Precious Metals IRAs: Guide to Tax-Advantaged Investing in Gold January 2026

A Precious Metals IRA, also known as a Gold IRA, may be one of the best secrets of investing. Offering significant advantages, a Precious Metals IRA can be a valuable part of a well-thought-out retirement strategy.

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You’ve probably heard of an Individual Retirement Account (IRA) for assets like stocks, ETFs and bonds. There’s another alternative asset option — you can also invest your IRA in precious metals that are commonly considered hedges against inflation, like gold. This is with a Precious Metals IRA, sometimes called a Gold IRA or Silver IRA.

There are some clear advantages and disadvantages to tax-advantaged investing with precious metals when considering these alternative assets for your retirement so it’s worth researching first to see if it’s right for you

What is a Precious Metals IRA?

A Precious Metals IRA is a type of self-directed IRA that allows individuals to invest and hold select physical precious metals that meet specific requirements set by the IRS in a retirement account.

The types of metals permitted in a Precious Metals IRA are gold, silver, platinum, and palladium. Other requirements for allowed metals include approved forms, accredited products, purity standards and an IRS-approved depository for storage requirements. Precious Metals IRAs require the use of a custodian—usually a brokerage firm or bank that manages the account.

What’s the Difference Between Precious Metals IRAs and Regular IRAs?

Precious Metals IRAs operate similarly to traditional IRAs. The main difference is that with a Precious Metals IRA you’re investing in alternative assets that meet requirements (in precious metals) as opposed to paper assets like stocks. Precious Metals IRAs generally carry higher fees than regular IRAs because of the process of purchasing and storing actual metal.

Comparing the two, with a traditional IRA you’re provided a wide net of investment options and immediate familiarity. They’re considered the cornerstone of retirement planning. With a Precious Metals IRA, you’re holding eligible physical precious metals that can offer diversification and a hedge against instability while investing for retirement. The decision of which is best for you between a traditional IRA or Precious Metals IRA will depend on your individual circumstances, including time horizon, preferred strategy and risk tolerance.

Types of Precious Metals IRAs

There are different types of Precious Metals IRAs to choose from. The set of rules and tax implications for each of these vary so it’s important to understand the differences and decide on the best for you.

Traditional Precious Metals IRA

Traditional Precious Metals IRAs are retirement accounts that are funded with pre-tax dollars with withdrawals taxed at retirement. Contributions are often tax-deductible and the resulting potential earnings grow on a tax-deferred basis.

Roth Precious Metals IRA

A Roth Precious Metals IRA is funded with after-tax dollars. This means you pay taxes on contributions upfront and the qualified distributions that follow in retirement and meet requirements are tax-free. For those looking to invest in gold, this can be a significant advantage if you expect to be in a higher tax bracket in retirement.

SEP Precious Metals IRA

A Precious Metals SEP IRA (Simplified Employee Pension) is a type of retirement account for those who are self-employed, own a business, or earn freelance income. Contributions to a SEP Precious Metals IRA are tax-deductible and the earnings grow tax-deferred.

SIMPLE Precious Metals IRA

A SIMPLE IRA stands for Savings Incentive Match Plan for Employees. This IRA is available to small businesses with 100 employees or less and their workers. Features include tax-deferred growth on contributions and mandatory employer contributions. These are either through matching or fixed contributions.

How To Open a Precious Metals IRA

If you’re interested in investing in precious metals for your retirement, you’ll want to know how to open a Precious Metals IRA. You’ll need to find a custodian or broker that allows you to open a Precious Metals IRA.

Some key attributes include transparent pricing, a company that focuses on IRA-eligible bullion and meets compliance set forth by the IRS. A Precious Metals IRA can be a valuable part of your retirement strategy when it’s structured correctly with a trusted company.

Finding a Trusted Precious Metals IRA Company

For simplicity and security, Hard Assets Alliance is a trusted platform for your Precious Metals IRA needs. Integrating with a passive custodian, Equity Trust, that represents over $25 billion in assets under custody and administration, Hard Assets Alliance acts as the precious metals broker for buying, selling and delivering your assets.

