1. Investing as an Individual
You can invest as an individual if you meet the accredited investor requirements. In this case, the investment is held personally in your name.
Use your full legal name when creating your account with Gatsby Investment and when completing the accredited investor verification through Verify Investor.
At the end of each tax year in which income is generated, a Schedule K-1 tax form will be issued in your legal name for income tax reporting.
2. Investing Jointly
You can invest jointly with your spouse as long as you both meet the accredited investor requirements. In this case, the investment is held in both of your legal names.
The primary taxpayer will create and manage the account. Both spouses must complete the accredited investor verification process through Verify Investor.
The primary taxpayer has full authority to manage the account and place investments. A spouse can be invited to access the account with view-only permissions, allowing them to track investments and view documents, but not make investment decisions.
At the end of each tax year in which income is generated, a Schedule K-1 tax form will be issued under the primary taxpayer’s name for income tax reporting.
3. Investing as an Entity
You can invest through an entity as long as all equity owners or the entity itself qualifies as an accredited investor. In this case, the entity, rather than you personally, will be the investor.
An entity can be an LLC, S corporation, or C corporation. If you are the sole owner, you will be verified under the individual criteria. If there are multiple owners, each must demonstrate that they meet the accredited investor requirements.
The account will be created and managed by the designated account manager, who has full authority to manage the account and place investments. Additional equity owners can be invited to access the account with view-only permissions, allowing them to track investments and view documents, but not make investment decisions.
At the end of each tax year in which income is generated, a Schedule K-1 tax form will be issued in the entity’s name for income tax reporting.
4. Investing through a Trust
You can invest through a trust as long as the trust itself or all settlors qualify as accredited investors. In this case, the trust, not you personally, will be the investor.
Gatsby accepts both living revocable trusts and irrevocable trusts.
If you are the settlor of the trust, you must be verified as an accredited investor under the individual requirements. If there are multiple settlors, each must demonstrate that they meet the accredited investor qualifications.
At the end of each tax year in which income is generated, a Schedule K-1 tax form will be issued in the trust’s name for income tax reporting.
5. Investing through a Retirement Account
You can invest through a retirement account as long as you meet the accredited investor requirements. In this case, the retirement account, not you personally, will be the investor.
Most retirement accounts are eligible to invest with Gatsby and generally fall into two categories:
Custodian-held accounts (require a third-party Alternative Asset IRA Custodian):
- Self-Directed Traditional IRAs
- Self-Directed Roth IRAs
- Self-Directed SEP IRAs
- Self-Directed SIMPLE IRAs
- Self-Directed Traditional 401(k)s
Checkbook-controlled accounts (managed directly by you):
- Checkbook IRA LLCs
- Checkbook IRA Trusts
- Checkbook Solo 401(k)s
Once you have selected an investment, the funding process will depend on the type of retirement account you are using. If you are investing with a Self-Directed IRA (custodian-held), Gatsby will work directly with your custodian to provide the required documents, such as the subscription agreement and investment details. Once your custodian approves the investment, they will send the funds to Gatsby. If you are using a Checkbook IRA LLC, Checkbook IRA Trust, or Solo 401(k), you will wire or ACH funds directly to Gatsby.
At the end of any tax year in which income is generated, a Schedule K-1 tax form will be issued in your retirement account’s name for income tax reporting.
Request a Retirement Account Referral
Whether you are setting up a new retirement account or need a specialized custodian for an existing one, Gatsby can connect you with trusted providers that other investors have successfully used.
To request a referral, please fill out the form below with your information, and we will share it with a provider who can reach out to you directly.
Important Info Before Getting Started
Creating an account with Gatsby takes less than two minutes. During sign-up, you will be asked to provide some basic information. Once your account is set up, you will have full access to our platform and details of the investment opportunities. However, before you can place an investment, you must be verified as an accredited investor. Learn more about the accreditation process.
Before starting the accreditation application, you will select how you plan to invest with Gatsby. You may invest as any of the options mentioned above (individual, jointly, through an entity, a trust, or a retirement account). It is important to choose your investment method before beginning the application, as your verification will apply specifically to that selection.
For example, if you are verified as an individual but later decide to invest through an entity, you will need to complete a new application and go through the verification process for the entity.
Manage Multiple Accounts in One Place
With Gatsby, you can add and manage multiple investment accounts under a single user profile. For example, you might hold both an individual account and a retirement account or manage an entity account alongside a joint account, all in one place without the need for multiple logins.
This makes it simple to diversify across investment options, track your portfolio, and oversee everything in a seamless way.
If you already have one account with us, additional accounts can be added by logging in to your Gatsby account and visiting the My Profile tab, where you will be guided step by step through the setup.