The gold price has shot up in recent months as more and more people have sought safety in the yellow metal. With the gold price having recently reached record highs of over $3,300 an ounce, could this be the beginning of a significant bull run for gold?

While gold has traditionally been seen as a safe haven asset during times of trouble, could it also play a role as part of a retirement plan? That’s a question that many Americans have, and the more they think about retirement, the more they want to know the answer.

3 Things to Consider

1. Recent financial market unease has helped drive safe haven buying, pushing gold prices to record highs.
2. Owning gold offers benefits like portfolio diversification, inflation hedging, and liquidity.
3. Buying gold with a gold IRA can be one possible aspect of a retirement plan.

4 Benefits of Owning Gold

Owning gold can offer numerous potential benefits. Here are four advantages of gold to keep in mind if you’re considering buying gold as part of a retirement plan.

1. Diversification

Diversification is one of the major benefits of owning gold. Because gold often does well during periods of recession or financial turmoil, it is often considered to be a countercyclical asset.

That’s why you’ll often see the gold price soar when the economy begins to enter a downturn, because so many people start trying to add gold to their portfolios to get ahead of the market.

Many people think that owning a smattering of stocks and bonds is sufficient diversification. But during times of economic distress, both stock and bonds can fall at the same time.

That’s why many people choose to diversify their portfolios, to spread risk so that losses in one area might be mitigated by other assets within their portfolio.

2. Liquidity

It’s one thing to own a valuable asset, but it’s another thing to sell it. You may have some valuable baseball cards that you collected when you were a kid, but if you can’t find a buyer for them, what are they really worth?

Thankfully gold doesn’t have that problem. Gold is one of the most liquid assets in the world, gold markets operate around the clock around the globe.

3. Safe Haven Asset

Gold has been considered a safe haven for centuries. Whenever fear or uncertainty present themselves, one of the first assets people look for is gold.

That is the same today as it has been for years, with safe haven buying today helping push the gold price up to new records.

4. Inflation Hedge

Gold’s ability to maintain its value and purchasing power against inflation has helped make it a much desired asset for those looking to help protect themselves against inflation. Since 1971 the US dollar has lost over 88% of its purchasing power, while the price of gold has risen over 9,000%.

During the stagflation of the 1970s, gold’s annualized growth rate was over 30% per year over the course of the decade, well outpacing inflation that peaked at 13%. Gold owners today would love to see gold repeat that kind of performance if inflation continues rising in the future.

Potential Drawbacks of Owning Gold

Of course, every asset has its pros and cons. Yes, gold has some great benefits associated with it, but it also has some drawbacks.

If you’re looking at gold as part of your retirement plan, here are two that you’re going to want to think about.

Storage Fees

Depending on how much gold you buy and how you buy it, you may end up needing to pay for storage costs. This could range from a few hundred dollars for a home safe to over a hundred dollars a year for storage in a safe deposit box or in a bullion depository.

These storage fees can eat into the returns your gold makes. If you have a large amount of gold and pay a fixed storage fee, that might end up only being a small percentage of your holdings. But if you only have a few thousand dollars in gold and pay hundreds of dollars a year in storage costs, that can add up over time.

Storage fees will depend on where and how you want your gold stored. If you plan to have gold delivered to you at home, you may already have a safe, or you may feel that a hiding place in your home is sufficient.

But if you buy tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars in gold and decide to pay for storage, or if you start a gold IRA and store your gold in a bullion depository, storage costs may be a necessity, and a cost that has to be figured into your plans.

Not an Income Source

One drawback to gold is that it isn’t a source of income. That doesn’t mean it doesn’t make gains, however, it just means that the gains you make are the result of increases in the gold price.

It’s like the difference between stocks that pay dividends and those that don’t. Companies that don’t pay dividends often want to reinvest all their earnings into the business rather than paying out dividends, so investors who buy those stocks make money only when the stock price goes up.

With dividend-paying stocks, however, investors get paid dividends on a regular basis, so they’re making money even if the stock price goes down. Because gold doesn’t pay dividends, you don’t get the benefit of any extra dividend income.

That’s not necessarily a negative thing, however, as gold’s long-term price growth over the decades has been pretty good. But it’s just one thing to keep in mind, and a common argument you’ll hear from commentators who may want to belittle gold.

Ways to Buy Gold

One of the common questions newcomers to gold ask is, how do I buy gold?

Well, there are a lot more options available today than just going down to your local coin shop and picking up some gold coins. And some of the options available could mesh very well with your retirement planning.

Gold IRA

One popular option for buying gold is through a gold IRA. A gold IRA is just an IRA account that owns and holds physical gold coins or bars. Those gold assets are managed by an IRA custodian and held in a bullion depository.

You can fund a gold IRA with a tax-free transfer or rollover of funds from existing retirement accounts such as a 401(k), 403(b), TSP, IRA, or similar account. This allows you to help safeguard your existing retirement savings with gold without having to pay taxes or penalties.

A gold IRA is subject to all the same rules and regulations as other IRA accounts, including those pertaining to distributions. When you take a distribution from your gold IRA, you can choose to take it in cash or in physical gold.

Direct Gold Purchases

If you prefer not to use your retirement savings to fund a gold IRA, or if you prefer to store your gold at home, there’s always the option of a direct cash purchase of gold. Goldco offers a variety of gold coins from mints around the world, bringing you authentic gold coins directly from their manufacturers.

One thing you’ll need to be aware of is that gold held outside an IRA can be taxed differently than gold held in a gold IRA. These tax issues are something you’ll want to consider if gold become part of your retirement planning, and are something you should discuss with your tax advisor.

Gold ETFs

Some people prefer to buy shares in gold exchange-traded funds (ETFs). These offer exposure to the gold price through shares of funds that own gold. But there are numerous drawbacks to gold ETFs, and those shares can’t be converted into actual physical gold.

For people who want to own gold because it’s a physical, tangible asset that they can put their hands on, gold ETFs may not be the ultimate solution.

Considerations When Thinking About Gold

As with any other asset you consider for retirement planning purposes, gold has advantages and disadvantages. Whether or not gold is the right fit for your purposes will depend on numerous factors that you’ll have to take into consideration when determining if buying gold is a good retirement plan option for you.

You may want to consult with your tax advisor or financial advisor to discuss how precious metals might fit in to a comprehensive diversified retirement strategy.

Your Financial Situation

The first thing you’ll want to consider is your financial situation. How much money are you bringing in each month? How much are you spending? How much debt do you have?

These are all basic questions you should ask yourself and/or discuss with a financial advisor or retirement planner before making any financial decisions that could impact your retirement.

Sure, you may want to safeguard your finances, but if you’re struggling to make ends meet or have student loans, car loans, or other debt you need to pay off, will buying gold really help you?

If you’re in a better financial position, with a steady income, a disciplined budget, and plenty of savings, you might be in a better position to think about buying gold. But remember that gold, despite its long-term rise in price, isn’t guaranteed to always go up in price.

Your Goals

Your goals may change over time as you grow older, build a family, buy a house, etc. What you may think is a good retirement plan at age 25 may be completely different by age 35, and then again by age 45.

As you progress in your career you’ll be exposed to new information, you’ll have access to new means of saving, and you’ll discover things that you wished you had known earlier. We all come to the table with limited information, and we all strive to increase the amount of knowledge we have as we grow closer to retirement.

In general, the younger you are the more aggressive your wealth strategy may be, and the older you are the more you’ll focus on maintaining your existing wealth rather than gaining new wealth. Gold can play a role in both of those strategies, but the size, type, and method of gold you buy might differ.

Your Time Horizon

Your age and state in life also determine your retirement planning horizon. If you’re in your 30s and have 30+ years to retirement, that means you probably have at 45-50 more years to live. That’s a very long time horizon, with a large number of years of earning and saving potential ahead of you.

On the other hand, if you’re 60, you’re probably nearing retirement and only have about 5 years of work income ahead of you. The next 15-20 years after that are going to be funded by the savings you’ve accumulated already.

The younger you are, the more you can afford to ride out periodic recessions and financial crises, because you have time on your side. The older you are, the more devastating a potential financial panic could be to your financial health.

During the 2008 financial crisis markets lost more than 50% of their value. If that were to happen, could you afford to sustain those kinds of losses today?

Taking a look at your situation and your time horizon could determine what role gold could play in your retirement plan.

Learn More About Gold

Goldco has helped thousands of customers benefit from owning gold, and we’ve made over $3 billion in precious metals placements. We work directly with mints to get you the gold you want, and our over 6,000 5-star reviews speak to the efforts we go through to make sure that our customers are satisfied.

