Most of you who already have some side money keep it in retirement plans, bank accounts, or various products of insurance companies. Most of these investments usually end up in bank deposits or government bonds. It’s clear to you that these types of savings are relatively safe but not too profitable. 

The restrictions imposed don’t give you too much freedom of choice when it comes to investment vehicles. If you want to take risks and increase your savings, you need more options. So you could think about alternative forms of investment such as Bitcoin.

When you hear the term alternative investing, you probably think it’s not common and legal. But it is. It just implies a higher degree of risk but also a higher expected return, so investors should be careful with them. The best thing about them is that they can diversify the portfolio and reduce the risk of potential economic crashes because most of these assets are excellent inflation hedges.

But, traditional retirement plans, like Roth IRA or 401(k), don’t allow these ventures. They are strict about alternative assets you could invest in. They allow that only through some types of shares or mutual funds. So you need an alternative, and the easiest way of direct investing in Bitcoin is with a specialized, tax-free IRA account.  

Open Self-Directed Account

There are several types of IRA available, including traditional and self-directed. The first one has some rules that could limit your investment choices. On the other hand, self-directed accounts provide you with much higher freedom. 

Several IRA companies offer the ability to invest in virtual money. These are firms specialized in cryptocurrencies, and they could help you with administrative tasks, your account maintenance and management, etc. Some of them also provide custodial services, which are necessary to make all transactions IRS-approved. 

The first step toward investing in Bitcoin and gaining a profit that could provide you with a careless golden age is setting an IRA account. You should make sure that your broker is familiar with the Bitcoin trade and can guide you on the right path. After all, you will be investing your hard-earned money, so you need some level of certainty.

The next thing is to fund it, whether through direct contribution or a rollover from 401 (k) or Roth IRA. In this step, custodian assistance is of great importance so that all transactions are legal and by IRS rules. They will record and report everything and prepare you for the tax season.

Set LLC

As explained on this web source, there is a way to invest in Bitcoin directly through an IRA. Yet, certain issues may arise in the process, such as that trading platforms don’t accept an account that you have opened in the name of your IRA. These problems are overcome if you invest through an LLC, as these accounts are widely accepted.

The LLC (limited liability company) allows you to hold Bitcoin in a retirement account. You will make all investments through this entity.  The catch is that your IRA, not you, owns the LLC. It provides the same tax benefits as your self-directed IRA. Bitcoin has the same IRS status as personal property. Still, you’ll enjoy certain benefits on its gains as your IRA owns it as a manner of your retirement savings (which are tax-free until withdrawal).

Business Checkbook

LLC withdraws funds from your IRA, and they only serve to further invest in Bitcoin. Even though you are not officially the owner of the LLC, you have complete control over it, and you make all investment decisions on your own. At this point, you will need custodial services, too, especially regarding administration and IRS reporting.

Moving on, the LLC will use IRA funds to set a business checking account, i.e., a checkbook IRA. These funds are for the sole purpose of investing in Bitcoin or any other cryptocurrency.

Another purpose of the LLC is to establish a digital wallet. They can be offline hardware or online platforms which serve for trading and storing digital assets. In fact, these wallets store the cryptocurrency keys (codes) used for their safe transfer. As it’s linked to the checkbook, it puts you in full control of all transactions and holding Bitcoin. But if you invest directly through IRA (without LLC), custodians will keep these keys on your behalf.

Start Trading

After preparing everything from an LLC to the digital wallet, you have to open an account on the virtual IRA exchange and trade there. Do that in the name of your IRA’s LLC. With the help of a trusted custodian, you can rest assured that it will be accepted, which is not the case with an account you open as an individual.

Now, you can start trading on exchange platforms. You must learn how to choose the crypto exchange, as they differ in fees, coin selection, etc. But you’re not limited to these. You can buy cryptocurrencies from certified and reputable dealers. In any case, you have to do detailed research before investing in these assets. They are lucrative but also prone to significant price changes in a short time.

As the crypto market is still unregulated, you could use all the help you can get. Custodians specialized in digital assets can be of great help to simplify and support your investment decisions. Find someone who will dedicate to you and answer all your questions and doubts.