• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

The College Investor

Student Loans, Investing, Building Wealth

  • About
  • Podcast
  • Research
  • Contact
  • Save For College
      • How To Start

      • How To Save For College
      • How To Pay For College
      • What Is the Average Cost of College?
      • What Is A 529 Plan and Where to Open One in Your State
      • How Much Should You Have In A 529 Plan By Age
      • How To Use A 529 Plan For Private Elementary And High School
      • What Are Qualified Expenses For A 529 Plan (And What Doesn’t Count)?
      • The Best Brokers To Open A 529 Plan
      • Tools + Accounts

      • 529 Plans: The Ultimate College Savings Plan
      • 529 Plan Contribution Limits
      • Prepaid Tuition Plans | What To Know
      • Understanding And Using 529A ABLE Accounts
      • Using A Roth IRA To Save And Pay For College
      • FAFSA Deadlines for Financial Aid
      • CollegeBacker Review
      • Upromise Review
      • UNest Review
      • Other Options

      • Student Loan And Financial Aid Programs By State
      • The Guide To Military And VA Education Benefits
      • How To Fill Out The FAFSA
      • How To Find College Scholarships
      • The Best College Scholarship Search Websites
      • How To Find Grants To Pay For College
      • Pell Grants: What They Are And How To Qualify
      • Understanding Federal Work-Study
      • How To Use A 529 Plan If Your Child Doesn’t Go To College
  • Student Loans
      • Borrowing

        • How Student Loans Work
        • How To Apply For A Student Loan
        • How To Find The Best Student Loans And Rates
        • Best Private Student Loans Of May 2022
        • Best Student Loans To Pay For Graduate School
        • Best Student Loans To Pay For Medical School
        • Parent Loans To Pay For College
        • No-Cosigner Student Loan Options
        • Guide To Income Sharing Agreements (ISAs)
        • Best International Student Loans
      • Get Out Of Debt

        • Best Places To Refinance Student Loans In May 2022
        • Best Student Loan Repayment Plans
        • Best Student Loan Refinancing Bonuses And Promotional Offers
        • Student Loan Forgiveness Programs (The Complete List)
        • The Full List Of Student Loan Forgiveness Programs By State
        • Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)
        • Top Student Loan Scams
        • Average Student Loan Monthly Payment
        • Average Student Loan Debt By Year
      • Reviews

        • Credible Review
        • Splash Review
        • Ascent Review
        • Citizens Bank Review
        • Commonbond Review
        • Earnest Review
        • ELFI Review
        • Laurel Road Review
        • LendKey Review
        • SoFi Review
  • Investing
      • How To Start

        • How To Start Investing in High School
        • How To Start Investing In College
        • How To Start Investing In Your Twenties For 22 – 29 Year Olds
        • How To Start Investing In Your 30s For 30 – 39 Year Olds
        • How To Start Investing With $100 Or Less
        • How To Give Kids The Gift Of Stock
        • What Is Dividend Growth Investing
        • IRA Rollover Chart
      • Tools + Accounts

        • Best Online Stock Brokers
        • The Best Traditional And Roth IRA Accounts
        • The Best Robo-Advisors
        • The Best Investing Apps
        • The Best Places to Trade Options
        • The Best Places To Open A Health Savings Account
        • The Best Solo 401k Providers
        • The Best Self-Directed IRA Providers
        • Best Cryptocurrency Exchanges
      • Reviews

        • Vanguard Review
        • Fidelity Review 2022: Still One Of The Best Online Brokers
        • M1 Finance Review
        • TD Ameritrade Review
        • Charles Schwab Review
        • Robinhood Review
        • Webull Review
        • Betterment Review
        • Wealthfront Review
  • Earn More Money
      • Extra Income

