Invest through your financial advisor — or directly via a self-directed IRA.
Private debt can sound complex. At FirstBridge, we've built the fund to be transparent at every stage — from how your capital is deployed, to how your quarterly distributions are calculated, to how you receive them. Whether you invest through an advisor or through your self-directed IRA, this page walks you through the full picture.
FirstBridge is available to accredited investors through two channels. Both paths lead to the same fund, the same 7% preferred return, and the same quarterly income distributions.
Work with your existing financial advisor or RIA who will introduce and coordinate the investment on your behalf. Ideal for investors who already have an advisory relationship and want professional guidance on their alternative allocation.
Your financial advisor or RIA presents FirstBridge as part of your alternative allocation strategy and determines if it fits your financial profile, risk tolerance, and investment objectives.
Your accredited investor status is independently verified — through your advisor, a CPA letter, attorney letter, or approved third-party verification service. Required under our 506(c) offering.
Your advisor provides the Private Placement Memorandum, LP Agreement, and fund fact sheet. Read carefully — particularly the risk factors — before proceeding.
Sign the subscription agreement and wire your capital — minimum $100,000. Your advisor coordinates the paperwork. FirstBridge handles confirmation and account setup.
Your capital is deployed into first-lien Texas real estate loans. Your 7% preferred return begins accruing daily. Quarterly distributions are paid to your account or reinvested at your election.
Use tax-advantaged IRA assets to invest in FirstBridge through a self-directed IRA custodian. Qualified returns flow back into your IRA — tax-deferred in a Traditional SDIRA or potentially tax-free in a Roth SDIRA. Ideal for investors who want to deploy retirement capital into real asset-backed private debt.
Visit trustetc.com/self-directed-ira to establish your SDIRA account. Trust ETC is an IRS-approved self-directed IRA custodian that allows investment in alternative assets including private debt funds. Account setup typically takes 3–5 business days.
Transfer or roll over existing IRA or 401(k) assets into your new Trust ETC SDIRA. You may also make new annual IRA contributions subject to IRS limits. Trust ETC will guide you through the transfer process. Minimum investment in FirstBridge is $100,000.
Before subscribing, your accredited investor status must be independently verified. You may use a letter from a licensed CPA, attorney, or RIA, or an approved third-party verification service. Required under our 506(c) offering.
Contact FirstBridge at info@FBprivatedebt.com to receive the Private Placement Memorandum, LP Agreement, and fund fact sheet. Review all materials — including full risk factors — before proceeding.
Complete the FirstBridge subscription agreement and instruct Trust ETC — as custodian of your SDIRA — to wire your investment amount to the fund. Trust ETC handles custody mechanics. FirstBridge confirms receipt and completes your onboarding.
Your 7% preferred return is distributed quarterly directly back into your Trust ETC SDIRA — tax-deferred in a Traditional IRA or potentially tax-free in a Roth IRA. Trust ETC provides custodial statements; FirstBridge provides quarterly fund statements.
You will be leaving FBprivatedebt.com. Trust ETC is an independent custodian not affiliated with FirstBridge Capital Management.
A self-directed IRA allows you to hold alternative assets — including private debt fund interests — inside a tax-advantaged retirement account. For income-focused investors, this structure can meaningfully enhance after-tax returns over the fund's 5-year hold period.
In a Traditional SDIRA, your 7% quarterly distributions accumulate inside the account without current-year tax liability — allowing the full distribution amount to compound over time. Taxes are deferred until withdrawal, typically in retirement at a lower bracket.
If you invest through a Roth SDIRA, qualified distributions and growth may be entirely tax-free at withdrawal. Over a 5-year hold period, the tax benefit on quarterly income distributions can be substantial. Consult your tax advisor for your specific situation.
Most retirement accounts are heavily concentrated in publicly traded stocks and bonds. A FirstBridge SDIRA allocation adds real asset-backed private debt — with low correlation to equity markets — to your retirement mix.
Existing Traditional IRA, Roth IRA, SEP IRA, SIMPLE IRA, or eligible 401(k) assets can be transferred or rolled over into a Trust ETC SDIRA. No new capital required — you're repositioning assets you already have into a higher-yielding alternative.
Self-directed IRA investments in private funds involve specific IRS rules around prohibited transactions, UBTI (Unrelated Business Taxable Income), and custodian requirements. Income generated by FirstBridge's lending activities may be subject to UBTI in certain IRA structures. We strongly recommend consulting a qualified tax advisor or SDIRA specialist before investing retirement assets in FirstBridge. Trust ETC's team can address custodial and structural questions directly. FirstBridge Capital Management does not provide tax advice. Learn more at trustetc.com →
When FirstBridge makes a loan, it is making a secured credit decision — not an equity bet. The fund lends money to experienced Texas real estate operators who need short-term capital to acquire, improve, or bridge a property. In return, the fund receives a first-lien deed of trust recorded against the property.