If you’ve been working hard for years to build up your retirement savings, now is the time to start thinking about how you can help safeguard them. Call Goldco today to learn more about how you can make gold a part of your retirement plan.

This article was originally published in March 2023 and was updated in May 2025.

The post Could Buying Gold Be a Good Retirement Plan? appeared first on Goldco.

Many Americans today are looking for safety and stability, which is why gold is becoming an ever more popular asset. Gold’s reputation for safety and stability makes it a treasured safe haven for many people.

Over the past few decades the gold market in the US has changed in ways that have benefited Americans greatly. Among the recent developments that has changed the way Americans buy gold is the introduction of the gold IRA, an IRA account that holds physical gold coins or gold bars.

But some of the questions people ask when they first learn about a gold IRA are, how exactly do you start one, and how do you fund a gold IRA account? Thankfully there are some easy answers to both of those questions.

3 Key Takeaways

1. Gold IRAs can allow you to hold part of your retirement savings in physical gold coins or bars.
2. Gold has been a popular safe haven asset for centuries, and holding gold in a gold IRA could give you peace of mind during economic uncertainty.
3. The most popular method of funding a gold IRA is through a gold IRA rollover, which allows you to use existing retirement savings to purchase physical gold coins and gold bars.

What Is a Gold IRA?

If you’re not already familiar with a gold IRA, it’s a really simple concept. A gold IRA is an individual retirement account (IRA) that holds physical gold coins or gold bars rather than the more common stocks, bonds, or fund shares that most IRA accounts hold. A gold IRA is subject to all the same rules and regulations as any other IRA accounts.

How a Gold IRA Works

If you already have an IRA account, or if you’re familiar with IRA accounts, you may be wondering why you’ve never seen a gold IRA mentioned at any of the brokerages or banks with which you’re familiar.

That’s because in order to open a gold IRA you have to find an IRA custodian willing to manage gold assets, and not every IRA custodian is willing to do that. For a variety of reasons, the number of IRA custodians able and willing to manage gold IRA assets is relatively limited.

Goldco works with established gold IRA custodians who have experience managing physical gold assets so that our customers can ensure that they can find custodians able to take on the responsibility of administering a gold IRA.

Start a Gold IRA

Once you’ve decided that you want to start a gold IRA and you’ve found a gold IRA custodian, you’ll open up your gold IRA account. A gold IRA account is a type of self-directed IRA account, meaning that you are the one who determines what kind of assets you’ll buy with your retirement funds.

Some self-directed IRA accounts acquire commodities, real estate, private equity, or other alternative or unconventional assets. A gold IRA is a self-directed IRA that owns physical gold coins or gold bars.

That means that your gold IRA doesn’t own shares of gold exchange-traded funds, nor shares of gold mining stocks, but actual physical gold.

Fund a Gold IRA

Once you’ve started your gold IRA, you’ll want to figure out how to fund it. We’ll go into more detail later on about the ways to fund a gold IRA account. But you may want to consult with a tax professional to see how different sources of funding could impact your tax obligations when you both buy and sell gold.

Since you presumably are buying gold with the intent to sell it in the future to generate cash, just as you would with many other assets, it’s important for you to do your research before you buy.

Buy Gold

Once you’ve made the decision to buy gold, your options are vast. As with any other IRA, your gold IRA is prohibited from purchasing collectibles.

The definition of collectibles for IRA purposes includes coins and metals generally, but makes a very important exception for the modern Gold American Eagle bullion coins, as well as any gold coin minted to a fineness of .995 or higher.

What this means for practical purposes is that many historically significant bullion coins such as South African Krugerrands, French and Swiss 20 Franc coins, and Austrian 100 Corona gold coins aren’t eligible for IRA acquisition because their gold content isn’t high enough.

Fortunately there are numerous other options available to you, including the aforementioned Gold American Eagle coins, Canadian Maple Leafs, and Austrian Philharmonics.

Goldco also works with mints around the world to bring you exclusive IRA-eligible gold coins whose authenticity and metal content is guaranteed. By working directly with mints, we can offer greater availability, guaranteed purity, and a multiplicity of coin designs that will suit anyone’s taste.

Keeping Your Gold Safe

Once you’ve purchased your gold, the question of course becomes how to keep it safe. Gold IRA assets must be managed by a gold IRA custodian, and the physical gold coins or gold bars you buy for your gold IRA will be stored in a bullion depository.

Goldco works with safe and established depositories who have a track record of keeping our customers’ assets safe and secure. If you’ve done any reading at all about gold IRAs, you’ve probably heard about something called a home storage IRA. It’s an arrangement that purports to allow you to start a gold IRA and store your gold IRA assets at home.

If that sounds too good to be true, that’s because it is.

The IRS takes its regulations seriously, especially the part about IRA assets being managed by an IRA custodian. People who have attempted to store their IRA assets at home have been subject to significant taxes and penalties.

That’s why it’s so important to work with trusted partners like Goldco, so that you don’t make decisions that fall afoul of IRA regulations and put you at risk for significant penalties.

Gold IRA Funding Sources

The question most people have when they decide to start a gold IRA is how exactly they want to go about funding it. With the gold price at over $3,000 an ounce today, that’s no small question.

There are two primary methods of funding your gold IRA.

Annual Contributions

The first way of funding a gold IRA is to make annual contributions. Right now the maximum annual contribution to an IRA is $7,000 per year, or $8,000 if you’re over age 50.

At current gold prices that’s only just over two ounces of gold. If you’re wondering how you can build up a gold IRA nest egg that way, you’re not alone.

That’s one reason most people don’t choose to start a gold IRA from scratch and fund it with annual contributions. The annual contributions are just too small to be able to build up significant holdings of gold.

Another reason annual contributions aren’t a popular way to fund a gold IRA account is due to the annual fees that you’ll pay for your gold IRA. Between startup costs, account maintenance fees, and storage fees for your gold, you can expect to pay about $200-350 per year to maintain your gold IRA.

For an account of $7,500, that means that you could be paying 3-4% of your account balance in fees in the first year, which is a pretty sizable amount. Even if you fund a gold IRA annually with maximum contributions, it would take you a few years to build up enough funds so that the fees are a small enough percentage to be manageable.

That’s why our customers often open their gold IRA accounts with a minimum of $25,000. With a gold IRA of that size or larger, the annual fees can be less than 1%.

For larger gold IRAs, the annual fees are often an even smaller percentage. So how do you start a gold IRA and fund your gold IRA account with more than the annual $7,000 maximum?

You can do that through a gold IRA rollover.

Gold IRA Rollovers

A rollover is a concept that isn’t unique to gold IRAs. Just about any type of retirement account can be rolled over into another retirement account.

One of the few exceptions is that a Roth account can’t be rolled over into a non-Roth account. IRS has a handy rollover chart that shows which kinds of accounts can be rolled over.

Funds rolled over from one account to another are not subject to the limit on maximum annual contributions. So if you want to fund a gold IRA with $50,000, $100,000, or even $1 million or more, you can do it.

In order to roll over funds to fund a gold IRA account, you would first need to have existing assets in a 401(k), 403(b), TSP, IRA, or similar retirement account. Then you would establish your gold IRA account with your gold IRA custodian.

Once your gold IRA account is set up, you can then initiate the rollover process from your existing retirement account into your gold IRA account. Expect the process to take 1-2 weeks due to paperwork, processing, and signature requirements.

After your gold IRA rollover has been processed, you’ll be able to use the funds to purchase gold coins or gold bars, which will then be stored in a gold depository. And then you can start benefiting from owning physical gold.

Advantages of a Gold IRA Rollover

A gold IRA rollover can offer you several benefits. Here are four of them to think about.

1. Maxing Out Your Gold IRA

The most obvious advantage of a gold IRA rollover is that it allows you to sidestep the annual maximum contribution limit for IRA accounts. Rather than being limited to $7,000 a year, you can roll over as much money as you want into your gold IRA.

If you have an orphaned 401(k) account at a previous employer, or retirement savings that you want to help protect against a financial downturn, a gold IRA rollover can help you do that, without having to worry about only moving $7,000 at a time.

2. Tax-Advantaged Treatment of Your Gold

A gold IRA rollover also allows you to maintain the same tax advantages in your gold IRA as you would enjoy in any other IRA account. This means you can use pre-tax dollars to buy gold, accrue gains tax-free, and only pay taxes when you take a distribution.

If you’re looking to buy gold and aren’t sure whether to make a direct cash purchase or to start a gold IRA, you might want to consult a tax advisor for advice. In certain situations there could be tax benefits to holding gold in an IRA versus holding gold outside an IRA.

