Frequently Asked Questions

For Investors

IRAs
What is a self-directed IRA?
Self-directed IRAs offer the same tax advantages as conventional IRAs. The difference is self-directed IRAs let you invest in a variety of alternative assets historically inaccessible for everyday investors—including art, crypto, farmland, startups, and real estate.
How do I open a self-directed Alto IRA or Alto CryptoIRA®?
Opening an account with Alto is easy and can be done online in minutes. Simply enter the account creation process on altoira.com by clicking on Get started and follow the step by step instructions and requirements.
What does investing with a self-directed IRA offered by Alto cost?
Alto prioritizes simple, transparent pricing that we hope makes investing in alternatives feel approachable and affordable.

The Alto IRA charges a quarterly Account Fee based on your invested capital. The Alto CryptoIRA® does not charge an Account Fee, but places a 1% Trade Fee on the amount of all buy and sell orders of cryptocurrency. Both accounts may incur additional service fees, if applicable.

For more detailed information, please visit altoira.com/pricing.
What types of self-directed IRAs does Alto offer?
You can open a Traditional, SEP, or Roth self-directed Alto IRA or Alto CryptoIRA®.

Traditional IRA: Tax-deferred retirement account where contributions may be tax-deductible, and earnings grow tax-deferred until withdrawal.

SEP IRA: Stands for Simplified Employee Pension IRA, ideal for self-employed individuals or small business owners to save for retirement with potentially higher contribution limits.

Roth IRA: Retirement account funded with after-tax dollars, offering tax-free growth and – subject to IRS rules – withdrawals during retirement, with potential income limitations for contribution.
Who can set up an IRA?
Anyone can open an IRA, and as long as you’ve received taxable compensation during the year, you can contribute to it.
How can I fund my Alto account?
You can fund your account with cash contributions, IRA transfers, or via a rollover. Alto makes it easy to transfer or roll over funds from an existing IRA, 401(a), 401(k), 403(b), 457, or TSP account, and we don’t charge fees to transfer money into your account.

This will allow you to create multiple accounts using a single email address. We’re working on making it so all of your accounts can live under one email address, but we’re not quite finished with this feature yet.
Can I set up multiple IRA accounts with Alto?
Yes! While there’s no limit to the number of IRA accounts a person can set up, there are limits to how much a person can contribute across all the IRA accounts in a given tax year so make sure to keep track of all your IRAs.
Can I borrow from my IRA?
No. Internal Revenue Code Section 4975 prohibits borrowing from your IRA.
What is the difference between a “standard” IRA and a self-directed IRA?
There is no legal distinction between a conventional IRA and a self-directed IRA. While traditional, Roth, SEP, and other IRAs can all be “self-directed” (meaning you choose what to invest in), most brokerages and custodians don’t allow investments in alternative assets—assets not publicly traded and often illiquid.

The Alto IRA gives you the control and flexibility to invest in assets you know and understand.
When can I take IRA distributions?
Save for certain exceptions, in order to reap the full tax advantages of an IRA, you have to wait until you’re 59-1/2 to take distributions (and in the case of a Roth IRA, have had a Roth account for at least five years). For more details, visit IRS.gov.
What are the IRA annual contribution limits?
Total annual contribution limits for individual retirement accounts are set by the IRS, and should be consulted annually via their materials, which can be found here.
What is a required minimum distribution (RMD)?
A RMD is the required amount that Traditional IRA owners and qualified plan participants must start distributing from their retirement accounts by April 1 following the year that they turn 73. RMD amounts must then be withdrawn every year after. Generally, RMDs apply only to Traditional, SEP, and SIMPLE IRAs—not Roth IRAs.

Your RMD is based on your age, your IRA’s previous year account balance, and a “life expectancy factor” that is provided by the IRS. The institution(s) where you hold your account(s) can calculate your RMD. Institutions cannot, however, see IRAs you may hold elsewhere, so ultimately, it is your responsibility to determine the total RMD for all of your accounts.

