SIMPLE IRAs will have various kinds of investment options, depending on the trustee company that holds the plan assets. SIMPLE IRA investments are determined by the financial institution at which your SIMPLE IRA is established.

When opening a SIMPLE IRA, be sure to check what investment options the financial institution offers as well as the fee structure. Standard ERISA rules apply, meaning that all employees must be offered the same thing. SIMPLE IRAs can only be held at trustee companies whose business model is on the IRS’s list of approved SIMPLE Trustees.

These include banks, mutual fund companies, insurance companies which offer annuities, broker-dealers, and so on. Some will only offer a few proprietary options, some may offer a full range of choices from the exchanges on which they can broker securities.