Rush Nigot on his Rush on Business Blog provides valuable information for franchisees. But how do you finance it? There are a small number of trust companies that can help facilitate that process if you use self-directed IRA assets to invest in private equity, e.g., a franchise. It’s not just publicly traded securities that IRAs can invest in. There’s also real estate, secured loans, unsecured loans, and private placements. But caveat emptor twice. Failure to follow the tax rules can result in adverse tax consequences, and the investment may not pan out. Remember, these are retirement funds so consult with your advisors first. This is another one of those "kids don’t try this at home" situations.