#138 - How to Vet Deals, Operators, and Advisors the Right Way with Mat Sorensen

Tait Duryea and Ryan Gibson sit down with Mat Sorensen of Directed IRA to tackle one of the most common investor questions: Who do you actually trust when investing in alternative assets? The conversation breaks down how to vet operators, assess risk, understand leverage, and use self-directed retirement accounts responsibly. Mat shares real-world insight from seeing thousands of deals flow through his firm, explains why advisors often avoid alternatives, and outlines practical rules for due diligence, alignment, and saying no to bad opportunities.

Mat Sorensen is a nationally recognized authority on self-directed retirement investing and the CEO of Directed IRA. A tax and business attorney with over 20 years of experience, Mat has helped thousands of investors use IRAs and 401(k)s to invest in alternative assets like real estate, private equity, and startups. He is the author of The Self-Directed IRA Handbook and co-hosts educational events and podcasts focused on empowering investors to take control of their retirement capital.

Show notes:

(0:00) Intro

(0:29) Understanding investment risk

(4:54) What custodians do and don’t do

(6:01) Why advisors avoid alternatives

(9:09) How wealthy investors allocate capital

(13:55) What you pay a self-directed custodian for

(18:16) The “bring your own deal” reality

(25:05) Identifying an operator’s real edge

(33:07) Debt as the biggest risk factor

(48:28) Learning when to say no

(51:57) Outro

Connect with Mat Sorensen:

• Website: https://directedira.com/ 
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MatSorensen/videos
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Learn more about: 

Alternative Asset Investor Summit - https://altassetsummit.com/

Episodes Mentioned:

1. #124 - $44 Trillion and the Future of Retirement Investing with Mat Sorensen

2. #110 - The IRA Club Advantage: The Self-Directed IRA Strategy for Pilots with Ramez Fakhoury

3. #36 - Decoding the Untapped Potential and Complex World of Self-Directed IRAs with Derreck Long  

4. #9 - Demystifying IRAs: Transfers Vs. Rollovers with Carrie Cook

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*Legal Disclaimer*

The content of this podcast is provided solely for educational and informational purposes. The views and opinions expressed are those of the hosts, Tait Duryea and Ryan Gibson, and do not reflect those of any organization they are associated with, including Turbine Capital or Spartan Investment Group. The opinions of our guests are their own and should not be construed as financial advice. This podcast does not offer tax, legal, or investment advice. Listeners are advised to consult with their own legal or financial counsel and to conduct their own due diligence before making any financial decisions.