Our IRM(72) plans are already paying off…
One is up 6% since February. Another has added 13% since December of last year.
That compares to a broader market that’s flat for the year.
And many more gains will be ahead for each of these plays. Some will be capital gains, but the majority of the gains will come from compounded dividends that are only available through IRM(72) plans.
Just remember: for a successful IRM(72) plan, the key is to set these and forget them. This is a long-term play, not instant gratification. Let that interest compound over the years, and thank me come retirement time.
A few questions have come in from Outsiders regarding our IRM(72) plans:
Stacie T. wrote in to ask:
“Can I sell these shares at any time? Are stock certificates kept at their place of business?”
Thanks for the question, Stacie. Just like a regular stock, you can indeed sell your IRM(72) positions whenever you like.
Now, while most IRM(72) plans allow you to sell the stock directly from their plan, some companies do require that you notify them in writing and follow their specific sell instructions. Other companies allow you to do so with a quick phone call.
Either way, sometimes the process may take a week or two.
In many cases, there is no fee for selling your IRM(72) shares. If a company does charge a fee to sell, it will be far less than what a broker would have charged you.
If you wanted to sell off your IRM(72) quickly — in case you need money in an emergency, for example — you can speed up the process by selling through a broker. You’d just have the transfer agent for your IRM(72) program issue you a stock certificate, which you can turn around and cash out through your regular broker.
However, avoiding broker fees is one my favorite parts of an IRM(72) plan, so I wouldn’t go this route unless you really need the money immediately.
A quick note on stock certificates: In the past, if you started an IRM(72) program, you would have been given a sheet of paper that would confirm your stock ownership in a company. Back in the day, you may have kept your stock certificates in a safe or a safety deposit box.
These days, however, practically all IRM(72) programs allow you to keep your stock certificates electronically to be accessed via computer whenever you’d like. Many companies with IRM(72) plans will hold them for convenience and safekeeping. Most companies will do this for free — or a very small charge.
If you want physical copies of them, you can request that they be mailed to you.
But if you are interested in starting an IRM(72) program with any participating company, you must read the investor relations section of the company’s website. It will spell out all the terms and conditions of the particular program. It will also disclose if the company charges any fees for its program.
Another question came from A. Garcia, MBA, Esq:
“In your report you elaborate about Social Security, IRAs, 401(k)s, and such American ways to handle your retirement. My question is if the IRM(72) plan you offer is also applicable for foreigners.”
You can indeed invest in IRM(72) plans no matter where you are. You typically just need to own one share of the company to get started. The flip side to this for American investors is that opening an IRM(72) plan in a foreign company is a cheap and easy way to get exposure to foreign stocks that may not trade on the NYSE.
