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. For example, gold bars must have a fineness of at least 995 and meet all IRS standards to be eligible for a Gold IRA. Silver must also have a fineness of 999, while platinum and palladium both must have a purity of at least 9995.
When you invest in a gold IRA, you must comply with certain IRS regulations. First, you’ll need to buy IRA-eligible gold and choose an IRS-approved custodian, which is responsible for ensuring that your gold is compliant. In addition, all gold in a gold IRA must be stored in an IRS-approved depot. Nonetheless, opening a Gold IRA is easy.
You can do this through a broker or custodian bank. So if you want to add some sparkle to your retirement portfolio, a gold IRA is an interesting option. With Noble Gold, you can either transfer assets directly from an existing custodian bank to your new IRA or transfer funds to your new account. This company stores or stores your actual gold bars, says John Johnson, president of GoldStar Trust, headquartered in Canyon, Texas.
Gold IRA companies can also help you set up your IRA and make sure everything is up to the right specifications. Instead, the IRS requires gold IRA investors to store their gold in an IRS-approved custodian, such as a bank, credit union, or other financial institution. Buying physical gold for a retirement account can also be more expensive than investing in assets such as stocks, bonds, or mutual funds. So if your portfolio consists of both gold and paper investments, a loss on the gold side is offset by the gain in other assets.
If you’re considering a gold IRA, contact a financial advisor to find out how the metal would fit your portfolio’s overall goals. On the other hand, if you allowed an IRA transfer, the money would never touch your bank account before it was transferred to your new IRA. One important rule you need to know about storing physical gold in an IRA is that your precious metals MUST be stored at an approved depository institution such as the Delaware Depository Service Company or Brink’s Global Services — not in your home or in a safe. It is also possible to invest in a mutual fund or ETF that invests in precious metals, although this is not the same as owning physical precious metal.
Setting up a checkbook IRA is complicated because you must be a limited liability company (LLC) and have a business current account, to name just two of the requirements. The Los Angeles-based company offers people the opportunity to invest in precious metals through a direct purchase or a retirement account. According to Brett Gottlieb, financial advisor and founder of Comprehensive Advisor in Carlsbad, California, you should first consider whether you want to make a physical investment in your portfolio and not in stocks or investment funds from gold companies or an Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) that tracks a gold index. They sell gold coins, gold bars, and the like, but they don’t offer IRA investment advice (regardless of what their websites or other marketing materials might suggest).
Birch Gold Group works with reputable depositories that allow you to store your gold, silver, platinum, and palladium coins in your IRA.