He’s gone and done it now. Joe Biden is officially targeting your IRA and 401(k). If you value your retirement savings, you need to listen right now. I’m Bryan Ellis. This is Episode #327 of Self-Directed Investor Talk.----Hello, Self-Directed Investor Nation, all across the fruited plane! Welcome to the SHOW OF RECORD for savvy self-directed investors just like you.Joe Biden, Democrat candidate for President of the United States, has tried to slip in a doozy of a tax policy change that, frankly, will hit me and you right in the pocketbook… and he’s trying to make sure that nobody knows about it by not bringing any attention to it.But this has not escaped the watchful eye of the team here at Self-Directed Investor Talk.On today’s page, which being that this is episode #327, that page is, of course, SDITalk.com/327… On that page, I’ll link to the sources from which this data comes so you can judge it for yourself.But here’s the bottom line: If you elect Joe Biden as president, your IRA and 401(k) tax benefits are going to be slashed. Period.The specifics of the policy are not yet well described by the Biden campaign, because I suspect they’re trying to avoid the absolute CRAPSTORM that will result whenever the public gets wind of this. But it’s such a clear and obvious negative that, well… I’ll just read a quote to you from RollCall.com that has some good coverage of this issue. The quote is:The former vice president’s "drastic" proposal, in the words of one industry lobbyist, would upend existing tax preferences for retirement saving in 401(k)-style plans. The Investment Company Institute, which represents mutual funds, exchange-traded funds and other investment vehicles in the U.S. and abroad, has already promised opposition.So, my friends, it looks something like this:Under the current system - which has worked beautifully for decades - when you contribute money to a traditional I

It seems pretty clear that ONE of the two Presidential candidates absolutely opposes everything you and I stand for as self-directed investors. I'm Bryan Ellis. Right now in Episode #326 of Self-Directed Investor Talk, I give you the proof...---Hello, Self-Directed Investors, all across the fruited plane. Welcome to the show of record for savvy self-directed investors like you, where in each episode, I help you to find, understand and profit from exceptional alternative investment opportunities.It is the season for Presidential Politics... and you know, of course, that means I'll poke my head out of the shadows and begin to share with you the harsh realities of politics as it relates to my plight and yours as self-directed investors.You and I, we think alike. We're looking for opportunity. We're looking for a way to apply that most valuable asset of them all… our minds… to fortify our financial positions for the benefit of ourselves, our families, future generations and to help the causes that matter most to us.Yesterday, Motley Fool published a list of 12 tax law changes that one of the Presidential candidates is pushing in his bid to serve in the highest office in the land for the next four years. I’ll link to it on today’s page, at SDITalk.com/326 so you can check it out yourself.Now I won’t even sully the conversation by saying WHICH candidate – obviously there’s only Trump and Biden – but I won’t shift this to being about those men. Let’s just look at the policies and how they’ll impact you and me as builders of wealth.Policy Shift #1: An increase in the corporate tax rate from 21% to 28%. That’s an obvious negative… rising corporate tax rates are ALWAYS – I repeat ALWAYS – passed on to consumers. I could say more, but I suspect it’s unnecessary, so let’s look at...Policy Shift #2: A minimum tax on corporate income. Basically the idea here is this: If a company complies with the tax law in such a way that even the U.S. Treasury is unable to fault their tax planning, and as a result that company does not have to pay income taxes, this policy would mean tha

