American Ira
American IRA, LLC is a privately held Third Party Administrator that provides self-directed IRA and Solo 401(k) administration for individual investors across all 50 U.S. states seeking to hold alternative assets, including real estate, private lending, precious metals, and private companies.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2004
- HeadquartersSioux Falls, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What American Ira does
American IRA, LLC is a privately held, founder-owned Third Party Administrator of self-directed retirement accounts, headquartered in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, with an additional office in Asheville, North Carolina. The company was founded by Jim Hitt, who has been investing through self-directed IRAs since 1982, and serves individual investors across all 50 U.S. states who want to hold alternative assets — real estate, private lending/notes, precious metals, private companies, tax liens, joint ventures, and brokerage-held securities — inside tax-advantaged retirement vehicles. American IRA operates as administrator on behalf of custodian New Vision Trust Company, a state-chartered South Dakota Trust Company, and is not itself a custodian.
The platform spans seven account products (Traditional IRA, Roth IRA, SEP IRA, Solo 401(k), SIMPLE IRA, HSA, Coverdell ESA) and nine investment-option categories, all sharing a common administration backbone. The underlying technology stack consists of a DocuSign-integrated digital application and form library, an online client portal for deposit slips, payment authorizations, and account management, and an Interactive Brokers integration for brokerage-linked accounts. The company does not offer a public or partner-facing API and operates as a non-platform, manually-serviced workflow rather than a self-serve fintech product.
Revenue is generated through annual subscription-style account administration fees combined with per-transaction fees on alternative-asset deals (real estate purchases, private lending, precious metals, etc.), with transparent fee schedules published on the website. Distribution is sales-led and inside-sales-driven, supported by a heavy content marketing engine (1,561+ blog pages, the IRA Café podcast, a YouTube channel, monthly webinars) and a referral network of regional Real Estate Investors Associations, financial advisors, CPAs, real estate agents, title companies, and non-recourse lenders. The company is independent of any disclosed external investors or M&A activity.
American Ira firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- American Ira
- Legal name
- American IRA, LLC
- Website
- https://americanira.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2004
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- American IRA, LLC is a privately held Third Party Administrator that provides self-directed IRA and Solo 401(k) administration for individual investors across all 50 U.S. states seeking to hold alternative assets, including real estate, private lending, precious metals, and private companies.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
American Ira industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Self-Directed Retirement Account Administration
- NAICS
- Trust, Fiduciary, and Custody Activities (523991), Pension Funds (525110)
- SIC
- Finance Services (6199)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Employee Benefit & Retirement Plan Trust Services (FSAAANAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Retirement & Pension Wealth (401(k)/IRA/SIPP/Superannuation Retail) (FSAAAAAJ), Retirement & Distribution Planning RIAs (401(k)/IRA/Pension Rollovers) (FSAAACAE), Retirement & Pension Planning (401(k)/IRA) (FSAEAAAD)
Keywords
Where American Ira is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Sioux Falls
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
American Ira business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Self-Directed IRA Administration Fees: American IRA generates revenue through account administration fees for managing self-directed IRA accounts. The company offers transparent and affordable pricing with fee schedules available for IRA accounts and 401K accounts. Fees are disclosed on their website and through downloadable fee schedules.
- Transaction-Based Fees: Fees associated with processing various investment transactions including real estate purchases/sales, private entity investments, promissory notes, precious metals transactions, and account changes. Fee schedule is available for review.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Standard Self-Directed IRA Fee Structure |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
American Ira product offering
Product offeringCore offering
American IRA administers self-directed retirement accounts (Traditional IRA, Roth IRA, SEP IRA, Solo 401(k), SIMPLE IRA, HSA, and Coverdell ESA) for individual investors and small business owners, enabling them to invest in alternative assets such as real estate, private lending, precious metals, private companies, tax liens, single-member LLCs, joint ventures, and brokerage accounts—investments typically not permitted by traditional IRA custodians. The company operates as a Third Party Administrator on behalf of Custodian New Vision Trust Company, handling account setup, digital onboarding via DocuSign, transaction processing, and ongoing account servicing through an online client portal, with services delivered across all 50 U.S. states.
Product overview
American IRA is a self-directed IRA administration platform offering multiple account types (Traditional IRA, Roth IRA, SEP IRA, Solo 401(k), SIMPLE IRA, HSA, and Coverdell ESA) as a unified suite of retirement accounts. The core portfolio spans seven account products that share a common administration infrastructure and digital onboarding via DocuSign. Complementing the account products, the platform enables nine distinct investment option categories—Real Estate, Private Lending, Precious Metals, Private Companies, Tax Liens, Single Member LLC, Joint Ventures & Partnerships, Brokerage Accounts, and Other Alternative Investments—all accessible within the same self-directed account structure. Clients can fund their accounts via Interactive Brokers (IBKR) and access account management through a client portal. The investment ecosystem is supported by an educational resource hub, podcast (IRA Café), and webinar programming.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Self-Directed Traditional IRA Tax-deferred retirement account administered by American IRA allowing contributions until age 73 and investments in alternative assets (real estate, precious metals, private placements, private loans) beyond stocks and bonds.
