Fee Research · Custodian Benchmarks · June 2026
Patriot Gold Group fees are not a single flat number. Patriot advertises a “No Fee for Life” program, but even if some dealer-side fees are waived, you still pay custodian administration fees and depository storage fees every year. Patriot does not publish a complete public fee table, so the only accurate cost estimate comes from Patriot — and the custodian — in writing.
“Patriot Gold Group fees”usually refers to the full cost of opening and maintaining a gold IRA through Patriot — not just one line item. That total typically includes Patriot’s own dealer-side charges or waivers, plus the IRA custodian’s annual fees, the depository’s storage fees, and any buying, selling, or wire fees. Two people can go through the same dealer and still pay different totals.
| Bucket | What it covers | Who charges it |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Dealer-side fees / waivers | Setup, rollover handling, promotion waivers, metal spreads | Patriot Gold Group |
| 2. Custodian fees | Annual account fee, purchase/sale fee, wire fee | IRA custodian |
| 3. Depository fees | Segregated or non-segregated storage, insurance | Storage facility |
| 4. Market pricing | Premium above spot for bullion or coins | Dealer at transaction |
Patriot markets a “No Fee for Life” Precious Metals IRA. The key issue: even if some dealer-side charges are waived, the IRA custodian and depository still charge their own fees. Those are separate entities — Patriot cannot unilaterally waive their costs.
What “No Fee for Life” may NOT cover:
The right questions to ask Patriot in writing:
Under IRS Publication 590-B, IRA-allowed coins and metals must remain in the possession of the IRA’s custodian or trustee. If the owner or beneficiary takes personal possession, the coins are treated as a taxable distribution. That can trigger ordinary income tax plus a 10% additional tax for those under 59½.
This rule explains why depository fees exist at all. If the metals must stay in custodial possession, you need a custodian, you need a depository, and you pay for storage and recordkeeping. The right question is not “Can I avoid all fees?” but “What is the full annual cost to keep the IRA compliant?”
Because Patriot does not publish a full public fee table, the best way to understand likely all-in costs is to look at actual custodian fee schedules. CNB Custody’s published precious-metals IRA schedule shows how costs are often broken into separate line items.
| Fee item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Annual base/account fee (precious metals IRA) | $200.00 |
| Non-segregated storage at DDS (under $500K) | $100 flat |
| Non-segregated storage at DDS (over $500K) | $1 per $1,000 |
| Segregated storage at DDS (under $500K) | $200 flat |
| Segregated storage at DDS (over $500K) | $2 per $1,000 |
| Segregated storage at IDS (under $500K) | $150 flat |
| Segregated storage at IDS (over $500K) | $200 flat |
| Precious metals investment holding fee | $175.00 each |
| Precious metals purchase/sale fee | $25.00 each |
| Outgoing wire fee | $30.00 each |
Using CNB’s published numbers as an example: a Gold IRA under $500,000 using non-segregated DDS storage would face at minimum a $200 annual base fee plus a $100 flat storage fee— before any metal premium, purchase/sale charge, wire fee, or holding fee. This is why a “no dealer fee” claim still leaves meaningful ongoing costs.
STRATA Trust Company’s published fee pages show that precious-metals IRAs have custodian-level costs even when a dealer markets a fee waiver. STRATA lists a basic-tier annual account fee of $150 and notes that separate annual precious-metals storage fees apply.
If Patriot routes an account through STRATA, do not guess the storage amount. Request the exact precious-metals tier schedule, storage type, and any transaction or wire fees. The custodian’s posted schedule is what determines your annual cost — not the marketing headline.
Because Patriot does not publish a complete public fee table, you must request the actual cost documents before funding. Use this checklist:
| Document to request | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Full written terms of the 'No Fee for Life' program | Confirms which dealer-side fees are actually waived |
| Custodian name and fee schedule | Determines your annual admin and account fee |
| Depository name and storage schedule | Determines your annual storage cost |
| Storage type: segregated or non-segregated | Changes the annual storage price |
| Transaction, wire, and holding fees | Per-trade costs that add up over time |
| Dealer premium or spread | The biggest variable in total cost |
| Buyback or liquidation terms | Affects what you net when you exit |
A simple formula for a rough estimate:
Patriot Gold Group markets a 'No Fee for Life' Precious Metals IRA, but this refers to dealer-side charges only. The IRA custodian and depository still charge their own fees for account administration and metal storage. Those recurring charges exist regardless of the Patriot promotion. The exact terms of the 'No Fee for Life' program must be confirmed in writing.
Because Patriot does not publish a full public fee table, benchmarks from other custodians apply. CNB Custody's published fee schedule (fee schedule dated 2023-12, accessed 2026-06-13) lists a $200 annual base fee, $100 flat non-segregated storage under $500,000, $200 flat segregated storage under $500,000, and a $30 outgoing wire fee. STRATA's published fee page shows a $150 basic-tier annual account fee. Your actual costs depend on which custodian Patriot assigns to your account.
'No Fee for Life' typically covers some dealer-side charges but does not eliminate custodian annual fees, depository storage fees, transaction fees, or the metal premium/spread. You still pay custodian and storage charges every year. Before opening an account, ask in writing which fees are waived, which are not, whether the waiver is permanent, and whether it depends on a specific minimum balance or custodian.
Under IRS Publication 590-B, IRA-allowed coins and metals must remain in the possession of the IRA's custodian or trustee. If the account owner or beneficiary takes personal possession, the coins are treated as a taxable distribution. That can trigger income tax and, for those under 59½, a 10% additional tax. Storage at an approved depository is not optional — it is an IRS custody requirement.
Estimate: custodian annual fee + depository storage fee + metal premium/spread + any transaction or wire fees. Because Patriot does not publish a complete public fee table, the only accurate number comes from Patriot in writing — including the custodian name, custodian fee schedule, depository name, and storage pricing. Request all of those documents before you fund the account.