CoronaVirus has created more abject terror than anything I’ve ever seen. If we’re to believe Warren Buffett, then wise investors are to be “greedy when others are fearful”. So how, exactly, can you be wisely greedy right now? I’m Bryan Ellis. I’ll tell you RIGHT NOW in Episode #325 of Self-Directed Investor Talk.---The world changed radically a few weeks ago. Free countries went on total lockdown. The hottest commodites in the world became hand sanitizer, toilet paper and medical masks. And the stock market went on a volatility spree never seen before or since.And yet, the whole time, savvy investors kept hearing the famous words of Warren Buffet echoing in their minds: "Be fearful when everyone else is greedy, and greedy when everyone else is fearful."The question, my friends, is how to be very wisely greedy during a time when the prevailing emotion all around us is, without any doubt, not mere fear... but abject terror.The one clear answer - well supported by history and the leadership of current experts - is to invest in well-vetted, well-operated RV Parks.Now, in case you're not a user or owner of RV's yourself, I understand. I'm not either. Just in case you don’t know, RV stands for “Recreational Vehicle”… the big rolling hotel rooms like Winebagos.But whether that’s “your thing” doesn't matter. Kind of like you don’t need to live in an apartment in order to justify investing in a great apartment complex.So I’m going to make a very quick, but rather overwhelming, case to you right now that RIGHT NOW, in the height of this epidemic of terror and infection, that RIGHT NOW is the right time to jump into RV parks.And as always, I don't expect you to take my word for it. In fact, I insist that you don't take my word for it... that's because history makes this case for me in such a compelling, unquestionable way.Before CoronaVirus, the pinnacle example of economic downturn during most of our lifetimes was the Great Recession of 2007 & 2008... if any economic event was going to doom an industry where "recreation" is the literally first word in the name, the Great Recession would have been that phenomemon. But what actuall

There’s an asset class that affluent investors REALLY love… extraordinary cash flow is the norm and the tax benefits are the best around. But there’s a HUGE LANDMINE just waiting for affluent investors who try this in their self-directed retirement account. I’m Bryan Ellis. Today, you affluent investors learn how to sidestep certain disaster in Episode #324 of Self-Directed Investor Talk.-------Hello, Self-Directed Investors, all across the fruited plane. Welcome to the show of record for savvy self-directed investors like you, where in each episode, I help you to find, understand and profit from exceptional alternative investment opportunities.For you folks with a bit higher net worth, you need to pay close attention today.So for those of you who may not yet quite be in the high net worth world, something you should know about your wealthier brethren is that one of the most popular asset classes among them is one I’ve mentioned here before, but only very briefly… and that is oil well drilling.It makes perfect sense because the cash flow beats the heck out of basically everything else, and the tax benefits makes real estate and other supposedly tax efficient investments look like child’s play. Yes, the risk is theoretically higher, and that’s why this is the domain primarily of accredited investors.But to set up this dilemma, and the brilliant solution for it, let’s consider a scenario, with real numbers.  So here’s the deal.This investor… we’ll call her Tara… has decided to invest in an oil drilling deal. It looks like a pretty good one, I’m actually quite familiar with it… she’s got to invest $150,000 to buy into the deal, and based on the preliminary geological research, the expectation is that she’s going to bring in something on the order of $12 to $13,000 per month or so, based on current oil prices.Now if you’re doing the math, you know that $12,000 per month equals $144,000 per year, which is shockingly close to being a 100% cash-on-cash return. Well, that’s one of the reason high net worth investors love this stuff… the cash-on-cash numbers are just breathtaking, enough so that the additional risk is quite regularly totally worth taking.So

Coronavirus, real estate investors and the stock market… or, how real estate investors are making absolute jackasses of themselves during a very bad time. I’m Bryan Ellis. This is Episode #323 of Self-Directed Investor Talk.-----------Hello, self-directed investors, all across the fruited plane. Welcome to the show of record for savvy self-directed investors like you where in each episode, I help you to find, understand and profit from exceptional alternative investment opportunities.Today, my friends, I share with you my expectations about the REALITY of the coronavirus and how I see it affecting our economy and more importantly my and your investments. But first, a quick word about a clear way to identify some people who, at their very core, are clearly complete jackasses.Now, note that this isn’t a test for ALL jackasses, just some of them. But here we go:You probably know that, due to Coronoavirus fears, the stock market has taken a MASSIVE dive in the last two weeks. The Dow Jones Industrial Average has fallen by over 15%... it’s been just absolutely brutal. I’ll tell you when that ends in just a minute, but that’s a different story.So back to identifying jackasses:  If you see a real estate investor post something on Faceobok or elsewhere that basically says: “Hey, all you stock market investors, you’re really taking it on the chin now, aren’t you? I’ll bet you wish you had gotten into real estate instead of stocks now!”When you see something like that, what you’re seeing is a jackass. Someone who is childish, pathetic and heartless. Such a person, regardless of whether they’re successful in real estate, deserves to be ostracized and ridiculed for their short-sighted and juvenile attitude.So to all the jackass people out there, remember: You’ll get yours. I don’t wish it on anybody, but nobody bats 1.000. Where financial market losses are concerned, your attitude should always be: There but for the grace of God go I.”Now, as for the Coronavirus, the stock market and the economy?Totally overblown. I see stocks beginning to recover today, frankly. Is it a serious thing? Yes… but almost entirely for psychological reasons… because the media has scared people so badly that there’s a lot of irrationality out there.Remember this: We all

