IRA Transfer Guide · 2026
Direct trustee-to-trustee transfer is tax-free if done right. Here are the 2026 IRS rules, the real fee picture, the markup trap regulators have documented up to 130%, and the 8 providers worth comparing.
An IRA to Gold IRA transfer is straightforward if you do one specific thing: ask for a direct trustee-to-trustee transfer — not a withdrawal, not a 60-day rollover. When completed correctly as a same-tax-type IRA-to-IRA trustee-to-trustee transfer, the funds move directly between custodians, no federal tax is withheld, the 60-day rollover deadline does not apply, and the IRS one-rollover-per-year limit does not apply. IRS rollover rules
That is the headline. The part most pages skip is the cost of holding physical gold inside an IRA — especially the dealer markup baked into the metal price. In 2024, the SEC won a final judgment of more than $76.4 million against Red Rock Secured, alleging the firm charged markups as high as 130% while telling customers markups were 1–5%. SEC Litigation Release No. 25996
Best for: Investors with $25,000 or more in an existing IRA who specifically want IRS-eligible physical metals inside a tax-advantaged account and can hold long-term.
Not a fit if: You want the cheapest gold exposure (a gold ETF wins), you plan to store the metal at home (home storage can trigger a deemed distribution), you need current income, or you are shopping under pressure from a sales call.
Route Matrix
Most articles lump every kind of retirement-account-to-gold move under the same word: “rollover.” The IRS does not. Where the money starts changes which method you need and which mistakes can blow up the tax shelter. Find your row first.
Answer capsule
An IRA-to-IRA move should be a trustee-to-trustee transfer (no 60-day clock, no one-per-year limit, no withholding). An employer-plan-to-IRA move (old 401(k), 403(b), 457(b), TSP) should be a direct rollover. An indirect rollover — where the check is payable to you — is a last resort that creates real tax risk.
| Where the money starts | Cleanest method | What to say on the phone | Main risk to watch for | Bottom line |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Traditional IRA → Traditional Gold IRA | Trustee-to-trustee transfer | “Please send the funds directly to my new self-directed IRA custodian.” | The check getting made out to you | Easiest path. No 60-day clock, no annual limit. Pre-tax stays pre-tax. |
| Roth IRA → Roth Gold IRA | Trustee-to-trustee transfer | “Keep this Roth-to-Roth. Do not convert tax status.” | Accidental conversion to pre-tax | Tax-free stays tax-free. Don’t let anyone simplify by converting. |
| SEP IRA → Gold IRA | Trustee-to-trustee transfer | “Confirm the account is set up to receive a SEP transfer with the same tax status preserved.” | Tax-status mix-up at the new custodian | Generally straightforward when the receiving account is set up correctly. |
| SIMPLE IRA → non-SIMPLE Gold IRA | Wait until 2-year SIMPLE period is satisfied | “Confirm the date of my first SIMPLE contribution before moving funds.” | Transferring before the 2-year mark can trigger a taxable distribution — and the additional tax during that window is 25%, not 10% | Verify the first-contribution date in writing before initiating anything. |
| Old 401(k), 403(b), TSP, or 457(b) → Gold IRA | Direct rollover | “Make the check payable to: [New Custodian] FBO [Your Name].” | Check payable to you triggers 20% mandatory withholding | Standard employer-plan rollover. Different paperwork than an IRA transfer. |
| Current employer’s 401(k) → Gold IRA | Plan-dependent in-service rollover | “Does the plan allow in-service rollovers for employees under 59½?” | Most plans don’t allow it until you separate or hit 59½ | Verify in writing before opening the Gold IRA. |
| Inherited IRA → Inherited Gold IRA | Inherited (beneficiary) transfer | “Maintain the inherited IRA titling. Do not retitle as my own.” | Retitling errors can collapse the inheritance protection and accelerate taxes | Edge case. Consult a CPA or fiduciary advisor before moving anything. |
| Check already made payable to you | Indirect 60-day rollover (last resort) | “Can this be corrected as a direct transfer instead?” | 60-day deadline + one-per-year IRA limit + possible 20% withholding | Avoid if at all possible. If the check is in your hand, the clock has started. |
Sources: IRS Form 1099-R instructions; IRS rollover rules.
If your row says “trustee-to-trustee transfer” — the rest of this page is built for you.
