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Fee Transparency Audit · 8 Providers · Primary Sources

Gold IRA Companies With Transparent Fees: 2026 Fee Audit

Who actually publishes setup, storage, and dealer spread — and the 12 numbers you must demand in writing before funding.

By The Retirement Index Editorial Team

Published Last reviewed Fact-checkedCites IRS, SEC, FINRA, CFPB

Published:  · Last verified:  · 8 providers audited

Financial professional reviewing Gold IRA fee comparison documents at a desk

Affiliate disclosure: We may earn a commission when you request a free info kit or open an account through links on this page. These commissions support our editorial work but do not influence which companies we recommend. See our full disclosure and editorial standards.

For people searching for Gold IRA companies with transparent fees, the right filter isn’t the advertised annual fee — it’s whether the company gives you the dealer spread, storage type, custodian fee, and buyback terms in writing before you fund. The clearest specific standard-IRA-bullion spread we verified comes from American Bullion, whose public transaction agreement lists a typical 7% spread on common IRA bullion. But American Bullion isn’t the only provider with public spread disclosure. American Hartford Gold, Preserve Gold, and Lear Capital also publish spread ranges in their public agreements — they just use broader ranges that still leave you needing a product-level written quote.

For fixed-annual-fee transparency, four providers publish enough on their own websites to model setup, custodian, and storage costs without a sales call: Augusta Precious Metals, Goldco, Birch Gold Group, and Noble Gold Investments.

Here’s the catch most “best Gold IRA” pages miss: transparent doesn’t mean cheapest.A company that publicly says “our spread is 7%” is more honest than one that buries the same 7% in fine print. But it’s still a 7% cost. The real winner isn’t whoever advertises the lowest fees. It’s whoever gives you the fixed annual fees, the exact product-level spread, and the buyback policy in writing before you transfer a dollar.

This page is a fee-transparency audit, not a “best of” ranking. We show you what each major Gold IRA company publishes, what’s still hidden until you take a sales call, the 12 specific numbers you should demand in writing, and how to compare two written quotes side by side. We also excluded one popular Gold IRA company from this list — and we explain exactly why.

Quick Reference

At a glance: where to start based on what matters most

If your priority is…Start withWhy
Seeing a specific standard-bullion spread in writingAmerican BullionPublic transaction agreement lists typical 7% spread for IRA bullion — the clearest specific figure we verified
Published annual-fee schedulesAugusta, Goldco, Birch, NobleAll four publish setup, custodian, and storage fees on their own websites
Lowest verified provider-published starting pointBirch Gold GroupRecommends $5,000 in a retirement account to set up a precious-metals IRA
$10,000 minimum with all four IRS-approved metalsAmerican Hartford Gold$10,000 minimum order, gold/silver/platinum/palladium
Segregated storage as the defaultNoble Gold InvestmentsFlat $275/year includes segregated storage at no premium
$50,000+ account with education-first onboardingAugusta Precious MetalsStrongest education model, predictable flat fees
Not sure a Gold IRA fits your situationUse our matching toolA Gold IRA isn't right for everyone — better to find out before you fund

Tier Analysis

Which Gold IRA companies with transparent fees actually publish the numbers?

Of the major Gold IRA companies operating in 2026, four publish their full fixed-annual-fee schedule on their own website without a sales call: Augusta Precious Metals, Goldco, Birch Gold Group, and Noble Gold Investments. Four publish dealer spread information in public transaction agreements (American Bullion, American Hartford Gold, Preserve Gold, and Lear Capital), though only one — American Bullion — gives a specific typical figure for standard IRA bullion rather than a broad range.

We rated transparency by a binary test: can a person with internet access verify the fee in writing without speaking to a salesperson? Either yes or no. That test alone separates this category in a way the marketing language never does.

The four tiers we use in this audit

Tier 1 — Specific standard-IRA-bullion spread disclosed

American Bullion publishes the clearest specific standard-IRA-bullion spread figure we verified: typically about 7% for the most common IRA bullion products. The transaction agreement also lists higher typical ranges for semi-numismatic, numismatic, and rare coins (~20%) and proof products (~23%). American Bullion’s agreement plainly states the spread “is not based on spot price or American Bullion’s actual acquisition cost” — meaning the spread is set as a business decision, not a fixed markup over a public reference.

Tier 2 — Public spread range, broader bands

American Hartford Gold’s public transaction agreement lists bullion spreads from 1% up to 19.99%, with semi-numismatic, numismatic, and exclusive coins up to 39.99%. Preserve Gold’s agreement lists bullion spreads up to 20% and IRA precious-metals transactions generally up to 39.99%. Lear Capital’s terms state spreads generally range from 2% to 35%. These ranges are wider than American Bullion’s typical figure — you still need a product-level written quote to know your actual cost.

Tier 3 — Fixed annual fees published, spread quote-required

Augusta Precious Metals, Goldco, Birch Gold Group, and Noble Gold Investments all publish setup fees, annual custodian fees, and storage fees in dollars on pages you can read without a phone call. Their dealer markups on specific products are quote-required, but the fixed costs are calculable from public information alone.

Tier 4 — Excluded

We removed Lear Capital from our featured provider list despite their popularity and currently public spread range. Multistate regulators alleged undisclosed commissions of up to 33% on customer transactions between 2016 and 2022; the company resolved those allegations through a $5.5 million bankruptcy settlement and a separate $6 million New York Attorney General settlement. Full reasoning below.

Fee Anatomy

What “transparent fees” actually means for a Gold IRA

Transparent Gold IRA fees mean more than seeing a setup fee and a storage charge. A genuinely transparent provider discloses all three fee layersin writing before you fund: the account layer, the storage layer, and the metal transaction layer. If only one or two layers are disclosed, the fee isn’t fully transparent — it’s partially transparent, which is how most providers in this category market themselves.

The three fee layers (in order of how much they actually cost you)

Layer 1 — Account Layer (Smallest)

Setup fee, wire fee, annual custodian or administration fee. These are usually flat dollar amounts — $50 setup, $30 wire, $80 to $125 per year for administration. They’re easy to compare across providers because they don’t scale with your account size. For a $50,000 Gold IRA, the account layer typically costs $50 to $80 in setup plus $80 to $150 per year in administration. This is the layer most “best Gold IRA” pages focus on, which is part of the problem.

