NEW YORK, NY -- (Marketwire) -- 12/24/12 -- The IRA is an enduringly popular form of retirement account -- and, according to a recent report from Seacoast Online, the popularity of the IRA has grown immensely over the past 32 years. In 1980, IRA investors had accrued only $25 billion through these tax-advantaged retirement accounts. Today, the Investment Company Institute says the total value of IRA assets is $5.1 trillion, about a third of all household wealth in the United States. Despite the pervasive use of the IRA, however, these retirement accounts do come with some critical limitations -- and according to Equity Trust Company complaints about those limitations are common among investors.

Equity Trust Company is a foremost provider of self-directed IRAs in the United States. According to Equity Trust Company, complaints about traditional retirement accounts, and their limitations, can be addressed through these self-directed funds. Equity Trust has issued a new statement to the press, commenting on the Seacoast Online article and on the state of the IRA in general.

"While IRAs have always been at the forefront of many individuals' retirement planning, misconceptions about them lead to people thinking there were many limitations in their investment choices," says the company, in its statement to the press. "In fact, with a self-directed IRA people can invest in just about anything including, real estate, tax liens, precious metals, foreign currency, and many other alternative investments, beyond just stocks and bonds."

Indeed, as the Seacoast Online article points out, the IRS is "actually quite flexible" in terms of the investments permitted for IRA accounts. Though there are some prohibited investments -- including life insurance, antiques, and collectibles -- there are still plenty of permissible investment options for savvy investors. The article highlights real estate investments, particularly.

Using a retirement account to purchase coins is something that is not necessarily disallowed, the article says, but there are strict rules in place. IRA owners are required to restrict their purchases to what the IRA considered to be "bullion" -- which means most gold and silver coins are prohibited.

Equity Trust Company seeks to provide investors with flexibility while still working within full legal compliance with the IRS, allowing IRA owners the chance to invest their retirement funds however they see fit. Though the company initially started as a vehicle for real estate investments, their offerings now include everything from foreign currencies to tax liens.

Equity Trust Company currently has more than 130,000 clients, spread across all 50 states. The company administers more than $11 billion in retirement plan assets.

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Equity Trust Company is the country's foremost provider of self-directed IRAs and 401(k)s, with more than 130,000 clients in all 50 states and close to $11 billion of retirement plan assets under administration. The company believes in self-directed retirement accounts as ideal vehicles for generating long-term wealth, as they allow investors the freedom to invest funds as they determine. At Equity Trust Company complaints about restrictive traditional retirement programs are commonly heard, and the company responds to these complaints by providing information about the alternatives available through self-directed programs.