And of course you could also start a Roth gold IRA, which would allow you to fund your gold IRA either with post-tax dollars or with a rollover from a Roth account or a Roth conversion from a non-Roth account.

With a Roth gold IRA you would pay no taxes on selling your gold when you decide to take a qualified distribution.

3. Portfolio Diversification

A gold IRA rollover also gives you the ability to diversify your portfolio, while still enjoying the same tax advantages you already have with your existing tax-advantaged retirement accounts. In 2022 both stocks and bonds lost money, and during a severe financial crisis financial assets of all types could get hammered.

But gold has a reputation for performing well during recessionary periods, making it a sought after asset for those looking to hedge their risk during times of economic uncertainty.

4. Safety and Stability

Gold’s reputation as a safe haven asset and store of wealth goes back centuries. From ancient times gold was valued as a precious metal, and the Bible itself mentions gold hundreds of times.

Closer to our time, the gold price gained 25% from October 2007 to March 2009, the same period in which markets lost over 50% of their value.

Many people are undoubtedly hoping that gold will repeat that kind of performance during the next possible recession or financial crisis, which is perhaps one reason that gold demand has remained strong today.

Is Gold Right for You?

The decision on whether or not to buy gold, how to buy gold, and whether or not to start a gold IRA is a personal decision that you’ll have to make based upon your financial situation, your goals, and your outlook on the strength and health of the economy.

If you believe that the US economy has dodged a bullet, is nowhere close to recession, and that stock markets are going to go on a multi-year bull run, then you may not see any need to buy gold.

But if you believe the US economy could be facing a recession or financial crisis, then you may be looking at adding gold to your portfolio.

Demand for gold coins and gold bars took off during the 2020 recession and remains strong today. The high gold price right now is an indicator that gold demand remains strong, as the US economy faces headwinds from inflation, indebtedness, and a faltering economy.

Perhaps you’ve already been looking for gold but haven’t had much luck. Or perhaps you’re doing your due diligence and researching different gold buying options, different gold storage options, or different gold sellers.

No matter where you are in your gold buying journey, Goldco is ready to help you take the next step. We’ve helped thousands of customers benefit from owning gold over the years, and have made over $3 billion in precious metals placements.

Our over 6,000 5-star reviews speak volumes about our dedication to customer service and customer satisfaction.

If you want to buy gold, want to learn more about how a gold IRA works, or want to know how you can purchase gold directly with cash to store at home, give Goldco a call today. Our representatives are happy to answer your questions and get you started on the path to helping safeguard your savings with gold.

This article was originally published in July 2023 and was updated in May 2025.

The post Ways to Fund a Gold IRA Account appeared first on Goldco.

No one wants to see a repeat of the 2008 financial crisis, but that’s a fear in the back of many people’s heads. With the situation seemingly changing daily, there’s no telling where markets could be a month from now, let alone a year from now.

With growing fear and uncertainty, more Americans are looking at alternative assets to help preserve their wealth themselves, including precious metals like gold. And for those looking to help safeguard tax-advantaged retirement assets, a gold IRA is becoming an increasingly popular way to do so.

But just how much money can you place in a gold IRA? Read on to learn more about gold IRA contribution limits.

3 Key Points to Consider

• Growing economic uncertainty and market volatility has many people wondering how to help preserve their wealth.
• More and more people are looking to help recession-proof their 401(k)s, and a growing number of people are looking at safe haven assets like gold.
• While annual contribution limits to 401(k) accounts are higher than those for IRAs, the ability to roll over 401(k) assets to IRAs can help boost the size of IRA accounts.

What Is an IRA?

Most people today are probably familiar with a 401(k), as that is the dominant form of employer-sponsored retirement savings account. But not everyone may be familiar with an IRA.

An IRA (individual retirement account) is a tax-advantaged retirement savings account whose development actually predates the 401(k). There are numerous types of IRA accounts, each with its own unique properties.

These accounts were created to enable US workers to help accrue retirement savings in addition to or instead of company pensions, which have slowly disappeared at most private firms.

IRA accounts are managed by custodians, which could be a bank, a brokerage, or a custodian who specializes in alternative assets such as precious metals.

The two primary types of IRA accounts today are a Traditional IRA, which uses pre-tax dollars to acquire assets and which requires payment of taxes when you take a distribution, and a Roth IRA, which uses post-tax dollars to acquire assets and in which you pay no taxes when you take a qualified distribution.

What Is a Gold IRA?

A gold IRA is just an IRA account that owns physical gold coins or gold bars. Most IRA accounts hold conventional financial instruments such as stocks, bonds, or shares in various funds.

Relatively few IRA custodians are in the business of managing physical precious metals assets, which means that finding a custodian to start a gold IRA can be a little tricky if you don’t know what you’re doing. Goldco works with established gold IRA custodians to ensure that our customers are able to start gold IRAs without having to do extensive searches on their own.

Like any other IRA, a gold IRA can be either a Traditional IRA or a Roth IRA. This allows you the option to use either pre-tax or post-tax dollars to buy gold coins or bars and hold them in your gold IRA.

4 Benefits of Owning Gold

There are numerous benefits to owning gold. Here are four to keep in mind.

1. Portfolio Diversification

One important role gold can play is portfolio diversification. Keeping all of your holdings concentrated in one asset class or one geographic region can concentrate your risk.

That’s why many people choose to diversify their portfolios, so that potential losses in one area of their assets might be able to be mitigated by holdings in another area.

Gold is considered a countercyclical asset, one with low correlation to financial assets like stocks and bonds, which can make it a popular choice for portfolio diversification.

2. Safe Haven Asset

Gold has been a safe haven asset for hundreds of years. Even today people flock to gold as a safe haven asset when economic turmoil and financial uncertainty rear their heads.

Gold isn’t just a safe haven for individuals either. Central banks today are some of the biggest buyers of gold, buying gold at record rates. They understand that when the economy weakens and currencies become devalued, gold can act as an important backstop.

3. Inflation Hedge

Many people trust gold to act as a hedge against inflation. Over the years gold has maintained its purchasing power even though the dollar has become significantly devalued.

Since 1971 gold the US dollar has lost 88% of its value. But in that same period the price of gold has increased almost 9,500%.

During the 1970s, gold’s annualized rate of growth was over 30% per year over the course of the decade, far outpacing inflation. If we were to experience a resurgence of inflation today, many people hope that gold might repeat that type of performance over the next decade.

4. Liquidity

Finally, gold is an incredibly liquid asset. Gold markets operate around the world 24/7, and there are numerous sources from which you can buy gold and to which you can sell gold.

Gold can be sold almost anywhere, and many people may turn to selling gold as a way to drum up some quick cash. If you’re in need of money quickly, selling gold could be one way of getting the funds you need.

IRA vs. 401(k) Contribution Limits

While 401(k) plans dominate when it comes to employer-sponsored retirement plans, Americans actually hold more money in IRA plans. As of the end of 2024, Americans held $17 trillion in IRA plans, versus $8.9 trillion in 401(k) plans.

Seeing that, you might think that’s because people can put more money into an IRA than into a 401(k). But the answer is no, and yes. How is that?

The annual contribution limit for IRA accounts in 2025 is $7,000, or $8,000 if you’re above age 50 because you’re allowed a $1,000 catch-up contribution. This is across all your IRA accounts, so if you have multiple IRA accounts, you can only contribute $7,000 combined to all those accounts.

For a 401(k) account, the annual individual contribution limit in 2025 is $23,500, or $31,000 if you’re over age 50 and take advantage of the $7.500 catch-up contribution. And the combined maximum individual plus employer contribution is $70,000, or $77,500 if you include the catch-up contribution.

In that sense, no, you can’t contribute more money to an IRA than to a 401(k). So how do people have so much money in IRA accounts if the annual contribution limit for 401(k) accounts is so much higher?

IRA Funding Options

That’s because IRA accounts can be funded through other means than just individual contributions. One of those is a rollover from a 401(k) account.

Once you have an IRA account established, you can roll over funds from a 401(k) or similar account into that IRA. Or if you have multiple IRA accounts, you can transfer funds among those accounts.

These rollovers and transfers are of course governed by certain regulations and limits placed upon them by IRS. But rollovers aren’t subject to the annual IRA contribution limits.

A 401(k) to IRA rollover allows you to use the existing retirement funds you’ve been accumulating at your employer and put them to use in an IRA account. Why might you want to do this?

For one thing, you might have an orphaned 401(k) at a previous employer that has just been sitting around doing nothing. Moving that money to an IRA could give you more asset options.

Other people might not like the limited options with their current 401(k) account and are looking for more or better options. And others may still feel limited by being able to buy only financial assets, and might want to buy alternative assets such as real estate, precious metals, or commodities.