Layer 2 — Storage Layer (Mid-range)

Annual storage and insurance at an IRS-approved depository. The IRS requires Gold IRA metals to be held by a qualified custodian at an approved facility. Storage runs about $100/year for commingled (non-segregated) storage, where your metals are pooled with other clients’ holdings, and roughly $150/year for segregated storage, where your specific bars and coins are stored separately and labeled as yours. Noble Gold includes segregated storage in their flat annual fee; most competitors charge $50 extra for it.

Layer 3 — Metal Transaction Layer (The Big One)

This is the dealer spread or markup over the spot price when you buy, plus any buyback spread when you sell. On a $50,000 Gold IRA purchase, a 7% spread is $3,500 — embedded into the price you pay, often invisible at the time of transaction unless you ask for it in writing. Compare that to a $225 annual fee. The dealer spread is roughly 15× more expensive in year one.Most pages don’t say this clearly.

Why “transparent annual fees” is the floor, not the ceiling

Augusta, Goldco, Birch, and Noble all publish strong annual fee schedules. That’s good. But none of them publish their dealer spread by product on a public page. They quote it during your purchase call. That’s why a written quote — with the exact spot price at the time of quote, the product price, and the dollar spread per ounce — is the single most protective document a Gold IRA investor can collect before funding.

Verified Numbers

What does a Gold IRA actually cost in 2026?

A typical Gold IRA in 2026 costs $200 to $300 per year in fixed administrative and storage fees for a standard account, with one-time setup fees commonly in the $50 to $80 range, plus a dealer markup on the metals at purchase that varies widely by provider and product. Dealer spread is on top of all of that and is where most of the real money goes.

1. Setup / application fee

One-time. Goldco $50, Birch $50 + $30 wire, Noble $80, Augusta $50. AHG quote-required.

2. Annual custodian / admin fee

Paid every year. Goldco $125, Augusta $125, Birch $125, Noble bundled in $275 flat. STRATA Trust publishes $125.

3. Annual storage & insurance

Commingled: ~$100/year. Segregated: ~$150/year. STRATA: $100 commingled, $175 segregated. Noble includes seg in flat rate.

4. Transaction / processing fees

May apply at custodian level. STRATA publishes $40/metal transaction. $75 in-kind distribution fee. Ask each provider.

5. Dealer spread (the big one)

The markup over spot price. American Bullion: ~7% for IRA bullion. AHG: 1–19.99%. Preserve Gold: up to 20%. Always get in writing.

Realistic 5-year fixed cost at three account sizes

The numbers below cover the fixed fees only (account + storage). Dealer spread is excluded because it’s quote-required for every provider and varies by product. Numbers assume non-segregated storage where the provider offers a choice.

Provider5-year fixed costDrag on $25KDrag on $50KDrag on $100K
Augusta Precious Metals~$1,175N/A (under $50K min)2.35%1.18%
Goldco~$1,1754.70%2.35%1.18%
Birch Gold Group~$1,2555.02%2.51%1.26%
American Hartford GoldAdmin/setup quote-required; storage verified at $100 non-seg / $150 seg———
Noble Gold (segregated default)~$1,4555.82%2.91%1.46%
American BullionCustodian/storage depend on assigned custodian — confirm in writing———

Sources: provider public fee pages and STRATA Trust precious metals fee schedule. Assumes no promotional waivers applied. Dealer spread not included.

The pattern: flat fees punish smaller accounts and reward larger accounts. At $25,000, fixed fees are 4–6% of your account over five years. At $100,000, the same flat fees are about 1–1.5%. This is why we recommend most readers under $25,000 reconsider whether a Gold IRA is the right structure at all.

The Fee That Matters Most

The hidden fee that matters more than annual costs: dealer spread

The largest fee in a Gold IRA is almost never the annual maintenance — it’s the dealer spread, also called the markup or premium over spot. In the public agreements we verified: American Bullion lists a typical 7% spread for most common IRA bullion. American Hartford Gold lists a bullion spread range from 1% up to 19.99%. Preserve Gold lists bullion up to 20% and IRA precious-metals transactions generally up to 39.99%. Lear Capital lists spreads generally from 2% to 35%. Specialty products (proof, semi-numismatic, rare coins) carry much higher spreads at every provider that discloses them.

How dealer spread actually works

When you buy a one-ounce American Gold Eagle inside a Gold IRA, the dealer doesn’t sell it to you at spot price. They sell it at a markup that covers their wholesale cost, their operating margin, and their commission to whoever sold you the account. Standard bullion coins (American Gold Eagles, Canadian Maple Leafs, Austrian Philharmonics) typically carry retail spreads in the 5% to 10% range above spot for IRA-quantity purchases. The spread on a $50,000 purchase at 7% is $3,500. Most Gold IRA buyers never see that number broken out on a transaction confirmation.

What the public spread disclosures tell us

Four major providers put spread information in writing in public agreements:

  • American Bullion — typical 7% for standard IRA bullion. The clearest specific figure. Specialty products typically ~20% (semi-numismatic / numismatic / rare); proof products ~23%.
  • American Hartford Gold — 1% to 19.99% on bullion; up to 39.99% on exclusive, semi-numismatic, and numismatic coins. The bottom of the range is competitive; the top is not.
  • Preserve Gold— bullion up to 20%; IRA precious-metals transactions generally up to 39.99%. The published ceiling is higher than American Bullion’s typical figure.
  • Lear Capital — generally 2% to 35%. (We exclude Lear from the featured list for other reasons, but their current spread disclosure is real.)

Read those ranges carefully. A 19.99% spread on a $50,000 purchase is $10,000 — gone the moment you fund. A 39.99% spread on the same purchase is $20,000— and that’s the published ceiling at two of the four providers. Your written quote should specify exactly where in the range your purchase lands.

The Red Rock Secured case (2023): why this matters

The break-even math

Imagine a $50,000 Gold IRA purchase at 7% spread. The embedded transaction cost is $3,500. Add roughly $225 in annual fees over the next 5 years and you’re at $4,625 in total costs after 5 years. For the position to break even, the gold price needs to rise by about 9.25% above where you bought it.

Now run the same math at a 20% spread (specialty coins or the upper end of bullion ranges at some providers): $10,000 embedded cost. The position needs gold to rise about 20% before you break even on the spread alone, before annual fees. If gold is flat for five years, you’re effectively down 20% on the position.

