what is a precious metals IRA?
What Is A Precious Metals IRA? The Full Guide.
What is a Precious Metals IRA?
A Precious Metals IRA is a self-directed individual retirement account that allows you to hold physical gold, silver, platinum, and palladium with the same tax advantages as traditional IRAs. Thanks to the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997, Americans can diversify retirement savings with IRS‑approved coins and bars stored at approved depositories.
You may hear this type of retirement account referred to as a Gold IRA, Silver IRA, Platinum IRA, Palladium IRA,
Precious Metals IRA, or Physical Gold IRA. They all describe the same structure: an IRA that owns approved
physical precious metals.
National Gold Group helps clients diversify and safeguard their retirement savings by opening and funding self-directed IRAs across many plan types, including:
A Precious Metals IRA follows the same IRS rules that apply to other IRAs. You can make annual contributions (subject to IRS limits), transfer or roll over funds from existing retirement plans, and take distributions in cash or in kind. In-kind distributions let you receive your physical metals when eligible; cash distributions are made by selling metals within the IRA and distributing proceeds. The key difference from “paper” IRAs is that your underlying assets are tangible precious metals held in secure, IRS‑approved storage.
At National Gold Group, we’re committed to transparent pricing, expert guidance, and best‑in‑class service to help you invest with confidence.
How A Precious Metals IRA Works
A Precious Metals IRA is a self-directed IRA that holds physical gold, silver, platinum, and palladium. You get the same tax advantages as traditional IRAs while owning tangible assets stored at IRS-approved depositories.
How To Start A Precious Metals IRA In 3 Steps
STEP 1
OPEN YOUR ACCOUNT
Our dedicated National Gold Group account representative will walk you through the simple application. It takes about 5 minutes to complete using our online application. Once done, our in house IRA department will process the rollover or transfer and have your new self directed IRA account completely set up within 24 hours!
STEP 2
FUND YOUR PRECIOUS METALS IRA
One of the most common ways our clients fund their new IRAs is through a rollover, or transfer of funds from an existing retirement account. Our full service IRA department does all the heavy lifting, and quickly completes a rollover / transfer call with your existing custodian
STEP 3
CHOOSE YOUR METALS
Once your precious metals IRA is funded, you can start to fill it with any combination of gold, silver, platinum, and palladium that you want. Your account representative will help walk you through your options of bullion, bars and coins to fill your account. After you decide, we take care of everything else!
Eligible Precious Metals And IRS RUles
Only specific coins and bars meet IRS fineness standards qualify for IRAs. Here’s a quick reference for each metal. If you are interested in exploring your options, then one of our precious metals specialists can walk you through all available options to create the best portfolio of metals for your account.
GOLD
Minimum Fineness: 0.9950
Coins
- American Gold Eagle
- American Gold Buffalo
- Canadian Maple Leaf
- Australian Kangaroo/Nugget
- Austrian Philharmonic
- British Britannia
- Chinese Panda
Bars
- From approved refiners (Perth Mint, Valcambi, PAMP, Rand, RCM, Metalor)
- Common sizes: 1 oz, 10 oz, 1 kg
- Serialized with assay (minted or cast)
SILVER
Minimum Fineness: 0.9990
Coins
- American Silver Eagle
- Canadian Maple Leaf
- Australian Kangaroo/Kookaburra/Koala
- Austrian Philharmonic
- British Britannia
- Chinese Panda
Bars
- From approved refiners (RCM, PAMP, Valcambi, Asahi, etc.)
- Common sizes: 10 oz, 100 oz, 1 kg
- Hallmark and assay required
PLATINUM
Minimum Fineness: 0.9995
Coins
- American Platinum Eagle
- Canadian Maple Leaf
- Australian Platypus
- British Britannia
- Austrian Philharmonic
Bars
- From approved refiners
- Common sizes: 1 oz, 10 oz
- Serialized with assay (minted or cast)
PALLADIUM
Minimum Fineness: 0.9995
Coins
- American Palladium Eagle
- Canadian Maple Leaf
Bars
- From approved refiners
- Common sizes: 1 oz, 10 oz
- Serialized and assayed
IRS Rules for Precious Metals IRAs (All Metals)
Core requirements that apply to Gold, Silver, Platinum, and Palladium.
Coins
- Form: Bullion coins or bars in uncirculated condition; no collectibles/numismatics unless specifically allowed by IRS.
- Manufacturer: Coins/bars must be produced by approved national mints or accredited refiners/assayers.
- Custody: Assets must be held by a qualified IRA custodian/depository; home storage is not permitted.
- Prohibited items: Jewelry, unapproved rare/numismatic coins, commemoratives not meeting IRS criteria, and any items below purity thresholds.
How Is A Precious Metals IRA Stored?
Your IRA metals are stored in IRS-approved depositories under your name. No home storage. Your qualified custodian and depository handle safekeeping, auditing, and insurance.
How Storage Works
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IRS‑Approved Depositories
Your IRA metals are stored at one of the following IRS‑approved facilities, featuring 24/7 security, climate control, comprehensive insurance, and independent audits.
