Self-Directed IRA (SDIRA): How It Works

This type of IRA allows you to hold alternative investments in a retirement account, but it comes with complex rules and risks.

Andrea Coombes
Writer | Personal finance reporter for 16+ years, including work for the Wall Street Journal and MarketWatch.

Andrea is a former NerdWallet authority on retirement and investing. Her stories have appeared in The Wall Street Journal, the SanFrancisco Chronicle, MarketWatch and elsewhere. She has been interviewed onTV and radio, including NPR’s “All Things Considered,” and quoted by national publications such as Fortune, Time and CNBC.

Raquel Tennant
Certified Financial Planner® | financial planning, wealth management, high net worth, underserved communities, retirement planning

Raquel Tennant, CFP®, is a financial guide at Fruitful, a financial wellness platform providing members with unlimited financial advice and access to financial planning to the masses at a low cost. Tennant began her career in the fee-only RIA firm space, serving ultra high-net worth clients and is now proud to align her passion for helping younger, diverse and underserved clients, who often feel neglected by traditional firms. A graduate of Towson University, Tennant is one of the first 12 inaugural graduates of Towson's CFP Board Registered Financial Planning major and the first of her class to pass the CFP exam. She proudly collaborates with her alma mater as a writer and guest speaker to students, faculty and staff, bringing awareness to both the financial planning major and the RIA financial planning industry. She has been featured on 2050 TrailBlazer’s podcast episode “The Power of Partnership”, CFP Board’s "Stay on Your Path" video, and Towson’s College of Business & Economics “Finding the Right Fit” news feature. Tennant is also a CFP Board professional mentor.

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