How to Hold Physical Gold in an IRA
Saving and investing for retirement is crucial, and diversifying your portfolio with gold can help protect and increase the amount of wealth.
IRAs allow you to invest in various investments, including precious metals. When choosing a gold dealer to work with, make sure they offer and store physical metals that meet IRA-eligibility.
Buying Gold
Gold can be an attractive investment option, but it may not suit every investor. Before making your decision, consider discussing it with an experienced financial advisor or tax professional to explore all potential risks and rewards of such precious metal investments.
When considering adding gold to an IRA, it’s essential that you conduct adequate research. When choosing an IRA-approved precious metals company, always look for one with excellent customer reviews and reliable storage facilities (ideally uncombined) along with responsive customer support services.
Gold investors must also be mindful of the fees associated with owning physical gold in an IRA, including one-time account setup and maintenance fees, annual account maintenance fees, seller’s fee, insurance fees, depository fees and cash-out costs. Over time these expenses can add up significantly; however, many custodians offer low cost solutions like commingled storage where your precious metals are kept alongside those belonging to multiple IRA holders – another cost effective method available through an IRA custodian.
IRA Custodians
Since the financial crisis, gold investing has grown increasingly popular. Investors who witnessed their retirement savings vanish are turning to precious metals as an insurance policy against further loss. Unfortunately, investing in physical precious metals through a traditional, Roth, SEP or SIMPLE IRA may prove costly due to increased markup and fees charged by some gold IRA companies.
Fidelity or Schwab will not permit you to store physical gold in an IRA; in order to invest in gold, a self-directed IRA custodian that understands alternative assets is required.
We suggest searching for a custodian with experience in custody of alternative assets and an emphasis on client satisfaction. Too often clients have been dissatisfied by previous custodian’s lack of industry knowledge and/or unreasonable charges and fees; but reputable custodians will work tirelessly to provide you with a high quality experience that allows you to confidently reach your retirement goals.
IRA Storage Options
Gold has long been seen as an attractive retirement investment vehicle due to its perceived stability during times of economic unrest. However, this should only represent a minor portion of your IRA assets.
Investors can purchase precious metals for their IRA by opening an account with a custodian, or by transferring money from an existing IRA, and selecting coins or bars they wish to invest in from an approved refinery or national mint.
Some investors choose home storage for their IRA investments, but this can violate IRS regulations and lead to steep penalties. A storage facility offering third-party storage can save on storage fees while offering privacy as well as eliminating theft or damage risks for precious metals stored there.
IRA Taxes
People who invest in physical gold and silver through a self-directed IRA can experience tangible control over their assets, decreased counter-party risk, and greater security. This type of investing has become more prevalent following the 2008/2009 market crash as people look for ways to protect their retirement savings against future crises.
However, opening a SDIRA does not come without fees; annual account maintenance, storage and insurance costs must all be taken into consideration when considering potential custodians. Furthermore, physical precious metals are not tax-deferred investments such as stocks or mutual funds – they must be sold later to receive their required minimum distribution (RMD).
To limit their risks, many investors choose a reliable precious metals dealer offering IRA-approved coins and bullion at reasonable rates that align with their retirement goals.
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