Request a written quote that shows spot price, product price, and dollar spread per ounce — then compare it against the 12-question checklist below.

Size-Based Guidance

The cheapest Gold IRA by account size

The cheapest Gold IRA depends on your account size. Under $25,000, a Gold IRA is rarely the lowest-cost structure for gold exposure at all — a gold ETF inside a regular IRA at Fidelity, Schwab, or Vanguard will almost always cost less. At $25,000 to $50,000, Goldco and Birch Gold Group have the lowest published fixed costs among providers with full annual-fee transparency. At $50,000 and above, Augusta Precious Metals’ flat fees become competitive, and any currently-advertised waivers should be confirmed in writing.

$5,000–$25,000 accounts

At this size, the fixed-fee drag from any Gold IRA is high relative to the account. A $225/year flat fee is just under 1% on $25,000 — already meaningful — and over 2% on $10,000. Birch Gold Group’s $5,000 recommended retirement-account starting pointmakes them the lowest verified entry among the audited providers, with American Hartford Gold’s $10,000 self-directed Gold IRA minimum next.

Honestly: if you’re at $10,000 and considering a Gold IRA primarily for diversification, a gold ETF (like SPDR Gold Shares or iShares Gold Trust) inside a standard IRA at a major brokerage will give you gold price exposure with annual expense ratios under 0.40% and no per-account storage fees. You give up physical ownership and the “crisis hedge” argument. You gain liquidity and dramatically lower costs.

$25,000–$50,000 accounts

This is where Goldco, Birch Gold, and American Hartford Gold compete most directly:

  • Goldco — $50 setup, $125 annual admin, $100 commingled storage. ~$275 in year one, ~$225/year afterward. $25,000 minimum.
  • Birch Gold Group — $50 setup, $30 wire, $125 management, $110 storage. ~$315 in year one, ~$235/year afterward. $5,000 recommended starting point.
  • American Hartford Gold — $10,000 minimum, $100 non-segregated / $150 segregated storage published; annual custodian and application fees quoted on request. Spread range 1%–19.99%.

Goldco edges out on published total annual cost, but Birch Gold has the lower entry point and the more detailed fixed-fee schedule published on their own website.

$50,000–$100,000 accounts

At $50,000, Augusta Precious Metals becomes accessible (typical minimum $50,000) and their flat-fee model is competitive: $50 custodian application, $125 annual custodian, ~$100 sample storage — roughly $275 in year one and $225/year afterward. Augusta has advertised promotional fee waivers for qualifying accounts. We don’t include those in our fee mathbecause promotions change and we can’t predict what’s in effect when you read this. If a waiver is in effect when you call, ask in writing exactly what it covers, what triggers it ending, and what the post-promotion fees revert to.

$100,000+ accounts

At this size, American Hartford Gold advertises that storage may be free depending on the situation— confirm the exact thresholds, duration, and qualifying conditions in writing before relying on any waiver in your cost math. Augusta’s flat-fee model also wins at this size in absolute dollar terms. For accounts over $250,000, fee comparison stops being the deciding factor. Reputation, regulatory history, segregated storage, and the buyback process matter more. Get the written quote, then weight transparency and trust over the last $200 of annual fees.

Side-by-Side Analysis

How to compare two written Gold IRA quotes side by side

The fastest way to compare two written Gold IRA quotes is to lay them out in a 12-row table — one row for each number in the checklist below — and look at the differences in dollars, not percentages or marketing language. Here’s a worked example using a hypothetical $50,000 rollover. The numbers are illustrative — they show what to look for in a real quote comparison, not predictions of what any specific provider will charge you.

Comparison rowProvider A (illustrative)Provider B (illustrative)What it tells you
Account setup fee$50$0 (waived above $50K)Year-1 cost difference: $50
Wire fee$30$0Year-1 difference: $30
Annual custodian fee$125$1005-year difference: $125
Annual storage (non-seg)$100$150 (segregated only)5-year difference: $250
Spot price at quote (per oz)$3,200$3,200Same baseline (good)
Product price per oz$3,424$3,584Spread per oz: $224 vs $384
Spread per oz7% ($224)12% ($384)The $160/oz difference is the biggest variable on the page
Coins/bars in quote15 oz15 ozSame quantity
Total spread cost$3,360$5,760→ $2,400 difference at purchase
Buyback bid policyPosted as spot minus 2%"Market rate, no fee" — not definedProvider A is clearer; Provider B requires follow-up
Cancellation/transfer-out$0 (free within 24 hrs)$250 processing feeReal difference if you change your mind
Promotional terms$0"1 year free storage" — terms unspecifiedGet the waiver duration in writing
Estimated 5-year total cost~$4,710~$6,360Provider A is $1,650 cheaper over 5 years on this purchase

The pattern this example demonstrates: the annual fee differences are noise; the spread differences are signal. A $25/year difference in custodian fees adds up to $125 over five years. A 5-percentage-point difference in spread on a $50,000 purchase is $2,500 on day one. If you don’t compare the spread per ounce side by side, you can’t tell which quote is actually cheaper.

If a salesperson is unwilling to give you the spot price at quote time, the product price per ounce, and the dollar spread per ounce in writing, you can’t run this comparison. That’s not a reason to settle for less detail — it’s a reason to keep looking until a provider gives you what you need.

Provider-by-Provider

Provider-by-provider transparency audit

The seven providers below all have at least partial public fee disclosure that we could verify against primary sources. We use the same structure for every provider: the transparency punchline, what we verified, what’s still quote-required, who it fits, who it doesn’t fit, and the one specific question to ask before funding.

American Bullion

Tier 1 — Most Specific Spread

Best for a specific standard-IRA-bullion spread in writing

The punchline:

The only major Gold IRA company we verified that publishes a specific typical spread figure for standard IRA bullion (about 7%) rather than just a range. That doesn’t make American Bullion the cheapest provider — the 7% is real money on a large purchase. It makes them the clearest provider for buyers who want a specific number they can compare.