This means that if a borrower defaults, FirstBridge has the legal right to foreclose on the property, take ownership, and recover the fund's principal through a sale. The conservative LTV ratios we maintain — never exceeding 70% — mean the property would need to lose significant value before LP capital is at risk.
All loans are originated, underwritten, and monitored by FirstBridge Capital Management. We evaluate the borrower's experience, the property's value and condition, the local market, and the exit strategy before any loan is approved.
The fund lends at 11.5–12.5% per annum to real estate borrowers. After paying LPs their 7% preferred return, the remaining spread — approximately 4.5–5.5% — flows to the GP as revenue, along with origination fees. This spread-based model means LP returns are not dependent on property appreciation or market timing — only on loans performing.
Your preferred return accrues daily from the date your capital is deployed. At quarter-end, the fund calculates the accrued amount and distributes it according to your election. If you elect reinvestment, your units increase — compounding your position over time.
Your 7% annual return ÷ 365 = your daily accrual rate. Accrual begins on the first business day after capital is deployed into loans.
Distributions are processed within 30 days after each calendar quarter-end — March, June, September, and December.
Cash, reinvestment, or a split of both. SDIRA investors: distributions flow back to your Trust ETC custodial account. Elections can typically be changed once per year in writing.
All investors receive a quarterly fund statement. SDIRA investors also receive custodial statements from Trust ETC showing the position within their retirement account.
The minimum initial investment is $100,000, regardless of investment path. This applies to both advisor-routed investments and self-directed IRA investments through Trust ETC.
FirstBridge is available exclusively to accredited investors as defined under Rule 501 of Regulation D — generally individuals with $1 million or more in net worth (excluding primary residence) or annual income of $200,000+ ($300,000 with a spouse). Under our 506(c) offering, accredited investor status must be independently verified — not just self-certified — prior to investment.
Under our Reg D 506(c) offering, we are required to independently verify accredited investor status. Acceptable verification methods include: a letter from a licensed CPA, attorney, or registered investment advisor confirming your status; copies of IRS tax returns from the last two years showing qualifying income; documentation of qualifying net worth; or verification through an approved third-party service such as Verify Investor (verifyinvestor.com). Self-certification alone is not sufficient under 506(c).
Yes. You can invest in FirstBridge using a self-directed IRA through Trust ETC, an IRS-approved SDIRA custodian. Traditional IRA, Roth IRA, SEP IRA, SIMPLE IRA, and eligible 401(k) rollover assets may be used. You must first establish an SDIRA at Trust ETC, fund it, complete accredited investor verification, and then direct Trust ETC to fund your FirstBridge subscription. Visit trustetc.com/self-directed-ira to begin.
In a Traditional SDIRA, quarterly distributions accumulate tax-deferred inside the account. In a Roth SDIRA, qualified distributions and growth may be entirely tax-free at withdrawal. However, income from private debt lending may be subject to Unrelated Business Taxable Income (UBTI) rules in certain IRA structures. Consult a qualified tax advisor before investing retirement assets in FirstBridge. FirstBridge does not provide tax advice.
No. Under our 506(c) offering, accredited investors may invest directly — either through an existing financial advisor (Path A) or independently through a self-directed IRA at Trust ETC (Path B). If investing directly without an advisor, contact us at info@FBprivatedebt.com to receive the offering documents and begin the verification process.
FirstBridge is an illiquid investment. LP units are subject to a 5-year investment hold period. There is no secondary market for LP interests. Investors should only commit capital they can afford to keep invested for the full duration. SDIRA investors should also be aware of IRS rules around early distributions from retirement accounts. Please review the liquidity provisions in the LP Agreement carefully.
No. Like all private investments, LP capital is not guaranteed. The fund's collateral structure and conservative LTV ratios are designed to protect capital, but loss of principal is possible. The 7% preferred return and 10–12% target IRR are projections, not guarantees.
Yes. Investors may elect to reinvest all or a portion of their quarterly distributions into additional LP units. For SDIRA investors, distributions flow back into your Trust ETC custodial account and can be reinvested from there. Elections can typically be changed once per year in writing.
LP investors will receive a Schedule K-1 annually reflecting their share of fund income, deductions, and distributions. We strongly recommend consulting your tax advisor regarding the specific implications for your situation. FirstBridge Capital Management does not provide tax advice.
In the event of borrower default, the fund's first-lien position gives it the right to foreclose on the collateral property. FirstBridge Capital Management will evaluate the most appropriate workout path — whether that is forbearance, note sale, or foreclosure and property disposition — to maximize capital recovery for LPs.