        • 15 Best Side Hustles You Can Start Earning With Now
        • Side Hustle Ideas: 50+ Ways To Make Money Fast
        • 100+ Real And Honest Ways To Make Money In College
        • 80 Ways To Make Money From Home (In Your Pajamas)
        • 5 Quick Money Making Ideas (That Take Less Than 1 Hour)
        • 10 Interesting Ways You Can Make Money Driving
        • High-Paying Side Gigs That Earn $1,000 or More Per Month
        • The 10 Best Money-Making Apps
        • Paid Surveys: Earn Money For Giving Your Opinion Online
        • 10 Crazy Ways To Make $10,000 You’ve Never Heard Of
      • Build Wealth

        • 35 Passive Income Ideas You Can Use to Build Real Wealth
        • 3 Ways To Make $50,000 Per Year Without Working With Passive Income
        • How To Become A Real Estate Investor With Just $500
        • 15 Best Online Business Ideas
        • How to Create Streams of Passive Income on a Limited Budget
        • Residual Income: 7 Super Smart Ways to Build It
        • The Most Common Multiple Income Streams
        • How To Become A Real Estate Mogul With Only $10,000
      • Reviews

        • Fundrise Review
        • RealtyMogul Review
        • FarmTogether Review
        • AcreTrader Review
        • Swagbucks Review
        • Survey Junkie Review
        • TopCashback Review
        • DoorDash Review
  • Personal Finance
      • Banking

        • Best High Yield Savings Accounts Of May 2022
        • Best Money Market Accounts Of May 2022
        • 10 Best Free Checking Accounts In May 2022
        • The Best Bank CD Rates Of May 2022
        • 10 Best Business Checking Accounts In May 2022
        • The Best Online Banks Of May 2022
        • 5 Best Credit Unions Nationwide of May 2022
        • Best College Student Checking Accounts In May 2022
      • Insurance

        • Best Life Insurance Companies
        • Renters Insurance
        • Car Insurance
        • Pet Insurance
        • Umbrella Insurance
        • Disability Insurance
        • Tuition Insurance
        • Travel Insurance
      • Credit Tools

        • Best Budgeting Apps
        • Cash Advance Apps
        • How To Get A Free Credit Score Report
        • The Best Credit Monitoring Services
        • Debt Settlement: Inside The Secret World
        • Credit Repair Explained: Should You Pay For Help?
        • Best Personal Loan Companies And Lenders
        • Online Loan Companies To Borrow From Home
      • Tax

        • Best Tax Software
        • Free Tax Software
        • IRS Tax Refund Calendar
        • Common IRS Questions and Errors
        • Federal Tax Brackets
        • Capital Gains Tax Brackets
        • 401k Contribution Limits
        • IRA Contribution Limits
        • HSA Contribution Limits
  • Forum
  • Search
Home » Investing » Retirement » Alto IRA Review: Skilled Investing In Alternative Assets

Alto IRA Review: Skilled Investing In Alternative Assets

Updated: April 25, 2022 By Robert Farrington

Tweet
Share1
Share
Pin26
Email

At The College Investor, we want to help you navigate your finances. To do this, many or all of the products featured here may be from our partners. This doesn’t influence our evaluations or reviews. Our opinions are our own. Learn more here.Advertiser Disclosure

There are thousands of financial products and services out there, and we believe in helping you understand which is best for you, how it works, and will it actually help you achieve your financial goals. We're proud of our content and guidance, and the information we provide is objective, independent, and free.

But we do have to make money to pay our team and keep this website running! Our partners compensate us. TheCollegeInvestor.com has an advertising relationship with some or all of the offers included on this page, which may impact how, where, and in what order products and services may appear. The College Investor does not include all companies or offers available in the marketplace. And our partners can never pay us to guarantee favorable reviews (or even pay for a review of their product to begin with).

For more information and a complete list of our advertising partners, please check out our full Advertising Disclosure. TheCollegeInvestor.com strives to keep its information accurate and up to date. The information in our reviews could be different from what you find when visiting a financial institution, service provider or a specific product's website. All products and services are presented without warranty.

Alto IRA review

Over the past decade, options for alternative investing have mushroomed.