Unlike annual contribution limits, there are no limits to how much money you can roll over from a 401(k) into an IRA. You could transfer $100,000, $500,000, or even $1 million or more. So in that sense, yes, you can put more money into an IRA than into a 401(k).

The only limits on rollovers and transfers are with respect to frequency, as these accounts are retirement accounts intended for long-term saving for retirement, not brokerage accounts. If you’re looking into rolling over or transferring your retirement assets, you’ll want to familiarize yourself with the IRS rules and regulations governing them and/or consult with your financial advisor.

The other thing to be aware of is that your 401(k) account has to allow outbound transfers in order to perform a rollover. Some 401(k) accounts may not allow in-service withdrawals, meaning that you have to keep your funds in that 401(k) as long as you remain with your current employer.

In that case, your money has to stay in your 401(k) account until you leave your employer, or until your employer switches to another 401(k) plan that allows in-service withdrawals.

Gold IRA Rollover Process

If you’ve decided that you want to roll over funds from your 401(k) into an IRA, the process is relatively simple.

1. First you have to open up an IRA to receive the funds.
2. Then you initiate the rollover process through your 401(k) plan.
3. Once the funds have reached your IRA, you can use them to buy whichever IRA-eligible assets you want.

Goldco has helped thousands of customers over the years benefit from owning gold, and many of them have chosen to buy gold with a gold IRA. Our IRA specialists are ready to help you navigate the rollover process and get started with your gold IRA rollover.

If you are worried about gold IRA contribution limits being a barrier, the fact that you can roll over as much as you want into a gold IRA should be comforting.

For those who don’t want to roll over retirement assets, Goldco also offers direct cash purchases of gold coins and gold bars. No matter how you want to buy your gold, Goldco has options available for you.

With over $3 billion in precious metals placements and thousands of satisfied customers, Goldco has worked hard to become one of the most trusted gold companies in the country. Call Goldco today to learn more about how you can help safeguard your hard-earned savings with a gold IRA.

This article was originally published in May 2023 and was updated in May 2025.

The post Gold IRA Contribution Limits: Things to Know appeared first on Goldco.

In a time of economic uncertainty, rising inflation, and market volatility, Americans are increasingly turning to tangible assets to help safeguard their financial future. Together, Goldco and Mr. Selleck will highlight the role that physical gold and silver can play in creating long-term stability and peace of mind for individuals saving for retirement.

“When Ronald Reagan first took office, we were still under a cloud of terrible inflation,” said Mr. Selleck. “Well, inflation is back, and so I decided to buy Gold and Silver on a regular basis. Goldco was just what I was looking for – a simple, secure way to help protect my future.”

Goldco CEO Trevor Gerszt expressed enthusiasm about the partnership, stating:

“Tom Selleck represents trust and reliability — the same qualities Goldco has delivered to thousands of customers, for more than a decade. This partnership can help more Americans understand the value of gold and silver as a hedge in uncertain times, represented by Mr. Selleck’s own experiences with precious metals.”

Goldco continues to lead the way in helping individuals purchase gold and silver — offering award-winning personalized service, unmatched customer support, and a reputation backed by over 6,000 five-star customer reviews.

To learn more about Goldco and its partnership with Tom Selleck, visit www.goldco.com.

The post Goldco Partners with Tom Selleck To Educate Americans About The Value of Precious Metals appeared first on Goldco.

For decades the US dollar has served as the world’s reserve currency, and Americans have come to take that for granted. But recent events could be signaling that the dollar’s dominance could be coming to an end.

Will the dollar be able to shrug off this latest difficulty, as it was in the aftermath of the collapse of the Bretton Woods system? Or could we be on the cusp of a dollar collapse and the beginning of a new international monetary regime?

Some Key Takeaways

1. President Trump’s tariffs have opened up an era of volatility in financial markets.
2. Adding to the volatility is the fact that bond yields have risen despite a flight to safety.
3. Concerns about a dollar collapse could be one reason behind increased demand for gold.

US Debt as a Safe Haven

One of the benefits of the dollar’s reserve currency status is that US Treasury debt is considered one of the world’s premier safe haven assets. And with nearly $29 trillion of debt held by the public, there is a lot of that debt circulating worldwide.

But what happens if the rest of the world stops buying that debt?

In the aftermath of President Trump’s tariffs, it wasn’t just stock markets that saw major volatility. Bond markets were rocked too, with US treasuries being dumped in an unusual manner.

Normally, when stock markets sustain major losses, you would expect people to move their money into safe haven assets like bonds. But rather than buying bonds, people around the world sold bonds.

When bonds are sold, yields rise, and the yield on 10-year and 30-year Treasuries rose precipitously and has remained there ever since. From a low of 4.01% on April 4th, the 10-year bond yield has risen to 4.29%, while the 30-year bond yield has risen from 4.41% to 4.74%.

Could this bond selloff continue?

The top five holders of US Treasuries are Japan, China, the UK, the Cayman Islands, and Luxembourg, holding a combined $3.5 trillion of Treasuries.

While much has been written about the potential threat of a Chinese selloff of US Treasuries , it’s important to keep in mind that the $784 billion in Treasuries attributed to China may not be the entirety of Chinese Treasury holdings.

The way Treasury major foreign holders (MFH) data is tabulated, Treasuries are credited to the domicile of the bank holding them, not to the domicile of the Treasury holder. So if a Chinese institution owned Treasuries and held them at a bank in the Cayman Islands, that would be counted as a Cayman Islands holding, not a Chinese holding.

Because of this, the MFH data may not fully express the full extent of Chinese ownership of US Treasuries, and the threat of a US Treasury selloff may even be underestimated.

Could a US-China Trade War Destroy the Dollar?

An additional wrinkle that presents itself when discussing the potential for a US-China trade war is the role that gold might play. China continues to add gold to its holdings, as it has for years.

But it isn’t alone, as people all over the world are adding gold to their holdings, helping drive the gold price to record highs recently. With demand for safe haven assets rising now, the fact that the gold price is rising at the same time as Treasury bond prices are falling is ominous.

It’s obviously too short of a timeframe to make a definitive claim, but could this be the beginning of the dollar’s demise? Could the safe haven status of US Treasuries be deteriorating at the same time as gold’s safe haven status is climbing?

If this trend continues, if gold prices continue to rise and bond prices fall as bond yields rise, it could be a worrying sign about the dollar’s future. But decades of dominance isn’t likely to fade away in just a few months.

It could take years of this type of behavior for a dollar collapse to really become evident, but could it be too late by then for anyone to do anything about it?

Help Protect Your Savings With Gold

Human beings have always had a fear of the unknown, and one of the biggest unknowns is what exactly will happen if or when the dollar collapses.

Will stock markets collapse? Will the dollar become even more devalued than it is today? Will dollar-denominated assets lose significant amounts of value?

There’s a lot of speculation out there about what might happen, but no one really wants to find out the hard way what might happen. That’s why more and more people are starting to buy gold, as a hedge and a safe haven against what might happen.

Gold has served as a safe haven asset for centuries, helping to protect against economic turmoil and financial uncertainty. Safe haven buying of gold remains strong today, and is helping push gold’s popularity as the uncertainty of tariff’s effects remains.

If recent events have you worried about what the future may hold, there’s no time like the present to start exploring the possibilities when it comes to buying gold, particularly if you’re worried about your retirement savings.

With a gold IRA, you can make a tax-free rollover of your existing retirement assets from a 401(k), 403(b), TSP, IRA, or similar retirement account into a gold IRA. That allows you to use your retirement savings to purchase physical gold coins or gold bars and still enjoy the same tax advantages as any other IRA account.

Goldco has helped thousands of customers benefit from adding gold to their gold IRA accounts, and with over $3 billion in precious metals placements and over 6,000 5-star reviews from our customers, we’ve worked hard to become one of the best gold companies in the country.

If you’re worried about the future of the dollar, don’t wait for a possible collapse before trying to help safeguard your savings. Call Goldco today to learn more about how gold can play a role in helping defend you against a declining dollar.

The post Is the US Dollar in Danger of Collapsing? appeared first on Goldco.

Of course, one nagging question that many people have is, could the gold price ever fall significantly? After all, what goes up must come down, and we’ve seen plenty of major price fluctuations over the years in stock markets, cryptocurrency, and other assets.

So will the gold price continue on its present course, or might we see a correction at some point in the future?

3 Key Takeaways

• While gold is generally considered a countercyclical asset, its price can still fall even when stock markets are falling.
• Analysts today are forecasting a bullish outlook for the gold price, even outlining a case for gold to hit $4,500 an ounce this year.
• Your decision to buy gold may depend on your unique goals, your view of the economy, and your outlook for the gold price.

