Note Fund Investing technically means investing in shares of a privately-held company like Plural America that manages a portfolio of mortgages (aka notes), but participating in a note fund really means investing in the company managing the fund.

With traditional passbook savings accounts paying little more than nothing in return these days, more and more people are looking for better options. Money market accounts, various bank account options, and mREIT investments are among them. Here's everything you need to know about it.

Opening a self-directed IRA (SDIRA) is an important step toward diversifying your retirement portfolio. It allows you to invest in alternative investments such as real estate, precious metals, private equity, and other types of assets, and it gives you complete control over how you grow your account.

Mortgage REITs (mREIT) provide financing for income-producing real estate by purchasing or originating mortgages and mortgage-backed securities (MBS) and earning income from the interest on these investments.

There are a lot of great hard money and private money lending companies in the U.S.—stand-up lenders that do a wonderful job. Current rates for the top-tier borrowers are going to be 8 to 9 percent APR. Beginners or limited experience investors, you can figure about a 10 to 15 percent APR.

A Self-Directed IRA (SDIRA) is a distinct class of retirement account. With a self-directed IRA, you could invest directly in what the IRS called “Alternative Assets” like real estate, private businesses, mortgage/debt service companies like Plural America.