In the past, investing in alternatives typically meant investing in a precious metals fund or physical metals if you were being particularly crazy. But today, alternative asset classes can mean anything from crowdfunded real estate, to digital currencies (like bitcoin), to startups and peer-to-peer loans.

While it’s easier than ever to find alternative asset classes online, it can be tough to take advantage of the opportunities for investment. In most cases, a regular investor has most (or all) of her investments locked away in retirement accounts. Getting enough money to invest for goals other than retirement is a real challenge.

Want to use your retirement money to invest in alternative investments? Alto IRA may have a solution for you - especially if you're looking for self-directed IRA.


Alto IRA Logo

Quick Summary

  • Self-directed IRA Provider
  • Allows investors to invest in alternative assets in an IRA
  • Tough to follow pricing structure could be a challenge
OPEN AN ACCOUNT

Alto Details

Product Name

Alto IRA and Alto CryptIRA

Min Invesment

Varies by investment ($10 for crypto)

Setup Fee

$0

Account Fee

Starting at $10/mo or $100/yr

Promotions

None

Table of Contents
Who Is Alto?
What Does It Offer?
How Much Does Alto IRA Cost?
How Does Alto Compare?
How Do I Open An Account?
Is It Safe And Secure?
How Do I Contact Alto?
Is It Worth It?
Alto IRA FAQs
Alto IRA Features

Who Is Alto?

Alto is a brokerage company that facilitates investments in alternative asset classes through retirement accounts (IRAs). It calls its retirement account The Alternative IRA(TM), but it’s simply an IRA with flexible investment options (also known as a self-directed IRA).

Unlike many companies, Alto IRA allows its investors to invest in almost anything (that’s legal). It partners with angel investing funds, real estate lending companies, crypto exchanges, and a variety of other online alternative investment providers to facilitate investment opportunities. Some of the investment partnerships are only open to accredited investors which are people earning at least $250,000 per year or having a net worth in excess of $1 million.

Additionally, investors can choose to invest directly in private deals. For example, you could use your IRA to buy a duplex in another city or to fund a loan to a friend starting a business.

What Does It Offer?

Alto IRA supports traditional IRAs, Roth IRAs, and SEP IRAs. If you have a rollover account, you can roll it into the traditional IRA account. It doesn’t currently support inherited IRAs or individual 401ks.

Once you've chosen the type of retirement account that you want to open with Alto, you can choose from two products: Alto IRA and Alto Crypto IRA. Here's a quick look at how both products work and what they offer.

Alto IRA

Alto IRA facilitates “Direct Investments” and “Partner Investments.”

Partner investments can be a great choice if you're not a venture capital firm (i.e. most of us). Through Alto's list of 60+ partners, it's easy to start investing in a wide variety of alternative investments, including farmland, startups, art, and more. Notable Alto IRA partners include AcreTrader, AngelList, Republic, Masterworks, and more.

Alto IRA process

Direct investments are any investments you make through Alto IRA without engaging one of Alto IRA’s partners. An example would be extending a small business loan or buying a piece of residential real estate. You must be subscribed to Alto's Pro plan to make direct investments. 

While Alto IRA allows most investments through its platform, it does have some restrictions. The investment must still be legal. For example, you can't buy yourself a house with your retirement funds.

You can buy, flip, and sell a property using your retirement funds without losing the tax-advantaged status. But you must be careful to follow all the rules associated with buying and selling property or you could accidentally create a taxable event.

Alto CryptoIRA®

Cryptocurrency investing has been steadily gaining in popularity over the past few years. But options for investing in crypto with retirement funds are still few and far between. But Alto offers a simple and seamless solution.

Through the Alto CryptoIRA®, you can invest in any digital asset that's supported by the Coinbase exchange (currently over 100 currencies). Alto's direct integration with Coinbase makes it about as easy as possible to invest in crypto through your self-directed IRA.

