Questies Fight Against Alzheimer’s Disease

Questies Fight Against Alzheimer’s Disease

Last year, The Quest Team donated over $10,000 to the Alzheimer’s Association of Houston. We also participated in the world’s largest event to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer’s care, support, and research; The Walk to End Alzheimer’s.

This walk is used as a valuable tool, fueling the growing awareness of Alzheimer’s and making further progress to ending the disease once and for all. At the walk, you are able to represent the team that you wish, and meet with other people who have or have been affected by Alzheimer’s. Once there, you can meet and hear peoples’ touching stories on how their lives have been affected.

The cause holds a special place in our hearts, as some of our own Questies have been affected by the disease. This illness has affected 35 million people around the world, so it essential that we find a cure.  To help in the fight against Alzheimer’s, Quest IRA donates 10% of the profits from the Survival Kits to the Alzheimer’s Association of Houston.

This year, the Quest Team is back to show even more support for the 2016 Walk to End Alzheimer’s disease!  Our Questies will be participating in the walk, as well as making another sizable donation! We have organized a team open to employees, family members, and clients! Do you want to join us and help raise awareness for the end to Alzheimer’s disease? Here’s how!

1. Go to the link: http://act.alz.org/site/PageServer?pagename=walk_teams_corp
2. Type “Quest IRA” in the Find a Team search box
3. Click on “Quest IRA, Inc.” team name
4. You will be redirected to the Quest IRA team page. Click “Join Our Team” on the left side of the page
5. You will be prompted to select an optional donation amount and provide your contact information

Unite in a movement to reclaim the future for millions.

 

Quest IRA Volunteer Day – Avondale House

It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s…lady bugs? They may not be heroes but they sure are cute! Here at Quest IRA, we believe in making a positive impact in the lives of our clients. We decided to go out and spread some positivity by helping the Houston community.  On June 17^th, five of our Questies volunteered at the Avondale House, an organization providing for the specific needs of Autistic students in the Houston area. Established in 1976, The Avondale House addresses the “sensory, educational, and developmental needs” of students coming from 12 different school districts, and provides day programs for young adults.

We prepared some fun crafts to get the students into a summertime mood – nothing screams summer like popsicles and ladybugs! It was so much fun to see the Avondale House students unleash their creative and crafty side, and even more fun for us giving them a helping hand.

When all was said and done, the students had made some very pretty lady bugs, and delicious looking popsicles.

Giving back and volunteering in our local community is always a fun and rewarding experience, and we could not have picked a better organization to help. Check out the links below if you would like to learn more about the Avondale House and how to get involved.

http://www.avondalehouse.org/

That’s all for now! Stay tuned for more content!

My Summer Internship at Quest IRA

The summer between your senior year of high school and freshman year of college tends to the claim the title of the “best summer of your life.” Most of my classmates travel to exotic places, grasp their remaining last moments with their best friends until they depart for separate schools, or work and attempt to save in order to support their first year of college. I happen to fall in the last category – working and trying with all of my willpower to save the money I earned to use throughout my freshman year. I already knew in my mind that having a job was at the top of summer priorities; however, I did not expect to be so lucky in the opportunity that presented itself to me during my second semester of senior year.

I know nothing about self-directed IRAs. The minute I hear the term “investment” my brain automatically conjures images of the stock market. I guess it is safe to say that when I actually was hired to work at Quest IRA, no one was more surprised than me. I knew that having an internship to work for an investment company would turn a few heads and attract the right attention. I admit that I did not know what to expect – this internship at Quest IRA claimed the title of my first job. However, as an intern I started to develop skills and knowledge that I never thought possible. I did not step out of my comfort zone, but instead I was pushed. I firmly believe that this push ultimately contributed to the self-confidence that has slowly built throughout my time here at Quest.

The company’s CEO, Nathan Long, said that he loves to push his employees out of their comfort zones and make them do things that they may refuse to at first. He believes that each person deserves to live up to their full potential and will do whatever it takes to make them realize that there is more to them than what they let on. As the marketing intern, I have worked close with the entire marketing department – getting to know each individual on not only a professional level, but a personal level as well. I observe their friendly banter with each other and their professional yet amicable persona with their clients. Each one of them attempt every day to work to their full potential and beyond – courtesy of being directly under the influence of the CEO. They serve as an example to the rest of the departments – showing that if they can learn to let go of their insecurities and willingly take a leap of faith, all of us can. If they can do it, so can I.

Unfortunately, after my seven months of working at Quest, I am still no expert to the world of self-directed IRAs. However, I believe that I managed to learn something from my time here at Quest. I gained confidence in myself not only as an employee but also as a person – learning that to truly live up to my potential I must first let go of my doubts, sometimes needing a push in order to truly understand that I can be whoever I want to be if I set my mind to it. With this knowledge and new found strength, I am forever grateful to Quest IRA for not only welcoming me as one of their own, but also for showing me that I can achieve something as long as I am willing to let go.

