Can I Take Physical Delivery of Gold in an IRA?
An investment in physical gold offers peace of mind by protecting against inflation. A gold IRA also can serve as an inflation hedge.
Before investing, there are a few considerations you must keep in mind before opening a self-directed IRA. Be mindful of any associated fees such as account setup/maintenance costs, storage fees or insurance premiums.
Taxes
The IRS views investments in precious metals (gold, silver and platinum) held within an IRA as collectibles; any gains on physical gold held for less than one year are taxed as short-term capital gains (STCGs). If your precious metals meet certain requirements within your IRA account however, this tax treatment could be avoided altogether.
Gold provides diversification and can boost after-tax returns in an IRA account, while acting as a hedge against inflation; gold’s longstanding value remains protected against fluctuations.
For your best chances in opening a gold IRA, search for an investment firm that provides transparent and competitive pricing without ancillary fees. Furthermore, look for one with an IRA-compliant buyback program so that you can sell back precious metals back at any time; your custodian should also facilitate transfer to an approved depository; otherwise you risk incurring steep penalties and taxes.
Investing
IRAs are tax-advantaged accounts that offer investors a range of investment opportunities. Depending on your experience, resources available and goals for investing, you may opt to diversify with alternative assets or keep it straightforward with low-cost mutual funds or stocks and bonds.
Investors can open self-directed IRA accounts at banks, trust companies or any entity approved by the Internal Revenue Service as an IRA custodian. Unfortunately, fraudsters have used fake custodians as a method to siphon off investors’ savings – so before depositing any nonbank custodian with your money for deposit into any self-directed IRA account with them check this IRS resource page or consult with a licensed, impartial investment professional before depositing anything therein.
Investment of your IRA contributions in collectibles such as art, antiques, coins, metals or gems is prohibited and should be avoided at all costs. Furthermore, real estate and tangible personal properties like cars or vacation homes should also be avoided; otherwise they could be taxed as distributions and subject to an early withdrawal penalty of 10% if invested before reaching age 59 1/2.
Taking Possession
Some individuals like the idea of owning physical precious metals, but storage and insurance costs can add up quickly. Furthermore, an IRA with only precious metals won’t necessarily provide sufficient diversification (since precious metals represent just one asset class).
Except in certain instances, most gold coins and bullion eligible for an IRA account are considered collectibles by the IRS, with their price dependent upon how popular they are among coin collectors at any particular moment in time. Therefore, they must be held within an IRA depository until withdrawal as distributions in kind is approved by your trustee.
Some individuals prefer having their gold at home for comforting security, which is why some companies provide “allocated storage.” With this option, IRA-approved gold can be stored alongside other precious metal assets in a safe deposit box – yet labeled and assigned specifically to your account and can be retrieved as in-kind distribution at any time.
Storage
Home storage would violate IRS regulations which stipulate that precious metals in an IRA must be kept with an appointed custodian. Even though some companies offer alternative arrangements such as owning an LLC in which an IRA holds shares, this setup could still be illegal and incur substantial penalties on its owner.
Home storage of gold also poses risks, such as theft and personal liability in case of burglary or fire. To keep your IRA investments safe and insured, the best choice for storage would be with an IRA custodian with secure facilities that offer positive customer reviews and transparent fee structures. In addition, select a trustworthy gold dealer who can supply quality bullion that meets IRS standards so your transactions comply with its rules.
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