private equity

Start looking beyond Wall Street

Private equity allows investors to diversify their retirement portfolios with unique investments, including start-ups, companies raising capital for expansion, real estate ventures, and investment partnerships, all on a tax-advantaged basis. With a self-directed IRA, you can invest like a venture capitalist.

Types of private equity investments

Private companies

Invest in early-stage or growing businesses, including start-ups, de novo banks, and companies raising capital for expansion.

Business acquisitions

Provide capital to fund the purchase of existing companies or specific assets, offering the potential for returns through strategic ownership or resale.

Commercial real estate

Participate in ventures involving office buildings, retail centers, and other business properties, benefiting from income potential and long-term appreciation.

Residential real estate

Support the development or acquisition of multifamily housing projects, such as apartment complexes, that generate consistent rental income and portfolio diversification.

Energy & natural resources

Invest in oil, gas, and other energy ventures focused on exploration, production, or infrastructure, diversifying your portfolio with resource-based projects.

Alternative investment funds

Allocate capital to hedge funds or pooled investment vehicles, gaining access to professionally managed strategies beyond traditional markets.

How is private equity structured?

Private equity investments can often be accessed through equity crowdfunding platforms or angel investing networks. These investments are typically structured as:

  • Private stock: Shares in privately held companies not traded on public exchanges.

  • Limited Liability Companies (LLCs): Flexible entities often used for operating businesses or real estate ventures.

  • Limited Partnerships (LPs): Common in private equity funds, allowing limited partners to invest while general partners manage operations.

Ready to get started? Download our checklist or visit Investment Hub to learn more.

Advantages of private equity investing

Leverage personal knowledge

Utilize your industry insights to make informed investment decisions.​

Off-market access

Use your IRA funds to invest in privately held companies — from early-stage startups to established businesses raising growth capital — investments traditionally reserved for a select few.

Portfolio diversification

Enhance your retirement strategy by including alternative investments.​

Tax advantages

Buy, sell, and exchange equity within your IRA without immediate tax consequences.

Step

Open your SDIRA

  • If the asset is new to STRATA, the investment issuer will need to submit the investment details for a pre-custody review. Learn more
  • Start your application online.
Step

Fund your SDIRA

  • Fund our account via transfer, rollover, or contribution.
  • Funding will be dependent on other financial institutions' processing times, which can be 10-14 days (up to 30 days for rollovers).
Step

Direct your SDIRA

  • Ensure asset registration is in STRATA's name since the IRA will own the investment for the benefit of (FBO) the accountholder name.
  • Submit STRATA's Investment Direction-Private Investment form and upload supporting documentation to authorize funds to the investment sponsor.

A smarter way to invest starts here

Based on customer sentiment, our clients report that STRATA makes self-directed investing simpler, more responsive, and more supportive at every step.

  1. Simple, stress-free processes – “STRATA makes complicated transactions easy to handle.”

  2. Quick, responsive support – “When I reach out, I get answers fast.”

  3. Confidence in every step – “I feel supported and secure managing my IRA.”

Pat N.

Quick and efficient service

Not a long wait on hold. Aleya answered all of my questions and handled my needs quickly.

Source: TrustPilot

Paul M.

The last 10 years with Strata have been excellent

Everything over the last 10 years has been handled very well. Reporting and documentation are excellent. They are trustworthy, and they do have decent people to work with. One in particular is Heather Kostroun. She has the experience and knowledge to identify and solve problems quickly.

Source: TrustPilot

Michael L.

Fun application process

Absolutely incredible patience and helpful service to make application completion fun...something I never experienced before! I would rather be anywhere else than on a computer, but Cory helped me through all the difficulties I was experiencing painlessly!

Source: Google Reviews

Ann S

Great service, friendly and knowledgeable

This was one of the best customer service experiences I can remember. The agent was knowledgeable and friendly and resolved my problem quickly with a solution that was easy for me to implement. Thank you!I

Source: TrustPilot

Joan O.

I highly recommend STRATA Trust!

STRATA Trust Company is made up of very kind, helpful, and knowledgeable people who are willing to go the extra mile to make sure that their customers have positive, friendly interactions and receive the assistance that they need. Their systems also make it easy to fill out forms, download documents, and more. I highly recommend STRATA!

Source: TrustPilot