The IRS documentation on RMDs can be found here, and should be consulted annually.
Alternatives
What are alternative investments?
Alternatives are assets outside the public markets (stocks, bonds, mutual funds, etc.). Alternative investments include shares of art, crypto, farmland, start ups, private equity, real estate, securitized collectibles, and venture capital, among others.
Why invest in alternative assets with an IRA?
An IRA offers unique tax benefits that make retirement capital an exciting funding method for investments into alternative assets.

Investing in alternatives with an Alto self-directed IRA means you can legally minimize and potentially even eliminate taxes altogether. In Traditional and SEP IRAs, taxes are typically deferred on gains until withdrawal. When investing with a Roth IRA, qualified withdrawals are generally tax-free, with applicable IRS rules to consider.

Investing with a self-directed IRA also gives you access to capital that is otherwise locked away until later in life. This means you can strategically align the long term time horizon of capital earmarked for retirement and alternative assets that have longer than typical commitment periods – an investing match made in duration heaven.
Are there any restrictions on investing in alternative assets with an IRA?
Yes, there are restrictions, but not many. The Internal Revenue Code makes those distinctions. In general, as long as an investor doesn’t purchase life insurance, collectibles, coins, real estate that is designated for personal use, or engage in a prohibited transaction involving a disqualified person (your spouse, direct ancestors, and/or descendants), then an investment is allowed. However, some alternative assets may be limited to accredited investors, which require you to have a minimum net worth or annual income.

This still leaves plenty of alternative investment choices. Alto has built tools into its platform to help you avoid prohibited investments, though it’s always wise to consult a tax professional before moving forward with an investment.
What documentation is needed to make an investment?
Part of the reason self-directed IRAs have remained relatively obscure until now is that they used to be quite complicated. Alto was created to take the hassle of burdensome paperwork out of the investment process, so everyone can invest in alternatives using their tax-advantaged IRA funds more easily.