If it says “direct rollover” because your money is in an old 401(k), the same principles apply — see the employer-plan section below. If it says “edge case,” your next step is a 20-minute call with a financial professional in your state, not a Gold IRA sales rep.
Script
There is one sentence that gets you from State A to State B without paperwork drama. When you are on the phone with either your current custodian or your new Gold IRA custodian, say this:
“I want a trustee-to-trustee transfer from my existing IRA to a self-directed IRA. Do not pay the funds to me personally. The check or wire should go directly from the current custodian to the new custodian.”
If anyone on either end pushes back, says “we’ll just send the check to you,” or starts using the word “rollover” interchangeably with “transfer,” slow the conversation down. Get the method in writing. The single biggest mistake in this whole process is letting a check get cut to your name when it didn’t need to be — and that mistake gets made more often than you’d guess.
Key Distinction
Answer capsule
A transfer moves money directly between two IRA custodians without you ever touching it — no withholding, no 60-day deadline, no annual limit, and IRS instructions generally say a true same-type trustee-to-trustee IRA transfer is not reported on Form 1099-R. A rollover typically refers to money moving from an employer plan into an IRA, or money paid to you that you have 60 days to redeposit. People use the words interchangeably; the IRS does not.
The money moves custodian to custodian. You are not in the middle. The old custodian sends a wire or a check made payable to the new custodian, and that’s it. No tax withholding, no 60-day clock, and the IRS does not count this against the one-rollover-per-year rule — meaning you can do as many trustee-to-trustee transfers as you want in a calendar year.
For a true IRA-to-IRA trustee-to-trustee transfer where no payment is made to you, IRS instructions generally say the transfer is not reported on Form 1099-R and same-type trustee transfers are generally not reported as rollover contributions on Form 5498 (IRS Form 1099-R instructions). If you are expecting a flurry of tax forms, you might not see one. That is normal.
If your money is in an old 401(k), 403(b), 457(b), or Thrift Savings Plan, you will do a direct rollover instead. Same idea — the money moves directly from the plan administrator to the new IRA custodian — but the paperwork uses different language. The key phrase: the check must be made payable to “[New Custodian Name] FBO [Your Name]”(FBO means “for the benefit of”). If it is payable to you personally, the plan must withhold 20% for taxes — and you have to come up with that 20% from outside money within 60 days, or that portion becomes a taxable distribution.
You take possession of the money. You then have 60 calendar days from the day it hits your account to deposit it into another retirement plan. Miss the deadline and the IRS treats the whole thing as a regular distribution — ordinary income tax on the full amount, plus the 10% additional tax if you are under 59½ (IRS rollover rules).
There is a second trap: the IRS limits IRA-to-IRA indirect rollovers to one per 12-month period across all your IRAs combined, no matter how many accounts you have. Do a second one inside 12 months and the whole thing is taxable. Trustee-to-trustee transfers do not count against this limit — but indirect rollovers do.
Process
Answer capsule
A typical transfer takes 7 to 21 business days from start to finish. You open a self-directed IRA, sign transfer paperwork, the new custodian requests the funds from the old one, the money arrives as cash, you choose IRS-eligible metals, and the metals get shipped directly from the dealer to an approved precious-metals depository.
Most reputable Gold IRA companies handle steps 2 through 5 on your behalf — that is a big part of what you are paying them for.
Pick a Gold IRA company and the custodian behind it
The Gold IRA company is the sales and service face. The custodian is the trust company that actually holds your IRA and reports it to the IRS. They are often two different entities. Most major providers partner with the same handful of self-directed IRA custodians — Equity Trust, STRATA Trust, and Kingdom Trust come up most often.
Open the new self-directed IRA
Same tax type as your current account. Traditional-to-Traditional. Roth-to-Roth. Most companies complete this in 24 to 48 hours.
Initiate the trustee-to-trustee transfer
The new custodian sends a transfer request to your old custodian. Some old custodians wire same-day; others mail paper checks payable to the new custodian and take 1 to 2 weeks. This is the slowest step and is not in your new provider's control.
Pick IRS-eligible metals
Once the cash is in the new IRA, you choose what to buy. The metals must meet IRS purity standards (covered below). Get the spot price, the premium over spot, the dealer's markup, and the buyback policy all in writing before you confirm the purchase.
Metals ship to an approved depository
The dealer ships the metals directly to a vault — Delaware Depository or Brink's are common examples. You get a confirmation, a custodian statement, and portal access to see what you own. You never take physical possession while the metal is inside the IRA — doing so can trigger a deemed distribution.
