retirement funds to start or buy a business without taxes or penalties.
Self-Directed HSA
Invest HSA funds for tax free growth on qualified medical expenses.
SEP IRA and SIMPLE IRA
Savings incentive plans for small businesses
Assets that can be held
No other provider offers this range of assets inside a single tax-advantaged retirement account.
Real Estate
Own property directly in your retirement account, from land to rentals. Income and proceeds stay within the account's tax treatment.
Farmland
Commercial Real Estate
Raw Land
Industrial Property
Short-term Rentals
Residential Rental Properties
Crypto
Trade major cryptocurrencies in real time, held alongside the rest of your portfolio.
Bitcoin (BTC)
Ethereum (ETH)
Litecoin (LTC)
Ripple (XRP)
Cardano (ADA)
Polkadot (DOT)
Public Markets
Build a core portfolio with stocks, ETFs, and bonds. Stock and ETF trades carry no per-trade fees.
Stocks
ETFs
Bonds
Mutual Funds
Currency/Forex
Private Placements
Invest in private companies and funds that are rarely available in a standard retirement account.
Startups
Reg D & Reg A+ Offerings
LLC & LP Interests
Private Company Stock
Precious Metals
Add IRS-approved metals to your account, stored and reported for you.
Gold
Silver
Platinum
Palladium
Tax Liens & Deeds
Invest in tax liens and deeds through your IRA, a category most retirement platforms don't support.
Tax Lien Certificates
Tax Deeds
Redemption Deeds
Over-the-Counter Tax
Tax Lien Funds
How you can work with us
Most partnerships take one of four shapes. Which one fits depends on how close you sit to the investment decision, and we’re open to building something in between.
Referral partnerships
You introduce clients, employees, or members who need a Self-Directed IRA, Solo 401(k), or ROBS structure. We handle onboarding, custody, compliance, and ongoing support.
Closest fit for attorneys, CPAs, and advisors who want a place to send clients without taking on the administration.
Co-marketing and education
We build joint webinars, guides, and content with your firm, association, or platform so your audience hears it from both organizations.
Closest fit for associations, franchises, and firms with an audience to educate.
Integration and Platform
For real estate platforms, fund sponsors, and fintech companies: connect your offering or software to IRA Financial so investors can fund deals directly from a retirement account.
Worth a conversation if your investors are asking about funding with retirement money.
Employee benefits
For business owners and HR or benefits consultants: add a Self-Directed Solo 401(k) or SIMPLE IRA option alongside your existing benefits package.
Gives employees investment flexibility a typical 401(k) provider does not offer.
What sets us apart from another custodian
Self-directed custodians look similar from the outside. The differences show up in who answers the phone, how broad the asset menu is, and whether the account holder can actually see what they own.
We are not competing with you
IRA Financial does not sell investments and does not give investment, legal, or tax advice. The client relationship you bring stays yours.
In-house tax and ERISA specialists
Structuring questions go to specialists who work on these accounts every day, rather than a general support queue.
The full alternative asset range
Real estate, private equity, private placements, precious metals, and cryptocurrency, alongside traditional securities in the same account.
Every structure under one roof
Self-Directed IRAs, Roth IRAs, Solo 401(k)s, SEP and SIMPLE IRAs, HSAs, and ROBS; so the answer does not depend on which product line a client lands in.
Scale that has been tested
Generally subject to a 10% penalty plus ordinary income tax on the distributed amount. Exceptions apply for first-time home purchase, qualified education expenses, and permanent disability.
Clients can see what they own
Balances, holdings, and transaction history are available to the account holder in our online portal, not by request.
The businesses and professionals we partner with
Each of these groups comes to self-direction for a different reason. Here is what the relationship looks like from both sides.
Clients bring you assets that don’t fit a brokerage account — a rental property, an interest in a private company, a note. A self-directed structure gives them a compliant home for it, and gives you a custodian who stays out of the advice.
Also relevant for trust and probate practices, and firms advising on business succession.
For you
- A custodian to point to when a client asks where an alternative asset can be held
- No competition for the advisory relationship — we do not sell investments or give legal or tax advice
- A partnerships contact who can talk structure with you directly
For the people you serve
- Real estate, private equity, and other alternatives held inside a retirement account
- Administration, transaction processing, and annual IRS reporting handled
- Access to in-house tax and ERISA specialists for structuring questions
Self-employed and small-business clients often need more contribution room than they realize, and clients holding alternatives need reporting they can rely on. Both are conversations that start with the right account structure.
Also relevant for bookkeeping practices and outsourced CFO firms with business-owner clients.