What we verified

  • Public transaction agreement: typical ~7% spread for IRA bullion, ~20% for semi-numismatic / numismatic / rare coins, ~23% for proof products
  • Agreement states spread "is not based on spot price or American Bullion's actual acquisition cost"
  • Cancellation/processing fee: $250 or 0.50% if account opens but no metals are placed

Still quote-required

  • Exact dollar spread on the specific products in your quote
  • Company-level setup, custodian, and storage fees (depend on assigned custodian — STRATA Trust publishes $125 annual / $100 commingled / $175 segregated / $40 per metal transaction)
  • Buyback bid policy (American Bullion cannot guarantee buyback)

Who fits

Buyers who specifically want to see the spread methodology before they commit, and who’d rather know they’re paying 7% than wonder if they’re paying 15%.

Who doesn’t fit

Buyers looking for the lowest possible all-in cost on standard bullion. The 7% spread is real money — $3,500 on a $50,000 purchase.

The one question to ask:

“Please email me a written quote showing the exact spot price at the time of quote, the product price for each coin or bar, the dollar spread per ounce, and the complete custodian and storage fee schedule for my account.”

Review American Bullion’s Transaction Agreement →

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Augusta Precious Metals

Tier 3 — Best $50K+

Best for $50,000+ accounts wanting education-first onboarding

The punchline:

Among providers with $50,000+ minimums, Augusta has the strongest record on fee predictability and education. Their site describes a one-on-one educational web conference with a salaried, non-commissioned educator — genuinely different from the high-pressure sales pitch most of this category runs. The $50,000 minimum is a real barrier. If you clear it, this is one of the cleanest Gold IRA experiences in the industry.

What we verified

  • Public fee sheet: $50 custodian application, $125 annual custodian, $100 sample storage
  • First-year total ~$275; ongoing ~$225/year
  • $50,000 typical minimum for Gold IRA accounts
  • A+ BBB rating, very low complaint volume across 10+ years
  • Promotional fee waivers periodically advertised — verify current terms in writing

Still quote-required

  • The dealer spread on the specific gold and silver products in your purchase
  • Exact terms, duration, and post-waiver fees of any current promotion

Damaging admission, done right:

Augusta is not the right fit if you’re under $50,000 — the minimum is a real barrier and we won’t soften it. If that’s you, Birch Gold or American Hartford Gold are the more honest recommendations. But for investors above that threshold, Augusta’s fee predictability and lifetime support model are best-in-class.

The one question to ask:

“Please send me your current fee sheet, the exact written terms of any storage waiver I qualify for and what the fees revert to after it ends, and the spread on the specific products you’d recommend for my purchase.”

Request Augusta’s Free 2026 Gold IRA Guide →

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Birch Gold Group

Tier 3 — Lowest Entry

Best for the lowest verified entry point with full fee transparency

The punchline:

Birch’s own precious-metals IRA page lists a $5,000 recommended starting point in a retirement account — the lowest verified entry point among the providers we audited. They also publish the most detailed fee breakdown of any major provider on their own website: $50 setup, $30 wire, $110 storage, $125 management, $235 typical annual fee. They offer all four IRS-approved precious metals (gold, silver, platinum, palladium), which Augusta and Goldco don’t.

What we verified

  • Public Gold IRA fees page: $50 setup, $30 wire, $110 storage, $125 management, $235 typical annual
  • $5,000 recommended retirement-account starting point
  • First-year fees waived on transfers over $50,000
  • A+ BBB rating, 20+ years operating history
  • Storage at Delaware Depository or Brink's Global Services

Still quote-required

  • The dealer spread on the specific products you're buying
  • Whether your specific rollover or purchase has a higher current minimum than the $5,000 starting point

The one question to ask:

“For the specific products in my quote, what is the spot price right now, what is your product price, and what is the dollar spread per ounce — and does my transaction qualify for the first-year fee waiver?”

See Birch Gold’s Published Fee Schedule →

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Goldco

Tier 3 — Annual Fee Leader

Strongest published annual-fee transparency; spread still quote-required

The punchline:

Goldco’s annual fee structure is published on their own website ($50 setup, $125 admin, $100 non-segregated or $150 segregated storage, $25,000 minimum). 14+ years of operating history. A+ BBB with strong consumer review scores. The catch: Goldco doesn’t publish their dealer spread on their own website — you’ll need to take a sales call to get that number in writing.

What we verified

  • Public Gold IRA cost page: setup $50, admin $125, storage $100/$150, $25,000 minimum
  • First-year typical cost ~$275; ongoing ~$225/year
  • A+ BBB rating, consistent customer-review record over 14 years
  • Storage at Delaware Depository or Brink's

Still quote-required

  • The dealer spread on specific products
  • Exact terms of any currently-advertised promotion ('free silver' offers are often offset by the spread on your initial purchase — confirm in writing)

The one question to ask:

“For the specific gold or silver products you’re recommending, please email me the spot price at quote time, the product price, and the dollar spread per ounce — before any account is opened.”

Request Goldco’s Published Fee Schedule →

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Noble Gold Investments

Tier 3 — Seg Storage Default

Best for segregated storage as the default

The punchline:

Noble Gold’s flat $275 annual fee ($125 custodial + $150 secure segregated storage) is unusual in the industry because most competitors charge an extra $50/year for segregated storage. If you specifically want your exact metals stored separately and labeled as yours, Noble is the most cost-effective among the audited providers for that feature.

What we verified

  • Public support page: $80 setup, $275 flat annual rate
  • Segregated storage included at the flat rate
  • A+ BBB rating, operating since 2017

Still quote-required

  • Current minimum investment (sources cite $2,000 to $20,000 range depending on account type — verify directly)
  • The dealer spread on specific products

The one question to ask:

“Please confirm in writing the current Gold IRA minimum, the spread on the products you’re recommending, and that segregated storage is genuinely included at the flat rate with no upcharges.”

Request Noble Gold’s Flat-Fee Details →

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American Hartford Gold

Tier 2 — Lowest Minimum

Published spread range and storage fees; admin and setup quote-required

The punchline:

Lowest published minimum ($10,000) among the providers we audited. Their public transaction agreement discloses a bullion spread range of 1% to 19.99% (with semi-numismatic, numismatic, and exclusive coins up to 39.99%), and their Gold IRA guide PDF discloses $100 non-segregated and $150 segregated storage. What’s still quote-required: the application fee, the annual custodian/admin fee, and the exact spread on the specific products in your purchase.

