Next Generation Trust Company, a custodian of self-directed retirement plans, has announced a new strategic partnership with KJLK & Co., LLC, aimed at providing accredited investors with access to the Square One Fund platform. The partnership will allow investors with self-directed IRAs at Next Generation to include the Square One Fund in their retirement portfolios, offering a streamlined path to alternative investments.
Square One Fund, LP operates as a dual-track private investment platform, utilizing parallel fund structures under Sections 3(c)(1) and 3(c)(7) of the Investment Company Act of 1940. The platform allocates capital across a diversified group of vetted underlying managers, spanning private equity, venture capital, private credit, hedge fund strategies, real estate, and infrastructure. Through this architecture, KJLK accommodates both qualified purchasers via its main fund and accredited investors via a dedicated parallel feeder vehicle, providing access to alternative strategies through a single, professionally managed ecosystem.
Jaime Raskulinecz, CEO of Next Generation Trust Company, highlighted the significance of the partnership: "This strategic partnership allows our accredited investor clients to diversify their retirement investments via high-value alternative assets using funds from their Next Generation IRA, embedding a broadly diversified product into their overall portfolio." To participate, eligible investors must open and fund a self-directed account with Next Generation, then deploy retirement assets to subscribe for a limited partnership interest in the fund. As a Rule 506(c) offering, all investors' statuses are subject to mandatory independent third-party verification.
Joseph LaTurner, principal of KJLK & Co., LLC, explained the benefits of the Square One Fund: "Square One Fund provides access to alternative strategies and private markets in a structure that systematically addresses the general lack of liquidity and the heavy due diligence burdens individual investors typically face. Our team consistently compares intrinsic value against cost, adhering strictly to our value-oriented investment philosophy, principles and fundamentals regardless of broader market cycles. This disciplined approach delivers strong long-term benefit to our partners, structured with greater redemption flexibility than many comparable private funds."
LaTurner selected Next Generation as the strategic partner due to Raskulinecz's entrepreneurial spirit and the team's ability to think differently about investing. He noted that "their operational flexibility reflects positively on what we do on the quantitative and portfolio management side." Next Generation Trust Company is officially featured under "Products" on the KJLK website as the preferred self-directed IRA custodian for its alternative strategy and private market products.
Many registered investment advisors (RIAs) have expressed interest in the fund on behalf of their high-net-worth clients, recognizing the benefits of utilizing a self-directed IRA to capture non-correlated alternative asset exposure. Raskulinecz echoed this sentiment: "We invite independent fee-based financial advisors to work with us and expand their clients' access to alternative assets while also enhancing their own investment knowledge. When their clients open a self-directed IRA at Next Generation, those advisors retain the client relationship and assets under management, and continue collecting their customary fees while helping their clients build a more eclectic portfolio through the many nontraditional investments self-direction allows."
This partnership underscores a growing trend among retirement investors seeking diversification beyond traditional stocks and bonds. By providing access to private markets and alternative strategies through self-directed IRAs, the collaboration addresses the need for more sophisticated investment options in retirement planning. For more information about Next Generation Trust Company and the alternative assets allowed through self-direction, visit NextGenerationTrust.com. To learn more about KJLK & Co. and the Square One Fund, visit convictionfunds.com.