If for every dollar you put into improving one of your real estate assets, you could get that dollar back within 12 months… and then enjoy decades of free and clear cash flow… wouldn’t you do that?  Right now, I’ll show you not 1, but 2 ways to do that in my current favorite asset class. I’m Bryan Ellis. This is episode #322 of Self-Directed Investor Talk.----Hello, Self-Directed Investors, all across the fruited plane.  Welcome to Episode #322 of Self-Directed Investor Talk, the SHOW OF RECORD for savvy self-directed investors like you.  Guess what’s going to happen today? Today, I’m going to help you find, understand and PROFIT from exceptional alternative investment opportunities!In yesterday’s exciting episode, I introduced you to the asset class that I think is stealing the crown from multi-family housing as the GO-TO real estate asset class.  If you missed that episode… you missed a great one! Drop me a text message to 833-212-2112 and ask for the RV Parks episode I’ll send you a copy so you can get caught up…...and you’ll certainly want to do that because today, I’m going to tell you two ways that, using that asset class - which is, of course, the high-cash-flowing world of RV parks - I’ll tell you not one but TWO ways that my partners and I - and maybe you, too, possibly - are planning to spend a bit of money on some of our RV park properties and generate a MASSIVE and rather immediate return of our capital… to be followed immediately by many years - possibly even DECADES - of free and clear cash flow.But understand this:  I’m not just bragging on our deals - though I’ve got to admit, maybe there’s a LITTLE BIT of that hehehe - but more importantly, I’m trying to show you what’s POSSIBLE… because deals like this are in much greater supply than financially similar deals in other asset classes like self-storage facilities and mobile home parks.And I’m also telling you because, who knows, maybe you can actually participate in these deals with us.  More on that in a bit.So what are these two crazy-powerful value adds we’re going to perform?So you may recall from yesterday, we’re acquiring 2 separate RV parks.  Specifically on the one in Wisconsin… we’re going to be able to add, at a cost of about $50,000 per cabin, about one dozen nice little cabins which will be available for rental in our parks.Now here’s the really CRAZY t

Why Multifamily Housing Is On The Way Down... And THIS Asset Class Is Booming

Secrets of Highly Tax-Advantaged Investing -- Episode #320 -- https://SDITalk.com/320For more information: text the word FLOWTEX to 833-212-2112 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Want to flip real estate in your IRA or 401(k)? Think you won’t owe taxes on your profits? You’ve made a very common error… but so did I in a solution I devised to that problem. Maybe my error will keep you from making any of your own, and I’ll tell you about it right now. I’m Bryan Ellis. This is Episode #319 of Self-Directed Investor Talk.----Hello, Self-Directed Investors, all across the fruited plane. Welcome to Episode #319 of Self-Directed Investor Talk, the SHOW OF RECORD for savvy self-directed investors like you, where each day, I help you to find, understand and profit from exceptional alternative investing strategies and opportunities!I have a great show headed your way right now. If you’d like to get the transcript or links to the resources I share with you today, just send text the word ep319 with no spaces to 833-212-2112. Again, to get a link to the transcript and resource links for this episode, #319, just text the word ep319 with no spaces to 833-212-2112 and we’ll get it right out to you.Well, I’ll admit it, folks… the brilliant idea I had yesterday isn’t going to pan out. Still, there’s a very helpful lesson in it that you’ll want to know, particularly if you like the idea of flipping real estate in your IRA or 401(k), and I’ll tell you all about it right after this…So here’s the idea: In the last couple of episodes I’ve shared with you 5 reasons that I’ve reconsidered my formerly 100% negative stance against oil and gas investing. It’s not that I never believed it could work, just that I had a misunderstanding of how risk can be mitigated, so the risk was all I saw. I’m definitely infinitely more open to that asset class now, and one of the big advantages created by many oil & gas investments – which is HUGE tax deductibility – sparked an idea in my mind:The idea was this: There are a lot of people who like to flip real estate in their IRA or 401(k). Unfortunately, most of those people seem to not be aware of the fact that most such transactions are technically “earned” income rather than “unearned” income, and as such, the IRA or 401(k) will have to pay income taxes on any profits realized from flips.So here was my thought: If a person does a flip deal that generates a lot of profit, why not just – assuming you have the available capital to do so – just mitigate those taxes by do

