The PREMIER IRA custodian choice of alternative investment product sponsors

First Trust Retirement is the premier IRA custodian choice of alternative investment product sponsors. First Trust Retirement combines the transfer agency servicing solutions of DST Systems Inc., with an IRA custodial offering. With First Trust Retirement clients now have the flexibility to select an alternative investment for their self-directed IRAs that is not typically available through mutual fund and brokerage offered IRAs.


First Trust offers the following account types:

  • Traditional IRAs
  • Roth IRAs
  • Simplified Employee Pension Plans- SEPs

DST Systems, Inc., the leading qualified transfer agent in the alternative investment space, has been chosen as our agent to service this solution. With First Trust Retirement custodial services, advisors can spend less time, less effort, and less cost servicing alternative investments for their client’s IRAs.

Less Time
  • Three times faster account setup for timely transaction settlement and commission payments
  • Streamlined transfer agency services provided by our agent, DST Systems, Inc.
Less Effort
  • Advisors have a single point of contact for product and retirement knowledge support
  • Reduced shareowner confusion and wasteful mailing redundancy
Less Cost
  • IRA annual custodial fee starting as low as $25, compared to over $100 with other custodians
  • Average shareowner savings of $600 (est.) over the life of a single REIT investment

1. First Trust Retirement offers the ability to select alternative investment products, including non-traded REITs and BDCs, within an IRA that costs a fraction of current alternative IRA product offerings.


2. With First Trust Retirement, your clients now have the flexibility to select an alternative investment for their self-directed IRAs that is not commonly available through mutual fund and brokerage offered IRAs.

With First Trust Retirement, your clients now have the flexibility to select an alternative investment for their self-directed IRAs that is not commonly available through mutual fund and brokerage offered IRAs.