Gold, Markets, and Volatility

One thing to keep in mind is that gold prices, like any other price, go up and down as supply and demand change. So while gold may be up today, it could easily go down again tomorrow.

In fact, in the aftermath of President Trump’s tariff announcement in early April, gold prices fell significantly just like stock markets did. In the week after Trump’s announcement, the gold price fell over $150, falling to below $3,000.

Now you may be asking yourself, isn’t gold supposed to go up when stock markets go down? Isn’t gold supposed to be a countercyclical asset with low correlation with stock markets and conventional financial assets?

Yes, in general and over the long term, gold is supposed to be a countercyclical asset with low correlation with other assets, which is one reason it is a popular asset with which to diversify portfolios.

But that doesn’t mean that gold won’t drop in price, nor does it mean that it will always go up when stock markets go down.

Lest you think this month was an anomaly, let’s look back to gold’s price performance in 2008.

Gold made significant gains in early 2008 as the economy began to falter, breaking the $1,000 barrier earlier in the year. But gold then proceeded to fall 30% over the next several months.

When financial markets panicked in late September, the gold price moved up and down before hitting a low in November. But eventually gold decoupled from the panic and began to rise again, hitting all-time highs in 2011 while stock markets still hadn’t fully recovered.

Gold Prices Now and in the Future

So what does this mean for the gold price today?

It means that just because the gold price is high today doesn’t mean that it’s going to stay that way. If the current unease over tariffs results in an all-out recession or another financial crisis, the gold price could very well perform like it did in 2008, falling as people sold gold to come up with cash.

That’s not to say that there’s anything negative about the outlook for gold right now. Analysts are already revising their price forecasts, expecting higher gold prices.

Goldman Sachs expects gold to hit $3,700 by the end of the year, with $3,880 a possibility if recession occurs. In a “high-risk scenario”, gold could even hit $4,500 an ounce by the end of the year.

Analysts at UBS and Deutsche Bank are similarly bullish, with price forecasts of $3,500 and $3,700 an ounce respectively.

But just because there’s a bullish trend right now for the gold price doesn’t mean that we should throw caution to the wind and assume that gold will go up forever.

Even though the overall trend over the past 25 years has been for the gold price to move higher, there have been plenty of times when the price has gone down. And if you’re looking to buy gold, the price of gold today might be of less concern to you than the price of gold when you decide to sell it sometime down the road.

Can You Take Advantage of Rising Gold Prices?

At Goldco, we like gold. A lot.

We’ve sold over $3 billion in gold and silver over the years and have received over 6,000 5-star reviews from our customers.

We have helped thousands of Americans benefit from owning gold, whether that’s through buying gold with a gold IRA or making direct cash purchases of gold coins and gold bars.

We want you to like gold too. And we want you to be happy with the gold you buy from us.

We can’t tell you that gold is going to keep gaining 10-20% per year like it has for the past couple of years, because no one knows whether that will happen.

If the US economy strengthens and tariffs end up being much ado about nothing, could the price of gold fall for three years in a row like it did from 2013 to 2015? Sure, that’s possible.

If the US economy falls into recession or stagflation, could the gold price rise at an annualized rate of over 30% per year like it did throughout the 1970s? Sure, that’s possible too.

While we all wish we had a crystal ball to see which way the gold price is going to move, that doesn’t exist.

At the end of the day, your decision as to whether or not to buy gold may come down to your views on the health and strength of the US economy, your outlook on the future, and your particular goals.

If you think gold is a good choice for you and you want to buy gold, whether it’s because you want a solid safe haven asset, a hedge against inflation, or just to diversify your portfolio, we hope you’ll do business with Goldco.

We’ve worked hard to make ourselves one of the best gold companies in the country, and we strive every day to deliver to our customers the quality precious metals products and exemplary customer service that they’ve come to expect.

So if you are looking at hopping on the gold bandwagon, call Goldco today to learn more about how you can put gold to work for you.

The post Gold Price Shoots Up, But Could It Come Down Too? appeared first on Goldco.

The American Business Awards recognize outstanding achievements by organizations across the United States—public and private, for-profit and nonprofit, large and small. This year, more than 3,600 nominations were submitted from companies across every industry.

Goldco was praised by judges for its “high rankings in growth and customer satisfaction” and for “its ability to lead with innovation and sustain impactful industry growth while maintaining a commitment to unparalleled service quality.”

“We’re honored to be recognized among so many remarkable companies,” said Trevor Gerszt, CEO of Goldco. “This award is a testament to our team’s dedication to helping Americans diversify their retirement savings with gold and silver. As demand grows for precious metals, we’re proud to continue delivering white glove service and education to our customers.”

More than 250 professionals worldwide participated in the judging process to select this year’s Stevie Award winners.

“Organizations across the United States continue to demonstrate resilience and innovation,” said Stevie Awards president Maggie Miller. “The 2025 Stevie winners have helped drive that success through their innovation, persistence, and hard work. We congratulate all of the winners in the 2025 ABAs and look forward to celebrating their achievements during our June 10 gala event in New York.”

For more information about The American Business Awards and the full list of 2025 winners, visit www.StevieAwards.com/ABA.

The post Goldco Honored With Bronze Stevie® Award In 2025 American Business Awards® appeared first on Goldco.

But while the topic of stagflation has popped up off and on over the past few years, the threat of stagflation doesn’t seem to have been taken seriously. Even when inflation pushed to 40-year highs a few years ago, everyone seemed to take for granted that the US economy would remain strong and resilient.

While economic growth has largely remained positive post-COVID, recent events surrounding President Trump’s tariffs have thrown that into doubt. No one knows what the long-term effects of those tariffs will be, let alone the short-term effects.

But with markets reacting wildly to the tariffs and fears of recession growing, could the threat of stagflation be rearing its head once again?

3 Things to Consider

• While the economy isn’t in stagflation now, fear of trade war is leading to increased fear of stagflation.
• The impacts of tariffs on unemployment, inflation, and economic growth could take months to materialize.
• Many Americans are trying to help safeguard themselves by looking to safe haven assets such as gold.

What Is Stagflation?

Stagflation is a portmanteau of the words stagnation and inflation, describing an economy that is simultaneously suffering economic stagnancy and troublesome inflation.

In the 1970s this was thought to be impossible by mainstream economists of the time, as the concept of the Phillips curve predominated. According to Phillips curve theory, there was an inverse relationship between inflation and unemployment.

That meant that as inflation rose, unemployment fell, and as inflation fell, unemployment rose. Thus it was believed that fiscal and monetary intervention could target employment levels by using inflation targeting.

The experience of the 1970s, however, threw all of that into disarray, as the US economy faced both high inflation and high unemployment. Inflation rose to over 12% by the end of 1974 and over 13% by the end of 1979.

Meanwhile the unemployment rate rose to 9% by mid-1975 and nearly 8% by mid-1980.

With the Phillips curve relationship breaking down, the Federal Reserve was thrown for a loop, and its inflationary monetary policy ended up boosting inflation without any corresponding drop in unemployment.

The Fed Chairmen in the 1970s, Arthur Burns and G. William Miller, are almost universally regarded as the worst Fed Chairmen in history. And it took shock treatment from Miller’s successor, Paul Volcker, to bring inflation down and restore a sense of normalcy.

That shock treatment, however, resulted in a sharp recession from 1980 to 1982. Will current Fed Chairman Jerome Powell go down in history as the next Arthur Burns or the next Paul Volcker?

The Case for Stagflation

The 1970s stagflation was characterized by high inflation, high unemployment, and recession. Two recessions occurred during the decade, with the first recession beginning in December 1969 and ending in November 1970, and the second recession lasting from November 1973 to March 1975.

But if you look at data for real GDP, i.e. GDP adjusted for inflation, economic contraction was rather mild. And indeed, real GDP actually grew by 38% over the course of the decade.

Indeed, if you compare that 1970-1975 real GDP growth, it works out to 12.4%, versus 12.2% for the most recent five years today.

So if we’re already experiencing similar economic growth to the 1970s, could we already be on the path toward stagflation?

How Stagflation Could Occur

If economic growth is already lackluster, the two remaining elements that would be required to come to some sort of consensus of stagflation are unemployment and inflation.

Inflation right now is still running above the Federal Reserve’s 2% target, although it has been coming down in recent months. But the impact of Trump’s tariffs could send prices on imported goods upward, which could end up getting reflected in the various inflation measures.