For you
- A structure to recommend when a client needs higher contribution limits, such as a Solo 401(k) or SEP IRA
- Custody and paperwork handled so the strategy work stays with you
- Statements and valuations to support your annual reporting
For the people you serve
- Retirement plans sized for self-employment and business income
- Alternative assets held in a tax-advantaged account
- Specialists available for questions about the structure itself
Clients who want private real estate or a fund allocation usually have to move money somewhere you can’t see. Holding those assets in a self-directed account with us keeps them visible and keeps the relationship yours.
Also relevant for family offices and independent broker-dealer affiliated advisors, subject to your firm’s compliance rules.
For you
- Alternative allocations that stay inside a retirement account rather than leaving the household
- A custodian that does not sell investments or compete for your clients
- Coordination with your team through a single partnerships contact
For the people you serve
- Diversification outside the public markets without giving up their advisor
- One account holding both traditional and alternative positions
- Online access to balances, holdings, and transactions
Retirement accounts are a funding source most investors never bring to a deal. When your subscription process accommodates them, a “no” for lack of liquid cash can become a “yes” funded from an old 401(k).
Also relevant for syndicators, private lenders, note funds, and investment platforms.
For you
- Access to investor capital that is otherwise sitting in a brokerage or old employer plan
- A defined process for onboarding investors who fund from a retirement account
- A partnerships contact to coordinate paperwork and funding with your team
For the people you serve
- A way to participate in your deals without liquidating personal savings
- Returns that grow tax-deferred or tax-free inside the account
- Transaction processing and recordkeeping handled by the custodian
Practice owners and business owners have two problems at once: their own retirement savings and their team’s. Self-directed plans address both, and ROBS funding uses retirement money to start or buy a business outright.
Also relevant for medical and dental practices, franchise owners, and HR or benefits consultants.
For you
- High-contribution plan options for owners, including the Solo 401(k)
- ROBS structures for funding the purchase or launch of a business
- A retirement benefit with more investment flexibility than a standard provider offers
For the people you serve
- Employees get investment choice beyond a preset fund menu
- Accounts that can hold real estate, private equity, and other alternatives
- Support from a team that administers these plans day to day
Your members already trust you to vet what you put in front of them. Self-directed retirement accounts, paired with education built for your audience, is a benefit that costs the organization nothing to offer.
Also relevant for trade groups, professional societies, and franchise networks.
For you
- A member or franchisee benefit backed by a specialist custodian
- Education and content we can build around your audience
- A single point of contact for your organization
For the people you serve
- Access to retirement structures most providers do not offer
- Education on the rules before they commit to anything
- A dedicated team to open and administer the account
Don’t see your business here?
These are the groups we hear from most, not the ones we’re limited to. If you work with people who could use a retirement account that holds more than stocks and funds, tell us how your business runs and let’s explore it. Schedule a consultation or call 800-472-1043 and ask for our partnerships team.
From first call to your first referral
01
Connect
Tell us about your firm, the people you serve, and what you are hoping a partnership will do for them.
02
Choose a model
We will recommend a referral, co-marketing, integration, or benefits structure based on your business, or build something custom.
03
Launch
We set up your referral process, co-branded materials, or integration, and get your team what they need to talk about it confidently.
04
Grow
Your partnerships contact stays available for questions, and we look for ways to expand the relationship over time.
Ready to become a partner?
Frequently asked questions
Still have a question? Call 800-472-1043 or ask our partnerships team directly.
No. Our clients come through law firms, tax and accounting practices, medical and dental practices, real estate platforms, associations, and individual advisors and executives. If the people you serve could benefit from a self-directed retirement account, it is worth a conversation.
No. IRA Financial is a custodian and administrator. We do not sell investments and we do not provide investment, legal, or tax advice, so the advisory relationship stays with you.
Referral compensation depends on your license type, your industry’s compliance rules, and the partnership structure. Our partnerships team will walk you through what’s available and compliant for your specific situation.
Self-Directed IRAs, Roth IRAs, Solo 401(k)s, SEP and SIMPLE IRAs, HSAs, and Rollover Business Startups (ROBS), each of which can hold real estate, private equity, precious metals, cryptocurrency, and other alternative assets alongside traditional investments.
Our partnerships team will get in touch to learn about your organization, the people you serve, and what you are hoping to offer them, and then walk you through the options that make sense for your situation.
Let’s talk about what a partnership could look like
Tell us who you serve and what you’d like to be able to offer them. Tony Unkel, our Director of Partnerships, will walk you through the structures that fit how you already work.
Become a partner
Prefer to talk it through?