News flash: I was wrong. There’s one asset class that I’ve never embraced and certainly never invested in because it is, I convinced myself, incredibly risky. Well, I was wrong. I’ll tell you HOW I was wrong… and the upside potential of this asset class RIGHT NOW in Episode #317 of Self-Directed Investor Talk.---Hello, Self-Directed Investors, all across the fruited plane. Welcome to Episode #317 of Self-Directed Investor Talk, the SHOW OF RECORD for savvy self-directed investors like you, and today we have an excellent show for you.Our telephone number here for you folks that have questions is easy to remember: 833-212-2112. And that’s also our TEXT number, too… because if you’d like a link to the recording of this show or to the transcript – maybe to review for yourself or forward to a friend of yours, it’s very easy to get that and costs nothing other than normal message and data rates. Just text today’s episode number – 317 – to 833-212-2112 and we’ll send those links out to you right away.The asset class we consider today isn’t a new one, but it’s still a sexy one. Two of the most famous TV shows of the 1980’s – Dallas and Dynasty – were based on the immense wealth created by this asset class, and the frankly, the money involved in this arena has done nothing but get bigger and bigger and bigger.That asset class is, of course, the oil & gas industry.Now look… I’ve never invested a single penny in this asset class. I have no experience with it. None. My interest in it is solely because a friend of mine for whom I have great respect, and whose acumen as an investor is absolutely first-rate, and has been so consistently for many years now… well, he reached out to me as he does from time to time for help with raising some capital for a project of his. Given his success, I always take such calls quite seriously, but this time, his latest project stopped me cold: He wants to do a big oil & gas investment, and he wants me to help him raise money for that investment.Normally, I’d turn down the request just because I think oil & gas is so risky. But I had to give him a fair hearing because of his track record. And I’ve got to say… I think I may have been operating under some faulty assumptions for a long time.I’m still doing my

Is the big-time AirBnb boom opportunity winding to a close? There are three totally anecdotal, but eerily accurate, indicators I’m seeing, each of which gives an unambiguous answer to that question. I’m Bryan Ellis. I’ll tell you what those 3 indicators are RIGHT NOW in Episode #316 of Self-Directed Investor Talk.---Hello, Self-Directed Investors, all across the fruited plane. Welcome to Episode #316 of Self-Directed Investor Talk, the SHOW OF RECORD for savvy self-directed investors like you, and today we have an excellent show for you.To ask question, just call 833-212-2112. Or if you’d like to receive a link to this show you can listen again at your leisure or possibly share it with a friend, just text today’s episode number – 316 – to 833-212-2112 and I’ll get that link to you right away. Again, that’s text today’s episode number – 316 – to 833-212-2112 right now.Today we jump into a topic that I bring up with some concern. I want the answer to this question to be different than I fear it might be. The question we’re considering is this: Is the big-time boom opportunity in AirBnb drawing to a close? I’ll give you my answer, along with the 3 pieces of evidence I’ll cite to support that opinion. But first, a quick word from a sponsor I know you’ll enjoy hearing from:Hey folks, Bryan Ellis here.  An industry that’s really caught my attention lately is oil & gas.  It’s not for everybody… but if you’re looking for the ability to take an income tax deduction for practically EVERY PENNY you invest into your deals…PLUS a method of investing so reliable that banks lend against this kind of income, you should reach out to my friend Aldo over at FlowTex Energy.  I don’t know if they’re funding any investments right now or not… but what I do know is Aldo can help you see whether oil and gas is a good fit for you… and why it’s probably a much better fit than you think.  Learn more now.  Just text the word ALDO – that’s ALDO – to 833-212-2112 right now.  Again, text the world ALDO to 833-212-2112 right now.Ok, AirBnb… Very cool concept, I’ve really respected the creative thinking of this company since the beginning. The idea is simple: You have a property. You let Air

