Do you prefer a Self Directed IRA custodian or a LLC for flipping houses?

[Thomas Elam]

Greetings,

This is my first post.

When the sale of the power plant I work in is final the old owners will give me my portable pension. I plan to roll that cash into a self directed IRA. I will roll my 401k into a rollover plan. I want to diversify our investment portfolio so my wife and I are looking at flipping houses with the money in the self directed IRA.

I know that we can use a custodian like Equity Trust or form an LLC. I like the idea of the checkbook IRA because it appears to be more convient than having to go through the custodian for checks. I know that like anything else there are pros and cons.

I am looking for feedback from people that switched between an LLC and custodian and why.

Thanks,
Tom Elam