Thank you to Quest IRA, and especially the Marketing Department, for a truly unforgettable summer and I cannot wait to see where the road takes me next.

-Abby Varona

PRESS RELEASE

NEWS RELEASE

Houston, July 9, 2015

COURT CASE REVEALS PROHIBITED TRANSACTION REGARDING THE PAYMENT OF WAGES FROM IRAS

The Future of Checkbook Control IRAs May Be in Question

Checkbook Control IRAs suffer another blow after a recent court case deemed the Terry Ellis IRA distributable, with extensive taxation and penalties.  The ruling was due to a prohibited transaction that occurred within the IRA, relating to the payment of wages.

In 2005, Terry Ellis directed his IRA, referred to as the Terry Ellis IRA, to purchase 98% of CST, an LLC designed for the business of selling used cars.  The remaining 2% of the company was owned by a non-related party, in the case Ellis v. Commissioner.  Terry Ellis served as the managing member of the CST LLC, and had some oversight in the operations of the business, relating to the sale of the company’s used cars.  In the same year, Terry Ellis paid himself $9,754 in compensation, directly from the CST company checking account.

Based on of Internal Revenue Code Section 4975(c)(1)(D)(E), Terry Ellis was involved in a prohibited transaction.  Terry Ellis served as the fiduciary of his IRA, making him a disqualified person, and unable to receive compensation.  Terry Ellis directed the CST LLC to pay him compensation, which was indirectly drawn from the Terry Ellis IRA, which funded CST LLC, ultimately benefitting the owner of the IRA, Terry Ellis.

Terry Ellis served as the managing member of the CST LLC, receiving compensation and taking an active role within the company.  Terry Ellis acted as the fiduciary to his IRA, and as such, was a disqualified person, making it prohibited that he would serve as the managing member of CST.  According to IRC Sec. 4975e(2)(G), a “disqualified person” includes an LLC, in which 50% or more of the interest or profits is either directly or indirectly owned by a fiduciary.  Both Terry Ellis and CST LLC were deemed disqualified persons, and consequently engaged in a prohibited transaction.

The Tax Court deemed the Terry Ellis IRA fully distributed as of January 1, 2005, with the full amount becoming part of Terry Ellis’ gross income in 2005, with an additional tax of 10%, based on the age of Terry Ellis.

The future of Checkbook Control IRA owned LLCs may be in question, with the ruling of this case.  Using a Checkbook Control IRA provides the ability to be the 100% owner of a company, such as CST LLC.  Changes in the industry are certain with rulings such as  in the case Ellis v. Commissioner.

About Quest IRA

Quest IRA administers Self-Directed IRAs that allow for investments in private assets, including real estate, promissory notes, private entities, precious metals and much more.  Committed to educating clients and providing a vehicle to invest in alternative assets, Quest IRA is one of the fastest growing companies in the industry.  For more information, please contact 1-855-FUN-IRAS.

 

Ben and Jerrys Texas Tour! Ice Cream You Scream, We all scream for Ice Cream!!!

Last summer Ben and Jerrys created two Texas inspired flavors. This summer they have decided to go on a Texas tour and hand out free samples! Quest IRA was lucky enough to get a free visit!

 

Bar-B-Que Peach:

Ancho Peach Ice Cream with Peaches & a Bar-B-Que Caramel Swirl

Bourbon Pecan Pie:

Buttery Bourbon Ice Cream with Pecans, Shortbread Cookie Pieces & a Whisky Caramel Swirl

 

 

Check out the photos from their visit:

     

 

 

 

Quest IRA- SWOT Analysis

My name is Rebecca Miller and I have been working for Quest IRA, Inc., the past five years. Throughout these years I have continued my education through college courses and I am currently enjoying my studies in the Principles of Management. As a major assignment for the semester, students were asked to complete a SWOT Analysis for a local company, and I could not imagine any other than my favorite local company, Quest IRA, Inc. I chose to conduct my SWOT Analyses on Quest IRA, Inc. because I have been truly inspired by the company, its employees and their product. Quest IRA takes incredible care of its employees, encouraging personal growth and developing its employees through group and individual training. However it is the product which is truly incredible. I have seen people come to Quest IRA’s educational classes and networking events, start their own Self-Directed IRAs and supplement their income or pass on wealth to their heirs by taking existing money and investing into assets these people know and better understand.  

 

The SWOT Analysis is a way of identifying organizational strengths and weaknesses as well as environmental opportunities and threats. SWOT is an acronym for Strength, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. It forces strategies to discover key facts and conditions with potential consequences for strategic performance. It also organizes this information in a structured manner that is useful for making strategy decisions. Managers using a SWOT analysis should be looking for organizational strengths that may be leveraged as core competencies to make future gains, as well as environmental opportunities that may be exploited. 