Have rental properties and want to set up a company and an associated self-directed 401(k)? Good idea… but the IRS might stand in your way. I’m Bryan Ellis. I’ll tell you all about it RIGHT NOW in Episode #315 of Self-Directed Investor Talk---Hello, Self-Directed Investors, all across the fruited plane. Welcome to another action-packed, edge-of-your-seat thrill ride into the fantastic world of tax-free alternative asset investing. This is Self-Directed Investor Talk, the SHOW OF RECORD for savvy self-directed investors like you, and today we have an excellent show for youThis is Episode #315, so to get the transcript and other resources for today’s show, visit SDITalk.com/315, that’s SDITalk.com/315 for all of those resources, provided to you with our compliments.So…I regularly hear from rental property investors who want to use a self-directed 401(k). The idea is that they want to form a company connected to their rental properties since one must have a business in order to establish a self-directed 401(k). On the face of it, this isn’t a bad idea.My regular listeners will, of course, know that I am a huge proponent of self-directed 401(k)’s as being the absolute crème-de-la-crème of self-directed retirement accounts versus any type of IRA in Every Single Way……Except one.“Well Bryan, what is that one exception?” I can practically hear you asking right now? It is this:Far fewer people actually QUALIFY to set up a self-directed 401(k) in the first place. The qualifications aren’t complicated – really, all you have to have is a business that you own which has no full time employees other than you and maybe also your spouse, and your business has to have earned income. That’s really about the size of it.But therein, there’s a pretty big GOTCHYA for rental property owners who want a self-directed 401(k). What is it? Well, it’s that caveat of having EARNED INCOME.Earned income, as you may know, is the type of income that results whenever an employer gives you a paycheck or, if we’re talking about a business rather than a person, it’s the type of income that results whenever a business is paid for the purchase o

Which is better for you: A self-directed IRA or a self-directed 401(k)? Today, you learn the first big distinction to help you answer that question in the best possible way for you. I am Bryan Ellis. This is episode #314 of Self-Directed Investor Talk.----Hello, self-directed investors, all across the fruited plane! Welcome to Episode #314 of Self-Directed Investor Talk, the SHOW OF RECORD for savvy self-directed investors like YOU where each day, I help you to find, understand and PROFIT from exceptional alternative investment opportunities and strategies.I, of course, am your sometimes opinionated, always accurate and consistently lovable host, Bryan Ellis. This episode – for which you can find all of the links and resources at SDITalk.com/314 – is the second installment of our “Choosing the Right Tool” series, where we’re looking at whether an IRA or a 401(k) is the right answer for you as a self-directed investor.Now in the last episode I did share with you some circumstances under which you need not have EITHER type of self-directed account. I won’t rehash those other than to say that you MUST have one or both of earned income from a job/employer and/or you’ve got to have money in an existing IRA or 401(k) to transfer into the account. In other words, you’ve got to have an allowable way to get money into the account. The details are in installment #1 of this series, to which I’ve linked on today’s show page at SDITalk.com/314.If you’ve been a long time listener of SDI Talk, first of all – THANK YOU for being a long time listener! – but if that describes you, you probably already know that I have a very, very, very strong preference for using a 401(k) over an IRA whenever possible.To be clear, both tools have their place. But to my way of thinking, and for some reasons I’ll share with you now, if you’re investing in non-Wall Street assets, you should have a bias towards using a 401(k) rather than an IRA if that’s an option for you.Now way back in the beginning of this show, Episode #3 – literally five years ago – I did a whole show that showcases rather clearly 7 big reasons that a properly structured 401(k) is vastly superior to a self-directed IRA. You’d do well

