It has always been possible to diversify your retirement savings into alternative assets such as real estate, private notes, privately held stock and the like - but takes a different kind of service to accomplish that.One of the first things you will want to identify as you read and learn here on BP (lots of good info on the topic) is determine the best type of service for your needs.A self-directed IRA custodian (typically a trust company) can hold an account and process investments into a broader array of assets. 

Then why not make your team sit together and do a collective brainstorming to generate a wide array of ideas.It is a centre stage act that creative brainstorming should take place to solve a significant internal or external challenge.

The CA rule for franchise tax (if broadly interpreted) is that a CA resident is liable for CA franchise tax for any LLC operated anywhere.

I understand there's definitely more personal information that's needed in order to get specific answers to my questions but the replies did give me a broad overview of what's needed and in what direction I should start, i.e.

If you start too broad you'll never get a deal done in the beginning because you'll be in over your head probably.

There are risks in this strategy - relating to the market, borrowing cost, and the economy.Instead of beguiling yourself with the prospect of holding a vast array of poor quality houses does it make more sense to build a Real Estate Empire owning High Class good quality homes in nice areas?

Hi Nancy,I love the broad stroke comments about retail ( sarcasm ) when people have zero to limited experience in it.

We’ve seen RPM on a broad list of contractors...is this the same company and they just do “management” as well as contract work? 

I cringe when I see broad statements about low you should expect for cash flowIt may just be they are looking in the wrong areas.  

This is a broad generalization since we don't have much detail on the transaction, character of the issuer and how you both have the contract set up, but as the investor you are less likely to have securities liability than the issuer unless there was some level of complicity between the parties.