Gold IRA Guide

A Gold IRA is a self-directed individual retirement account that holds physical gold, silver, platinum, or palladium instead of paper assets. It offers the same tax advantages as traditional IRAs while providing exposure to physical precious metals.

You can roll over a 401(k) to a Gold IRA through a direct rollover (trustee-to-trustee transfer) or indirect rollover (60-day window). A direct rollover is recommended to avoid potential tax penalties. Your Gold IRA custodian handles most of the paperwork.

Gold IRA fees typically include a one-time setup fee ($50-$150), annual custodian fees ($75-$300), and annual storage fees ($100-$300). Some companies waive setup fees for larger accounts. Always compare total annual costs, not just individual line items.

The IRS requires gold to be 99.5% pure (with American Gold Eagles as an exception), silver 99.9% pure, and platinum and palladium 99.95% pure. Popular approved products include American Gold Eagles, Canadian Gold Maple Leafs, and American Silver Eagles.

A Gold IRA can be valuable for portfolio diversification and inflation hedging. However, it comes with higher fees than standard IRAs and no dividends or interest. Most financial advisors recommend allocating 5-15% of retirement savings to precious metals.