Total time, beginning to end: usually 2 to 3 weeks. American Hartford Gold states the transfer step itself can move in 1 to 5 business days when both custodians cooperate (American Hartford Gold FAQs).
IRS Rules 2026
Answer capsule
A Gold IRA follows the same IRA rules, with extra precious-metals rules: only certain coins and bullion qualify, and qualifying bullion must be in the physical possession of a bank or an IRS-approved nonbank trustee. Acquiring a non-qualifying collectible inside an IRA is treated by the IRS as a distribution in the year acquired (IRS guidance on collectibles in IRAs).
| Metal | Minimum purity required | Common eligible examples |
|---|---|---|
| Gold | 99.5% (0.9950 fineness) | American Gold Buffalo, Canadian Gold Maple Leaf, Austrian Gold Philharmonic, PAMP Suisse bars, Perth Mint bars |
| Gold (U.S. coin exception) | 91.67% (American Gold Eagle only) | American Gold Eagle bullion and proof coins only |
| Silver | 99.9% (0.9990) | American Silver Eagle, Canadian Silver Maple Leaf |
| Platinum | 99.95% (0.9995) | American Platinum Eagle, Canadian Platinum Maple Leaf |
| Palladium | 99.95% (0.9995) | Canadian Palladium Maple Leaf |
Source: Internal Revenue Code Section 408(m)(3); IRS guidance on collectibles in IRAs.
What is not eligible
South African Krugerrands (91.67% gold — below the 99.5% IRA bullion standard and not in the narrow U.S. coin exception), most numismatic and rare collectible coins, jewelry, and any “graded” or “certified” coin sold as a collectible regardless of metal content. If a sales rep pitches “rare” coins for your IRA, that is a red flag, not a feature.
The IRS rule is that qualifying bullion must be in the physical possession of a bank or approved nonbank trustee. In practice, Gold IRA custodians use approved precious-metals depositories — not your house, not a safe deposit box held in your own name.
This has been litigated. In McNulty v. Commissioner (157 T.C. 10, 2021), a couple who stored IRA-owned American Eagle coins at home was hit with a deemed distribution on the full value of the coins. The Tax Court was unambiguous: home storage does not satisfy the physical-possession requirement, even when the coins are owned by an LLC the IRA owns. The “home storage gold IRA” you see advertised online is the IRS audit you do not want.
| Depository | Location(s) | Insurance | Notable |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delaware Depository Service Company (DDSC) | Wilmington, DE; Boulder City, NV | $1 billion Lloyd's of London all-risk coverage | Most-used depository in the gold IRA industry. Class 3 security. |
| Brink's Global Services | Los Angeles, Salt Lake City, New York | Lloyd's of London coverage | Same Brink's known for armored vehicles, with separate vault operations. |
| International Depository Services (IDS) Group | New Castle, DE; Wilmington, OH; Dallas/Fort Worth, TX | Lloyd's of London coverage | Offers segregated storage at no additional cost at certain locations. |
| Texas Bullion Depository (TxBD) | Leander, TX | State-chartered, state-insured | Only state-owned, state-regulated precious-metals depository in the U.S. Currently limited custodian access. |
| A-Mark Global Logistics / AMGL | Las Vegas, NV | Insured through partner | Used by many wholesale gold dealers. |
Segregated storagemeans your specific coins or bars sit on a labeled shelf separate from everyone else’s — you get back the exact items you put in. Commingled storagemeans your metals are stored alongside other clients’ identical products; you get back the same type and weight but not necessarily the exact items. Segregated typically costs $50–$150 more per year. For most investors holding standard bullion, commingled is fine.
This trips people up. The 2026 IRA contribution limit is $7,500 for taxpayers under 50, or $8,600 for those 50 and older (the standard $7,500 plus an $1,100 catch-up contribution) (IRS Notice 2025-67). But transfers and rollovers are not contributions. You can transfer $500,000 into a Gold IRA in a single move, and your annual contribution allowance for new money that year stays untouched.
If your Gold IRA is a Traditional IRA, you will still owe RMDs — the amount the IRS requires you to withdraw each year — starting at age 73 in 2026. SECURE 2.0 bumped this from 72, and it is scheduled to rise to 75 in 2033 (IRS RMD rules). Roth IRA owners do not have lifetime RMDs, though beneficiaries may.
