The answer is maybe. Most IRA Custodians will allow you to transfer part of your IRA funds to another Custodian and then into a Check Book IRA.

However, some Custodians or Plan Administrators require that ALL the retirement funds either stay in the IRA/Plan or be transferred or rolled out. This is most common with 401K, 403B and Pension plans.

A partial transfer is a great option if you’d like to keep some funds in a typical Custodial setup; but still take advantage of alternative asset investing with a Check Book IRA. Make sure to check with your Custodian or Plan Administrator to see what their transfer requirements are.