Gold and silver IRAs
Physical metal in a tax-advantaged retirement account: how it works, what qualifies, and what it costs you to hold.
A precious-metals IRA is a self-directed IRA that holds physical gold, silver, platinum or palladium instead of funds. The tax treatment is the same as any IRA of its type (traditional or Roth). What changes is who holds the metal and where.
How it works
- A custodian holds the account. The IRS doesn't let you keep IRA metal at home. A custodian (a bank or trust company approved for IRAs) owns the account for your benefit and handles the reporting.
- An approved depository stores the metal. It sits in a vault in the IRA's name, insured and audited.
- You choose what to buy. The custodian pays the dealer from the IRA, and the metal goes straight to the depository.
- Funding it. Most people roll over a 401(k) from a past job or move an existing IRA. Done as a direct transfer between custodians, neither is taxed or penalised. Taking the money out yourself first can be.
What qualifies
The law sets minimum fineness: gold .995, silver .999, platinum and palladium .9995, plus the American Eagle coins it names (which is why the 22-karat Gold Eagle qualifies and the Krugerrand doesn't). Pre-1965 “junk” silver and collectible coins don't. Every product page here says whether it qualifies, and the custodian has the final say.
What it costs
On top of the metal's price, custodians charge a setup fee and an annual fee, and the depository charges for storage. We'll publish the full cost of the service we offer before you commit to anything.
Our IRA service
We're setting it up with a custodian and a depository that meets the IRS rules for IRA metals now. Leave your details and we'll tell you when it's open. Nothing is opened, moved or charged until you've decided and signed the custodian's paperwork. This page is general information, not tax advice.