In addition, if you are self-employed with no full-time employees you may wish to consider opening a Solo 401k instead of a self-directed IRA as it has several advantages over an IRA LLC such as much higher contribution limits, direct checkbook control (i.e. no need to have the account at a specialty trust company), ability to take a 401k loan, exclusion from unrelated debt finance income tax with respect to investment in real estate acquired with non-recourse financing, etc.In addition, please note if you purchase debt-financed real estate with your IRA, unrelated debt finance income tax should apply to the income attributable to debt-financed real estate held by your IRA.

Take advantage of uncertainty in the market! 

There are advantages of having a living trust as a sole owner or co-owner of an LLC is that it allows the grantor to simultaneously manage a business while taking advantage of a trust's flexibility.

What do think are the advantages of doing it that way?

You are not here to take advantage of them, you're here to help them and get paid in the process. 

This would allow me to still invest in real estate as well as numerous other areas while doing it all within a tax-advantaged account, likely with more liquidity and the ability to withdraw my initial contributions without being penalized if I ever found myself in a pinch.

You can also take advantage of this time and be able to BUY real estate at a low with all of this turmoil in the air!

(15% down, 2.875% 30 yr fixed, MIP $232/mo, $17k funds to close, $2300/mo payments)2: ARM: I'm nervous to have a rate that may be significantly higher in 5 years that will cut into my bottom line and I'd like to take advantage of the low rates now.

The way I understand it to take advantage of the tax breaks you use a self designated fund that you put those investments in.

This is surprisingly one of the most unknown tax advantages people don’t know about.