Overview
- A gold IRA is a self-directed account that holds IRS‑approved physical metals through a third‑party custodian and an approved depository rather than traditional securities.
- Typical costs include a one‑time setup fee of $0–$100, annual custodian or administration fees of $75–$300, and storage fees of $100–$300, with some custodians using sliding‑scale pricing.
- Dealer markups on standard bullion usually run about 5%–10% above spot, quotes above 15% are a red flag, and the SEC’s 2023 case against Red Rock Secured alleged markups as high as 130%.
- IRS rules require metals to be stored at qualified depositories—not at home—with commonly used facilities including Delaware Depository, Brinks and International Depository Services, and segregated storage costs more but preserves specific bars or coins.
- A $50,000 example shows roughly 5.7% year‑one costs at a 5% markup versus losses exceeding $17,000 at a 33% markup, underscoring the need for written, spot‑referenced quotes and comparisons across dealers and custodians such as Equity Trust, GoldStar Trust and Kingdom Trust.