The unemployment rate also isn’t terribly high, at 4.2% in March. While it’s slightly higher than it was a few years ago, there haven’t been any significant upticks.

But if the unemployment rate were to start rising, and if inflation were to start to pick up again, then there could be a possibility that the economy could enter a period of stagflation again.

Right now all eyes are on President Trump and his tariffs. If Trump is able to successfully negotiate trade deals and minimize the impact of tariffs, all may end up well with the economy.

But if negotiations falter, or if the impact of tariffs on Chinese imports becomes too burdensome, then things could become more difficult. Markets are worried about the potential impact of these tariffs, which helps explain why there has been so much volatility so far.

While the US economy isn’t in stagflation right now, six months or a year from now could be a different matter altogether. We’ll just have to wait and see how things shake out.

Helping to Safeguard Against Potential Stagflation

Many Americans have already taken steps to try to help safeguard themselves against stagflation by pursuing alternative assets such as precious metals. Gold in particular has seen pretty steady safe haven buying this year from people looking to stay ahead of a potentially deteriorating economic climate.

Gold has served as a safe haven asset for centuries, through both good times and bad. And this year it has rocketed to record high prices probably in part due to all that safe haven buying.

If you’re thinking about trying to safeguard your wealth with gold but you don’t want the hassle of having to hold gold coins at home, that’s no problem. With a gold IRA you can own physical gold coins or gold bars that are safely stored for you at a bullion depository.

Your gold IRA offers all the same advantages as any other IRA, including tax-free gains. You only pay taxes when you take a distribution or, if your gold IRA is a Roth IRA you would pay no taxes on qualified distributions.

Gold IRAs can be funded with tax-free rollovers from existing 401(k), 403(b), TSP, IRA, and similar retirement accounts, enabling you to move part of your existing retirement savings into physical gold and benefit from any potential future gains in the gold price.

With so much uncertainty surrounding markets today, is now the time for you to start thinking about gold? Call Goldco today to learn more about how you can make gold part of your portfolio.

The post Could the US Economy Sink Into Stagflation? appeared first on Goldco.

“The first rule of investing is never to lose money, and the second rule is never to forget the first rule.”

One time-honored way of safeguarding wealth against loss is to purchase gold. People have sought the safety and security of gold for centuries, and today is no different.

When stock markets crash or fears of market weakness emerge, many rush to the safe haven of gold. But even outside times of financial difficulty, gold can be a smart way to diversify your portfolio, protect your wealth, and make solid gains.

One popular method of acquiring precious metals is through a gold IRA. They offer the same tax advantages as conventional IRAs, but allow individuals to protect their retirement savings with tangible physical gold, which can help safeguard against volatility in financial markets.

Given gold’s reputation for long-term stability, it is a sought-after asset for those looking to protect and diversify their savings portfolios. If you’re looking to protect your retirement savings, ensure that you have enough to live comfortably in retirement, and pass money on to your heirs, keep reading to learn more about the numerous advantages of a gold-backed IRA.

Unlike conventional IRAs, which you may be familiar with, a gold IRA is a type of self-directed IRA. Before we begin, it is important to understand the basics of a self-directed IRA.

A self-directed IRA (SDIRA) is an IRA that gives you greater control and flexibility over the assets you can hold within the account. It allows you to purchase alternative assets that aren’t found in most conventional IRAs. While self-directed IRAs require the use of a custodian who administers the account, you as the account holder, actually get to manage the account directly.

Some common forms of alternative assets allowed in a self-directed IRA include:

• Real estate
• Promissory notes
• Gold, silver, and other precious metals
• Cryptocurrency
• Mineral rights and water rights
• Commodities

A gold IRA is simply a type of self-directed IRA that focuses on purchasing precious metals such as gold coins and gold bars.

Learn More About Diversifying Your Savings With The Ultimate Gold & Silver Guide

Request Your Free Guide

Learn More About Diversifying Your Savings With The Ultimate Gold & Silver Guide

Request Your Free Guide

How Does A Precious Metals IRA Work?

A gold IRA allows individuals to hold gold and other precious metals while still enjoying the same tax advantages of an IRA retirement account. Just like conventional IRAs, a precious metals IRA can be set up as a traditional IRA account, where pre-tax contributions are made, or as a Roth IRA, where post-tax dollars are used. Those with SEP or SIMPLE IRAs also have the option to grow their retirement savings through precious metals.

The Ultimate IRA Guide (Everything you Need to Know)

How a Gold IRA Works

A common method of funding is through rollovers or transfers from existing retirement accounts such as a 401(k), 403(b), TSP, IRA, or similar account. This allows individuals to lock in gains they may have made in their current retirement accounts and transfer that wealth into precious metals, which can provide more protection and stability.

Gold is a tangible asset that anyone can own and hold, and it offers stability against inflation, financial turmoil, and economic downturns. Thanks to provisions in the tax code, people can hold gold within a self-directed IRA, allowing them to gain all the same tax benefits as a conventional IRA.

There are many advantages to including gold, silver or other precious metals in your IRA portfolio, including:

• Stability for your savings portfolio;
• Lessening risk as you age and plan for retirement;
• Locking in gains you’ve made and transfering that wealth into precious metals.

People can contribute to a new account or, more commonly, roll over a portion of their current retirement accounts (401(k) rollover) into a gold IRA to diversify their portfolio. With the possibility of a recession always looming, it’s worth considering adding precious metals like gold to your retirement planning.

What Is a Gold IRA Rollover?

A rollover IRA is a term for an individual retirement account (IRA) that is funded by moving funds from a 401(k), 403(b), TSP, or similar retirement account into an IRA. The main difference between a 401(k) and an IRA is that an IRA is normally opened by an individual, whereas a 401(k) is offered by an employer.

With a rollover IRA, individuals can use existing retirement funds to access a wider variety of assets than those typically available in a 401(k) plan. By opting for a self-directed IRA, there are even more possibilities, such as adding physical gold for additional portfolio diversification.

Rollover IRAs are most often created when changing jobs or retiring, as they allow employees to move their current 401(k) or other retirement account balances into an IRA account that will offer a broader range of options and potentially superior performance.

When performing an IRA rollover, funds from existing tax-advantaged accounts can be rolled over into a new IRA tax-free. You can even roll over funds from multiple retirement accounts into a single self-directed IRA, making it easier for you to consolidate and manage your retirement savings.

With a rollover, individuals can minimize the tax impact of their gold assets too, since distributions are normally subject to ordinary income tax rates. Particularly for those in lower tax brackets, that can result in gold held in an IRA being taxed at a lower rate than if it were not in an IRA. And for those people who own a Roth gold IRA, they won’t be taxed at all on the gains on their gold purchases.

Gold IRA Rollover Process for Beginners [step-by-step]

The Precious Metals Strategic Edge: Portfolio Diversification

Diversification is a strategic way of managing your portfolio to include various types of assets to reach specific financial goals over the long term. A well-balanced mix of assets can offer you the potential to improve returns and protect your principal without subjecting yourself to unnecessary concentration and risk.

Loading up on one stock or one industry could be costly if that stock or industry suddenly plummets. Likewise, reacting suddenly when the market changes can lead to knee-jerk decisions that don’t benefit you in the long term.

A diversified retirement portfolio can’t always offer large gains or prevent losses, but it is a strategy that some financial planners and fund managers use to create balance. One effective way to diversify is through precious metals like gold and silver.

You don’t want to leave your portfolio vulnerable to the ups and downs of financial markets. Taking control of your future by holding a self-directed IRA can be a good option for protecting and diversifying your portfolio. Purchasing physical gold through a precious metals IRA could provide:

• Stability: Gold has consistently grown in value and maintained its purchasing power over time. While the US dollar has lost over 97% of its value since 1913, the price of gold has increased over 9,000%. Silver has fared well against the dollar too, with the silver price increasing over 4,500% since 1913.
• Security: The gold that you own in your precious metals IRA is securely stored at a bullion depository. You can take a distribution of either cash or gold whenever you want, subject to any applicable taxes and IRS regulations, and after age 59½ those distributions are penalty-free.
• Simplicity: Understanding the value of gold doesn’t require special training, and you can easily check daily gold prices on your own.

Additionally, gold-backed IRAs offer specific benefits that can be superior to those of other types of retirement assets. These include:

• Wealth Protection: Gold has consistently grown in value over time, whereas the US dollar has consistently weakened over time through inflation and currency devaluation.
• Tax Advantages: Use pre-tax dollars to purchase gold, accrue tax-free gains, and only pay taxes upon distribution, just like a conventional IRA. Even better, you can learn how to diversify your 401(k) or IRA by rolling over existing assets.
• Long-Term Financial Growth: Gold can be a great long-term choice because it holds its value against inflation and can help protect portfolio value during times of recession.
• Financial Control: Diversifying your assets puts you in control of your wealth.

