Rollover Process with Entrust Group for Real Estate IRA
The Entrust Group is one of the oldest self-directed IRA custodians in the United States, founded in 1981 in Oakland, California. It serves over 50,000 accounts with a broad alternative asset platform. Entrust uses a regional office model with locations in California, Texas, and Florida — providing in-person support options uncommon among SDIRA custodians.
1Expert Analysis: Entrust Group
A deep dive into platform competence. Entrust Group's regional office model is its most distinctive feature in an industry that has moved almost entirely online. For investors making their first large SDIRA rollover — often $200,000–$500,000 accumulated over a career — the ability to walk into an office in Houston or Atlanta, sit across from a specialist, and review the rollover process in person provides a level of confidence that online-only custodians cannot match. This is particularly relevant for the 60–75 demographic that makes up most of the SDIRA market.
When opening a Real Estate IRA, selecting your custodian determines your overhead cost and execution speed.Entrust's competitive position is strongest in markets near its regional offices (Houston, Atlanta, Denver, Miami, Oakland) where local real estate investors value the in-person relationship. For a Houston real estate investor rolling a 401(k) into a real estate SDIRA, the ability to meet with an Entrust specialist, review the closing documentation, and receive investment direction in person is a genuine differentiator. The fee structure becomes less important when the in-person relationship provides meaningful peace of mind for a complex first transaction.
- Investors who prefer in-person service options (regional offices in 5 major markets)
- Smaller accounts (under $50,000) where Entrust's $199 starting fee is lower than Equity Trust's $225
- Real estate investors in Houston, Atlanta, Denver, Miami, or Oakland who want local custodian relationships
- Investors who value custodian longevity and want the second-oldest SDIRA custodian in the country
2Entrust Group Fee Schedule
Fees compound over the life of your Real Estate IRA. Always evaluate the total cost basis.
Setup Fee
$50 one-time account establishment fee
Charged one-time upon account initiation.
Annual Fee
$199/year
Entrust uses an asset-value-based fee schedule similar to Equity Trust. Fees scale with account value.
Incoming Rollovers
$0
Direct rollovers are typically free to originate on the receiving side.
3Real Estate IRA Considerations
How Entrust Group specifically handles the Real Estate IRA asset class and structure.
Strong real estate SDIRA capability. Regional offices in Houston and Atlanta make Entrust particularly useful for southern real estate investors.
Tax Destination Character: Traditional Real Estate IRA: all rental income, appreciation, and sale proceeds flow back into the IRA tax-deferred. Roth Real Estate IRA: all income and gains are permanently tax-free. The ability to accumulate rental income and appreciation tax-deferred (or tax-free in a Roth SDIRA) is the primary tax advantage of the Real Estate IRA structure.
4Rollover & Account Opening Process
Moving funds via direct rollover into your new Real Estate IRA.
- Complete online application at theentrustgroup.com or visit a regional office in person (Oakland, Houston, Denver, Atlanta, Miami).
- Pay $50 account establishment fee. Receive account number within 1–3 business days.
- Provide Entrust FBO information to sending plan for direct rollover.
- Entrust posts rollover within 1–3 business days of fund receipt.
- Submit Investment Direction request online or via the Entrust portal.
- Entrust reviews and processes the investment direction.
5Common Entrust Group Pitfalls
Mistakes specific to the Entrust Group platform.
Not leveraging the regional office for complex transactions
Entrust's primary differentiator — in-person service at regional offices — is underutilized by investors who default to online submission for everything. Complex transactions (first real estate purchase, joint venture structures, LLC-owned properties) benefit significantly from in-person review with an Entrust specialist who can identify documentation issues before they delay the closing. Schedule an appointment for any transaction above $100,000.
Assuming Entrust's fee is lower than Equity Trust without calculating the full schedule
Entrust's starting annual fee ($199 under $50,000) is lower than Equity Trust's starting tier ($225). But at higher account values, the comparison changes. Verify the current fee schedule for your specific account value before choosing between them — the difference at any given tier may be smaller than expected, and transaction fees, storage fees, and wire fees also differ.
Using Entrust for a large cryptocurrency allocation
Entrust's crypto platform (EntrustConnect) is functional but not class-leading. For an investor primarily focused on cryptocurrency, IRA Financial's crypto platform (100+ coins, mobile trading, Gemini integration) provides a substantially better experience. Entrust is optimized for real estate and metals — not crypto.
6Frequently Asked Questions
Does Entrust Group have physical offices I can visit?
Yes — Entrust maintains regional offices in Oakland CA, Houston TX, Denver CO, Atlanta GA, and Miami FL. In-person appointments are available for account opening, investment direction review, and educational consultations. This is uncommon among SDIRA custodians, most of whom operate entirely online. In-person service is available Monday–Friday during business hours.
How does Entrust Group compare to Equity Trust?
Both are established SDIRA custodians with broad alternative asset support. Entrust's primary advantage is in-person regional offices and slightly lower fees for smaller accounts. Equity Trust's advantages include larger scale (250,000+ accounts vs. 50,000+), a more developed online portal (myEquity), dedicated precious metals specialist teams, and potentially stronger depository relationships. For most large-account investors, Directed IRA's flat $295/year beats both on cost — making the choice between Entrust and Equity Trust primarily about in-person vs. online service preferences.
Can I open a Entrust SDIRA in person?
Yes — if you are near one of their five regional offices (Oakland CA, Houston TX, Denver CO, Atlanta GA, Miami FL), you can complete the account opening process in person. This includes reviewing the rollover documents, completing the application, and getting immediate account number confirmation. For investors making a large rollover for the first time, the in-person option provides a level of confidence not available at online-only custodians.