Alto CryptoIRA process

The Alto CryptoIRA will allow you to trade coins 24/7 with minimum investments of just $10. From a tax standpoint, there isn't technically any fundamental difference between a standard Alto IRA and an Alto CryptoIRA. However, the company has decided to keep the accounts separate out of an abundance of tax caution.

How Much Does Alto IRA Cost?

Alto has a different cost structure for its Alto IRA than for the Alto CryptoIRA. Here's how the fees break down for each.

Alto IRA

Alto IRA has a different cost structure than most IRAs. Instead of charging a fee based on a percentage of assets, you'll pay flat monthly fees of $10 or $25 and a separate fee per investment.

The monthly fees you pay depend on whether you sign up up for the Starter (Partner investments only) or Pro (Partner + Direct investments) plan. You can get a discount (two months free) on either plan by paying yearly instead.

The one-time investment fee is $10 for "preferred" partners and $50 for other partners. The private investment fee is $75. Here's a quick head-to-head look at the Starter vs. Pro Alto IRA fees:


Starter

Pro

Account Fee

$10/mo or $100/yr

$25/mo or $250/yr

Partner Investment Fee

$10 or $50 per investment

$10 or $50 per investment

Direct Investment Fee

N/A

$75 per investment

Outbound Wire Transfers

$25

$25

Account Closing Fee

$50

$50

Alto CryptoIRA

Unlike the standard Alto IRA, the CryptoIRA charges no monthly fees. You only pay when you trade. The trade fee is 1.5%.

This 1.5% fee includes the Coinbase fee, which is nearly 1.5% anyway unless you're using Coinbase Pro. So this is very competitive pricing from Alto.

Note that just as with the Alto IRA, you'll run against additional fees if you close your CryptoIRA account or initiate an outbound wire transfer. The account closure fee is $50 and the outbound wire fee is $25.

How Does Alto Compare?

Alto IRA is one of the lowest-cost self-directed IRA providers available today. Unlike most of its competitors, it doesn't charge a setup fee. And its ongoing fees are below-average as well.

If you know that you want to invest in an IRA (Traditional, Roth, or SEP), it's hard to beat Alto. However, if you're looking to invest in a self-directed Solo 401k, you'll need to look elsewhere. Here's a quick look at how Alto compares:

Header
Alto IRA Logo
RocketDollar
MySolo401k Logo

Rating

Setup Fee

N/A

$360 to $600

$425

Account Fee

$10 to $25/mo

$15 to $30/mo

$125/yr

Plan Types

IRA

IRA & 401k

IRA & 401k

Checkbook?

Cell
OPEN ACCOUNT
READ THE REVIEW
READ THE REVIEW

How Do I Open An Account?

You can get started with Alto by visiting its website here. From its homepage, look for the "Sign Up" button in the top right corner and click on it. Next, you'll create your account by entering your email address and providing a password.

Once your email has been verified, you'll need to choose which account you're planning to open: Alto IRA or Alto CryptoIRA. Next, you'll select your IRA type: Traditional, Roth, or SEP IRA.

Alto's KYC/AML Process is typically automatic and instant. However, in some cases an Alto team member may need to reach out to ask for more identity verification documents. Note that you won't be able to participate in any investments on Alto until you've passed its KYC/ALM screening.

Alto follows a "Seven-Day Rule" which means you'll need to wait seven days after account creation before you can make your first investment on the platform. But you can fund your account and even make investment commitments during that seven-day period provided that you've passed KYC/ALM.

Is It Safe And Secure?

Cash assets that are held with Alto IRA are protected up to $250,000 by FDIC insurance. However, unlike with stock brokerages, any funds that are invested with Alto are not protected by SIPC insurance.

It's important to understand that "alternative investments" tend to be riskier and have less liquidity than more traditional investments like stocks and bonds. Some of Alto's partners may have lock-up periods, for example, and may not provide a secondary exchange where you can sell your shares before your investment term ends.