What Are the Benefits of a Gold IRA?

As you work towards building a well-diversified portfolio, it can help to make sure you know all your options, especially when it comes to gold. Whether you’re interested in rolling over existing retirement savings into a gold IRA or just making direct cash purchases of gold, we’re here to help clarify the benefits associated with this precious metal.

Precious metals like gold have numerous advantages as part of a well-diversified portfolio, and tax-advantaged retirement accounts do too. Putting the two together can result in a powerful tool to help you achieve your financial objectives.

Individuals who included gold into their portfolios during the 2008 financial crisis experienced significantly better performance compared to those who maintained only stocks. And those portfolios that held gold continued to grow stronger after the crisis hit its lowest point, in many cases for years afterward.

Let’s take a more detailed look at the benefits.

The Pros and Cons of Gold IRAs:[step-by-step]

4 Benefits Of A Precious Metals IRA You Haven’t Heard Before

The 8 Key Benefits of a Gold IRA

1. Gold Can Help Portfolio Diversification

A diversified portfolio may mean thinking outside the box of purchasing stocks and bonds, which is what many Americans are most familiar with. Concentrating your assets in one place also concentrates your risk. Ever heard the saying, “Don’t put all of your eggs in one basket”?

By diversifying your portfolio with gold, you can ensure that your assets aren’t completely at the mercy of Wall Street for their performance. If financial markets take a downturn, if bond markets become illiquid, if stock markets crash, those traditional assets may all perform poorly.

Alternatives assets can leave a portion of your portfolio protected during challenging economic times, helping you diversify and shift risk away from financial assets and leaving a portion of your portfolio protected during those times when the stock market experiences weakness. Very often, the weaker the stock market and the economy perform, the better precious metals perform, potentially making them ideal assets to protect your portfolio when a recession is on the horizon.

2.  Protection Against Market Fluctuations and Volatility

Physical gold acts as a hedge against dips in volatile markets. The boom and bust of the business cycle is all but a certainty, with stock market crashes and recessions occurring with unfortunate regularity.

Gold has acted as a hedge against other assets. Unlike paper assets like stocks and bonds that can become worthless as the companies that issue them fail, gold has always been worth something, and has remained in demand for thousands of years.

3. More Control Over Your Assets

Holding a precious metals IRA also can provide you with a greater element of control over your assets. For many people who may save for retirement through an employer-sponsored 401(k) plan, the options available to them are often limited.

That’s why so many people roll over assets from a 401(k) account to an IRA account, because IRAs generally offer more options.

By opening a precious metals IRA, you can gain an extra element of control over your portfolio, as you are the one who determines what types of gold or silver you hold.

A great advantage of having a gold IRA is that assets can be transferred easily and without tax consequences among retirement accounts. So someone who wants to roll over a portion of a 401(k) account can do so relatively easily. And if that person decides in the future to sell some of those precious metals assets to buy into stocks or bonds, that type of transaction can be done too.

With the control over your assets you can:

• Help diversify your portfolio;
• Give yourself greater peace of mind;
• Ensure that the decisions you make will directly impact your retirement and financial well-being.

4. Potential for Gold Price Growth

There’s a dirty little secret that mainstream financial firms don’t want you to know about: Gold is the best performing asset of the 21st century. In fact, it’s grown significantly more than stock markets have.

But you’ll still see stocks recommended for asset growth rather than gold. Why? Well, there are two potential reasons:

1. Nostalgia about the 1982-2000 stock market boom. That was a period of unprecedented growth, with stock markets growing around 17% per year on average. But we haven’t seen growth like that since then, and we may never see growth like that again.
2. Many financial firms make their money off fees associated with stock trades, asset management, etc. They don’t make money selling people gold because people hold gold for the long term. Plus some firms don’t offer gold custodial services.

Financial advisors and stockbrokers want to be able to charge for each trade, plus take a small management fee every year for each type of asset you own. But if you own gold for years and years, they can’t charge you trading fees because your assets are safe, secure, and not moving.

While gold may be bad for some financial firms, it’s good for you because your gains aren’t being nickeled and dimed to death through fees.

You will generally end up paying a few hundred dollars a year in custodial and storage fees. But compare that to the 1-2% annual fee you would likely pay to a financial advisor to manage your assets, which is on top of all your other expense ratios, and you see that fees on your gold could end up lower than those on conventional financial assets.

Traditional advisor fees can be death by a thousand cuts, but a gold IRA may eliminate that and keep more money in your pocket.

With a precious metals IRA, you can benefit from gold’s stability, take advantage of future price growth which can sometimes be substantial, and still have immediate access to your money should you wish to sell your gold or transfer your wealth into other assets.

5. IRA Tax Advantages

A precious metals IRA offers the same tax advantages as a conventional IRA. You can purchase gold with pre-tax dollars (or post-tax dollars with a Roth gold IRA), roll over existing retirement assets with no tax consequences, and defer taxation until you decide to take a distribution.

And just like with contributions to a Traditional IRA, annual contributions can even be tax-deductible. That also means that all the same IRA rules apply:

• Early distributions may incur income taxes and an additional 10% penalty;
• Required minimum distributions (RMDs) must be taken after age 73, except for a Roth gold IRA, which is exempt from RMDs;
• Annual contributions are limited to $6,500 (or $7,500 if you’re over age 50).

Rollover contributions to a precious metals IRA are not limited by the normal annual contribution limit, so you can roll over $10,000, $100,000, or $1 million or more from existing retirement accounts, and you can do it tax-free.

That allows you to protect your retirement savings with gold without having to take a tax hit. And when you choose to take a distribution, you can choose to take it either in cash or in physical gold.

For some people, keeping gold in an IRA can even offer better tax treatment than gold held outside an IRA. That can keep taxes from eating away at your returns. Don’t underestimate the benefits of a precious metals IRA to allow you to use pre-tax dollars to buy gold.

Learn More About Diversifying Your Savings With The Ultimate Gold & Silver Guide

Request Your Free Guide

Learn More About Diversifying Your Savings With The Ultimate Gold & Silver Guide

Request Your Free Guide

Is a Precious Metals IRA Right for You?

Gold IRAs can offer many advantages to Americans, whether you’re nearing retirement or are earlier in your career. You don’t need to put all of your assets into the account, as simply moving small percentages of your assets into precious metals can reap long-term benefits.

Some people may wonder if a 401(k) or self-directed IRA is better. Very often they wonder this after they’ve left an employer and still have 401(k) assets held in their old retirement plan.

When you leave your employer, you have the option to roll over your retirement savings into an IRA, which may be a good opportunity to explore a self-directed IRA, which offers diversity and assets that can be more stable through economic downturns.

How to Move Your 401(k) to Gold Without Penalty

Should I Roll My 401(k) Into a Gold IRA?

Retirement planning isn’t something that you start doing when you’re a few years away from retirement. It’s something you start as early in your career as you can. There’s no substitute for time in the market when it comes to building up your retirement savings.

As you get older, you may start looking into more ways to protect the money you’ve already put aside for retirement. If you have a 401(k) from a previous employer that is sitting idle, or if your current 401(k) options don’t leave you enthused, a 401(k) to IRA rollover could offer you more options to put your money to better use.

One popular 401(k) rollover option is to roll over 401(k) assets into a gold IRA. The rollover process can allow you to move your 401(k) into gold tax-free and penalty-free.

A precious metals IRA is a type of self-directed IRA, an IRA that allows you to take greater control over your assets. Moving retirement savings into a self-directed IRA can give you the potential for more options like real estate, private bonds, private equity, and precious metals like gold and silver.

Precious metals are a popular option because gold and silver have been used as a time-tested means of storing wealth that can weather numerous economic changes, giving your portfolio diversity and stability. The price of precious metals often increases even in tough economic times, meaning that your portfolio can still get a boost even during the worst throes of a financial crisis.

Like all 401(k) and other retirement plans, there are rules and regulations that you need to be aware of. The last thing you want to do is decide to roll over your 401(k) and be hit with taxes and penalties because you didn’t do things correctly.

So, how do you move your 401(k) to gold without penalty? This guide will help you understand what a 401(k) is, how it works, its benefits, and how to effectively roll over your 401(k) to gold without incurring taxes and penalties

Who Can Contribute to an IRA?

Anyone with earned income, and their spouses if married filing jointly, can start and contribute money to an IRA. You can contribute to an IRA even if you have a 401(k) or similar retirement plan at work. The only limit is to how much money you are able to contribute to your accounts.

