Kirk Chisholm | Source | Principal & Wealth Manager at Innovative Advisory Group

It is a little-known secret that retirement accounts (IRAs, 401(k)s, etc.) can be used to invest in assets outside the stock market. Most people just assume that they need to invest in mutual funds or stocks with their IRA or 401(k). However, the investment options with your retirement account are virtually limitless.

There are ways to make quite sizable returns if you’re creative and knowledgeable enough to use self-directed IRAs in the right way. That’s not to say that everybody should do this.

Share buybacks are a tax-efficient method of returning cash to shareholders. While this is not always the reason companies repurchase shares, it is the reason that great capital allocators do it.