By J.P. Dahdah, Founder & CEO of Vantage
As self-directed investors, we continually seek the next high growth opportunity for our retirement savings. The challenge seems to be that there is always a select group of lucky individuals who have access to “hockey stick” deals. Nonetheless, websites like www.SecondMarket.com, www.Fundable.com, and www.prosper.com have gained media attention because they offer visitors the ability to inquire about alternative investment opportunities. Moreover, the recent social media and technology companies going public on Wall Street (i.e. LinkedIn, Facebook, Groupon, etc.), have also created a buzz about how one gets in on the ground level of those private offerings. Creating opportunity for those investors looking to raise capital, President Obama signed the Jumpstart Our Business Startups (JOBS) Act into law on April 5th, 2012. This bill enables startups and small businesses to leverage online crowdfunding. In simple terms, it provides an increased number of investors with access to entry level ventures that previously were only available to “accredited investors.” As you can see, barriers to high-growth opportunities are slowly being removed. Whether your investment appetite craves private company deals or you want to lend money to your neighborhood restaurant owner, your self-directed IRA may be used to inject the necessary capital that creates economic stimulus for both your community and your retirement plan. Happy Investing!!!