You can satisfy a Traditional Gold IRA RMD two ways: take the distribution in cash (the custodian sells some of your metal), or take it in-kind (the depository physically ships you the coins or bars). Either way, the fair market value of what is distributed is taxable as ordinary income. Miss an RMD and the additional tax is 25% of the missed amount, reduced to 10% if you correct it within the IRS timely-correction window — both improvements from the old 50% penalty under SECURE 2.0.
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Find My Retirement Path →Fee Reality Check
Answer capsule
At reputable providers in 2026, published fixed IRA fees commonly land in the low hundreds of dollars per year. The cost most pages skip is the dealer’s markup on the metal itself — the part regulators have repeatedly flagged as the largest hidden cost in this category.
There are four fees in a Gold IRA. Three are small and disclosed. The fourth is large and hidden in the metal price itself.
This is the custodian's account-opening charge. Some providers absorb it as a promotion.
The trust company's flat fee for keeping your IRA in good standing with the IRS — recordkeeping, tax reporting, RMD calculations.
Paid to the depository. Segregated costs more but keeps your exact items separate.
Baked into the per-ounce price you pay. Not a line item on your custodian statement. This is where the industry's worst behavior lives. The SEC's 2024 Red Rock Secured judgment documented markups as high as 130%.
| Product type | Premium ranges documented | Cost on a $50,000 purchase |
|---|---|---|
| 1-oz gold bar from a reputable refiner (PAMP, Perth, etc.) | Roughly 0.6%–2% over spot | $300–$1,000 |
| Standard bullion coin (American Gold Eagle, Canadian Maple Leaf) | Roughly 5%–8% over spot | $2,500–$4,000 |
| American Gold Buffalo at retail in 2026 | Reported $200–$500/oz over spot | $2,000–$5,000 |
| "Premium" or proof bullion coin | Double-digit percent premiums | $7,500–$12,500 |
| Numismatic / "rare" / graded coin | Markups of 35% to over 130% documented in SEC v. Red Rock | $17,500–$65,000+ |
Ranges are illustrative, based on CFTC bulletins, SEC v. Red Rock Secured (LR-25996), and public market data from sources like USAGOLD. Verify the actual markup on your specific quote against the spot price at the time of purchase before signing.
Based on each provider’s published fee documentation. Excludes dealer markup. Verify any promotional waiver qualifying threshold in writing before counting on it.
| Provider | Non-segregated 5-yr fixed fees | Segregated 5-yr fixed fees | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goldco | $1,175 ($50 setup + 5 × $225 admin+storage) | $1,425 ($50 setup + 5 × $275) | goldco.com/how-much-does-a-gold-ira-cost/ |
| Birch Gold Group | $1,255 ($50 setup + $30 wire + 5 × $235 annual) | Verify segregated rate in writing | birchgold.com/precious-metals-ira/ |
| Lear Capital | $1,255 ($315 first yr + 4 × $235 recurring) | $1,505 ($365 first yr + 4 × $285 recurring) | learcapital.com/fee-and-transparency/ |
| Noble Gold | $1,455 ($80 setup + 5 × $275 flat annual) | Flat rate covers both — verify in writing | noblegoldinvestments.com/support/ |
| American Hartford Gold | Setup fee varies; storage fee varies — request in writing | Request in writing | americanhartfordgold.com/faqs |
| Augusta Precious Metals | Waiver available on qualifying accounts — verify threshold in writing | Waiver available on qualifying accounts — verify threshold in writing | augustapreciousmetals.com/faq/ |
Provider Comparison 2026
These eight providers were verified from their own published documentation between April and May 2026. Fee numbers below are from each company’s public fee pages. Verify any promotional waiver threshold in writing before counting on it.
Minimum: $50,000 | Custodian: Equity Trust | Depository: Delaware Depository
Augusta is the highest-minimum provider on this list ($50,000) and is known for an education-heavy onboarding process, including a one-on-one web conference with a team member before the account opens. They publish a fee waiver on qualifying accounts — verify the exact threshold in writing before counting on it. Best fit for investors with $50,000+ who want a very structured, hand-held process.
Source: augustapreciousmetals.com/faq/
Minimum: $25,000 | Setup: $50 | Annual: $225 (non-seg) / $275 (seg)
Goldco publishes a clean fee schedule: $50 setup, $125 annual custodian fee, $100 non-segregated or $150 segregated storage per year. Total non-segregated 5-year fixed cost: $1,175. They are among the most transparent fee publishers in the space. $25,000 minimum. Best fit for investors with $25,000–$100,000 who want a straightforward fee structure.