Alto will save you the work of acquiring all of the requisite documents, instead collecting them for you via the issuer, on the Alto dashboard.
Do I need to be an accredited investor to sign up?
Alto supports non-accredited investors as well as accredited investors. Anyone can create an Alto IRA account, though some offerings are open only to accredited investors. This determination of whether an individual is suitable for an investment may be made by the company or investment platform issuing the offering.
Can Alto give me investment advice?
No. Alto is a provider of self-directed IRAs and does not act as a financial advisor or provide any investment advice.
Can I invest in shares of my own company?
No. IRS rules prohibit investing in any company that you or the following relatives own: your spouse, your ascendants, your direct descendants, and your direct descendants’ spouses.
Marketplace
What is Alto Marketplace?
Alto Marketplace is provided by Alto Securities, LLC, and connects accredited investors with a curated selection of sought-after private investments, handpicked and vetted by industry veterans. Offerings will range across a variety of different asset classes including, but not limited to, private equity, venture capital, real estate, fine wine, art and more.
Who is Alto Securities?
Alto Securities is the wholly-owned broker-dealer subsidiary of AltoIRA. As a broker-dealer, Alto Securities can display an array of investment offerings to you to help find the opportunities that intrigue you.
How is Alto Securities regulated?
Alto Securities is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) as a broker-dealer and is a member of FINRA and SIPC. For information on Alto Securities, please refer to our Form CRS.
What’s the difference between Alto IRA and Alto Marketplace?
An Alto IRA is a self-directed IRA allowing investors to purchase private securities with retirement funds. Alto Marketplace allows investors to discover and invest in investment opportunities curated by the Alto Securities team.
Do I need to be accredited to participate in the Alto Marketplace?
Currently, yes, as all offerings available on our Marketplace are limited to accredited investors (AIs) only.
How are deals selected for Alto Marketplace?
Alto’s broker-dealer team both sources sought-after private deals and conducts diligence over inbound deals from issuers. Prior to being made available for your investment on Alto Marketplace, each offering must complete our expert-led due-diligence analysis, which evaluates each offering on the merits of its investment structure, deal thesis, manager track record, and risk factors, amongst other things.
Why do some offerings say "Unlock"?
Offerings with “Unlock” displayed on them require additional information before being able to invest into them, and may not be available at all depending on when you first began investing with Alto.
Can I still invest with Alto’s Integrated Partners?
Yes. You can continue seamlessly investing with any of our Integrated Partners from the Invest dropdown on your navigation bar.
Can I still bring my own deal offered by an issuer not on Alto Marketplace or set up as an Integrated Partner?
Yes. You can continue inviting issuers to post their private deals on Alto from the Invest dropdown on your navigation bar.
How can I confirm my accreditation status to invest in Alto Marketplace offerings?
Prior to investing in an offering, you will need to confirm your accreditation status. For any offering considered a 506(c) deal under Regulation D you can follow the steps provided while attempting to invest in a deal to confirm your accreditation status. For any offering considered a 506(b) deal under Regulation D, a member of the Alto Securities team will contact you to confirm your status.
What is a 506(b) offering?
506b is an exemption under Regulation D of the U.S. Securities Act that allows companies to raise capital through private placements without registering the securities with the SEC. This exemption provides a way for companies to raise funds without the extensive disclosure requirements and costs associated with a public offering. Under 506b, companies are allowed to include up to 35 non-accredited investors. Companies are required to provide financial and non-financial information to non-accredited investors. Securities issued under 506(b) may be  subject to resale restrictions, which limit investors’ ability to resell the securities.
What is a 506(c) offering?
506(c) is another exemption under Regulation D of the U.S. Securities Act that allows companies to raise capital through private placements without registering the securities with the SEC. Like 506(b), this exemption provides a way for companies to raise funds without the extensive disclosure requirements and costs associated with a public offering. Under 506(c), all investors must be accredited. Securities issued under 506(c) may also be subject to resale restrictions unless the securities are registered or another exemption applies.
What information does an offering page on Alto Marketplace display?
Each offering on Alto Marketplace has its own page on which you can evaluate the details of the investment opportunity.
How do I invest in Alto Marketplace Offerings?
From an offering’s page, and once the Suitability Questionnaire has been completed, you can select the Invest button to begin your investment process. This selection will redirect you to Wealthblock to initiate the investment. From the Offering’s page on Wealthblock, press Invest, enter your commitment amount, and press submit. Next, fill in any remaining information, verify your identity, and confirm your accreditation status. Once complete, you’ll be asked to submit an e-Signature and confirm your commitment. Your investment will then be reviewed. Once approved, you will receive an invite to complete your investment with an e-Signature and transfer your funds.
Why do I need to apply to invest in Alto Marketplace offerings?
The suitability questionnaire completed before an investor can access offerings on Alto Marketplace allows Alto Securities’ team to determine whether a prospective investor is an accredited investor.
What is the Suitability Questionnaire?
Prior to investing in offerings on Alto Marketplace, investors must complete a suitability questionnaire which confirms their accreditation status, which determines their eligibility to invest in offerings. Alto’s Suitability Questionnaire requires an investor to read Alto’s Customer Relationship Summary, build their investor profile, and confirm or self attest their accreditation status.
What is changing about my experience on Alto with the introduction of Alto Marketplace?
No existing functionality is being removed from the user experience in your Alto IRA. A simplified navigation bar will enable you to explore distinctive alternative offerings on Marketplace while continuing to invest through our Integrated Partners, bringing your own deal by inviting issuers to raise capital in our Private Raise Portal, and accessing your dashboard.
Why is Alto changing my experience?
Where investors previously sourced investment opportunities outside of the Alto ecosystem, Alto Marketplace allows investors to discover new alternative assets from within our product experience. This change allows investors to easily access the investment opportunities that they are most interested in.
Who can I contact with questions?
You can reach our Investor Relations team at investorrelations@altoira.com, book a meeting here, or call them directly at 629-276-4945 from 8:30 – 5pm CST.
Integrated Partners
Where can I find a list of your Integrated Partners?
You can find a list of our Integrated Partners on our website here, and under the Invest tab on the menu bar located within your Alto IRA account.
What does it cost to invest in an Integrated Partner?
Alto prioritizes simple, transparent pricing that makes investing in alternatives feel approachable and affordable.

Investing with one of our Integrated Partners requires a standard Alto IRA. We charge Alto IRAs a quarterly Account Fee based on your invested capital. Additionally, a $10 investment transaction fee is charged for each initial investment into an Integrated Partner offering.