Finally, it should be noted that Alto's site was targeted by hackers in July. If you attempted to log in to your account on or after Tuesday, July 6, your credentials may have been compromised and you should immediately create a new user ID and password. It doesn't appear that any assets or funds were compromised during the breach.

How Do I Contact Alto?

You can contact Alto by phone at (877) 673-1557 or by submitting a support ticket here. Customer service hours are Monday - Friday, 8 AM–5 PM (CT).

Alto currently has a "Great" rating on Trustpilot of 4.2/5 from over 350 customer reviews. However, the company is not accredited or rated with the Better Business Bureau (BBB) as of writing.

Is It Worth It?

Whenever I talk about alternative investments, I think it’s important to remind people that with a high savings rate, you can probably become rich using investments like index funds in the stock market. You really don’t have to be fancy to become financially independent.

That said, I can certainly make a case for using a self-directed IRA. If you're a skilled real estate investor (or a skilled angel investor or Bitcoin investor), Alto IRA could help you put more funds towards your investment empire. You can also compare their options with competitors like Rocket Dollar.

Not sure whether alternative assets make sense in your retirement investment portfolio? I would urge you to stick with conventional investments until you determine whether these asset classes make sense for you.

Simply put, alternative assets don’t belong in every retirement portfolio. Be careful, but don’t let caution stop you from making the right investment choices for yourself.

Alto IRA FAQs

Let's answer a few of the most common questions that people ask about Alto:

Is Alto CryptoIRA legit?

Yes, due to its integration with Coinbase, the Alto CryptoIRA is able to offer one of the widest list of supported cryptocurrencies in the Bitcoin IRA space.

Have monthly fees been eliminated for the Alto CryptoIRA?

Yes, as of October 2021, the Alto CryptoIRA no longer charges monthly fees.

Do I need to be an accredited investor to open an Alto account?

No, however some of the offerings that are available on its platform may require accreditation.

Can I open a SIMPLE IRA with Alto?

No, Alto currently only allows investors to open a Traditional, Roth, or SEP IRA.

Alto IRA Features

Account Type

  • Traditional IRA
  • Roth IRA
  • SEP IRA

Minimum Investment

Varies by partner ($10 for crypto)

Setup Fee

$0

Account Fee

Alto IRA


  • Starter: $10/mo or $100/yr
  • Pro: $25/mo or $250/yr

CryptoIRA: N/A

Investment Fee

  • Preferred Partner Investments: $10
  • Partner Investments: $50
  • Direct Investments: $75

Account Closure Fee

$50

Outgoing Wire Transfer Fee

$25

Investment Options

Virtually unlimited alternative investment options including:


  • Art
  • Cryptocurrency
  • Physical real estate
  • Promissory notes
  • Private credit
  • Private equity
  • Precious metals
  • Securitized collectibles
  • Startups
  • Venture capital

Rollovers Allowed

Yes

Checkbook Control

Yes

Available Investment Partners

60+

Customer Service Number

(877) 673-1557

Customer Service Hours

Monday - Friday, 8 AM–5 PM (CT)

Mobile App Availability

None

Web/Desktop Account Access

Yes

Promotions

None

Alto IRA Review
  • Pricing and Fees
  • Products and Services
  • Customer Service
Overall
3.7

Summary

Alto IRA is a self-directed IRA provider that allows you to invest in alternative assets inside your IRA (such as real estate, cryptocurrency, private stock, and more).

Pros

  • Self-directed IRAs
  • Easy onboarding process
  • 60+ investment partners
  • No setup fees and low monthly fees

Cons

  • Doesn’t support Solo 401k accounts
  • Must pay an additional fee every time you make an investment
  • Try Alto IRA
Robert Farrington
Robert Farrington

Robert Farrington is America’s Millennial Money Expert® and America’s Student Loan Debt Expert™, and the founder of The College Investor, a personal finance site dedicated to helping millennials escape student loan debt to start investing and building wealth for the future. You can learn more about him on the About Page, or on his personal site RobertFarrington.com.

