Self-Directed IRA | Millennium Trust Company
Wealth & Retirement

Alternative Asset Investing with a Self-Directed IRA

Meet your investment goals and save for the retirement you want. Our self-directed IRAs give you the control and flexibility you need to manage your own diversified portfolio of both traditional and alternative assets.

Self-Directed IRAs

A self-directed IRA is a tax-advantaged account that gives you complete control over your retirement assets. You can choose from a wide range of assets as you direct all of the investment decisions on behalf of your account. Before you invest, it is important to educate yourself on IRA guidelines and investing in alternative assets.

Benefits & Services

Trusted Expertise

Selecting a custodian for your Self-Directed IRA can be a tough choice. With almost 20 years of experience with the custody of alternative assets, we are experts in custody and work to continually improve the client experience by providing access, simplified processes, reporting and much more.

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Not all assets are eligible to be custodied. For Self-Directed IRAs holding alternative assets, the process generally involves the pre-custody review process and opening, funding and directing investments in your account. For details about each asset type and to learn about the process, visit our custody process page. You can check your asset’s eligibility by submitting an asset through our Pre-Custody Process.

Learn about the processOnline Pre-Custody ProcessOpen an account

Account Types We Custody

You can choose from a variety of accounts that best suits your needs.

  • Individual IRAs – Traditional & Roth
  • Small Business Plans – Simple & SEP IRAs, Solo 401k
  • Custodial Accounts – Individuals, Trusts, Employer Plan Benefits and Custodial Accounts for Plan Participants.
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What Types Of Assets Do We Custody?

While many financial institutions custody stocks, bonds, and mutual funds, we are one of the few independent trust companies that custody both alternative and traditional assets.

What is a hedge fund?

A hedge fund is a type of private fund that pools investor assets to pursue a specific investment strategy (such as long-short equity, market neutral, or relative value). Typically, the objective of a hedge fund is to generate absolute returns i.e. limit market risk while seeking to generate positive returns in all market conditions.
Learn about the process for investing

Millennium Trust does not recommend any particular investment or asset category. Investors are urged to speak with a tax or investment advisor before investing.

What is private equity/debt?

Investors may wish to provide capital to private businesses. The investor may become a company owner (equity investor) or a company creditor (debt investor), depending on how the agreement is structured. The funding provided may help start a new business, provide an existing firm with additional capital, finance the acquisition of a company, or something else entirely. In general, private equity/debt is less liquid than public equity/debt.

Private Equity
Investments are most often made by investing in a pooled investment vehicle that invests in private companies (Private Equity Funds) or through direct purchase of private company stock.

Private Debt
Investments are most often made indirectly by investing in a pooled investment vehicle (or fund) that invests in loans or other debt instruments, or directly by lending. Included in these types of investments are secured and unsecured Promissory Notes and Mortgage/Deeds of Trust.
Learn about the process for investing

Millennium Trust does not recommend any particular investment or asset category. Investors are urged to speak with a tax or investment advisor before investing.

What are real assets?

Real assets include land, buildings, precious metals and other tangible goods. Like many alternative investments, real assets tend to have a low correlation to traditional investments. Real assets tend to be less liquid than publicly traded investments.

Real Estate
There are many ways to own real estate. You can purchase a property directly, invest in an entity purchasing real estate, purchase a real estate investment trust (REIT), or mortgage.

  • If buying property directly, please follow the instructions here or click on the "Learn about the process for investing" button below.
  • If buying into an entity such as an LP or LLC purchasing real estate or REIT, please click here.
  • If purchasing a mortgage, please click here.
  • If interested in tax deferral on real estate owned outside of an IRA through 1031 Exchange, please visit our solution at Accruit.com

Learn about the process for investing View our Real Estate Infographic

Precious Metals
Most investors are familiar with precious metals, such as gold, silver, palladium, platinum, etc. However, many don’t realize that while you can gain exposure to precious metals through stocks, exchange-traded funds, mutual funds, futures and options markets, it is also possible to hold certain physical precious metals, like bullion bars, within an IRA. Please go to our Forms library to download the appropriate precious metals investment forms

Millennium Trust does not recommend any particular investment, asset category or dealer. Investors are urged to conduct their own due diligence and speak with a tax or investment advisor before investing IRA funds.

What are commodities and commodities futures?

As a general rule soft commodities are grown (corn, soybeans, wheat) and hard commodities are mined or manufactured (aluminum, copper, natural gas). Investors typically invest in commodities via commodities futures contracts, which give them the right to buy or sell an amount of a commodity at a specific price on a specified future date. Some buy commodities futures to make the cost of doing business more predictable i.e. as a hedge (farmers, airlines); others seek to profit from their commodities trades.
Learn about the process for investing

Millennium Trust is not a Futures Commission Merchant or an Introducing Brokerage Firm and does not hold futures positions or the associated funds to margin, guarantee, secure or settle such positions in any IRA. Millennium Trust does not take or place futures trade orders.

What are marketplace loans?

Through online credit marketplaces, individuals can lend money to a variety of borrowers for any number of reasons, including credit card refinancing, small business growth, education or real estate. In return, the borrower agrees to pay the loan back, with interest, over a specified period of time. Investors typically invest in multiple loans in order to diversify their loan portfolios and attempt to mitigate default risks.
Learn about the process for investing

Millennium Trust does not recommend any particular investment or asset category. Investors are urged to speak with a tax or investment advisor before investing.