- Self-Directed Roth IRA
- Self-Directed SEP IRA
- Self-Directed Solo 401(k)
- Self-Directed SIMPLE IRA
- Self-Directed HSA (Health Savings Account)
- Self-Directed Coverdell Education Savings Account
- Real Estate IRA
- Private IRA Lending
- Precious Metals IRA (Gold IRA)
- Private Companies Investment
- Tax Lien Investing
- Single Member IRA LLC (Checkbook IRA)
- Joint Ventures & Partnerships
- Brokerage Accounts
- Other Alternative Investments
Quantifiable outcome
- No capital gains taxes on property sold within IRA
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use American Ira
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
American Ira technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
Feature4 records
American Ira partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Atlanta REIA (Real Estate Investors Association)minorReferral partnership with Atlanta Real Estate Investors Association. American IRA provides educational resources and IRA administration services for REIA members seeking to invest in real estate through self-directed IRAs.
- Charlotte REIA (Real Estate Investors Alliance)minorPartnership with Charlotte Real Estate Investors Alliance for referral of self-directed IRA services to members investing in real estate through retirement accounts.
- CREIA (Carolinas Real Estate Investors Association)coreAmerican IRA founder Jim Hitt is a past President of CREIA. Strong partnership with the Carolinas Real Estate Investors Association for educational events, referrals, and member services related to self-directed IRA investing.
- Metrolina REIA (Real Estate Investors Association)minorPartnership with Metrolina Real Estate Investors Association for referral services and educational support for members using self-directed IRAs for real estate investments.
- Upstate CREIA (Carolina Real Estate Investors Association)minorPartnership with Upstate Carolina Real Estate Investors Association for referral and educational services related to self-directed IRA real estate investing.
- New Vision Trust CompanycoreNew Vision Trust Company is the Custodian for American IRA accounts. American IRA serves as Third Party Administrator on behalf of New Vision Trust Company, a state chartered South Dakota Trust Company.
- Turn Key IRA, LLCminorRecommended professional partner for Single Member IRA LLC document preparation. Turn Key IRA provides LLC formation services recommended to clients for efficient IRA-owned LLC setup.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
American Ira competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- uDirect IRA Services: Self-directed IRA administrator that works with a custodian to enable alternative asset retirement investing in real estate, private placements, and notes. Similar third-party-administration model.
- Millennium Trust Company: Specialty custodian administering self-directed IRAs, HSAs, and Solo 401(k) plans holding alternative assets. Comparable in offering the same third-party-administered self-directed IRA accounts for real estate, private equity, and notes.
- Equity Trust Company: One of the largest self-directed IRA custodians/administrators in the U.S., supporting alternative investments such as real estate, private equity, and notes. Direct peer offering the same core self-directed IRA administration product set.
- Kingdom Trust Company: Self-directed retirement account custodian supporting alternative asset classes such as real estate, private equity, cryptocurrency, and precious metals. Direct competitor for self-directed IRA administration.
- STRATA Trust Company: Specialty custodian offering self-directed IRAs, HSAs, and Coverdell ESAs with a focus on alternative investments including real estate, notes, and private placements. Closely comparable service offering.
- IRA Financial Group: Facilitator of self-directed retirement accounts including Solo 401(k) and checkbook-control IRA LLC structures for alternative investments. Direct competitor for the Solo 401(k) and Single Member IRA LLC product lines.
- Directed IRA: Self-directed IRA administration firm supporting alternative-asset retirement investing, including real estate and private lending. Closely matches American IRA's service offering and customer base.
- Pensco Trust Company: Custodian specializing in self-directed IRAs holding alternative assets including real estate, private equity, and precious metals. Directly comparable to American IRA's self-directed IRA administration model.
Emerging players
- Rocket Dollar: Tech-enabled self-directed IRA and Solo 401(k) platform with checkbook-control IRA LLC structures, targeting modern retail investors in alternative assets. Comparable business model but with a venture-backed technology platform.
- Alto IRA: Digital-first self-directed IRA platform offering crypto, private equity, and alternative investments. Competes for the same alternative-asset retirement customer, but with a more venture-funded, modern tech stack.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
American Ira social profiles
Digital presenceAmerican Ira financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
American Ira leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
American Ira funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
American Ira M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about American Ira
What does American Ira do?
American IRA administers self-directed retirement accounts (Traditional IRA, Roth IRA, SEP IRA, Solo 401(k), SIMPLE IRA, HSA, and Coverdell ESA) for individual investors and small business owners, enabling them to invest in alternative assets such as real estate, private lending, precious metals, private companies, tax liens, single-member LLCs, joint ventures, and brokerage accounts—investments typically not permitted by traditional IRA custodians. The company operates as a Third Party Administrator on behalf of Custodian New Vision Trust Company, handling account setup, digital onboarding via DocuSign, transaction processing, and ongoing account servicing through an online client portal, with services delivered across all 50 U.S. states.
Is American Ira a public or private company?
American Ira is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was American Ira founded?
American Ira was founded in 2004. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is American Ira based?
American Ira is headquartered in Sioux Falls, United States, in the North America region.
How does American Ira make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Self-Directed IRA Administration Fees are the primary driver. The others are transaction-Based Fees.
Who are American Ira's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are uDirect IRA Services, Millennium Trust Company, Equity Trust Company, Kingdom Trust Company, STRATA Trust Company, IRA Financial Group, Directed IRA and Pensco Trust Company. Emerging players are Rocket Dollar and Alto IRA.
Does American Ira have an API?
No public API is recorded for American Ira.
What industry is American Ira in?
American Ira's product category is Self-Directed Retirement Account Administration. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAAANAC, Employee Benefit & Retirement Plan Trust Services, with a secondary code of FSAAAAAJ, Retirement & Pension Wealth (401(k)/IRA/SIPP/Superannuation Retail). Its NAICS code is 523991 and its SIC code is 6199.