Precious Metals in Retirement Accounts

A self-directed IRA can hold certain physical precious metals, provided they meet IRS fineness standards and are kept by an approved custodian and depository.

This section covers the rules from the ground up: what a gold IRA is, which coins and bars qualify, how custodians and depositories work, taxes, distributions, and the red flags worth knowing. Nothing here is tax advice. Please confirm your own situation with a licensed tax professional.

All precious metals in retirement accounts guides

• What Is a Gold IRA? Physical Gold in a Retirement AccountA gold IRA is a self-directed IRA that holds physical bullion. Learn the eligible metals, custodian and depository roles, funding, fees, and risks.
• How Holding Physical Gold in an IRA WorksFrom opening a self-directed account to funding, buying metal, depository delivery, statements, and distributions: the mechanics of a gold IRA.
• Self-Directed IRA Basics for Precious MetalsWhat "self-directed" means, what custodians do and don't do, the IRS rules from Publication 590-A, and why physical metals need this account type.
• Silver in a Retirement Account: Silver IRA GuideHow a silver IRA works: the .999 fineness rule, eligible coins and bars, storage considerations for bulky silver, and what drives silver demand.
• Platinum in a Retirement AccountHolding platinum in a self-directed IRA: the .9995 fineness rule, eligible coins and bars, and the concentrated supply and industrial demand behind its price.
• Palladium in a Retirement AccountPalladium can go in a self-directed IRA at .9995 fineness. See eligible products, why autocatalysts dominate demand, and the supply risks behind its price.
• IRS Purity Standards for Precious Metals in IRAsThe fineness rules in 26 U.S.C. 408(m)(3): gold .995, silver .999, platinum and palladium .9995, plus the American Eagle coin exception, explained.
• Which Gold Coins Are IRA Eligible?Gold coins commonly accepted in IRAs, from the American Gold Eagle to the Kangaroo, plus coins that don't qualify, like the Krugerrand and pre-1933 gold.
• Which Silver Coins Are IRA Eligible?Silver coins accepted in IRAs, from the Silver Eagle and Maple Leaf to the Kookaburra, and why junk silver and Morgan dollars do not qualify.
• IRA-Eligible Gold and Silver BarsWhich gold and silver bars qualify for an IRA: fineness, accredited refiners, LBMA Good Delivery context, serial numbers, assay cards, and sizes.
• The Collectibles Rule and Precious MetalsHow IRC 408(m) treats collectibles bought by an IRA as distributions, the narrow exception for bullion and certain coins, and why rare coins are excluded.
• Precious Metals Custodians: What They DoWhat a precious metals IRA custodian does, which entities the IRS allows to serve, how custodian fees work, and a checklist for evaluating one.
• Precious Metals Depositories ExplainedHow depositories store retirement-account metals: who approves them, insurance, audits, how holdings are logged, visiting, and shipping metal out.
• Segregated vs Non-Segregated Metals StorageSegregated storage keeps your exact coins and bars apart; non-segregated pools identical products. Compare what comes back to you, cost, and who each suits.
• Home Storage of Retirement Metals: The RisksWhy "home storage gold IRA" promotions are risky: the IRS can treat possession as a distribution, as the Tax Court held in McNulty (2021). Safer alternatives.
• Precious Metals IRA Fees ExplainedGoldco's published fee statement, then a plain-English guide to setup, custodian, storage, wire, and exit fees, plus the premiums and spreads that cost more.
• Minimum Purchase Requirements for Metals IRAsWhy precious metals companies set IRA minimums, how Goldco's published minimum compares to its direct-purchase minimum, and how to plan around them.
• How Taxes Work for Metals Held in an IRAMetals in a traditional IRA grow tax-deferred; Roth withdrawals can be tax-free. How sales, distributions, in-kind delivery, and penalties are taxed.
• Holding Gold in a Roth IRAHow a Roth IRA can hold physical gold: after-tax funding, the five-year rules, qualified tax-free distributions, conversions of metal, and no lifetime RMDs.
• Traditional vs Roth for Precious MetalsTraditional and Roth IRAs hold the same gold and silver but tax it at different times. Compare funding, withdrawals, RMDs, conversions, and in-kind delivery.
• Precious Metals in a SEP IRAHow a SEP IRA works for self-employed people and small business owners, and how a self-directed SEP can hold IRS-approved gold, silver and other metals.
• Precious Metals in a SIMPLE IRAHow SIMPLE IRA rules affect holding gold or silver, why the two-year participation rule matters before a rollover, and when a self-directed option fits.
• Spousal IRAs and Precious MetalsHow a spousal IRA lets a non-working or lower-earning spouse build savings, and how that account can hold IRS-approved gold or silver if self-directed.
• Checkbook IRA LLC and Gold: What to KnowHow IRA-owned LLC "checkbook" structures work, why the McNulty Tax Court case matters for gold, and why most owners use a custodian plus a depository.
• Contributing to a Precious Metals IRAHow annual contributions to a gold or silver IRA work, how they differ from rollovers and transfers, and where to find the IRS's current contribution limits.
• Taking Distributions From a Metals IRAHow withdrawals from a gold or silver IRA work: cash versus in-kind distributions, how they are taxed, and how the custodian processes each request.
• In-Kind Distributions: Taking Delivery of Your MetalsHow to take physical possession of gold or silver from an IRA, how fair market value is set and reported on Form 1099-R, and what happens to your cost basis.
• Required Minimum Distributions and Precious MetalsHow RMD rules apply to gold and silver in traditional IRAs, how to plan cash for withdrawals from a metals account, and how in-kind RMDs work.
• Beneficiaries and Inheriting a Metals IRAHow to name beneficiaries on a metals IRA, what spouses and other heirs can do with inherited gold or silver, and how the 10-year rule generally applies.
• Precious Metals IRA Pros and ConsThe main advantages and drawbacks of holding gold and silver in a self-directed IRA, from tax deferral and diversification to fees, storage and no yield.
• Risks of Holding Precious Metals in an IRAThe real risks of a gold or silver IRA: price volatility, no yield, fees, premiums, liquidity and fraud, with CFTC guidance on how to protect yourself.
• Precious Metals IRA Scams and Red FlagsThe warning signs regulators flag in gold and silver IRA sales: pressure tactics, coin switching, home storage pitches and "free" offers, plus a checklist.
• How to Open a Precious Metals IRAA step-by-step guide to opening a gold or silver IRA: choosing a company and custodian, funding by rollover or transfer, picking metals and storage.
• Paperwork for a Precious Metals IRAThe forms you sign to hold gold or silver in an IRA: account application, transfer request, buy direction letter, beneficiary form and storage agreement.
• How Long Does It Take to Set Up a Metals IRA?The typical stages of setting up a metals IRA, how long each often takes, and the common delays, from slow transfers to missing signatures and plan rules.
• Prohibited Transactions With IRA MetalsWhich actions with IRA-held gold and silver count as prohibited transactions, who counts as a disqualified person, and what the IRS consequences can be.
• Reading Your Precious Metals IRA StatementHow gold and silver are valued on a metals IRA statement, why spot, bid and retail prices differ, and how fair market value is reported on Form 5498.
• Selling Metals or Closing a Metals IRAHow to sell gold or silver inside an IRA, use a buyback, transfer metals to another custodian, or close the account, plus the closing fees to ask about.
• Precious Metals IRA FAQShort, sourced answers to 20 common questions about holding gold and silver in an IRA, from eligible coins and storage to rollovers, taxes and distributions.