What are traditional investments?

Traditional investments are typically publicly traded assets and include stocks, bonds, mutual funds, CDs and exchange-traded funds.
Learn about the process for investing

Millennium Trust does not recommend any particular investment or asset category. Investors are urged to speak with a tax or investment advisor before investing.

  • Hedge Funds

    What is a hedge fund?

    A hedge fund is a type of private fund that pools investor assets to pursue a specific investment strategy (such as long-short equity, market neutral, or relative value). Typically, the objective of a hedge fund is to generate absolute returns i.e. limit market risk while seeking to generate positive returns in all market conditions.
    Learn about the process for investing

    Millennium Trust does not recommend any particular investment or asset category. Investors are urged to speak with a tax or investment advisor before investing.

  • Private Equity / Debt

    What is private equity/debt?

    Investors may wish to provide capital to private businesses. The investor may become a company owner (equity investor) or a company creditor (debt investor), depending on how the agreement is structured. The funding provided may help start a new business, provide an existing firm with additional capital, finance the acquisition of a company, or something else entirely. In general, private equity/debt is less liquid than public equity/debt.

    Private Equity
    Investments are most often made by investing in a pooled investment vehicle that invests in private companies (Private Equity Funds) or through direct purchase of private company stock.

    Private Debt
    Investments are most often made indirectly by investing in a pooled investment vehicle (or fund) that invests in loans or other debt instruments, or directly by lending. Included in these types of investments are secured and unsecured Promissory Notes and Mortgage/Deeds of Trust.
    Learn about the process for investing

    Millennium Trust does not recommend any particular investment or asset category. Investors are urged to speak with a tax or investment advisor before investing.

  • Real Estate / Real Assets

    What are real assets?

    Real assets include land, buildings, precious metals and other tangible goods. Like many alternative investments, real assets tend to have a low correlation to traditional investments. Real assets tend to be less liquid than publicly traded investments.

    Real Estate
    There are many ways to own real estate. You can purchase a property directly, invest in an entity purchasing real estate, purchase a real estate investment trust (REIT), or mortgage.

    • If buying property directly, please follow the instructions here or click on the "Learn about the process for investing" button below.
    • If buying into an entity such as an LP or LLC purchasing real estate or REIT, please click here.
    • If purchasing a mortgage, please click here.
    • If interested in tax deferral on real estate owned outside of an IRA through 1031 Exchange, please visit our solution at Accruit.com

    Learn about the process for investing View our Real Estate Infographic

    Precious Metals
    Most investors are familiar with precious metals, such as gold, silver, palladium, platinum, etc. However, many don’t realize that while you can gain exposure to precious metals through stocks, exchange-traded funds, mutual funds, futures and options markets, it is also possible to hold certain physical precious metals, like bullion bars, within an IRA. Please go to our Forms library to download the appropriate precious metals investment forms

    Millennium Trust does not recommend any particular investment, asset category or dealer. Investors are urged to conduct their own due diligence and speak with a tax or investment advisor before investing IRA funds.

  • Commodities / Futures

    What are commodities and commodities futures?

    As a general rule soft commodities are grown (corn, soybeans, wheat) and hard commodities are mined or manufactured (aluminum, copper, natural gas). Investors typically invest in commodities via commodities futures contracts, which give them the right to buy or sell an amount of a commodity at a specific price on a specified future date. Some buy commodities futures to make the cost of doing business more predictable i.e. as a hedge (farmers, airlines); others seek to profit from their commodities trades.
    Learn about the process for investing

    Millennium Trust is not a Futures Commission Merchant or an Introducing Brokerage Firm and does not hold futures positions or the associated funds to margin, guarantee, secure or settle such positions in any IRA. Millennium Trust does not take or place futures trade orders.

  • Marketplace Loans

    What are marketplace loans?

    Through online credit marketplaces, individuals can lend money to a variety of borrowers for any number of reasons, including credit card refinancing, small business growth, education or real estate. In return, the borrower agrees to pay the loan back, with interest, over a specified period of time. Investors typically invest in multiple loans in order to diversify their loan portfolios and attempt to mitigate default risks.
    Learn about the process for investing

    Millennium Trust does not recommend any particular investment or asset category. Investors are urged to speak with a tax or investment advisor before investing.

  • Traditional Assets

    What are traditional investments?

    Traditional investments are typically publicly traded assets and include stocks, bonds, mutual funds, CDs and exchange-traded funds.
    Learn about the process for investing

    Millennium Trust does not recommend any particular investment or asset category. Investors are urged to speak with a tax or investment advisor before investing.

Discover, Research, Invest

Gaining access to Alternative Assets has never been easier. Find out how in the recently-refreshed Millennium Alternative Investment Network®.

ExploreDownload Investor fact sheet

Custody Fees

Millennium Trust charges an annual maintenance fee for the establishment and ongoing administration of the account. It is charged upon account establishment and then annually thereafter. Depending on your account type and assets held, asset holding fee(s) and other fees may also apply. For full details, please see our standard fee schedule.

Fee schedule

Ready To Get Started?

If you are ready to build a more diversified portfolio and take control of your retirement savings, open a Millennium Trust Account today. The process is simple – submit your asset for pre-custody review and then begin the account opening process through our online applications.

Submit Pre-Custody ReviewOpen an Account