For more detailed information, please visit altoira.com/pricing.
Private Raise Portal
How much does it cost to invest in an issuer’s offering through the Private Raise Portal?
Alto prioritizes simple, transparent pricing that makes investing in alternatives feel approachable and affordable.

Investing in an issuer’s offering through the Private Raise Portal requires  a standard Alto IRA. We charge Alto IRAs a quarterly Account Fee based on your invested capital. Additionally, a $75 investment processing fee is charged for each investment made through the Private Raise Portal.

For more detailed information, please visit altoira.com/pricing.
Cryptocurrency
Who is eligible to open an Alto CryptoIRA®?
Currently, any United States resident (with the exception of anyone located in Hawaii) who is 18 years or older can open an Alto CryptoIRA.
Why buy and sell crypto in an IRA?
An IRA offers unique tax benefits that make retirement capital an exciting funding method for investments into alternative assets.

Investing in alternatives with an Alto self-directed IRA means you can legally minimize and potentially even eliminate taxes altogether. In Traditional and SEP IRAs, taxes are typically deferred on gains until withdrawal. When investing with a Roth IRA, qualified withdrawals are generally tax-free (subject to IRS rules).

Investing with a self-directed IRA also gives you access to capital that is otherwise locked away until later in life. This means you can strategically align the long term time horizon of capital earmarked for retirement and alternative assets that have longer than typical commitment periods – an investing match made in duration heaven.

Additionally, unlike when you trade crypto outside a tax-advantaged account, doing so within an IRA allows you to avoid the often-tedious process of reporting trades on your taxes each year.
What does investing in cryptocurrency with an Alto CryptoIRA® cost?
Alto prioritizes simple, transparent pricing that we hope makes investing in alternatives feel approachable and affordable.

The Alto CryptoIRA® charges a 1% trade fee on the USD amount of any buy and sell order of cryptocurrency. Applicable Service Fees apply.

For more detailed information, please visit altoira.com/pricing.
Is Alto’s CryptoIRA® safe?
Alto prioritizes industry-leading security measures to keep your CryptoIRA safe. Undirected cash held at Alto is maintained in FDIC-insured accounts with our banking partners at BankProv and Pinnacle Bank. To the extent cash is held at Coinbase, Coinbase may store cash in pooled custodial accounts at one or more banks insured by the FDIC. For more information on Coinbase’s cash storage practices, please review this webpage. For more on Coinbase’s cash management and risk measures, please review this page. Digital assets held at Coinbase are maintained 1:1 in a combination of hot and cold storage.

Our crypto custodian, Coinbase, maintains commercial crime and cybercrime insurance policies and is a state-chartered trust company under the laws of the state of New York. Additionally, neither Coinbase nor Alto will lend, loan, use, or rehypothecate Alto CryptoIRA® assets.
How does Alto CryptoIRA® differ from other IRAs?
The Alto CryptoIRA® provides access to buy, sell, and hold cryptocurrencies through the Coinbase exchange. Digital assets owned by an Alto CryptoIRA® are held at Coinbase. Any other assets (including crypto funds) may be purchased with an Alto IRA.

You may open additional Alto accounts to make non-crypto related investments here.
How much money do I need to invest using the Alto CryptoIRA?
With Alto CryptoIRA, you can invest with as little as $10.
How does the Alto CryptoIRA® work with Coinbase?
After funding your Alto CryptoIRA®, you can invest in up to 200+ cryptocurrencies through the Coinbase exchange. We maintain enough liquidity in our account to accommodate daily trading volumes, and the remainder may be held in cold storage.
Why can’t investors located in Hawaii open an Alto CryptoIRA®?
Since our CryptoIRA® is integrated with Coinbase, and Coinbase does not offer its services to customers located in Hawaii, we are unable to offer Alto CryptoIRA® to you at this time. Get on the waitlist here to receive an update when the Alto CryptoIRA® opens up to Hawaii residents.
If I’m located in Hawaii and want to invest in crypto, how can I do this?
You can still open an Alto IRA account and invest in cryptocurrency through third party partners.
What cryptocurrencies can I trade with Alto CryptoIRA®?
Alto CryptoIRA® offers access to up to 200+ cryptocurrencies via our Coinbase integration.

