Industry News

Alternative investing is no longer a niche retirement strategy. Conversations once limited to institutional investors are now taking place among policymakers, regulators, financial advisors, and individual retirement investors. The White House's Democratizing Access to Alternative ...

IRA custodial agreements are the primary contractual foundation governing the relationship between a custodian and its account holders. For self-directed IRA custodians in particular—whose clients hold alternative assets ranging from real estate to precious metals ...

Understanding how investors are using self-directed IRAs to access alternative investments STRATA Trust Company conducted its fourth Self-Directed IRA Investor Survey in July 2025. The survey was distributed to self-directed IRA accountholders who collectively have ...

Although the required minimum distribution (RMD) rules have always been complicated, they tended to stay the same from year to year, which made them easier to follow. But that changed in 2019 with the passage ...

Congress has granted special tax benefits to promote saving for retirement. In turn, it is expected that savers will not abuse the privilege or take unwarranted risks with assets. The prohibited transaction rules are designed ...

On July 18, 2024, the IRS released final regulations on required minimum distributions (RMDs) and beneficiary options. These final rules have been anticipated since February 2022, when proposed regulations were published. Significant changes have occurred ...

The IRS has issued Notice 2024-81. This notice provides guidance on the corporate bond monthly yield curve, the corresponding spot segment rates used under § 417(e)(3), and the 24-month average segment rates under § 430(h)(2) ...

The Internal Revenue Service announced today that the amount individuals can contribute to their 401(k) plans in 2025 has increased to $23,500, up from $23,000 for 2024. The IRS today also issued technical guidance regarding ...

INFLATION GRADE: B After a series of upside inflation surprises this year, inflation simply meeting expectations—though still-lofty ones—was enough to allow markets to breathe a sigh of relief. Key Stats Headline inflation advanced +0.30% in ...

Retirement plan accounts (other than Roth accounts, that is) are tax deferred, but not forever. At a certain age, every retirement plan owner or participant must begin to receive annual taxable distributions. The amount of ...