Brink’s Global Services Industry leader with multiple U.S. locations |
Delaware Depository Service Company Established precious metals storage |
Texas Precious Metals Depository State‑of‑the‑art Texas facility |
International Depository Services (IDS) Comprehensive storage solutions |
We’ll confirm your preferred custodian and depository during account setup. Availability may vary by location.
Storage OptionS
Segregated Storage |
Commingled (Non‑Segregated) Storage |
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Why Home Storage Is Prohibited
IRS Consequences |
Compliance & Protection |
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Depository Security Features
24/7 Armed Security Professional security personnel on‑site around the clock. |
Advanced Surveillance State‑of‑the‑art camera systems and motion detection. |
Comprehensive Insurance Full coverage against theft, damage, and natural disasters. |
Regular Audits Independent third‑party audits ensure inventory accuracy. |
Depository Security Features
- Annual storage and account fees are billed by your IRA custodian and/or depository.
- Fees vary by storage type (segregated vs commingled), metal mix, and account size.
- Shipping to the depository for new purchases through National Gold Group is insured and coordinated by our team.
Making a Withdraw From A Precious Metals IRA
A Precious Metals IRA is liquid, and you can take withdraws at any time, either as physical metals (in‑kind) or as cash from a sale. Both follow standard IRA rules for taxes and timing.
In‑Kind Distributions
- Receive your actual coins/bars shipped to you as your distribution.
- Taxed as ordinary income for traditional IRAs; Roth IRAs may be tax‑free if qualified.
- Fair market value is determined at the time of distribution.
- Counts toward your Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) if applicable.
Your custodian coordinates release from the depository and reports the distribution on IRS Form 1099‑R.
Cash Distributions
- Sell metals within the IRA; receive cash proceeds as a distribution.
- Traditional IRA cash distributions are taxable; Roth IRA qualified withdrawals are tax‑free.
- Useful for meeting RMDs while keeping the rest of your metals invested.
- No capital gains taxes inside the IRA—taxation occurs only upon distribution.
Your account representative can help coordinate a sale for liquidity; your custodian handles reporting.
If you choose a cash withdraw, National Gold Group will always offer the highest buyback guarantee on your
metals without charging you any fees, to make sure that you are able to liquidate your metals for the best value.
Learn More About The precious Metals
Explore the benefits and value proposition of each of the 4 precious metals below.
GOLD
The core store‑of‑value metal with deep liquidity and long‑term wealth preservation appeal.
SILVER
Industrial and monetary demand combine for diversification and affordability.
PLATINUM
Scarce, industrially critical, and a potential complement for advanced diversification.
PALLADIUM
Highly specialized industrial metal with unique supply‑demand dynamics.
Choosing the right precious metals allocation for your IRA requires understanding how each metal performs under different economic conditions and market cycles. While all four metals offer protection against currency debasement and inflation, their unique characteristics make them suitable for different investment objectives and risk tolerances.
Understanding the fundamental drivers behind each metal’s price movements helps you make informed allocation decisions. Gold’s monetary role makes it the ultimate safe haven, while silver’s industrial applications provide growth potential. Platinum and palladium offer exposure to specific industrial sectors that can outperform during economic expansions.
Comprehensive Precious Metals Comparison
Characteristic |
Gold |
Silver |
Platinum |
Palladium |
Primary Role |
Store of value + Money |
Store of value + Industrial |
Industrial precious metal |
Industrial precious metal |
Volatility |
Low |
Medium |
Medium |
Medium |
Annual Production |
3,000 tons |
25,000 tons |
190 tons |
210 tons |
Above-Ground Supply |
244,000 tons |
1.6 million tons |
2,700 tons |
7,000 tons |
Industrial Demand |
10% |
50% |
60% |
80% |
Investment Demand |
90% |
50% |
40% |
20% |
20-Year Performance |
+670% |
+490% |
+240% |
+400% |
Crisis Performance |
Excellent |
Good |
Good |
Good |
Inflation Hedge |
Excellent |
Excellent |
Good |
Good |
Liquidity |
Highest |
High |
High |
High |
Storage Costs |
Standard |
Standard |
Standard |
Standard |
FAQ SECTION
No. IRS rules require third‑party custody at an approved depository. Home storage is treated as a taxable distribution and can trigger penalties.
Application takes minutes. Rollovers/transfers typically complete in a few business days once your custodian processes the request.
Gold, Silver, Platinum, and Palladium that meet IRS fineness standards. Common coins: American Eagle/Maple Leaf/Philharmonic and bullion bars from approved refiners.
Annual storage and account fees are billed by your IRA custodian/depository and vary by storage type and account size. Shipping to the depository for new purchases is insured.
You can sell inside the IRA for cash or take an in‑kind distribution of metals. Traditional IRA distributions are taxable; Roth IRA qualified distributions are tax‑free.
Traditional IRAs have Required Minimum Distributions beginning at the IRS‑specified age. You can meet RMDs via cash from a sale or in‑kind metals; the custodian reports distributions.
START YOUR PRECIOUS METALS IRA
As a trusted leader in the precious metals market, the National Gold Group team has helped thousands of clients start a Gold IRA. We make the process simple and transparent. Contact us today to get started.