In any IRA, including a self-directed one, a bank or IRS-approved non-bank trustee holds legal title to the account's assets under IRC Section 408(a) — you direct how the money is invested, but you don't personally hold the assets. This is precisely why self-directed IRAs use custodians and, for...
Written by Samuel, Certified Public Accountant Published August 2026 Last updated: August 2026 About this guide: This page is reviewed for tax treatment and account-structure accuracy by a Certified Public Accountant on our team. It reflects independent research and is not personalized tax, legal,...
Headlines about banks "being in trouble" often skip the actual protection already in place: the FDIC insures deposit accounts up to $250,000 per depositor, per insured bank, per ownership category. That coverage is why the 2023 regional bank failures (Silicon Valley Bank, Signature Bank) resulted...
A fixed annuity and a Silver IRA solve different problems and shouldn't be compared as substitutes. A fixed annuity is an insurance contract: the insurer guarantees a set interest rate for a period, or a guaranteed income stream in retirement, backed by the claims-paying ability of the issuing...
Not every silver coin or bar qualifies for an IRA. IRC Section 408(m)(3) sets a minimum fineness of .999 for silver held in a retirement account (gold's minimum is .995, platinum and palladium .9995), and the metal must come from a national government mint or a manufacturer accredited by...