For Issuers

Marketplace
What is Alto Marketplace?
Alto Marketplace, managed by Alto Securities, LLC, connects accredited investors with a selection of private investment opportunities. The firm conducts a thorough due diligence process to evaluate each offering, ensuring a diverse range of asset classes such as private equity, venture capital, real estate, fine wine, art, and more are available.
Who is Alto Securities?
Alto Securities, a wholly-owned broker-dealer subsidiary of AltoIRA, presents a variety of investment opportunities, enabling investors to explore options that align with their interests.
How is Alto Securities regulated?
Alto Securities is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) as a broker-dealer and is a member of FINRA and SIPC. For information on Alto Securities, please refer to our Form CRS.
What is the difference between Alto Marketplace, Integrated Partnerships, and the Private Raise Portal?
Alto Marketplace is Alto Securities’ flagship platform, where we actively manage the entire investor onboarding process and present specific investment opportunities to both existing and potential investors through various channels including press, paid advertisements, social media, editorial content, and email marketing. Our licensed investor relations team is dedicated to representing Marketplace offerings on behalf of issuers, focusing on acquisition to streamline the process for you.

Integrated Partnerships enable issuers and investment platforms to embed Alto as a payment method within their native investment workflow, streamlining the process through which people can invest with an IRA. Alto displays its integrated partners on its website and investor portal, however we do not promote specific investment opportunities offered by integrated partners.

The Private Raise Portal enables issuers to raise IRA capital on their own terms without any technical expertise or integration required. Unlike the Marketplace and Integrated Partnerships, issuers can start raising capital within 20 minutes through the Private Raise Portal. The steps are simple to create an Alto issuer account, upload your offering, and invite investors to participate! Alto does not promote the brands and investment offerings of issuers who raise privately through this product, nor does it review the merits, legitimacy, appropriateness or suitability of an investment,thus providing issuers complete control over their capital raising process. Alto simply provides a payment method for issuers to accept investments from investor’s IRA dollars.
How are offerings selected for Alto Marketplace?
Alto’s broker-dealer team both sources sought-after private deals and conducts diligence over inbound deals from issuers. Prior to being made available for your investment on Alto Marketplace, each offering must complete our expert-led due-diligence analysis, which evaluates each offering on the merits of its investment structure, deal thesis, manager track record, and risk factors, amongst other things.
How do I submit my offering for listing on the Alto Marketplace?
Complete this inquiry form! Our Alto Securities team reviews submissions on a rolling basis and will be in touch if there’s interest to learn more.
How much does it cost to list my offering on Alto’s Marketplace?
Alto charges each issuer a placement fee based on the total committed capital raised for the offering. Placement fee rates are determined during contracting.
How much does it cost for an investor to invest in a Marketplace offering through their Alto IRA?
Alto prioritizes simple, transparent pricing that we hope makes investing in alternatives feel approachable and affordable.

Investments into Marketplace offerings require an investor to have a standard Alto IRA. We charge Alto IRAs a quarterly Account Fee based on an investor’s invested capital. Investment processing fees do not apply to Marketplace offerings.

For more detailed information, please visit altoira.com/pricing.
My offering requires investors to be accredited. Does Alto Securities qualify investors before allowing them to invest?
Yes! Prior to investing in a Marketplace offering, the investor is required to complete a Suitability Questionnaire and attest to their accreditation as required by our broker dealer. Depending on the structure of the offering, Alto will prompt the investor for supporting documentation for full accreditation verification.
How does an investor invest in Alto Marketplace offerings?
The public can view the offerings on Alto’s Marketplace here on our website. Existing investors can view offerings within their account, too. Upon the decision to invest, the investor will be prompted to create an Alto IRA or log into their existing account to proceed with their commitment.

All investors will be prompted to complete a Suitability Questionnaire to confirm their accreditation status. If qualified to invest, the investor will confirm their identity, accreditation status, and commitment amount and then e-sign subscription/purchase documents for approval.