What we verified

  • $10,000 self-directed Gold IRA minimum order size
  • $100 non-segregated / $150 segregated storage per Gold IRA guide PDF
  • All four IRS-approved metals available
  • Public transaction agreement: bullion spreads 1% to 19.99%; semi-numismatic, numismatic, and exclusive coins up to 39.99%
  • A+ BBB rating, operating since 2015
  • Storage at Delaware Depository or Brink's
  • PDF statement: 'Statement values do not include premiums, markups, markdowns, or commissions'

Still quote-required

  • Application fee and annual custodian/admin fee (not fully verified from primary AHG documentation)
  • The exact spread on specific products in your quote — the 1%–19.99% range is published, but where your purchase lands in that range is the number that matters
  • Exact terms of any storage waiver promotion

The one question to ask:

“Please email me the full written fee schedule — application fee, annual custodian, storage, and the dollar spread per ounce on the specific products you’re recommending — before I provide any rollover paperwork. And please confirm in writing whether my purchase qualifies for any current storage waiver and what the post-waiver fees revert to.”

Request American Hartford Gold’s Written Fee Quote →

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Preserve Gold

Tier 2 — No Liquidation Fee

Useful policy commitments, but the published spread ceiling is high

The punchline:

Preserve Gold publicly emphasizes their no-account-setup-fee, no-liquidation-fee, and price-match positioning — genuinely useful policy commitments. But their public transaction agreement also discloses bullion spreads of up to 20% and IRA precious-metals transactions generally up to 39.99% — a notably wider ceiling than American Bullion’s typical 7% IRA bullion figure. That detail belongs in the open before any decision. The agreement also confirms that sales representatives are commission-compensated and that no fiduciary relationship exists. Founded in 2022, so their operating track record is shorter than competitors.

What we verified

  • Public transaction agreement: bullion spreads up to 20%; IRA precious-metals transactions generally up to 39.99%
  • No account setup fees and no liquidation fees (public claim)
  • Price-match policy on metals pricing
  • Free shipping and insurance on depository orders
  • A+ BBB rating
  • All four IRS-approved metals available
  • Agreement: sales reps are commission-compensated; no fiduciary relationship; buyback not guaranteed

Still quote-required

  • Full annual custodian and storage fee schedule for your specific account size
  • Dealer spread on specific products — and where in the 0–20% bullion range your purchase actually lands
  • Buyback bid mechanics

The one question to ask:

“Please send me a written annual fee schedule for my account size, the exact dollar spread per ounce on the specific products you’re recommending (and where that lands within your published 0–20% bullion range), and the written terms of the price-match and no-liquidation-fee guarantees.”

Request Preserve Gold’s Fee Quote and No-Liquidation Details →

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A note on other providers

Several other Gold IRA providers — Allegiance Gold, Patriot Gold Group, Priority Gold, Advantage Gold, Rosland Capital — appear on competing “best of” lists with low-fee positioning. We chose not to feature them in this audit because the public fee documentation we could verify on their own websites isn’t yet complete enough for the standard this page applies. That’s not a judgment on the companies themselves. If you’re researching one of these providers, the same 12-question written-quote checklist below applies.

Editorial Decision

Why we excluded Lear Capital from this audit

Lear Capital appears on most “best Gold IRA” lists in this category, and they currently publish a detailed fee transparency page and a spread range of 2% to 35% in their public terms. We chose not to feature them on a fee-transparency-focused page because of a documented regulatory history that, in our editorial judgment, disqualifies them from a list specifically about fee disclosure.

In 2022, the New York Attorney General announced a $6 million settlement with Lear Capital after alleging the company charged undisclosed commissions of up to 33% on precious metals sales — many to elderly investors who were rolling retirement savings into precious metals. In 2023, multistate regulators reached a $5.5 million bankruptcy settlement (Lear had filed Chapter 11) covering investors who had purchased precious metals from Lear between January 2016 and March 2022. State regulators in Texas, Minnesota, Michigan, Wisconsin, California, Oregon, Vermont, and the District of Columbia have publicly described the underlying conduct as deceptive practices and inadequate fee disclosure.

Today’s Lear Capital is operating under new structure, their current fee page is more detailed than many competitors, and their current terms publish a spread range of 2% to 35%. We’re not asserting that the present company is operating deceptively. We’re saying that a page about fee transparency should not feature, as a model of fee transparency, a company whose fee disclosure failures resulted in $11.5 million in combined settlements within the last four years.

If you’re considering Lear Capital, please read the New York Attorney General press release and the multistate settlement materials from your state’s Department of Financial Regulation before funding an account.

Honest Fit Check

Should you even open a Gold IRA?

A Gold IRA makes sense for a specific kind of investor: someone with sufficient retirement assets in conventional accounts who wants to allocate a modest portion — this audit uses 5% to 10% as a conservative editorial allocation guardrail, not as a personalized recommendation — to physical precious metals as an inflation or crisis hedge. It is not a good first retirement account. It does not produce income. It costs meaningfully more to hold than a gold ETF inside a standard brokerage IRA.

These are editorial fit filters, not personalized investment advice.

A Gold IRA may genuinely fit you if:

  • You have $50,000 or more in retirement savings outside of what you'd put in metals
  • You want a modest allocation to physical precious metals specifically as a crisis hedge — not as a primary return-seeking asset
  • You understand that gold doesn't pay dividends or interest
  • You're comfortable holding for 10+ years
  • You want physical metals you can take distribution of in-kind at retirement
  • You can tolerate the dealer spread on entry and the bid/ask spread on exit

A Gold IRA probably does NOT fit you if:

  • Your entire retirement balance is under $25,000
  • You'd be putting more than 15–20% of your retirement assets into metals
  • You need the account to generate income (gold produces none)
  • You may need liquidity within 3–5 years
  • You want the lowest possible cost of gold price exposure
  • You're considering it primarily because of a fear-based sales pitch about the dollar collapsing
  • You want to store the metals at home — that structure raises significant tax and IRS-rule risk

The lower-cost alternative most buyers don’t consider

If your goal is low-cost gold price exposure inside a tax-advantaged retirement account, a gold ETF inside a regular IRA at a major brokerage does most of what a Gold IRA does at a fraction of the cost:

VehicleAnnual costSetup feeStorage feeDealer spread on purchase
SPDR Gold Shares (GLD)0.40% expense ratio$0$0 (built into fund)None
iShares Gold Trust (IAU)0.25% sponsor fee$0$0 (built into fund)None
abrdn Physical Gold Shares (SGOL)0.17% expense ratio$0$0 (built into fund)None
Typical Gold IRA at $50K~$225/year (0.45%)$50–$80Included in annual fee5–10% on standard bullion; higher on specialty coins

Source: official fund sponsor disclosures (SSGA, BlackRock, abrdn) and audited Gold IRA provider fee schedules.