 

From even a light SWOT Analysis, comparing strengths and threats, I am able to see that Quest IRA’s executives have already analyzed and implemented strategies to influence major proficiencies and external opportunities. For instance as a Strength, Quest IRA, prides itself on a highly skilled work force providing the best Self-Directed IRA investment education and customer service. This strength gives Quest IRA a competitive advantage over the threat of misinformation and lack of education throughout the industry.  

 

I feel extremely fortunate that I have the opportunity to continue my education and see the Principles of Management implemented by Quest IRAs executives. Analyzing, strategizing and developing core competency to keep an upper hand in the industry, is no easy task. Thank Quest IRA for encouraging me to continue my education and teaching me the principles of management first hand.

Rebecca Miller, CISP

Questies Volunteering

What do ears of corn and leprechauns have in common?  Well…maybe nothing, but they certainly have had recent significance to a few of our Questies.  Since Quest IRA opened its doors, we‘ve been working towards expanding our company and making positive changes in the lives of our clients, along the way.  Our CEO, Nathan Long, regularly talks about the importance of making someone’s day; so we got the bright idea to head out into the community and spread the love.

On March 12^th, four Questies volunteered at the Avondale House, an organization focused on addressing the specific needs of Autistic students in the Houston area.  The Avondale House has been addressing the “sensory, educational, and developmental needs” of students from Pre-K and up, for the past 25 years.  The Quest volunteers were thrilled to participate in a St. Patty’s Day themed craft with the Avondale House students and had a great time assisting them in the creation of leprechaun masks and pots of gold.

 

After learning about the successful morning with the Avondale House students, more Questies got the volunteer bug.  We sent our second crew of volunteers to assist the Society of St. Vincent de Paul at their food pantry.  The Society of St. Vincent de Paul, a national organization, has been assisting the Houston community since 1871.  On March 20^th, three of our employees assisted in the sorting and bagging of produce that would be distributed to needy families in Houston.  I was one of the lucky few that got the opportunity to serve with SVdP, and I can safely say that I have never seen so many earns of corn!  After several hours of sorting, bagging and an occasional daydream about guacamole with a side of a corn on the cob, our team successfully helped organize food for 300 families in the Houston area.

March was  a great month for Quest IRA, and was improved by the service our Questies were able to do in the community.  Check out the links below if you would like to learn more or donate to the Avondale House or Society of St. Vincent de Paul.

http://www.avondalehouse.org/

http://www.svdphouston.org/

Stay tuned for our next blog post that will be written by Quest IRA Dallas office manager, Terrance Patrick, regarding the latest investor meetup in the Dallas area.  Happy reading!

 

Anne Marie Hollonds

 

Note Investor Summit LIVE 2015

Hey There, Krystal here! I just got back from spending 4 education packed days escaping the cold Austin weather in gorgeous San Diego.  A weekend filled with Note investing presentations and events, great food and fun with the leading Note investors in the country.

Highlights:

• 2-26 – Dawn Rickabaugh Breakout in the Ballroom “Inside tips on how to broker notes”. Dawn’s always a great speaker to watch and a great guitarist to boot!
• 2-27 – Walter Wofford Breakout in the Pavillion “Profitable seller financing strategies to crank up your cash flow” – Walter had everyone laughing on top of the great information he was providing.
• 2-27 – H. Quincy Long Breakout in the ballroom “Do the Due” – Learn how to keep all of your hard earned money by doing proper due diligence on your IRA Transactions
  • In both Walter and Quincys presentations it was great to look around a room and see a mixture of new and seasoned investors laughing it up and enjoying the presentations.
• 2-28 – David Fenoglio – “Profit from Buying undivided interests” – breakout in the ballroom
• 2-28 Frank Ricci receiving the award for Note Investor of the year

One of my favorite highlights of the  event has to be the Charity Silent Auction held at the VIP Dinner on 2/27. Everyone got together to unwind and support Charity Vision,  a nonprofit organization that works with local physicians in developing countries creating sustainable solutions to the worldwide blindness epidemic. They agree to provide their talent and time at no cost. The result is a network of eye-care providers capable of providing for their own community. It was a great charity auction and we were able to all raise a substantial amount, and at $25 a surgery we hope it makes a difference.

For more information on this cause visit http://charityvision.net/

Krystal R.

4th Annual IRA Fun Cruise

Howdy, Beatriz & Ingrid here! Today marks six weeks since our return from the IRA Fun Cruise. If you have never cruised with the questies and Walter before, you are in for a treat. Only on a cruise ship can you see Jack Shea shake it on the dance floor, Quincy reveal his top secrets, and Walter be well… his Wally-Wally self. Some neat features are daily networking with the speakers, how often do you get interact with this quality level of speakers? Its so common to see someone speak but never be able to follow up and ask them questions. This cruise is an exclusive opportunity to drink, dine, and mingle with the finest of the industry.

