Yes, you can invest in real gold or other precious metals for your IRA. Learn about the special rules for gold IRAs and what you should consider before investing. Not all gold investments can belong to an IRA. The basic rule is that an IRA cannot own a collectible, and precious metals are defined as collectibles, regardless of whether the investment is in gold bars or coins. Luckily, there are exceptions to the general rule for gold, silver, platinum, and palladium, which are held in specific forms.
Some IRA companies guarantee that they’ll buy back the gold from you at current wholesale prices, but you could still lose money if you close the account, which is not usually the case when opening and closing regular IRAs. ETFs offer investors the option to invest in shares of a fund that holds actual gold bars, such as BlackRock’s iShares Gold Trust ETF (IAU). This is a type of IRA that the investor manages directly and is allowed to own a wider range of investment products than other IRAs. Gold bars and round gold and silver coins are also allowed in an IRA if they have a fineness of 99.9%.
However, instead of holding paper assets such as stocks and bonds, the Gold IRA is intended to hold physical gold bars, i.e. coins or bars made from gold and other approved precious metals, including silver, platinum, and palladium. You’ll also need to choose a precious metals dealer who will make the actual gold purchases for your IRA (your custodian may be able to recommend one for you). If you already have an IRA or 401 (k), either Regular or Roth, you have the option to convert some or all of your balance to a Gold IRA. Still, a gold IRA can be a good option for investors who want to diversify their retirement accounts and also take advantage of the hedging benefits that the yellow metal offers over other financial assets, such as fiat currency and stocks.
However, the coins or gold bars must be held by the IRA trustee or custodian and not by you as the IRA owner. The ETF is also able to buy, store, and insure gold at a much lower price than you or an IRA custodian bank. If gold seems like a solid choice for you, Sentell suggests investing no more than a third of your retirement savings in a gold IRA. Given that the stock market typically rises by around 7% in an average year, it would be rare for a gold IRA to outperform other retirement investments.
A gold IRA is a type of IRA that allows investors to own physical gold, silver, platinum, and palladium. The big practical problem is finding an IRA trustee who is willing to set up a self-directed IRA and facilitate the physical transfer and storage of precious metals assets. You can also convert your 401 (k) into a self-directed IRA, where you can then invest directly in gold bars and coins, subject to the permitted conditions. While the price of gold rose to new highs over the summer, you’ve probably seen a number of ads recommending investing in gold via an IRA.
