uDirect IRA Services
uDirect IRA Services is a privately held, third-party administrator of self-directed retirement accounts (Traditional, Roth, SEP, SIMPLE, Solo 401(k), Inherited IRAs) that lets individual investors hold alternative assets such as real estate, precious metals, cryptocurrency, private notes, and syndications within their IRAs, with custody provided by partner American Estate & Trust.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2009
- HeadquartersIrvine, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What uDirect IRA Services does
uDirect IRA Services, LLC is a privately held, third-party administrator of self-directed retirement accounts, founded in 2009 by Kaaren Hall and headquartered in Irvine, California. The company enables individuals to hold alternative assets — real estate, precious metals, cryptocurrency, private notes, real estate syndications, and IRA-owned LLCs — within Traditional, Roth, SEP, SIMPLE, Solo 401(k), and Inherited IRA structures. Custodial services are provided through a partnership with American Estate & Trust, LC, a Nevada-licensed, bonded, and regulated trust company (license TR10009), which holds client cash in an interest-bearing AE-Trust Quick Access Fund backed by FDIC-insured accounts, government bonds, money market funds, and corporate bonds.
The business operates on a flat-fee administration model: a $50 account setup fee and annual maintenance fees (e.g., $275 for precious metals accounts), with separate transaction, distribution, and storage fees, and no percentage-of-assets pricing. The technology stack is a self-directed IRA administration platform layered over the AET custodial infrastructure, with proprietary differentiators including digital asset custody integration for major cryptocurrencies, the IRA-Owned LLC (Checkbook IRA) structure for faster alternative-asset execution, and the AE-Trust Quick Access Fund for cash management. There is no public-facing mobile app, no API or SDK, and no AI/ML capability disclosed.
Go-to-market is sales-led and consultative: phone-based consultations with real people answering inbound calls, self-service online account opening via the AET client portal, and referral partnerships with CPAs, attorneys, and real estate professionals. Marketing is content-driven, anchored on a published BiggerPockets book on self-directed IRAs, educational webinars, free reports, an active blog, and social media presence led by the founder. The company reports administering over $1 billion in assets across thousands of account holders, with no disclosed institutional ownership, funding rounds, M&A activity, or expansion outside the United States.
uDirect IRA Services firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- uDirect IRA Services
- Legal name
- uDirect IRA Services, LLC
- Website
- https://udirectira.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2009
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- uDirect IRA Services is a privately held, third-party administrator of self-directed retirement accounts (Traditional, Roth, SEP, SIMPLE, Solo 401(k), Inherited IRAs) that lets individual investors hold alternative assets such as real estate, precious metals, cryptocurrency, private notes, and syndications within their IRAs, with custody provided by partner American Estate & Trust.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
uDirect IRA Services industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Self-Directed Retirement Account Administration
- NAICS
- Trust, Fiduciary, and Custody Activities (523991), Trusts, Estates, and Agency Accounts (52592), Funds, Trusts, and Other Financial Vehicles (525)
- SIC
- Finance Services (6199), Security & Commodity Brokers, Dealers, Exchanges & Services (6200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Directed Trust & Trust Advisory Services (FSAAANAK)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Safekeeping for Private Assets & Alternatives (Private Equity, Real Assets, OTC) (FSAFAHAI), Estate Planning, Trust Structuring & Governance (FSAAADAF), Private Client Custody & Brokerage (Execution, Reporting, Safekeeping) (FSAAABAN)
Keywords
Where uDirect IRA Services is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Irvine
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
uDirect IRA Services business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Account Administration Fees: Flat-fee based IRA administration model. Set-up fee of $50 per account and annual maintenance fees. Specific annual fee of $275 for precious metals accounts. No percentage-of-assets pricing.
