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What You Can't Do - Prohibited Transactions

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What can't you buy through an IRA?

There are a few items that you can’t buy through an IRA and these are included in IRS publication 590 (http://www.irs.gov/publications/p590/index.html. In short, you cannot invest your IRA money in collectibles, antiques, coins, stamps, life insurance contracts, metals, gems and alcoholic beverages. You are also not allowed to buy, sell or exchange property or investments to a disqualified person, such as a spouse, child, father, mother or others who are closely related to you (refer to Publication 590).

Generated Income: All income generated by a real estate investment that is owned by your IRA must return to your IRA, in order to retain the tax deferred or tax free status of the investment. An example would be if you buy a rental house and it earns income, the income must return to the IRA, not you. Make sure your renters write checks directly to the IRA and send it to the IRA. You can request that your renters submit a copy to you. Any expense should also be paid from the IRA, not you.

You cannot have your IRA do the following:

  • Buy real estate through your IRA that you currently own or will own or that a close family member owns, such as your wife, son, daughter, etc.
  • Loan you money
  • Buy into a partnership or business that you currently own.
  • Receive unreasonable compensation for property management
  • Invest in or start up a Subchapter S Corporation
  • Use it as security for a loan