Minimum: $5,000 (lowest threshold) | Setup: $50 | Wire: $30 | Annual: $235
Birch Gold has the lowest published minimum on this list ($5,000), though at that size the flat-fee structure makes a Gold IRA materially more expensive than a gold ETF. Non-segregated 5-year fee: $1,255 ($50 setup + $30 wire + 5 × $235). A reasonable option for investors with $50,000+ where fees are proportionally small. Ask for the segregated storage rate in writing — it is not consistently published.
Minimum: $10,000 | Year 1: $315 (non-seg) / $365 (seg) | Recurring: $235/$285
Lear Capital publishes a detailed fee and transparency page with a $10,000 minimum and a 24-hour cancellation window — one of the few providers to publish a specific cancellation policy. First-year fees are slightly higher than recurring (the setup and first-year storage are bundled). 5-year non-seg total: $1,255. Publishes fees for both segregated and non-segregated storage separately.
Minimum: $10,000 | Storage: varies — request in writing
American Hartford Gold is a $10,000-minimum provider that describes the transfer step as taking 1 to 5 business days once both custodians cooperate. Their FAQ is detailed on process but uses “varies” language on storage fees — which means you need to get the exact fee in writing from a representative before opening. Do not rely on verbal assurances about promotions.
Minimum: $20,000 | Setup: $80 | Annual (flat): $275 (covers both admin and storage)
Noble Gold publishes a flat $275 annual fee that covers both custodian administration and storage — a simple structure that is easy to compare. 5-year total: $1,455 ($80 setup + 5 × $275). Confirm whether the flat rate covers segregated or commingled storage at your assigned depository, and ask about the Texas Bullion Depository option if you prefer a state-chartered facility.
Claims: no setup, liquidation, or hidden fees — verify terms in writing
Preserve Gold markets a “no setup, liquidation, or hidden fees” structure. Get the exact storage fee, custodian fee, and any ongoing charges in writing before opening. Any provider that emphasizes what it does not charge should be pressed to confirm what it does charge.
IRA order minimum: $50,000 | Verify all fees in writing
U.S. Gold Bureau publishes a $50,000 IRA order minimum — they are primarily a coin and bullion dealer, not a Gold IRA custodian. They work with custodians and depositories but require more due diligence on the custody chain. Appropriate for investors already comfortable with the Gold IRA structure who are sourcing metals from a specialty dealer.
For a broader ranked comparison
See our full Best Gold IRA Companies 2026 review (9 companies scored on fees, markups, regulatory history, and service) or our Best Gold IRA Rollover Companies 2026 guide focused on employer-plan moves.
Fraud & Scam Warning
Regulators — the CFTC, SEC, and FINRA — have documented specific patterns in this category. These are not hypothetical risks; they are the patterns that show up in enforcement filings.
Home storage IRA pitch
Any rep who tells you that you can store your IRA-owned gold at home, in your own safe deposit box, or through an LLC you control is describing something the Tax Court already ruled on. McNulty v. Commissioner (2021) resulted in a deemed distribution on the full value of the coins. Walk away from any provider pushing this structure.
Tax Court ruling: McNulty v. Commissioner, 157 T.C. 10 (2021)
High-pressure urgency — "act today" or "the dollar is collapsing"
The IRS does not care if your transfer takes one week or four. Any sales rep who says you need to act today, that there is a limited-time price, or that currency collapse is imminent and you need to move immediately is using documented sales-pressure tactics the CFTC has flagged in its precious-metals fraud bulletins. Hang up. The right provider will give you a week.
CFTC Customer Advisory: 10 Things to Ask Before Buying Precious Metals
Numismatic, rare, or graded coins pitched for your IRA
Most numismatic coins are not IRS-eligible for an IRA. The ones that are not eligible trigger a deemed distribution in the year acquired. The ones that are eligible at 99.5% purity carry far higher markups than standard bullion and no corresponding IRS benefit. Rare and graded coins are also where the largest documented markups live — the Red Rock Secured SEC complaint involved markups above 130% on these products.