- Transaction Processing: Fees for processing investment transactions, distributions, and account maintenance activities within self-directed IRAs.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Standard Self-Directed IRA Account |
| Subscription | One time/ perpetual license | Traditional IRA Setup |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
uDirect IRA Services product offering
Product offeringCore offering
uDirect IRA Services is a third-party administrator that establishes and services self-directed retirement accounts (Traditional, Roth, SEP, SIMPLE, Solo 401(k), Inherited, and Health Savings Accounts), enabling individual investors to allocate retirement funds into alternative assets such as real estate, precious metals, cryptocurrency, private lending notes, and real estate syndications. Custodial and trust services are provided through its partner American Estate & Trust, LC (AET), a Nevada-licensed trust company. The company administers over $1 billion in assets for self-directed investors across the United States.
Product overview
uDirect IRA Services is a third-party administrator offering a suite of self-directed retirement account products. The core offering consists of multiple IRA account types (Traditional IRA, Roth IRA, SEP IRA, SIMPLE IRA, Solo 401(k), and Inherited IRA) that can all be self-directed to hold alternative assets. These account types share the common benefit of enabling investors to direct their retirement funds into a broad range of alternative investments including Real Estate (through Real Estate IRA, Syndications, and IRA-Owned LLC/Checkbook IRA structures), Precious Metals (Precious Metals IRA), Cryptocurrency (Crypto IRA), and Private Lending (Note Investing). The company administers over $1 billion in assets and provides custodial services through its partner American Estate & Trust, LC.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Traditional IRA A type of individual retirement account where pre-tax contributions may be tax-deductible and investments grow tax-deferred until withdrawals in retirement, made self-directed through uDirect's administration.
- Roth IRA A retirement account funded with after-tax dollars that allows tax-free growth and tax-free qualified withdrawals in retirement, administered as a self-directed account by uDirect.
- SEP IRA A Simplified Employee Pension plan for self-employed individuals and small business owners with higher contribution limits than traditional or Roth IRAs, made self-directed for alternative asset investments.
- SIMPLE IRA A Savings Incentive Match Plan for Employees retirement plan for small businesses that allows both employer and employee contributions, administered on a self-directed basis.
- Solo 401(k) A retirement plan for self-employed individuals with no employees, offering high contribution limits and both traditional and Roth options, including a loan provision, and supporting alternative asset investments.
- Inherited IRA An IRA account passed down to a beneficiary after the original owner's death, subject to special withdrawal rules and timelines under the SECURE Act, administered on a self-directed basis.
- Real Estate IRA A self-directed IRA that holds real property as its investment, allowing investors to own rental properties, commercial real estate, raw land, and real estate notes within their retirement account.
- Precious Metals IRA A self-directed IRA that allows the purchase and storage of precious metals including gold, silver, platinum coins and bullion for retirement accounts, with a $275 annual fee and additional storage charges.
- Crypto IRA A self-directed IRA that holds cryptocurrency (Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, Litecoin, Bitcoin Cash, and other digital assets) as investments within a tax-advantaged retirement account, facilitated through qualified digital asset custodians.
- Note Investing / Promissory Notes A self-directed IRA investment option that allows investors to act as a lender through secured or unsecured promissory notes, real estate deeds of trust, or UCC-1 filings.
- Real Estate Syndications IRA real estate syndication investments that allow multiple investors to pool resources to acquire larger properties such as apartment complexes or commercial buildings.
- Checkbook IRA (IRA-Owned LLC) An IRA-Owned LLC structure where the IRA invests into a specially structured LLC, giving investors direct control over check writing and faster execution for alternative asset transactions.
- Health Savings Account (HSA) A tax-advantaged savings account used for healthcare expenses that can serve as an effective tool for saving for future medical costs.