Some of our favorite presentations were:
Jim Ingersoll – “Top 10 Must Use Web Resources for Investors”
Kacee Jackson – “Highly Advanced Real Estate Marketing for Beginners and Experts Alike
Quincy Long – “Do the Due”
Quincy Long – “Bridging the Gap With Title Insurance”
Joedy Patrick – “If You’re Going to Hold Real Estate in your IRA – DO IT RIGHT!”
David Phelps – “Flying Under the Radar”
Dawn Rickabaugh – “How You Can Provide the American Dream By Investing in Notes – Fewer and fewer have the opportunity to own”

This was a seven day cruise departing from New Orleans, LA. It had three stops starting in Cozumel, Mexico, then Roatan, Honduras (OUR PERSONAL FAVORITE), with the last and final stop in Belize City, Belize.

We are anxiously awaiting our invitation for the next IRA Fun Cruise, departing from San Juan, Puerto Rico. Visit http://www.IRAFuncruise.com for more information about the next cruise!

 

Beatriz & Ingrid

Quest IRA Inc. Annual Ugly Sweater Networking Party Toy Drive

Quest IRA Inc. a leading provider of self-directed IRAs is having a toy drive to benefit Toys for Tots. Quest has been doing this toy drive the last couple of years in conjunction with the annual holiday networking party for clients, prospects and business associates. For those of you who are looking to network with like-minded investors and start the holiday season off with the great feeling of giving, donate an unwrapped toy to Quest IRA and they will give you $10 in Quest Bucks.

Houston, TX (PRWEB) November 30, 2012

When the holiday season rolls around Quest IRA, Inc. and its employees can’t help but catch the holiday season bug for giving. For the past couple of years Quest IRA has been having an Ugly Sweater Networking Party in every city they have an office. The goal of these events is to provide an environment that helps educate people on alternative investments, shows people how to access alternative investments and connect investors with other like-minded investors who have done it before. Along with all the great educational benefits for attending they have attendees bring an unwrapped toy that is donated to Toys for Tots. Over the years Quest IRA has donated hundreds of toys to kids in the local community and they look forward to continuing that tradition long into the future.

On December 8th 2012 in Houston and Mason, Michigan and on December 15th, 2012 in Dallas and Austin, Quest IRA Inc. will be having their Annual Ugly Sweater Networking Party Toy Drive to benefit Toys for Tots. The event is open to the public and there is no cost to attend.

“Quest IRA has always had a passion for the community, giving back and working with non-profits,” said Terrance Patrick, Self-Directed IRA Specialist in Mason, Michigan. “I have been working for the Michigan office for a few years now and one of the most exciting aspects of my job is creating events like our Ugly Sweater Networking Party Toy Drive. When you get to create an event that helps people understand what their investment options are in retirement and we get to donate massive amounts of toys to local children that will put smiles on their faces during the holiday season you really feel a sense of accomplishment. If fact, that feeling I get when I know I am putting smiles on people’s faces is more than anyone could ever give me.”

Not all self-directed IRA administrators and custodians are the same. Quest IRA Inc. uses great free national and local events, which are open to the public, to help further the knowledge of self-directed IRAs and investment strategies within self-directed IRAs.

“I have been working with Quest IRA for years,” stated Brant Phillips, owner of Houston Capital Group. “Not only do they give myself and my investors great, shall I say, world famous customer service, because they care, they also do great work in the community. Not many companies in my experience care so much about their client, prospects and business associates just as much as they care about charity work and giving back to their communities. It is a true pleasure to work with Quest IRA and their staff as well as attending their fun and exciting networking parties. I will see you all there!”

The Quest IRA Inc. corporate office is located at 17171 Park Row, Suite 100 Houston, Texas 77084. Quest IRA Inc. currently supports more than 5000 clients and reaches approximately 20,000 customers monthly via their social media, local and online marketing activities.

ABOUT QUEST IRA

Quest IRA, Inc. is the leading provider of self-directed retirement account administration and education. They are the experts and authorities when it comes to “alternative” investments like real estate, notes, precious metals, oil & gas, private placements, etc. within an IRA, HSA, ESA or 401(k)s. They administer client’s accounts from across the nation but the corporate office is located in Houston, TX with branch offices in Dallas, TX, Austin, TX and Mason, MI. They currently administer over $500MM in client assets for over 5000 clients.
Those interested in learning more about self directed IRAs and Quest IRA, Inc. can visit http://www.QuestIRA.com. Anyone interested in Quest’s free educational classes, webinars and networking events can call 800.320.5950 for more information.