Investing in gold through a gold IRA can be a great way to diversify your retirement portfolio and protect your future. However, there are some risks associated with this type of investment that you should be aware of before taking the plunge. Gold IRAs have higher maintenance fees than other types of IRAs, due to the additional costs associated with investing in gold. In addition to brokerage fees and account opening fees, the investor must pay the additional costs to store and secure the precious metal.
A gold IRA is a type of self-directed IRA that allows you to invest in gold ingots for retirement. You can't own physical gold in a normal IRA, although you can invest in a variety of assets exposed to gold, such as gold stocks or gold ETFs. Gold IRAs are a specific type of self-directed IRA that allows you to invest in physical gold and other precious metals such as silver, platinum and palladium. Investing in a gold IRA requires the service of a custodian, a broker to buy gold, and an approved depositary to store gold.
Like other self-directed IRAs, gold IRAs can be traditional or Roth. IRA announcements in gold appeal to our fears and, at first glance, may seem backed by a persuasive argument. However, it is important to think twice before setting up a golden IRA. Including gold or other precious metals as a major part of your IRA is often a long-term mistake due to high costs, relative volatility, and a mixed investment history. A certified financial planner can give you viable suggestions on how best to include a gold IRA in your strategy and plan, but the final choice is yours.
Gold IRA rules require that you store eligible precious metals in a national depository, bank, or external trustee approved by the IRS. The real advantage of a gold IRA is to combine the above-mentioned benefits of the precious metals themselves with the additional benefits that an IRA can bring. Buying a gold IRA should be part of your comprehensive financial strategy for retirement (or outside of a retirement account) that you have carefully formulated on your own, with the help of your own financial professionals. Be sure to review the list of allowed gold items with your depositary before transferring gold to your IRA. Your depositary can refer you to an approved center and manage the gold transfer as part of creating your gold IRA. According to precious metal IRA rules, investors should not add gold or other precious metals to their IRA on their own.
Some of the most popular gold IRA companies are Orion Metal Exchange, Birch Gold Group, Red Rock Secured, Gold Alliance, Oxford Gold Group and Goldco, among others. Those who prefer to invest in stocks of gold companies (such as Barrick Gold), in mutual funds of such companies (such as Fidelity Select Gold Portfolio) or in ETFs that track the performance of a gold index (such as SPDR Gold Shares), can do so with a conventional IRA. Some providers in the gold IRA industry have been intensively advertising “IRAs with home delivery”. This means that investors can purchase physical gold coins or bars from their custodian or trustee and have them delivered directly to their home address instead of storing them in an approved depositary. In conclusion, investing in gold through an IRA can be an excellent way to diversify your retirement portfolio and protect your future. However, it is important to understand all the risks associated with this type of investment before taking the plunge.
Be sure to consult with your financial advisor before making any decisions about investing in gold through an IRA.
