Tag: investments

Real Daily Relays Insight from McManus on Self-Directed IRAs

 

Real Daily, which seeks to enrich, enlighten and empower readers to make informed choices that will positively impact their financial lives, recently published the article, “5 Reasons You Need a Self-Directed IRA.” The piece, which cites insight from McManus & Associates Founding Principal John O. McManus, begins with an overview:

·           Self-directed retirement accounts, known as a self-directed individual retirement arrangement (IRA), were created in 1999 by an act of Congress after intensive lobbying of small business owners and associations.

·           The beauty of a self-directed IRA is it allows you to invest up to $6,500 into a tax-deferred account where you control the investments. Many of those investments include alternative vehicles not available in a traditional IRA.

·           These alternative investments include real estate, private mortgages, private company stock, oil and gas limited partnerships, precious metals, horses, and intellectual property.

The first reason why one should consider opening a self-directed IRA is higher returns. Per the article, “The number one reason investors use self-directed IRA accounts is the ability to pursue much higher returns compared to stocks and bonds. If you make a 25% return on a real estate investment and are able to build on that profit cumulatively for 10, 30, or 30 years it can be life-changing.” The story goes on to quote McManus:

“If you understand investments, particularly in certain segments, you can take advantage of higher yields and maybe less volatility,” John O. McManus of the estate-planning firm McManus & Associates in New York and New Providence, New Jersey told NerdWallet.

McManus has invested in real estate and other assets through a self-directed IRA for about 15 years, he says.

A self-directed IRA also lets McManus invest in companies that aren’t publicly traded, which “a mutual fund will not allow you to do,” he says. But, he warns, “this is not a game for the unsophisticated.”

The following four reasons to consider a self-directed IRA include:

·       Better diversification

·       Investing in private equity

·       Putting assets to work

·       Investing in cryptocurrencies

Click here to read the full article, including more information about the five arguments in favor of a self-directed IRA, as well as the risks of self-directed IRAs.

To discuss your investment strategy as it relates to your wealth management plan, call McManus & Associates at 908-898-0100.

McManus Weighs in on Self-Directed IRAs for NerdWallet

Andrea Coombes, whose stories on retirement, investing, taxes and other topics have appeared in the Wall Street Journal, MarketWatch, San Francisco Chronicle and other outlets, recently wrote an article on an investing strategy for the bold-hearted. Her piece, “Self-Directed IRAs: An Option for Expert Investors,” sheds light on the benefits and risks of self-directed IRAs.

Coombes spoke with McManus & Associated Founding Principal John O. McManus for his take. From the story:

The two main reasons investors take on the risks of self-directed IRAs are higher expected returns and the opportunity for diversification.

“If you understand investments, particularly in certain segments, you can take advantage of higher yields and maybe less volatility,” says John O. McManus, who has invested in real estate and other assets through a self-directed IRA for about 15 years. McManus founded the estate-planning firm McManus & Associates in New York and New Providence, New Jersey.

His self-directed IRA also lets McManus invest in companies that aren’t publicly traded, which “a mutual fund will not allow you to do,” he says. But, he warns, “This is not a game for the unsophisticated.”

Head over to NerdWallet to learn more about the advantages and drawbacks of self-directed IRAs. For guidance on your overall wealth management strategy, contact McManus & Associates at 908-898-0100.

New Jersey Law Journal Features Article by McManus in Special Supplement on “Wealth Management”

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On July 28th, New Jersey Law Journal published a special supplement on “Wealth Management.” The featured section includes a co-authored guest article from McManus & Associates Founding Principal John O. McManus and Mark Cortazzo, senior partner at MACRO Consulting Group. The piece, titled “How Estate Planning Can Unintentionally Wreck a Retirement Plan,” outlines steps that can be taken to protect clients when complex investment vehicles like variable annuities are involved in the estate planning process.