What is a gold IRA?

A gold IRA is an individual retirement account that holds eligible precious metals through an appropriate trustee or custodian.

Reader note: This is educational material, not individualized financial or tax advice. Provider-specific terms must be verified directly in writing.

An account, not a special kind of gold

A gold IRA is an IRA that holds eligible physical precious metals under applicable retirement-account rules. The account is the tax-advantaged wrapper; the gold is an asset inside it. Eligibility depends on the metal and on how it is acquired and held.

Who performs each role

The IRA owner directs permitted investments; a trustee or custodian administers the account; a dealer sells metal; and a depository may provide storage. These roles may be performed by separate businesses, each with its own agreement and charges.

What changes from a conventional IRA

Unlike a typical brokerage IRA holding securities, a physical-metals arrangement introduces shipping, authentication, vaulting and bid/ask spread questions. An IRA's tax treatment does not make the underlying metal risk-free or remove distribution rules.

Before you make a decision

Which claims are supported by current written documents?
What costs or restrictions apply if circumstances change?
Who can independently confirm the tax and custody implications?

A practical example

Suppose an investor wants to buy eligible bullion with retirement funds. The account owner cannot simply purchase metal personally and assume the purchase becomes an IRA asset. The custodian must support the investment, the product must qualify, and the required custody arrangement must be followed. The investor should receive account and transaction documentation. The important question is not merely whether a dealer sells gold, but whether the entire arrangement complies with the applicable IRA rules.

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Sources and further reading

Official reference: IRS IRA investment FAQs · IRS Publication 590-A · IRS Publication 590-B. These references explain general rules, not a recommendation of a particular dealer.

Editorial note: Provider terms and applicable rules may change. Confirm current details with primary sources before acting.