Mark Cuban said WHAT? Political correctness rears its ugly, stupid head again. Today, we take a brief break from our “Choosing the Right Tool” series to address some utterly foolish comments made by a normally reasonable and thoughtful person. I’m Bryan Ellis. This is episode #313 of Self-Directed Investor Talk.---Hello, Self-Directed Investors, all across the fruited plane! Welcome to Episode #313 of Self-Directed Investor Talk, the SHOW OF RECORD for savvy self-directed investors like you, where each day, I help you to find, understand and profit from exceptional investments and strategies.Today’s show notes, transcript and resources are available to you, at no cost and with my complements, over at SDITalk.com/313.Yesterday we began to focus on the question of determining which type of self-directed account is better for you: the self-directed IRA or solo 401(k). We’re going to return to that tomorrow and likely for a couple of additional episodes as well, but something came up today in my news feed that I thought I’d address with you.Mark Cuban – the businessman who famously became a billionaire when he sold Broadcast.com to Yahoo in 1999 – is someone to whom I pay attention and whose words are generally surprisingly grounded given that he is, after all, a billionaire. I respect that.Furthermore, I know a lot of you respect him and his work, too. And you and I as self-directed investors are obligated to pay attention to smart people since we make our own investment decisions. Unfortunately, it looks like Mark Cuban’s thinking may now be muddled and more politically-oriented than business-oriented.Case in point: A new article on Yahoo Finance called “Mark Cuban describes the best way to reduce wealth inequality”. I’ve linked to it today from SDITalk.com/313, be sure to check it out.Now right away, whenever you see the words “wealth inequality”, you know someone is speaking to a political audience and not an investor- or business-oriented audience, because wealth inequality is a totally contrived problem.On the surface, the words “wealth inequality” seem to mean that some people have more wealth than some other people. Yep, that’s true

What’s better for you: A self-directed IRA or a solo 401(k)? This is a critical and distinctly untrivial decision… particularly if you’re investing in real estate, syndications or any type of complex transactions. I’m Bryan Ellis. I’ll tell you how to make the right choice for you right now in episode #312.----Hello, self-directed investors, all across the fruited plane! Welcome to Self-Directed Investor Talk, the SHOW OF RECORD for savvy self-directed investors like YOU where each day, I help you to find, understand and PROFIT from exceptional alternative investment opportunities and strategies.I, of course, am your kind, lovable host, Bryan Ellis. Today we venture into the start of a new series that I call the “Choosing The Right Tool” Series wherein you’ll see rather clearly how to choose which type of account is right for you, because the answer is truly not the same for everyone.This, my friends, is episode #312. To hear the episode again or to read the transcript or enjoy the resources I mention on today’s show, feel free to visit SDITalk.com/312 and you’ll find it all there, available for you to freely enjoy with my complements.Before we jump in today, I have a quick announcement that’s very exciting! Next month, July of 2019, will see the publication of Issue #1 of a brand new magazine that’s being published by yours truly. It’s called Self-Directed Investor Magazine and if you enjoy this show – and come on… come on… you know you do! – hehehe if you enjoy the Self-Directed Investor Talk podcast, you’re going to LOVE Self-Directed Investor Magazine.Furthermore, it will be under the editorial control of my wife, Carole Ellis, so it will be GREAT. She didn’t get that job because we’re married. She’s got that job because she is the best there is for this task. She has VAST editorial experience, having been editor-in-chief for the well-respected journal called Research (published by the University of Georgia). She was also the editor in chief of Think Realty Magazine, a niche publication for individual real estate investors.   And she also had full control of my own real estate newsletter, the Bryan Ellis Investing Letter, and it’s subscribership of over 600,000 investors worldwide. Point is: Carole is a highly-regarded professional in the sphere of

This may be the most astoundingly brilliant and simple way to bring in a 6-digit bump to your retirement account balance practically overnight and without risk. I’m Bryan Ellis. Get ready to be blown away right now in Episode #311 of Self-Directed Investor Talk.---Hello, Self-Directed Investors all across the fruited plane! Welcome to Self-Directed Investor Talk, the SHOW OF RECORD for savvy self-directed investors like you.I, of course, am your host, Bryan Ellis. Today is Episode #311… so when you get the itch to hear this show again or to review any of the resources I refer to in today’s episode, remember that that’s available to you at no cost by visiting SDITalk.com/311.So let’s do this.Ok, I’ve got to clearly disclose something to you… I’m still doing my research into what I’m about to share with you. I’ll have some excellent additional clarity on this within 2 weeks, and if you’d like to find out what I determine as a final matter, I’ll tell you how to get that info in just a minute.So the premise today is this: I’m going to tell you how to bring in a 6-digit bump to your retirement account balance in no time flat with no risk. Sounds too good to be true, doesn’t it? Maybe it is… I’ll know within 2 weeks… but I have great reason to think this is going to work out.So let’s set the stage here.One of the most interesting investment strategies I’ve ever heard of is called “viatical settlements”. The basic idea is this: An investor identifies a person who has a life insurance policy and who, for whatever reason, would rather have money right now rather than waiting for their beneficiaries to receive the money later.So maybe this person has a life insurance policy that will pay out $1,000,000. If you’re investing in viatical settlements, then the amount you’ll offer for that policy is based entirely on how soon you’ll receive the payout. So if the person is already in a hospice care facility and will likely pass on within a few weeks, then maybe you’ll have to pay $950,000 for the policy, because you won’t have to wait long for the payout.But if the person is 60 years old and in great health, then you might only pay $100,000 because it could still be 30 years before you receive a payout on that policy.So that’s what a viatical settlement is, and it’s always interested me as a

