Universal IRA

What is a Universal IRA?

A Universal IRA is essentially the same as any other IRA you might hold at any custodian. What distinguishes the Universal IRA is its ability to incorporate almost any investment permitted by the IRS, including traditional, or public market assets (such as stocks and mutual funds) and alternative, or private market assets (such as real estate and private equity) in your portfolio.

This account, with its universal investment options, enables you to achieve a well-diversified portfolio, with the simplicity of a single login.

Ready to go beyond a self-directed IRA? Get started with a Universal IRA.

Benefits of a Universal IRA

Here’s how the Universal IRA is revolutionizing retirement investing:

One IRA, Nearly Endless Investment Options: A singular IRA can hold both publicly traded and alternative investments.

One Platform to Track All Account Activities: Our online account management system myEQUITY enables you to keep tabs on all your account activities in one place.

Simplicity: Quickly move funds to invest between traditional and alternative assets.

Access to Investments: Easy access to find and invest in traditional and alternative assets in a tax-advantaged account.

How Does a Universal IRA Work?

Many large financial institutions will custody traditional investments – such as stocks and mutual funds – in retirement accounts. Other institutions will custody alternative investments including real estate, private equity, and cryptocurrency. Generally, each institution or custodian is equipped to efficiently handle traditional or alternative investments.

With the Universal IRA, Equity Trust enables you to hold both traditional and alternative assets in a single IRA. Equity Trust is a leader in alternative assets in retirement accounts. Our affiliation with ETC Brokerage Services provides the unparalleled ability to hold traditional assets in a linked brokerage account. This enables you to move in and out of traditional and alternative investments without the hassle of moving funds from one trust company to another.

Universal IRA Rules and Considerations

Before getting started with a Universal IRA, it’s important to know the IRS’s rules governing IRAs. Otherwise, you may risk incurring penalties and losing the tax-advantaged status of the account.

Disqualified Persons: As the IRA owner, you’re considered a disqualified person to your account and may not receive personal benefits from your investment. Likewise, your account may not transact with other disqualified persons, including family members of lineal descent and any fiduciaries. Learn more about disqualified persons.

Prohibited Transactions: The IRS defines prohibited transactions as investments with disqualified individuals, “self-dealing” (using your IRA to pay yourself), and receiving indirect benefits. Learn more about prohibited transactions.

Handling of Funds: All income and expenses for an IRA-held investment must flow through the IRA.

Contribution and Withdrawal Rules: Retirement accounts have maximum contribution amounts for each year. Accounts also have a minimum age at which you can withdraw funds, and some require you to withdraw funds after you reach a certain age.

Opening Your Universal IRA

In just a few steps, you can be ready to invest in a world of asset options within a single IRA. Our team of dedicated onboarding specialists handles the administrative work to ensure a smooth experience along the way. Here’s what you can expect:

The Equity Trust Company Advantage

In addition to the groundbreaking Universal IRA, there are several reasons to choose Equity Trust Company, an industry leader, as your self-directed account custodian.

Nearly limitless investments, one IRA

Traditional financial institutions limit your IRA to traditional investments. With Equity Trust, you can truly diversify into a range of options such as real estate and private equity – in addition to stocks, bonds, and mutual funds.

The power to help you succeed

Our size, expertise, and technology help us ensure that we’re there when you need us most. With over 400 associates focused on processing more than 2 million transactions each year, we work diligently to enhance your experience and follow your direction.

Your direction, our support

Our knowledgeable, client-focused associates are here to provide dedicated, personalized service, from opening your account to assisting you with processing your investment transactions. You can lean on our 50 years of experience in the financial services industry.

Talk to a knowledgeable IRA Counselor.

Access to opportunities to match your goals

Don’t have an investment in mind? Most other custodians establish your account and leave you on your own to figure it out. Our Investment District online marketplace enables you to find and research potential alternative investment opportunities with the click of a button, and our WealthBridge portal connects your account instantly to integrated investment providers for fast, easy research and potential investing.