The SEC Office of Investor Education and Advocacy ("OIEA") warned investors of risks associated with "self-directed" individual retirement accounts ("SD-IRAs"). SD-IRAs enable investors to invest in a broader portfolio of assets than most other IRAs. In the Investor Alert, the OIEA cautioned that investing in assets such as crypto-currencies, initial coin offerings ("ICOs"), real estate, tax lien certificates and promissory notes and private placements has "unique risks."

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