During most of my youth, investing was not something I took seriously. I assumed it was something you started early in life or not at all, and since I hadn’t started, I figured I’d missed my chance. I was busy working, paying bills, and managing the daily demands of life. The idea of studying financial strategies felt overwhelming, especially as a woman navigating a financial world that can often feel intimidating. I also felt financially insecure about it since I did not know much about the best ways to invest. When I tried to learn, I felt weighed down with information and had analysis paralysis.
To make matters worse, I had fallen victim to a scam years ago, which made me wary, nervous, and really hesitant about putting my money anywhere outside of a savings account. I associated investing with risk, the kind of risk I didn’t feel I could afford. Feeling risk scared me enough to stop me in my tracks when it came to investing.
But life has a way of surprising you. I work for two companies: Preferred Trust Company, a self-directed custodian, and Ignite Funding, a private real estate lender. At first, I didn’t think much about the potential value of the knowledge I was gaining just by being in these environments. Over time, however, I realized that my daily work was slowly building me a foundation of financial literacy in investing, and that foundation changed how I approached my financial future. It also gave me more confidence and trust in taking the steps to start investing.
When I first started, the language of investing felt foreign. Terms like “self-directed IRA” and “trust deed” might as well have been another language. I didn’t know how these concepts fit into real-world investing or how they could help someone like me prepare for retirement. I just had no clue. Trust deeds were not familiar to me at all. Much less on how to invest in it.
But gradually, as I handled posting and reporting content at work, heard client’s questions, and observed the investment process, I became curious. I started asking my own questions. I realized there were entire avenues of investing I had never even heard about, avenues that could be more approachable and less tied to the stock market’s rollercoaster.
One of the biggest turning points came when I learned about Self-Directed IRAs (SDIRAs). Unlike traditional retirement accounts that limit you to stocks, bonds, and mutual funds, a self-directed IRA allows you to invest in alternative assets — essentially anything except three restricted categories: life insurance, collectibles, and certain transactions with disqualified persons.
This opened the door to the second concept that would truly change my perspective: trust deed investing.
A deed of trust is a legal document that secures a real estate loan by transferring the property’s title to a neutral third party, called the trustee, who holds it until the borrower repays the loan.
There are three key parties involved:
Many states use deeds of trust instead of mortgages because they allow for a faster, non-judicial foreclosure process if needed. For an investor, this is critical protection; the deed of trust is your legal safeguard.
As I continued learning, I discovered that trust deed investing was something I could realistically do myself. And, through Ignite Funding, I had access to opportunities that had already been vetted and packaged for investors.
The more I learned, the more I realized the potential benefits:
Attractive Returns – Many of their trust deed investments offer double-digit annualized interest, between 10–12%, paid monthly.
Secured by Real Estate – Every loan is backed by a recorded first-position deed of trust, giving me a legal claim to the property.
Passive Income Without Being a landlord – No tenants, no repairs, no property management headaches.
Diversified Real Estate Exposure – Access to commercial and residential development projects in multiple markets.
These were tangible, measurable advantages — not vague promises.
Even with all the facts, I still hesitated. Investing real money was different from learning about it in theory. I needed to feel comfortable, and that came down to trust.
That trust began with Christina Ramirez at Preferred Trust Company. She patiently answered my many questions about opening a Roth IRA and using it for alternative investments. She never made me feel rushed or uninformed. That reassurance was enough for me to take the first step: opening my Roth IRA with Preferred Trust Company.
From there, I decided to use my SDIRA funds to invest in trust deeds through Ignite Funding.
When it came time to choose my first investments, I was nervous again. The Ignite Funding online portal listed multiple opportunities, all looked promising. I didn’t want to “put all my eggs in one basket,” so I knew I wanted to split my investment between two loans — but how would I choose?
That’s when Brock Norred, a Business Development Executive at Ignite Funding, stepped in. He took the time to explain the different investment options, the types of properties involved, and the timelines for repayment. His explanations were clear and thorough, giving me the confidence to decide which two trust deeds to start with.
Once I had chosen, I went back to Alex Beltran, Ignite Funding’s Compliance Coordinator, to finalize the process. Alex had already been a valuable resource for me throughout my learning curve. Any time doubt crept back in, I would go to him, and he would answer every question — no matter how small, stupid (in my eyes, I now know that there is no such thing as a stupid question), or repetitive it might have been.
Surprisingly, the investments were not complicated. The paperwork was minimal, and most of it could be completed online. Within a short time, my Roth IRA funds were allocated to the two trust deeds I had selected.
And then… I was officially an investor.
That was the moment my fears disappeared. Instead of worrying, I began looking forward to the steady monthly interest payments,10–12% annualized, for the 9–18-month terms of my chosen investments.
For anyone looking for a way to diversify their retirement portfolio, especially those who want to move beyond the stock market, trust deed investing is worth exploring. Through Ignite Funding, the process is transparent, the team is experienced, and the returns are competitive.
The combination of security (backed by real estate), short investment terms, and steady income makes it an attractive option for both seasoned and first-time investors.
And if you already have a self-directed IRA — or are willing to open one — you can invest in trust deeds within a tax-advantaged account like a Roth IRA, allowing your interest income to grow tax-free.
I never imagined I would become a confident investor, let alone one who understood the intricacies of self-directed retirement accounts and real estate lending. But here I am, proof that with the right education, guidance, and willingness to start, it’s possible to transform financial insecurity into empowerment. I just had to stop the fear and take the first step.
If you’ve ever felt like it’s “too late” to invest, I’m living proof that it’s not. Whether you’re just beginning to learn or you’re ready to take the leap, trust deed investing might be the door to a more secure financial future, just as it was for me.