Can the custodian and service provider hold the type of investments I want to buy?
A custodian’s service menu can vary greatly, and you will want to get the maximum number of services from a single provider. You should have the option of traditional investment choices like: • Publicly traded stocks • Mutual funds • Bonds • Public limited partnerships • Public REITs • Certificates of deposit • U.S. Treasury notes • Covered options • Unit investment trusts • Exchange traded funds • Commercial paper If you choose the right directed-trustee or custodian for your retirement account you may be able to invest in a number of alternative investment choices. Some choices that may be available include the following: • Real estate • Mortgage notes and deeds of trust • Tax certificates • Futures • Offshore funds • Private limited partnerships • Private stocks • Private bonds and notes • Private REITs • Limited liability companies What to look for: Make sure a company can provide all of the services of a custodian, retirement account trustee and record keeper under one roof. This