What are the big assumptions you’re making in your investment decisions? Can you list them? Is there any chance they’re WRONG? I’m Bryan Ellis. We’ll look at this serious but nearly never-discussed issue right now in Episode #310 of Self-Directed Investor Talk.----Hello, Self-Directed Investors, all across the fruited plane! Welcome to the SHOW OF RECORD for savvy self-directed investors like you.This is episode #310 of Self-Directed Investor Talk, and should you be so inclined, you’re welcomed to visit today’s show page to get a transcript and links and resources that are relevant to today’s discussion. The address for the episode #310 show page is https://SDITalk.com/310So the big question today: What are the big assumptions you’re using as a basis for your investment decisions? More importantly, is there a chance any of them are wrong?That’s a big, important question. Here’s some context for why I ask it:I’m something of a science geek. I routinely and very happily spend a relatively large amount of time learning what’s going on in the world of scientific research. One of the geekiest things that I do – and that I really love to do – is to watch formal debates that feature scientists and philosophers duking it out intellectually to see where everyone’s ideas fit in the grand scheme of things.And do you know what kind of evidence I’m seeing a LOT in the last 3 years… I mean, a LOT of it? And as I answer that question, remember that the topic of today’s show is a look at the big assumptions you’re making in your portfolio, and whether they could possibly be WRONG.So here’s what I’m seeing a lot of: I’m seeing a LOT of scientists who are absolutely the very top people in their respective fields offering very, very serious scientific resistance to the famous theory of evolution posited by Charles Darwin in the mid 1800’s. I mean, legitimate, top-tier people like the famed synthetic organic chemist Dr. James Tour at Rice University. There’s also Dr. Marcos Eberlin, the internationally renowned mass spectrometry expert at the University of Campinas in Brazil. And Michael Behe, the respected biochemist at Lehigh University. Now some people try to disregard the opinions of those guys because all of them have religious beliefs which wou

For the longest time, the big boys of Silicon Valley – Facebook, Amazon and Google – were all the reason you needed to be invested in stocks. Now, they’re the best reason to get out. I’m Bryan Ellis. I’ll tell you why right now in Episode #309 of Self-Directed Investor Talk.---Hello, Self-Directed Investors, all across the fruited plane! Welcome to today’s special edition of the SHOW OF RECORD for savvy self-directed investors like you.This is episode #309. That means you can find today’s transcript and show notes over at SDITalk.com/309.The stock market, as you likely know very well, has been booming with astounding consistency since the day that President Trump won the Presidency in 2016. Yes, there’s certainly been plenty of volatility, but even this year, 2019, when the markets have been a bit rougher than in some other years, still, the Dow Jones Industrial Average is STILL up by about 10% since the start of the year, and we’re not even halfway through. So the bull market rages on in a HUGE way.But there is a headwind resisting the markets which will only get stronger… and frankly, this one may just be the thing to motivate SOME OF YOU – and you know who you are – to begin diversifying some of your assets AWAY from Wall Street and into alternatives like real estate or private companies or… nearly anything but Wall Street assets.Now if you guessed that the headwinds have something to do with the ongoing trade wars with China, which now seems to be engulfing Mexico as well, you’d not be unreasonable to make that guess, but you’d be mistaken, my friends.Rather, the big issue is the intense regulatory scrutiny of the big tech companies that is coming from both the department of justice and from Congress. Just when the word “bipartisan” seems an impossibility, it appears there’s support from both sides of the aisle to limit the power of Big Tech, albeit for entirely different reasons.The companies most at risk in here are Facebook, Amazon and Google. I suspect there might be some saber rattling towards Twitter as well, but the truth is that Twitter is not relevant in the grand scheme of things. But Facebook, Amazon and Google? They’re going to feel some real heat, and with good reason.And while I certainly have an opinion on whether regulator scruti