Quantifiable outcome
- $1 billion+ in assets administered across alternative investments
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use uDirect IRA Services
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
uDirect IRA Services technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
uDirect IRA Services partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- American Estate & Trust, LC (AET)coreAmerican Estate & Trust, LC is a Nevada-licensed, bonded, and regulated trust company that serves as the custodian for uDirect IRA Services' client accounts. AET is regulated by the Financial Institutions Division of Nevada and holds license number TR10009. All client IRA cash is held in the AE-Trust Quick Access Fund until invested.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
uDirect IRA Services competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Equity Trust: One of the largest self-directed IRA custodians in the U.S., offering IRAs that hold alternative assets including real estate, private equity, and notes—directly competing with uDirect across nearly all asset categories.
- BitIRA: Cryptocurrency-focused self-directed IRA provider offering secure digital-asset custody within retirement accounts; directly competitive with uDirect's Crypto IRA offering.
- Directed IRA: Self-directed IRA custodian focused on alternative assets including real estate, private equity, and LLC-structured checkbook IRAs—directly comparable product mix to uDirect.
- Rocket Dollar: Specializes in self-directed Solo 401(k) and IRA accounts with checkbook-control/IRA-owned LLC structures, overlapping with uDirect's Checkbook IRA offering for real estate and active investors.
- Alto IRA: Tech-forward self-directed IRA platform offering alternative investments (crypto, real estate, venture, private equity) with a modern interface; competes directly with uDirect in the digital-asset and alternative-asset IRA segment.
- New Direction IRA: Self-directed IRA custodian offering real estate, precious metals, private placements, and notes inside retirement accounts; mirrors uDirect's traditional alternative-asset product set.
- STRATA Trust: Self-directed IRA custodian handling alternative investments including real estate, notes, and private placements; competes in the same mid-market alternative-asset IRA space.
- Kingdom Trust: Specialized self-directed IRA custodian supporting alternative investments including real estate, private equity, and cryptocurrency; competes head-to-head with uDirect for the same self-directed investor customer.
- iTrustCapital: Crypto-focused retirement account platform offering tax-advantaged trading of digital assets within IRAs; competes directly with uDirect's Crypto IRA product.
- Bitcoin IRA (by BitGo): Allows retirement accounts to hold Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies with institutional-grade custody; competes with uDirect's Crypto IRA for digital-asset retirement allocations.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
uDirect IRA Services social profiles
Digital presenceuDirect IRA Services compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
uDirect IRA Services financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
uDirect IRA Services leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
uDirect IRA Services funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
uDirect IRA Services 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 uDirect IRA Services
What does uDirect IRA Services do?
uDirect IRA Services is a third-party administrator that establishes and services self-directed retirement accounts (Traditional, Roth, SEP, SIMPLE, Solo 401(k), Inherited, and Health Savings Accounts), enabling individual investors to allocate retirement funds into alternative assets such as real estate, precious metals, cryptocurrency, private lending notes, and real estate syndications. Custodial and trust services are provided through its partner American Estate & Trust, LC (AET), a Nevada-licensed trust company. The company administers over $1 billion in assets for self-directed investors across the United States.
Is uDirect IRA Services a public or private company?
uDirect IRA Services is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was uDirect IRA Services founded?
uDirect IRA Services was founded in 2009. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is uDirect IRA Services based?
uDirect IRA Services is headquartered in Irvine, United States, in the North America region.
How does uDirect IRA Services make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Account Administration Fees are the primary driver. The others are transaction Processing.
Who are uDirect IRA Services's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Equity Trust, BitIRA, Directed IRA, Rocket Dollar, Alto IRA, New Direction IRA, STRATA Trust, Kingdom Trust, iTrustCapital and Bitcoin IRA (by BitGo).
Does uDirect IRA Services have an API?
No public API is recorded for uDirect IRA Services.
What industry is uDirect IRA Services in?
uDirect IRA Services's product category is Self-Directed Retirement Account Administration. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAAANAK, Directed Trust & Trust Advisory Services, with a secondary code of FSAFAHAI, Safekeeping for Private Assets & Alternatives (Private Equity, Real Assets, OTC). Its NAICS code is 523991 and its SIC code is 6199.