@Connor ParsonsTo learn about what is considered self-employment activity for participating in a solo 401k plan, please see the following. https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-se...Following are the similarities and differences between the solo 401k and the self-directed IRA.The Self-Directed IRA and Solo 401k SimilaritiesBoth were created by congress for individuals to save for retirement;Both may be invested in alternative investments such as real estate, precious metals tax liens, promissory notes, private company shares, and stocks and mutual funds, to name a few;Both allow for Roth contributions;Both are subject to prohibited transaction rules;Both are subject to federal taxes at time of distribution;Both allow for checkbook control for placing alternative investments;Both may be invested in annuities;Both are protected from creditors;Both allow for nondeductible contributions; andBoth are prohibited from investing in assets listed under I.R.C. 408(m).The Self-Directed IRA and Solo 401k DifferencesIn order to open a solo 401k, self-employment, whether on a part-time or full-time basis, is required;To open a self-directed IRA, self-employment income is not required;In order to gain IRA checkbook control over the self-directed IRA funds, a limited liability company (IRA LLC) must be utilized;The solo 401k allows for checkbook control from the onset;The solo 401k allows for personal loan known as a solo 401k loan;It is prohibited to borrow from your IRA;The Solo 401k may be invested in life insurance;The self-directed IRA may not be invested in life insurance;The solo 401k allow for high contribution amounts (for 2017, the solo 401k contribution limit is $54,000, whereas the self-directed IRA contribution limit is $5,500);The solo 401k business owner can serve as trustee of the solo 401k;The self-directed IRA participant/owner may not serve as trustee or custodian of her IRA; instead, a trust company or bank institution is required;When distributions commence from the solo 401k a mandatory 20% of federal taxes must be withheld from each distribution and submitted electronically to the IRS by the 15th of the month following the date of each distribution;Rollovers and/or transfers from IRAs or qualified plans (e.g., former employer 401k) to a solo 401k are not reported on Form 5498, but rather on Form 5500-EZ, but only if the air market value of the solo 401k exceeds $250K as of the end of the plan year (generally 12/31);When funds are rolled over or transferred from an IRA or 401k to a self-directed IRA, the amount deposited into the self-directed IRA is reported on Form 5498 by the receiving self-directed IRA custodian by May of the year following the rollover/transfer.Rollovers (provided the 60 day rollover window is satisfied) from an IRA to a Solo 401k or self-directed IRA are reported on lines 15a and 15b of Form 1040;Pre-tax IRA contributions on reported on line 32 of Form 1040;Pre-tax solo 401k contributions are reported on line 28 of Form 1040;Roth solo 401k funds are subject to RMDs;A Roth 401k may be transferred to a Roth IRA (Note that from a planning perspective, it may be advantageous to transfer Roth Solo 401k funds to a Roth IRA before turning age 70 ½ in order to escape the Roth RMD requirement applicable to Roth 401k contributions including Roth Solo 401k contributions and earnings.)

Rules allow for 60 days rollover, using that as a "loan" to self can be dangerous and is not what this is intended for.

I originally thought that we'd create a SoloK, roll over some traditional IRA funds into it, so that we can take a loan out of it to use as gap funding.

I doubt it.Most utilities offer an " auto rollover" where the utility goes right back to the landlord name.

Again, I said no, I don't need the extra hassle of every month going to see if this horse has destroyed my house.I think they thought we would roll over, and I may have when i first started out, but now I've learned better.   

the 1031 exchange is for investment property.However, he can sell his primary residence after living in it for 2 of the last 5 years and roll over $250K in gains ($500K if married) without paying capital gains taxes on it. 

So my mother has a 401k that she needs to roll over into something.

Also, many people rollover IRA's from previous employer plans (not only funded through current contributions).  

You can't roll over a current employer 401K to SDIRA in 95% of cases. 

If a distribution is nonqualified, some of the assets (generally the earnings) may be subject to regular income tax and a 10 percent early distribution penalty tax unless the Roth IRA owner qualifies for a penalty tax exception.Tax laws require Roth IRA assets to be distributed in the following order: regular contributions, conversionsand retirement plan rollovers, and earnings (IRC Sec. 408A(d)(4) and Treas.