Upon approval by Alto’s Compliance team, the investor will be prompted to finalize payment to fund their investment. Investors may be prompted to upload supporting documentation to verify their accreditation. This requirement varies based on the offerings exemption status.
Can investors still invest in offerings not listed on the Marketplace through their Alto IRA?
Yes. Investors can continue to seamlessly invest with any of our Integrated Partners or bring their own deal to the Alto platform through the Private Raise Portal.
Can I list one offering on Alto Marketplace and upload another to the Private Raise Portal?
Absolutely, although please bear in mind that this will entail different processes.
Integrated Partners
What is the difference between Integrated Partnerships, the Private Raise Portal and Alto Marketplace?
Alto Marketplace is Alto Securities’ flagship platform, where we actively manage the entire investor onboarding process and present specific investment opportunities to both existing and potential investors through various channels including press, paid advertisements, social media, editorial content, and email marketing. Our licensed investor relations team is dedicated to representing Marketplace offerings on behalf of issuers, focusing on acquisition to streamline the process for you.

Integrated Partnerships enable issuers and investment platforms to embed Alto as a payment method within their native investment workflow, streamlining the process through which people can invest with an IRA. Alto displays its integrated partners on its website and investor portal, however we do not promote specific investment opportunities offered by integrated partners.

The Private Raise Portal enables issuers to raise IRA capital on their own terms without any technical expertise or integration required. Unlike the Marketplace and Integrated Partnerships, issuers can start raising capital within 20 minutes through the Private Raise Portal. The steps are simple to create an Alto issuer account, upload your offering, and invite investors to participate! Alto does not promote the brands and investment offerings of issuers who raise privately through this product, nor does it review the merits, legitimacy, appropriateness or suitability of an investment,thus providing issuers complete control over their capital raising process. Alto simply provides a payment method for issuers to accept investments from investor’s IRA dollars.
How much does it cost to integrate Alto as a payment method?
There’s no cost to Issuers or Investment Platforms raising IRA capital through an integration with Alto. We don’t charge a payment processing fee, placement fee, or commissions, so you get every IRA dollar you accept for free.
How can my firm integrate Alto as a payment method on our platform to make investing with an IRA seamless?
Integration inquiries are reviewed on a case-by-case basis, with the scope of an integration project aligned upon after approval by Alto. If you’re interested in integrating with us, complete this inquiry form! We review submissions on a rolling basis and will be in touch if we’re interested in learning more.
Private Raise Portal
How much does it cost to list my offering?
There’s no cost to Issuers raising capital through Alto’s Private Raise Portal. We don’t charge a placement fee, and we don’t take a cut of your raise, so you get every IRA dollar you accept for free.
Is it costly for my investors to commit to my raise?
Not at all! For too long, investing in alternative assets using a self-directed IRA has been an expensive and laborious process. That goes against everything we stand for. At Alto, we’re on a mission to make alternatives accessible for all, and that starts with pricing that is fair.

We offer simple pricing to investors, calculated and charged quarterly based on a customer’s Total Invested Capital. Additional information can be found at altoira.com/pricing.
Does Alto approve offerings issuers create on the Private Raise Portal?
Alto does not review the merits, legitimacy, appropriateness or suitability of an offering. It is solely the investor’s responsibility to determine the appropriateness of an offering and they must conduct their own due diligence on an investment.

When an issuer creates a deal on our platform, offering documents are required to be uploaded to the offering before an issuer is able to invite investors to participate. Investors who are invited to the offering are presented with the uploaded offering documents.

This ensures that the investor has been presented with the appropriate offering documents before directing Alto to execute the subscription document and send funds to an issuer on behalf of their IRA.
Will Alto confirm an investor's accreditation status for me?
No, Alto simply provides issuers the ability to invite investors to view an offering and use their IRA dollars to commit and purchase a deal. Determining an investor’s suitability is the responsibility of the issuer.
Can I invite an investor who does not have an Alto IRA account?
Yes! You can either send the investor a unique link to your deal in a personalized email or you can trigger an Alto branded invite directly from your Alto issuer account. Step by step instructions for either option can be found here!
How do capital calls work on Alto?
Initiating capital calls within Alto is easy! Please follow these step by step instructions to notify your investors when a capital call is due.
How do I send investment distribution payments back to Alto?
To distribute funds to an investor’s IRA, please follow these simple instructions!

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