Hard Assets Alliance serves as your metals broker, while Equity Trust acts as your IRA custodian. This separation creates built-in checks and balances: HAA handles trades and arranges delivery to IRS-approved depositories, but cannot access your cash or metals — only your custodian can authorize withdrawals.

Meanwhile, Equity Trust independently holds and records your IRA assets, maintains a clear audit trail, and provides separate account statements. This means your precious metals are secured specifically for your IRA at the custodian and depository — never on the broker’s balance sheet — eliminating conflicts of interest and avoiding a single point of failure.

Getting started with Hard Assets Alliance is a super simple process and there are representatives readily available that can help you along the way.

1. Open Account: Apply in minutes by choosing the right IRA for you and answering some simple questions.

2. Fund: Under guidance from Hard Assets Alliance, fund your investment account by transferring cash from an existing IRA, rolling over a retirement plan, or by making an annual contribution.

3. Invest: Begin buying and selling with a safe and simple platform that accessible 24/7.

Hard Assets Alliance uses a streamlined process that helps you manage your Precious Metals IRA easily. It’s a valuable solution for those who want the advantage of real, tangible precious metals like gold while investing for retirement from a source that focuses on only bullion, not collectibles. And the best part? All precious metals offered under Hard Assets Alliance are eligible for IRAs.

Features of Precious Metals IRAs

While it can be a simple process when using the right platform, there are certain features of Precious Metals IRAs to keep in mind.

Eligible Metals

There are strict guidelines about the types of precious metals that qualify for a Precious Metals IRA. For starters, gold must be 99.5% pure, silver 99.9% pure and both platinum and palladium must be 99.5% pure. American Gold Eagles and American Silver Eagles meet these requirements.

There are also eligible product types that must meet production requirements and weights. Forms of precious metals include bars, coins and bullion. Not all gold and silver bars or coins qualify for a Precious Metals IRA. Requirements set forth by the IRS must be met.

Storage Requirements

Precious Metals in an IRA cannot just be kept at home. They must instead be held by a qualified trustee or custodian that is responsible for the administrative tasks.

Precious Metals IRAs require the physical storage of eligible metals, including gold that meets criteria, in an IRS-approved depository. These depositories are considered secure facilities specifically designed to protect your precious metal assets.

Associated Fees

There are fees associated with holding a Precious Metals IRA. These can include account application fees, transaction fees, annual account fees and storage fees.

Using Hard Assets Alliance as an example, you can expect to pay the custodial fee for Equity Trust (around $125 a year) and vault storage fees (range 0.50% per year and up, depending on account value and metal). Other fees may, including transaction fees, may also apply.

Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs)

Like other types of traditional IRAs, you’ll eventually have to start taking Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) from your Precious Metals IRAs. These do not apply for original owners of a Roth IRA and begin on the basis of your birth year with the common understanding that your first RMD must be taken the year you turn 73. RMDs are pretty complex so there’s an emphasis to know all your personal obligations to avoid significant tax penalties that may apply.

For traditional Precious Metals IRAs, you can take your In-Kind RMD (assets over cash) in the form of precious metals. More importantly, if you use a platform like Hard Assets Alliance, you can have these metals transferred to your non-IRA account if you do not want to take immediate delivery.

Pros and Cons of Precious Metals IRAs

Here are some of the benefits and perceived disadvantages of a Precious Metals IRA.

Hard Assets Alliance is a platform that shines when it comes to many of these pros and helps answer many of these cons. With storage options and the guidance, Hard Assets Alliance really makes opening and keeping a Precious Metals IRA easy. For those who want to diversify and maintain purchasing power for when retirement arrives, it’s a highly regarded option.

Bottom Line on Precious Metals IRA

A Precious Metals IRA, sometimes called a Gold IRA or Silver IRA, can be a great vehicle to invest for retirement behind the basis of an asset that provides diversification and a potential hedge against inflation. It provides the opportunity to branch out beyond a typical IRA for an investor of just stocks or stock-related investments with gold, silver and other precious metals. There are just considerations like storage and regulatory risks to be aware of.

Investors should take the time to review just how a Precious Metals IRA works, the advantages and disadvantages before diving in. After this due diligence, taking into account your personal situation and retirement goals, you might find a Precious Metals IRA is the right choice for you.

💰Sponsored Content. This post was written in partnership with Hard Assets Alliance.