What is Segregated Gold?
When choosing the ideal depository for their precious metals investments, investors have two storage options to consider – segregated or allocated storage. Mark Yaxley of Inside the Vault explores what sets these options apart and discusses why you may prefer one over the other.
Under allocated storage, you are charged according to each coin or bar that was deposited at a depository, unlike segregated storage which only charges you once your bullion has been liquidated and delivered back.
What is Segregated Storage?
Segregated storage is an essential aspect of investing in precious metals. This arrangement ensures direct traceability of one investor’s bullion from that belonging to other individuals within a vault and ensures assets can be recovered in their original state, making segregated storage essential given their high value and the potential risk of theft or accidental exchanges.
Non-segregated storage allows investors to share space in a collective vault without individual compartments or markings, similar to carpooling. While this approach may provide cheaper storage services overall, its reduced attention may cause higher storage fees overall.
Choice between segregated and non-segregated storage should ultimately come down to your needs and comfort level. But keep in mind that tailoring an experience comes at a price; segregated storage tends to be more costly, and longer wait times for gold access could occur as a result; therefore it’s wise to carefully weigh all options prior to making any decisions.
Why Choose Segregated Storage?
Many investors prefer allocating their gold or silver investments instead of keeping it mixed together in one large pool, in order to prevent potential disputes or issues when retrieving or liquidating your metals. By opting for allocated storage, your bars and coins won’t become mixed together, reducing any disputes when retrieving or liquidating them later on.
Communal storage may also work for those aiming to invest in precious metals as an inflation hedge, without needing access to them regularly. Mr. Thompson found it more cost-effective as an informal investor who views his metal investment more as an activity than an asset class.
However, if you own a significant amount of gold or silver and would rather keep your metals separate from other investors’ assets, segregated storage is well worth its premium price. It eliminates disputes or errors and ensures your precious metals arrive when requested by you.
Costs of Segregated Storage
As investors make decisions regarding segregated and unallocated storage options for their metal investments, understanding their differences can be key. Most investors find allocated storage to be superior value: this ensures you will get back exactly the coins or bars that were deposited (e.g. if you deposit 10 Gold Eagles, you will get back 10 of those Eagles, not necessarily all at once) when withdrawing your metals.
However, if your coins or bullion possess sentimental value or you own significant quantities from LBMA bullion dealers, segregated storage might be best. Although segregated storage will cost more than allocated storage due to needing special vault space for segregating items from others’ vault space needs; its higher per-ounce fee helps make up the difference.
Benefits of Segregated Storage
Segregated storage differs from non-segregated in a similar way to when parking your car on an open lot versus assigning it a private spot. While segregated options might cost slightly more, they provide a personalized experience for those prioritizing transparency and accountability in their precious metals investment journey.
Non-segregated storage allows your gold to share space with that of other investors in a communal vault, potentially saving on storage fees but creating risks if ever needed to retrieve or liquidate it. Host Mark Yaxley of SWP takes you inside their Cayman Islands vault to demonstrate the distinctions between “Fully Segregated” and “Unallocated” storage, and why segregated storage is always the better choice when investing in precious metals investments. To learn more contact a friendly SWP advisor today who would be delighted to answer your questions and help start your journey towards financial independence!
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