Honest editorial position: for readers whose main goal is low-cost gold price exposure inside a retirement account, a gold ETF is usually the cleaner structure. A Gold IRA is the higher-cost structure for readers who specifically want IRA-owned physical metals and accept the custody, storage, spread, and liquidity tradeoffs.

Not sure a Gold IRA fits your situation?

Take our free 60-second matching tool to get an educational next-step plan — which may or may not include precious metals. Not investment, tax, or legal advice.

Take the 60-second fit check →

Before You Fund

The 12-question written quote checklist

Before you fund any Gold IRA, get answers to these 12 questions in writing — by email or PDF, not verbally on a phone call. If a provider won’t put any of these in writing, that’s your answer about whether their fees are transparent. This checklist is consistent with the questions the SEC, FINRA, and CFTC effectively recommend in their joint Self-Directed IRA investor alert.

Account-layer questions

  1. 1

    What is the account setup or application fee?

    Common: $50–$80 at most major providers. Some waive at higher transfer amounts.

  2. 2

    Is there a wire fee for funding the account?

    Common: $30. Sometimes waived.

  3. 3

    What is the annual custodian or administration fee?

    Common: $80–$125 flat. Watch for asset-based fees that scale with account growth — flat is almost always better at scale.

Storage-layer questions

  1. 4

    What is the annual storage and insurance fee?

    Common: $100 non-segregated, $150 segregated.

  2. 5

    Is the storage segregated or commingled?

    Segregated = your specific metals labeled as yours. Commingled = pooled with other clients.

  3. 6

    Which IRS-approved depository will hold my metals?

    Common: Delaware Depository, Brink's Global Services, International Depository Services, Texas Precious Metals Depository.

Metal transaction-layer questions

  1. 7

    For each metal product in my quote, what is the spot price at the time of quote?

    Get this in writing as a baseline reference.

  2. 8

    What is your product price for each coin or bar?

    The price you'll pay per item.

  3. 9

    What is the dollar spread per ounce above spot for each product?

    For standard IRS-approved bullion, retail spreads typically fall in the 5–10% range. If a quote shows spreads above 15% on standard bullion or you're being steered toward proof or specialty coins, ask why.

  4. 10

    What is your buyback bid policy?

    How will you price metals when I sell back? Most companies cannot guarantee buyback but should explain the mechanic.

Exit-layer questions

  1. 11

    What fees apply if I cancel before metals are placed, transfer my account to another custodian, or take an in-kind distribution at retirement?

    Watch for processing fees, account closure fees, and surprise costs at exit.

  2. 12

    What are the exact written terms of any current promotion or fee waiver — including duration, what triggers it ending, and what the post-promotion fees revert to?

    Free silver offers, first-year storage waivers — get the conditions in writing.

If you have answers to all 12 in writing, you have what you need to make a fully-informed decision. If you don’t, you don’t. It’s that simple.

IRS Rules 2026

2026 IRS and rollover rules: what matters before you transfer money

A Gold IRA is technically a self-directed IRA that holds IRS-eligible precious metals through a qualified custodian and approved depository. For 2026, the IRS confirmed the IRA contribution limit is $7,500($8,600 if you’re age 50 or older — that includes the $1,100 catch-up contribution). But most Gold IRAs are funded by rollover or direct transfer from an existing 401(k), 403(b), TSP, traditional IRA, or Roth IRA — which is not subject to the annual contribution limit.

Rollover vs. transfer (different mechanics, both common)

A direct rollover from an employer retirement plan moves funds directly to a new IRA without you taking possession of the money. A trustee-to-trustee transfer moves funds directly from one IRA custodian to another. Both avoid you ever handling the funds, and both are the safe paths.

An indirect rolloversends the check to you first, and you have 60 days to deposit it into the new account. From an employer plan, your old plan may withhold 20% for federal taxes — and you’ll have to make up that withheld amount from other funds to complete the rollover. The IRA one-rollover-per-12-month rule cannot be waived by the IRS even for good cause. Don’t use the indirect path unless you have a specific reason and know the rules cold.

What metals the IRS actually allows in an IRA

IRA-eligible precious metals must satisfy IRC §408(m) requirements. Eligible products typically include American Gold Eagles, Canadian Gold Maple Leafs, Austrian Gold Philharmonics, American Gold Buffalos, and approved bullion bars from refiners like PAMP Suisse, Credit Suisse, Valcambi, and Royal Canadian Mint.

Most rare, collectible, numismatic, and pre-1933 coins are not IRA-eligible. If an individually directed account acquires a collectible, IRS guidance treats the acquisition as a deemed distribution — which can mean taxes and a possible 10% additional tax if you’re under 59½.

The “home storage Gold IRA” warning

The IRS position has been consistent: metals in a Gold IRA must be held by a qualified trustee or custodian, not by the IRA owner personally. The 2021 U.S. Tax Court case McNulty v. Commissioner ruled against an IRA holder who took physical possession of IRA-owned gold coins; the court treated the possession as a taxable distribution. If a salesperson is selling you on home storage, get the structure reviewed by a tax attorney before proceeding.

Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) timing

Under SECURE 2.0, the RMD age is 73 as of 2026, rising to 75 beginning in 2033. Gold IRAs follow the same RMD rules as other traditional IRAs. You may be able to take an in-kind distribution— meaning the depository ships physical metals directly to you instead of forcing a sale — which can avoid selling at the dealer’s buyback bid at that moment. An in-kind distribution doesn’t avoid all costs (custodian in-kind distribution fees, shipping, handling, and tax consequences still apply). Roth Gold IRAs don’t require RMDs during the original owner’s lifetime.

Tax laws change. Verify current rules with a CPA before relying on any tax treatment specific to your situation.

Methodology

What we actually verified (and didn’t)

This page is built from primary documents, not synthesis of competing review sites. Here’s what we checked against and what we explicitly did not.