He regularly writes about investing, student loan debt, and general personal finance topics geared towards anyone wanting to earn more, get out of debt, and start building wealth for the future.

He has been quoted in major publications including the New York Times, Washington Post, Fox, ABC, NBC, and more. He is also a regular contributor to Forbes.

Alto IRA Review: Skilled Investing In Alternative Assets
Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, or other advertiser and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
Comment Policy: We invite readers to respond with questions or comments. Comments may be held for moderation and are subject to approval. Comments are solely the opinions of their authors'. The responses in the comments below are not provided or commissioned by any advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any company. It is not anyone's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.
Subscribe
Connect with
I allow to create an account
When you login first time using a Social Login button, we collect your account public profile information shared by Social Login provider, based on your privacy settings. We also get your email address to automatically create an account for you in our website. Once your account is created, you'll be logged-in to this account.
DisagreeAgree
Notify of
I allow to create an account
When you login first time using a Social Login button, we collect your account public profile information shared by Social Login provider, based on your privacy settings. We also get your email address to automatically create an account for you in our website. Once your account is created, you'll be logged-in to this account.
DisagreeAgree
2 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

Primary Sidebar

Featured Broker Reviews

>  Vanguard (recommended)
>  Fidelity
>  Robinhood
>  TD Ameritrade
>  M1 Finance
>  Schwab

Featured Robo-Advisors

>  Betterment (recommended)
>  Wealthfront
>  WealthSimple
>  Blooom

Annual Contribution Limits

  • 401k Contribution And Income Limits
  • IRA Contribution and Income Limits
  • HSA Contribution and Income Limits
  • 529 Plan Contribution Limits

More On Investing

  • Best Online Stock Brokers In 2022 (According To Readers)
  • Best Brokerage and Investing Bonus Offers In May 2022
  • The Best Places To Open An HSA (Health Savings Account)
  • 5 Best Investing Apps With Free Stock Trading
  • How To Buy Stocks Online For Free
  • The Best Robo-Advisors Of 2022
  • The Best Self-Directed IRA Providers
  • The Best Traditional And Roth IRA Accounts Of 2022
  • Comparing The Most Popular Solo 401k Options
  • Top 3 Automatic Investment Apps Of 2022

Footer

Banking

  • 10 Best Free Checking Accounts In May 2022
  • The Best Online Banks Of May 2022
  • The Best Bank CD Rates Of May 2022
  • Best Money Market Accounts Of May 2022
  • Best High Yield Savings Accounts Of May 2022
  • Best High-Yield Checking Accounts Of May 2022
  • The Best Bank Bonus Offers
  • The Best Business Checking Accounts

Investing

  • Best Online Stock Brokers In 2022 (According To Readers)
  • Best Brokerage and Investing Bonus Offers In May 2022
  • The Best Places To Open An HSA (Health Savings Account)
  • 5 Best Investing Apps With Free Stock Trading
  • How To Buy Stocks Online For Free
  • The Best Robo-Advisors Of 2022
  • The Best Self-Directed IRA Providers
  • The Best Traditional And Roth IRA Accounts Of 2022
  • Comparing The Most Popular Solo 401k Options
  • Top 3 Automatic Investment Apps Of 2022

Student Loans

  • Best Places To Refinance Student Loans In May 2022
  • Best Private Student Loans Of May 2022
  • How To Find The Best Student Loans And Rates
  • Best Student Loan Refinancing Bonuses And Promotional Offers

Insurance

  • The Top 10 Online Life Insurance Companies
  • The Ultimate Guide To Renters Insurance – Everything You Need To Know
  • The Cheapest Car Insurance For College Students

Connect

  • Contact Us
  • Advertise
  • Press & Media

About

  • About
  • Our Team
  • Podcast
  • Editorial Guidelines
  • How We Make Money
  • Archives

Social

Copyright © 2022 · The College Investor · Privacy Policy ·Terms of Service · DO NOT Sell My Personal Information

wpDiscuz