Sidney and Susanne have bought and sold commercial properties throughout the world, but their sights are now set on France, for personal as well as financial reasons.

Bruce has visited France numerous times and long ago decided that Paris is one of the great cities of the world.

Whether it’s a pied-à-terre in Paris or an old farmhouse in Provence, France is an attractive investment destination for many.

Now that we’ve gone over some of the nuts and bolts of offshore investing, let’s look at a few other investors who have delved into the international arena.

Sarah and Bill have a plan. They’ve heard about investment property in Costa Rica—beautiful locations, great weather, ease of living.

IRAs and qualified plans can borrow funds, but the accounts themselves cannot be used as collateral for loans for personal use.

When you are eligible or required to take distributions, you can opt to receive either the entire sum or periodic distributions for the rest of your life.

For IRAs, the custodian or trustee is normally a bank, savings association, insurance company, or any other entity deemed by the Secretary of the Treasury to be able to carry out the responsibilities.

The tax advantages vary depending on whether you are using a Roth or traditional IRA.

To get started, the first thing you need to do is open a self-directed account and transfer or roll over funds from your existing retirement plans.