As of May 20, 2026, we verified:

SourceWhat was verified
American Bullion's transaction agreement~7% typical IRA bullion spread, ~20% semi-numismatic/rare, ~23% proof; cancellation fee disclosure
STRATA Trust Company fee schedule$125 annual, $100 commingled storage, $175 segregated, $40 per metal transaction, $75 in-kind distribution fee
Goldco's 'How Much Does a Gold IRA Cost?' pageSetup, admin, storage, $25,000 minimum
Augusta Precious Metals' public fee sheet (PDF)$50 custodian application, $125 annual custodian, $100 sample storage, $50,000 typical minimum
Birch Gold Group's precious-metals IRA page$5,000 recommended starting point, $50 setup, $30 wire, $110 storage, $125 management, first-year waiver on $50K+ transfers
Noble Gold Investments' support page$80 setup, $275 flat annual rate including $125 custodial and $150 segregated storage
American Hartford Gold FAQ and Gold IRA guide PDF$10,000 minimum order size, $100/$150 storage, statement values exclude premiums/markups/commissions
American Hartford Gold public transaction agreementBullion spreads 1%–19.99%; semi-numismatic/numismatic/exclusive up to 39.99%
Preserve Gold transaction agreementBullion spreads up to 20%, IRA precious-metals transactions generally up to 39.99%, commission-compensated reps, no fiduciary relationship
Lear Capital online termsSpreads generally 2%–35%; exact spread confirmed during transaction voice confirmation
IRS sources (2026)IRA contribution limits $7,500 / $8,600 with catch-up; RMD age 73 under SECURE 2.0; IRC §408(m) collectibles guidance; Publication 590-A; rollover topic 413
SEC/NASAA/FINRA joint Self-Directed IRA investor alertFraud risk language; custodian disclosure limitations
SEC Litigation Release on Red Rock Secured LLC700+ investors, $50M+ defrauded, markups as high as 130%
CFTC/California/Hawaii enforcement on Red Rock Secured950+ customers, ~$61.8M solicited, ~$34.4M in markups
NY Attorney General press release on Lear Capital (2022)$6M settlement, undisclosed commissions up to 33%
Multistate Lear Capital bankruptcy settlement (2023)$5.5M settlement; CA DFPI, TX SSB, MN Commerce, OR DFR, MI AG, WI DFI, DC DISB, VT DFR
U.S. Tax Court: McNulty v. Commissioner (2021)Home storage IRA possession ruled as taxable distribution
Official ETF sponsor disclosuresSPDR GLD 0.40%, iShares IAU 0.25%, abrdn SGOL 0.17%

We did not verify:

  • Live same-day phone quotes from every provider — we relied on published documents, not undercover-shopper calls
  • Current same-day dealer spreads on specific products beyond published ranges in transaction agreements
  • Whether every provider would offer the same quote to every reader — Gold IRA pricing varies by account size, transaction size, current promotions, and salesperson discretion
  • Whether each provider is available in all 50 states — most serve all U.S. residents but availability can change
  • Current promotional waiver thresholds and durations — promotions change without notice and need written confirmation
  • BBB, Trustpilot, or Consumer Affairs star ratings as proof of fee transparency — Lear Capital had strong ratings prior to its regulatory settlement
  • The full operating history and FINRA-registered status of every individual representative — we recommend FINRA BrokerCheck and state insurance department searches for any specific advisor you're considering

Frequently Asked Questions

Gold IRA transparent fees: FAQ

Which Gold IRA company has the most transparent fees?

For dealer spread disclosure, American Bullion publishes the clearest specific standard-IRA-bullion spread figure we verified: typically 7% on common IRA bullion. American Hartford Gold, Preserve Gold, and Lear Capital also publish spread ranges in their public agreements, but those ranges are wider and still require a product-level written quote. For published annual fee schedules, Augusta Precious Metals, Goldco, Birch Gold Group, and Noble Gold Investments all publish enough on their own websites to model fixed costs without a sales call. Which is 'most transparent' depends on which fee matters most to you.

Which Gold IRA company has the lowest fees?

It depends on account size and the type of fee. At $25,000 to $50,000, Goldco's published $225/year ongoing fee is among the lowest of the audited providers. At $50,000+, Augusta's flat-fee model can produce one of the lowest 5-year costs. American Hartford Gold advertises possible storage waivers tied to account size — verify current terms in writing. Across all sizes, the dealer spread typically matters more than annual fees, and you need a written quote to compare that across providers.

What is a typical Gold IRA annual fee in 2026?

Most reputable Gold IRA providers charge $200 to $300 per year in combined administration and storage fees for a standard account, with one-time setup fees commonly in the $50 to $80 range at most major providers. Specialty storage (segregated, premium depositories) typically adds $50/year. These are flat fees — they don't scale with your account size — which means they're a higher percentage drag on smaller accounts.

What is a "spread" in a Gold IRA?

The dealer spread is the difference between the spot price of gold (the reference market price) and the price the dealer charges you for the physical product. In the public agreements we verified, American Bullion publishes a typical 7% for IRA bullion; American Hartford Gold publishes 1% to 19.99% for bullion; Preserve Gold publishes up to 20% for bullion and generally up to 39.99% for IRA precious-metals transactions; Lear Capital publishes 2% to 35%. The spread is the largest single fee in most Gold IRAs and the one most often hidden — which is why getting it in writing per product is the single most important step before funding an account.

Are "free gold" or "free silver" promotions actually free?

Sometimes, sometimes not. A "free silver" promotion that delivers $5,000 in silver on a $50,000 purchase is genuinely valuable if the spread on your purchased gold is at the lower end of the typical range. The same promotion is mostly an illusion if the spread on the purchased gold has been bumped to cover the cost of the silver. Get the spread per ounce in writing on your specific purchased products to test the promotion's real value.

Can I store Gold IRA metals at home?

The IRS position is that IRA-owned metals must be held by a qualified custodian or trustee at an IRS-approved depository — not in your home safe. The 2021 U.S. Tax Court case McNulty v. Commissioner ruled against an IRA holder who took physical possession, treating the possession as a taxable distribution. We strongly recommend conventional custodial storage. If you see a "home storage Gold IRA" ad, treat it as a high-risk structure and consult a tax attorney before proceeding.

Is segregated storage worth the extra cost?

Segregated storage costs about $50/year more than commingled storage at most providers and gives you the right to receive the exact same coins or bars you originally purchased when you take distribution. If receiving identical metals matters to you, segregated storage is worth it. If you just want exposure to a quantity of gold and don't care which specific coins, commingled storage saves money over the life of the account. Noble Gold includes segregated storage in their bundled $275/year fee, which is unusual.