SEC Litigation Release No. 25996 (Red Rock Secured, May 2024)
Markup bait-and-switch — verbal low vs. actual price
The SEC alleged Red Rock Secured told customers markups were 1-5% while actually charging as much as 130% — a final judgment of over $76.4 million. The protection: get a written quote showing the current spot price and the dealer markup as separate line items. If the rep says "we charge close to spot" but cannot give you a written confirmation before you sign, that is the pattern regulators have documented.
SEC LR-25996: $76.4M final judgment against Red Rock Secured
Provider refuses to give the fee schedule in writing or pushes phone-only
Any provider that will not email you a fee schedule — setup fee, annual custodian fee, storage fee, wire fee, buyback spread — line by line on letterhead does not want their fee structure documented. That is not a transparency problem; it is a warning sign. The right provider emails back in 24-48 hours. A provider that insists on "walking you through it on a quick call" is the one that will surprise you later.
FINRA Investor Alert: Self-Directed IRAs and the Risk of Fraud
Pre-Transfer Checklist
Work through every item before signing anything.
Confirm your current account type (Traditional IRA, Roth IRA, SEP IRA, SIMPLE IRA, or employer plan). Find your row in the transfer route matrix above.
If you have a SIMPLE IRA, confirm the date of your first SIMPLE contribution with the current custodian in writing before moving anything.
Check BBB (bbb.org), BCA (trustlink.org/bca), CFTC press releases (cftc.gov/PressRoom), and SEC enforcement actions (sec.gov/litigation) for each provider you are considering.
Check any individual sales rep on FINRA BrokerCheck (brokercheck.finra.org) and SEC IAPD (adviserinfo.sec.gov).
Request a written fee schedule from each provider you are comparing — email, on letterhead. Compare line by line: setup fee, annual custodian fee, storage fee (segregated vs. commingled), wire fee, buyback spread.
Confirm the IRA custodian name in writing. Verify it appears on the IRS approved nonbank trustees list at irs.gov/retirement-plans/approved-nonbank-trustees-and-custodians.
Confirm the depository name in writing. Confirm segregated vs. commingled storage and the cost difference.
Get a written quote with the current gold spot price and the dealer markup shown as separate line items. A per-ounce price alone is not enough.
Ask for the buyback policy in writing — what reference price, what time window, what fees on exit.
Confirm the funding method in writing: trustee-to-trustee transfer. No check made out to you. Get the exact wire instructions.
Open the self-directed IRA, submit transfer paperwork, and confirm funds movement with both custodians.
Execute the purchase, confirm shipment to the depository, save all confirmations. Keep records for at least 7 years.
Email Script
Use this email template when requesting initial quotes. It separates serious providers from sales-pressure shops in about 24 hours.
Subject: Gold IRA transfer — fee verification request before opening
Hello,
I am comparing 2–3 Gold IRA providers before initiating a transfer from my existing IRA. Before I open an account, please send the following in writing:
I am planning to compare these line items across providers and confirm everything against the IRS approved-trustee list before committing.
Thank you.
A provider that emails this back in 24–48 hours with clear answers is one you can probably work with. A provider that calls you instead and tries to get you “on a quick call to walk you through it” is one that does not want their fee structure in writing. You have now sorted the market.
Verification Log
Last updated: · Next scheduled re-verification: August 2026
Verified from primary sources
Verified from official provider documentation (April–May 2026)
What still requires your verification at the point of purchase
FAQ
A properly completed direct trustee-to-trustee transfer between two IRAs of the same tax type is generally not treated as a taxable distribution. Tax risk rises if funds are paid to you personally, the 60-day rule is missed, the move becomes a taxable Roth conversion, or the IRA acquires a non-qualifying collectible inside the account.
Yes -- if you use a direct trustee-to-trustee transfer, keep the same tax type (Traditional-to-Traditional or Roth-to-Roth), make sure the metals you buy meet IRS eligibility rules, and store them at an approved precious-metals depository through the IRA custodian. Skip any of those steps and you can create tax or penalty exposure.
Most transfers complete in 7 to 21 business days. The transfer step itself can move in 1 to 5 business days when both custodians cooperate, but the slowest link is usually the old custodian's processing time. The bottleneck is not in your new provider's control.
Yes. Partial transfers are common and often the smarter move. You can transfer 20% of your IRA into a Gold IRA and leave 80% invested in stocks and bonds at your current custodian. There is no minimum transfer percentage required by the IRS.
Yes, and you should keep it Roth-to-Roth. Do not let anyone convert your Roth into a Traditional Gold IRA during the transfer -- that is a separate, taxable decision. The transfer itself should preserve the Roth status exactly as it is.
