Joshua Galyon
Investing for retirement is something that more and more people are turning to. Those who plan their golden age know they don’t have to be satisfied only with a pension from the contributions paid by their employers. Instead, they can increase that fund, and investing is the best way to do it.
Having a portion of your savings in gold is a good idea for many reasons. This precious metal is very valuable and has proven to be an inflation hedge throughout history. It’s by far the best way to preserve wealth when all other assets are threatened.
And what makes this precious metal stand out is its price which has huge growth potential. That’s why you should have it in your retirement investment portfolio. And the best way to do that is through a gold IRA (more details on this source).
The Role of Brokers
The role of IRA companies is to ease and speed up the sale and purchase of gold through your IRA. Since it’s a self-directed account, you own it and make decisions. The broker only acts as a mediator between you and dealers and custodians. The latter is here to oversee the entire procedure, from setting up an account to reporting transactions to the IRS.
Some companies offer you these services within their own business, i.e., you don’t have to look for where to buy precious metals and who will hold them on your behalf. The IRA company usually has a network of reputable sellers and custodians with whom it cooperates. In fact, they provide dealership and custodial services themselves quite often.
Choosing a broker isn’t simple, although there are many companies with whom you can cooperate. The most important thing is to find someone who is reliable, knowledgeable, and available for your questions and dilemmas. Generally, before you decide whether to cooperate with an IRA company, it’s good to ask them a few questions.
What Gold Products Should I Invest In?
Alternative assets in which most new investors put their money on are physical bullion and coins. They think tangible assets are more secure because they can see and touch them. Also, these can be stored in homes, banks, or secured depositories.
Reputable companies like metal-res.com suggest that a portion of your savings should go toward bars and bullion. But they also point to giving a chance to paper or digital products, such as gold-backed-up securities, mining stocks, or gold ETFs.
Financial experts suggest having all these products in your portfolio in certain ratios. Physical gold brings security, and you can hold and store it. It has a proven role as a disaster hedge and is easy to trade with. So most new investors will opt for this asset.
On the other hand, digital or paper products are riskier but more profitable. But they require some previous knowledge of the market and securities. Also, they don’t grant ownership of this precious metal, and you can’t rely on these assets in a disaster scenario. Moreover, some brokers and custodians don’t accept these assets in IRA.
How to Fund Gold IRAs
You can start investing in your gold IRA anytime before you’re 59.5, but you can continue to contribute it until you reach 72. The annual limit of your contribution is $6,000 (or $7,000 if you’re over 50).
As for the method of funding your account, you can use cash, wire transfers, account-to-account contributions, or rollovers from existing retirement accounts like Roth IRA or 401(k).
What Fees Do I Have to Pay?
Different companies provide a range of services, so their rates can vary. What you’ll pay in any case is an account set-up fee. Also, you’ll pay an annual custodial, depository, and security fee. You can use your IRA company to find a reputable gold dealer, or they already sell precious metals themselves.
Then, there’s a nominal buy/sell transaction rate. Brokers will charge you for their engagement in these transactions, as their role is to ease and speed them. These costs can be fixed (which is desirable to avoid unpleasant surprises) or variable, meaning they depend on the asset value.
How to Store Gold in My IRA?
As said, an excellent advantage of gold bullion is that you can see it exists. You can even hold it and store it on your own. Most people would probably first think of keeping this precious metal in their houses, but that’s not a good idea for several reasons.
First, storing valuable items at home carries a theft risk. You’d have to buy a safebox, secure your assets, and take extra precautions. Then, the IRS doesn’t allow you to keep your IRA gold at home. This body has specific storage regulations you must adhere to if you don’t want to be penalized.
The reason for that are taxes. Your self-directed IRA is tax-advantaged, meaning you pay no taxes on any gain they bring; that comes later. But the IRS must monitor all your IRA transactions, and that’s only possible if your custodian ships your gold to an IRS-approved depository. Luckily, these places are vaulted and well-secured and vaulted.
To make gold part of your investment portfolio, it’s best to invest in it through a Gold IRA. It’s a safe and secure way to place your money and thus increase your retirement fund. Of course, provided you choose a reputable IRA company to guide you through the process.