What happens to my Gold IRA when I take an RMD or retire?

You have two options. In-kind distribution: the depository ships physical metals directly to you (you take possession and pay tax on the metal's fair market value at distribution; custodian in-kind distribution and shipping fees may apply). Cash distribution: the dealer buys back your metals through their buyback program and the cash is distributed (you pay tax on the cash). In-kind is often preferred when prices are unfavorable for a forced sale, but you then own physical metal you have to store, insure, and eventually sell yourself.

Can I roll over my 401(k) into a Gold IRA without paying taxes?

A 401(k) typically moves into an IRA by direct rollover; an IRA-to-IRA move is typically described as a trustee-to-trustee transfer. Both, done correctly, are not taxable events — the metals you buy inside a traditional Gold IRA grow tax-deferred, and a Roth Gold IRA follows Roth rules including the conversion tax treatment and qualified-distribution requirements. Most Gold IRA providers handle the rollover paperwork on your behalf.

Are Gold IRA companies fiduciaries?

Generally no. Precious metals dealers and the sales representatives at Gold IRA companies are typically sales professionals paid by commission, not fiduciary financial advisors who are legally required to act in your best interest. The CFTC has specifically warned that precious metals dealers are not fiduciary advisors. If you want fiduciary-level advice on whether a Gold IRA fits your retirement plan, talk to a licensed fee-only financial advisor who has no commission interest in the outcome.

Should I use a Gold IRA or a gold ETF?

If your main goal is low-cost gold price exposure inside a tax-advantaged retirement account, a gold ETF (GLD, IAU, SGOL) inside a regular IRA at a major brokerage is usually the cleaner structure — published expense ratios are 0.17% to 0.40%, with no setup fee, no per-account storage fee, and no precious-metals dealer spread. A Gold IRA is the higher-cost structure for investors who specifically want IRA-owned physical metals and accept the custody, storage, spread, and liquidity tradeoffs.

How much do I need to open a Gold IRA?

Minimums vary by provider. As of mid-2026, the published minimums and recommended starting points we verified are: Birch Gold Group ($5,000 recommended retirement-account starting point), American Hartford Gold ($10,000 self-directed Gold IRA minimum order size), Goldco ($25,000 Gold IRA minimum), Augusta Precious Metals ($50,000 typical Gold IRA minimum). Noble Gold and American Bullion have variable minimums depending on account type — verify in writing. Below $10,000, a Gold IRA is rarely cost-effective given fixed-fee drag, and a gold ETF inside a regular IRA is almost always the better structure at that size.

Editorial Verdict

The bottom line

A Gold IRA isn’t right or wrong on its own. It’s right for a specific kind of investor — someone with enough retirement savings outside metals, a long holding horizon, and a real preference for physical ownership over paper exposure. For that investor, the difference between a transparent-fee provider and an opaque one isn’t a small thing. It’s the difference between knowing what you’re paying and being surprised five years from now when you try to sell.

If you take only one thing from this audit, take this: get the 12 quote-checklist numbers in writing before you fund.Every reputable provider on this page can give you those numbers. The ones who won’t have just answered the only question that needs answering.

Free 60-Second Tool

Still not sure what to do next with your retirement plan?

Take our free 60-second matching tool to get an educational next-step plan. Whether a Gold IRA fits your situation depends on a lot more than fees — your account size, your time horizon, your other retirement assets, and what you’re actually trying to protect against. The matching tool walks you through the questions in 60 seconds and points you toward the right next step for your specific situation, which may or may not involve precious metals.

Not personalized investment, tax, or legal advice.

About This Page

Authored by The Retirement Index Editorial Team. The Retirement Index is an independent research and comparison resource for retirement planning decisions.

How this page was produced: We reviewed provider-published fee pages, transaction agreements, custodian fee schedules from STRATA Trust and similar self-directed IRA trustees, IRS guidance on collectibles in individually-directed accounts (Publication 590-A and IRC §408(m)), SEC investor alerts on self-directed IRA fraud, CFTC enforcement materials on precious metals schemes, state Attorney General settlement documents, and official ETF sponsor disclosures. We modeled fixed fees separately from dealer spread because those costs behave differently across account sizes and product choices.

Last verified: . This page is updated quarterly. Specific provider fees, minimums, and promotional terms can change without notice — verify any number in writing directly with the provider before funding an account.

Disclosure: The Retirement Index may earn a commission if you open an account through certain provider links on this page. Our inclusions are based on the verifiable transparency tests described in our methodology, not on commission rates. Lear Capital, despite being a higher-paying affiliate in this category for some publishers, is not featured on this page because their regulatory history disqualified them from a fee-transparency-focused audit.

Not investment, tax, or legal advice.This page is educational research. Specific decisions about your retirement accounts depend on facts about your situation that we don’t know. Tax law changes. Consult a CPA, a fiduciary financial advisor, or a tax attorney for advice on your specific circumstances.

Primary sources cited

  1. [1]IRS: irs.gov contribution limit announcements (2026); Publication 590-A; IRC §408(m); RMD FAQs; Topic 413 on rollovers
  2. [2]SEC/NASAA/FINRA: Joint Investor Alert on Self-Directed IRAs (investor.gov)
  3. [3]SEC Litigation Release 2023-91: Red Rock Secured LLC
  4. [4]CFTC/California/Hawaii joint enforcement action: Red Rock Secured LLC
  5. [5]New York Attorney General press release (2022): Lear Capital $6M settlement
  6. [6]CA DFPI, TX SSB, MN Department of Commerce, OR DFR, MI AG, WI DFI, DC DISB, VT DFR: Lear Capital multistate bankruptcy settlement (2023)
  7. [7]U.S. Tax Court: McNulty v. Commissioner, T.C. Memo 2021-27 (home storage IRA possession ruling)
  8. [8]Provider fee pages and transaction agreements: American Bullion, Augusta Precious Metals, Birch Gold Group, Goldco, Noble Gold Investments, American Hartford Gold, Preserve Gold
  9. [9]STRATA Trust Company: precious metals IRA fee schedule (public)
  10. [10]Official ETF sponsor disclosures: SSGA (SPDR GLD), BlackRock (iShares IAU), abrdn (Physical Gold Shares SGOL)