A gold IRA often has higher fees than a traditional IRA or Roth IRA, which invests exclusively in stocks, bonds, and mutual funds. In retirement, you need an investment that either generates current income or is reasonably expected to appreciate in value so that you can sell and use it for consumption in the future. You’re essentially wasting tax-deferred space on something that doesn’t generate income. So you’re not saving before taxes. As with any other traditional IRA account, the value of the account is subject to tax when paid out.
Unlike owning stocks, mutual funds, ETFs, etc., gold IRAs can be a good idea or a bad idea, depending on your financial goals and how you incorporate a gold IRA into your overall financial plan. While a gold IRA allows you to invest in physical gold, there are alternatives to investing in gold in other ways. Examples of accepted forms include the American Eagle and Canadian Maple Leaf gold and silver coins, the Austrian Philharmonic coin, the PAMP Suisse gold bars, and most platinum bars.
They then buy gold through a broker and the custodian bank physically takes possession of the gold by storing it at the custodian. Many people who open gold IRAs use funds from another IRA to do so, but it’s not a good idea to convert your entire nest egg into a gold IRA. The Gold IRA also sells you the gold bars and coins (or other precious metals) that you want to invest in your Gold IRA. Those who want to own physical gold to combat inflation or diversify their portfolio might be happy to know that the gold is securely secured under custodian control.
Investing in a gold IRA could hedge against this risk, but you don’t have the gold in your physical possession. So if you want to keep gold in your IRA, you’ll need to set up a self-directed IRA first and then you’ll need to find a custodian that specializes in self-directed gold IRAs. By setting strict parameters for defining IRA gold, the IRS can ensure that people hold investment-grade assets in their self-managed gold IRA, as opposed to collectibles, which are not eligible for any preferential tax treatment. You must carefully review all the providers you use when setting up a Gold IRA to make sure they are legitimate.
Gold IRAs are unique in that you can hold physical gold in a tax-advantaged retirement savings account. Alternatives such as gold ETFs or stocks from gold mining companies can offer similar value depending on your investment goals. Including gold or other precious metals as a significant part of your IRA is usually a long-term mistake due to the high costs, relative volatility, and mixed investment balance. To set up a Gold IRA, you’ll need to work with a Gold IRA company to set up an account and buy the precious metals of your choice to fund it.