No. The 2026 contribution limits ($7,500 under 50, $8,600 for 50 and older) apply to new contributions only, not to transfers or rollovers. You can transfer $500,000 into a Gold IRA in a single move and your annual contribution allowance for new money that year stays untouched.
No. While the metal is inside the IRA, the IRS requires it to be in the physical possession of a bank or approved nonbank trustee or custodian. The 2021 McNulty v. Commissioner ruling made it explicit: home storage of IRA-owned metals can trigger a deemed distribution. The home storage Gold IRA you see advertised is not a real IRS-compliant structure.
Gold (99.5% pure, with an exception for American Gold Eagles at 91.67%), silver (99.9%), platinum (99.95%), and palladium (99.95%). Specific eligible products include American Gold Buffalos, Canadian Maple Leafs, Austrian Philharmonics, and PAMP Suisse and Perth Mint bars. Numismatic and rare coins generally do not qualify and should not be purchased inside an IRA.
Yes, if it is an old 401(k) from a former employer. You will do a direct rollover, not a trustee-to-trustee transfer. Current employer 401(k) plans usually do not allow in-service rollovers until you separate from the employer or reach age 59 and a half. Verify with your plan administrator before opening anything.
Yes, but there is a catch. SIMPLE IRAs have a 2-year holding period from your first contribution. Transferring a SIMPLE IRA to a non-SIMPLE IRA during the first 2 years can be treated as a taxable distribution, and the additional tax during that window is 25% (not 10%). Confirm the date of your first SIMPLE contribution with the custodian in writing before initiating anything.
A Gold IRA transfers to your named beneficiaries the same way any IRA would. The beneficiary can take it as a lump-sum distribution (taxable for Traditional), set up an inherited IRA with continued tax deferral, or -- under SECURE Act rules for most non-spouse beneficiaries -- be required to fully distribute within 10 years. Estate planning around precious metals adds complexity around in-kind distribution and valuation; an estate attorney consultation is usually worth it.
Traditional Gold IRA distributions are taxed as ordinary income at your tax rate in the year of distribution. The fair market value of in-kind metal distributions counts the same way. Roth Gold IRA qualified distributions are tax-free. The IRA wrapper also neutralizes the 28% collectibles capital gains rate that applies to gold held outside an IRA.
No. FDIC insurance covers bank deposits, not investments or physical commodities. Gold IRA assets are insured by the depository's private insurance policy -- often Lloyd's of London -- typically with coverage limits in the $1 billion range across all depositors at major depositories like Delaware Depository. Confirm the specific insurance terms with your chosen depository before signing.
Most providers offer a cancellation window -- Lear Capital publishes a 24-hour cancellation window, and other reputable providers have similar terms. Once metals have been purchased and shipped, cancellation becomes liquidation and you will likely owe the dealer buyback spread. Do not sign final purchase paperwork until you are certain about the provider, the metals, and the price.
The most common planning range cited by financial professionals is 5% to 10% of total retirement assets. Some planners go higher for clients with strong inflation concerns; some recommend zero for clients who are already well-diversified. There is no single correct percentage. If a sales rep is pushing you above 20%, you are receiving a sales pitch, not financial advice. Consider speaking with a fee-only fiduciary advisor before making a large allocation decision.
A Gold IRA is one tool. It is the right tool for some retirement plans and the wrong tool for others. If you are not sure where it fits — or whether it fits at all — start with our free 60-second matching tool. We will ask about your accounts, your age, your state, and your goals, and match you with a financial professional in your state.
When you are on the call, ask whether they are acting as an investment-adviser fiduciary, how they are paid, and request their Form CRS before any decision.
Start the Free 60-Second Match →If you have read this far, you have done more homework than most sales calls are built to handle. That alone protects you from most of the worst outcomes in this category.
Three things to remember when you are on the call:
Trustee-to-trustee transfer.Not a check made out to you. Not a “rollover” with vague paperwork. Direct, custodian to custodian, in writing.
Get every fee in writing, line by line, on letterhead. The provider that will not email you a fee schedule is the one who will surprise you later.
No urgency. No “act today.”No “the dollar is about to collapse.” If you hear those phrases, hang up. The right provider will let you take a week.
Move slow. Verify everything. The IRS does not care if your transfer takes one week or four — it cares whether you followed the rules. So do we.