When does the stock market give you great clues to investing in REAL ESTATE? When a stock chart looks as beautiful as this newly-public real estate company’s chart looks. I’m Bryan Ellis. I’ll identify the company and extract some valuable investment intel for YOU, right now in episode #308.----Hello, Self-Directed Investor Nation all across the fruited plane! Welcome to today’s special edition of the SHOW OF RECORD for savvy self-directed investors like you.This is episode #308. If you want to circle back for the transcript or to listen to the show again, go to SDITalk.com/308, SDITalk.com/308.Let’s jump right in, shall we?Back in January of 2018, an Atlanta-based company began went public on the New York Stock Exchange. There wasn’t a huge pop on the IPO day. In fact, the share price started at $16 never got higher than about $18 bucks and change for nearly 3 full months. Then that company’s stock went on a tear that continues to this day. Now trading in the low $30’s range – nearly twice it’s IPO level of just 18 months ago – this stock is turning some heads.Now if you’re asking, “why, oh why, Bryan, do you fill my ears with tales from Wall Street when you know I am focused on real estate or other alternative assets?”… Well, dear listeners, I shall endeavor to answer you plainly now.So what is the company to which I refer? This isn’t just any company, it is a real estate investment trust, also known as an REIT or REIT for short.For those of you not familiar, a REIT is a special type of entity that can trade on public markets and which is designed for businesses whose income is almost entirely generated from the ownership and monetization of REAL ESTATE. Ah yes, so now the relevance to you and me begins to peek through, does it not?But there are many publicly-traded REITs. Why is this one different or unusual?Well, my friends, it’s because of the KIND of real estate upon which they focus. This company is called AmeriCold Realty Trust, and as you might guess from the name, their specialty is COLD STORAGE warehousing… the kind of commercial space required primary by food delivery companies.I learned about this on an unusual source. Every now and again – and with decreasing frequency, frankly – the people over at CNBC push past their political agenda and cover actual fin

What is the mysterious QRP? And how is it different from the self-directed 401(k)? I’m Bryan Ellis. I’ll give you the answer right now in Episode #307 of America’s largest, fastest growing podcast for self-directed investors----Hello, self-directed investor nation, all across the fruited plane! Welcome to the show of record for savvy self-directed investors like you, where in each episode, I help you to find, understand and profit from exceptional alternative investment opportunities and strategies.Earlier this week I was having a conversation with a colleague who heads a really cool group of dentists and doctors who mastermind together to build great investment portfolios. He told me that several of his members reached out to him because they’d heard about something called a QRP that was clearly superior to a self-directed IRA, and maybe even better than a self-directed 401(k) as well.Whatever it was, it generated a lot of excitement. The propaganda that my colleague’s clients heard suggested rather heavily, but maybe only indirectly, that this mysterious new financial tool was a different sort of animal… distinct from self-directed IRA’s, distinct from self-directed 401(k)’s… a different animal entirely.My colleague asked me about it, and wanted to know what I thought about it. It immediately struck a strange tone with me, because the acronym QRP is not well known in the world at large, but is extremely well known in the retirement industry. It stands for Qualified Retirement Plan.In a generic sense, a qualified retirement plan isn’t actually an account type… it’s a broad category of account types that includes other categories like “defined benefit” plans and “defined contribution” plans. So QRP is a known quantity to people in the retirement industry.But the way it was described to my colleague… and indeed, the marketing propaganda that support this particular offer, try very hard to maintain an air of mystery about the QRP and to suggest that it is something totally unique and distinct. It claims some wonderful features, such as:·      Very high contribution limits·      Very favorable tax treatment of debt-financed investments, which is a big problem area for IRA’s·   &nbs