Types of IRA Accounts

If you are eligible to start an IRA, there are numerous types of IRAs available. These include:

• Traditional IRA: Contribute with pre-tax dollars, gains accrue tax-free, withdrawals are taxed as regular income. If your income is below certain thresholds, your contributions to an IRA may be tax-deductible.
• Roth IRA: Contributions aren’t tax deductible and are made with post-tax dollars. Earnings and withdrawals are not taxed.
• SEP IRA: Simplified Employee Pension, which is similar to a Traditional IRA, but is funded by an employer or self-employed individual.
• SIMPLE IRA: Savings Incentive Match Plan for Employees, which is similar to a 401(k) plan, but has lower contribution limits and lower administrative costs.
• Self-Directed IRA: Follows the same eligibility and contribution rules as a Traditional or Roth IRA, but with the ability to hold alternative assets like real estate and precious metals.

Because these accounts provide tax benefits for retirement savings, there are an abundance of IRA rules that must be followed. These rules include requirements for contributions, withdrawals, and the types of assets that can be included in your portfolio.

We’ll start off with some general IRA rules and then focus more specifically on self-directed IRAs and the gold IRA rules that you need to know.

General IRA Contribution Rules

The IRS sets contribution limits on IRAs, which must be followed in order to avoid penalties. The following guidelines will help you understand contribution limits for IRAs:

• Limited to $7,000 in contributions per year ($8,000 if you’re over age 50).
• Contributions are across all IRAs, so if you have multiple IRA accounts, you are limited to that $7,000 total across all your accounts.
• Contributions are per person, not per account–potential to contribute to multiple IRAs in the same year.
• Rollovers or transfers from 401(k), TSP, IRA or similar accounts into an IRA or other eligible retirement plan are not subject to annual contribution limits.

IRA Penalties

The IRS sets forth penalties for not following regulations dealing with retirement accounts. Here are a few IRA rules to be mindful of so you know how to move a 401(k) to a gold IRA without any penalties:

• If you exceed the annual contribution limits, you may incur a penalty of 6% per year. Example: if you exceed the contribution limit by $500, you would be penalized $30 every year until the mistake is corrected
• If you have an IRA, you are not allowed to hold collectibles, which includes artwork, rugs, antiques, stamps, and other items as defined by subsection 408(m)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code. Tax penalties may result. This does not include qualified precious metals that are exempt under subsection 408(m)(3).
• Withdrawing any distributions before reaching the age of 59½ incurs a 10% penalty plus any taxes due. Exceptions include death or disability of the IRA owner, withdrawals to pay certain medical bills, first time home purchases, and higher education expenses.

Gold IRA Rules

Gold can be a great way to keep your portfolio diversified, but to take advantage of it and maximize your savings, you should be aware of the self-directed and gold IRA rules.

First, it’s important to understand the rules that govern self-directed IRAs and acceptable assets as a whole. These include subsection 408(m) of the US tax code, which prohibits IRA accounts from acquiring collectibles and defines collectibles as:

• “any work of art,
• any rug or antique,
• any metal or gem,
• any stamp or coin,
• any alcoholic beverage, or
• any other tangible personal property specified by the Secretary for purposes of this subsection.”

There are, however, exceptions made for some coins and bullion in subsection 408(m)(3), namely:

• Gold American Eagle coins minted by the US Mint are not considered collectibles.
• Other gold coins or bars must have a fineness “equal to or exceeding the minimum fineness” of a contract market, which for gold is .995, or 99.5% purity.
• Gold must be held by an IRA custodian. Home storage of IRA assets is illegal and can result in massive fines and penalties.

In addition, If you already own gold, you cannot add that gold to your IRA. But you can open a gold IRA and purchase new gold to add to your IRA.

Tax-Deductible IRA Contributions

Using an IRA to reduce taxes is not uncommon, but there are deduction limits set by the IRS to be aware of. Some general rules include:

• Roth IRA contributions cannot be deducted.
• Work retirement plan deductions may be limited if you or your spouse are covered by a retirement plan through your employer, and if your income exceeds certain levels.
• No work retirement plan means you are allowed to take a deduction in full if you and your spouse (if married) aren’t covered by an employer-sponsored retirement plan.

IRA Contribution and Deduction Limits for 2024

To better understand IRA rules related to contributions and deductions in 2024, refer to the following charts:

2024 IRA Contribution and Deduction Limits Effect of Modified AGI on Deductible Contributions If You ARE Covered by a Retirement Plan at Work

2024 IRA Contribution and Deduction Limits Effect of Modified AGI on Deductible Contributions if You are NOT Covered by a Retirement Plan at Work

401(k) to IRA Rollover Rules

Rollovers allow you to move existing retirement assets from a 401(k), 403(b), TSP, or similar retirement account into an IRA. Since rollover contributions are not subject to the annual IRA contribution limits, they can be a useful tool in building up your retirement savings.

In general there are three types of rollovers:

• Direct Rollover – a direct rollover occurs when a distribution from a 401(k) or similar retirement plan is made directly to another retirement plan or to an IRA account. No taxes are withheld from this rollover.
• Trustee-to-Trustee Transfer – this transfer occurs when a distribution from an IRA occurs and the distribution amount is sent directly from the first IRA custodian to another IRA custodian or to a retirement plan. No taxes are withheld from this transfer.
• 60-Day Rollover – this rollover occurs when a distribution from an IRA or retirement plan is made to you. You then have 60 days to roll over all or a portion of that distribution into an IRA or retirement plan. Because taxes will be withheld from this distribution, you will have to use other funds if you wish to roll over the full amount of the distribution.

Because of the potential tax consequences of a 60-day rollover, people who want to move a 401(k) to a gold IRA without penalty generally choose the direct rollover or trustee-to-trustee transfer. These ensure that their retirement savings are rolled over without taxes or penalties. `

Additionally, there is a one-per-year IRA rollover rule. This means that you can only make one rollover from the same IRA per year.

You also can’t within that 1-year period make a rollover from the IRA to which you distributed that rollover. You can read more about it at the IRS website.

This one-per-year rule does not apply to:

• rollovers from traditional IRAs to Roth IRAs (Roth conversions)
• trustee-to-trustee transfers to another IRA
• IRA-to-plan rollovers (e.g. IRA to 401(k))
• plan-to-IRA rollovers (e.g. 401(k) to IRA)
• plan-to-plan rollovers (e.g. 401(k) to 401(k))

There are additional restrictions on rollovers, such as the fact that RMDs cannot be rolled over. When you decide on doing a rollover, the IRS website has lots of useful information on the topic, including a rollover chart that shows which accounts can be rolled over into which.

You may also want to consult a tax professional to ensure that you aren’t making mistakes that could subject yourself to unnecessary taxes.

Which Gold Coins and Gold Bars Are IRA-Eligible?

By choosing IRA-eligible gold coins and other precious metals products, you can take advantage of the incredible opportunity that precious metals offers. But as with other aspects of a gold IRA, it’s helpful to know the rules prior to purchasing your gold so that you can ensure that your purchases remain tax-free and penalty-free.

Buying IRA-Eligible Gold

Purchasing Gold? Different Types of Gold…[watch this before buying]

When learning how to buy gold for an IRA, it’s important to understand the rules. As discussed above, IRAs are forbidden from acquiring collectibles. But because of the exceptions in the Internal Revenue Code, there are numerous gold coins which are still IRA-eligible.

Some of the rules that have to be followed when buying gold coins or gold bars include:

• Level of fineness for gold coins and bars – .995
• Many older gold coins are not eligible, but among more recently produced coins there are exceptions laid out in the Code. Here are some of the more popular IRA-eligible gold coins:
  • Gold American Eagle
  • Gold American Buffalo
  • Canadian Gold Maple Leaf
  • Gold Lucky Dragon
  • Gold Australian Saltwater Crocodiles
  • UK Royal Mint Gold Lunar Series Coins
  • Gold Wright Flyer
  • Gold Washington Monument
  • Gold Independence Hall
  • Gold Phoenix
  • Gold Liberty
  • Gold Valor

• Gold assets must be administered by your custodian and stored at a bullion depository.
• If you already own gold, you cannot add that gold to your IRA, but you can open a self-directed IRA and purchase new, IRA-eligible gold.

Additional IRA-Eligible Precious Metals

You can also hold other types of precious metals coins and bullion that meet IRS specifications. Those include silver, platinum, and palladium that meet the following minimum fineness:

• Silver – .999
• Platinum – .9995
• Palladium– .9995

3 Steps to Start a Gold IRA

Beginning the process is simple, especially when you partner with precious metals experts like Goldco who know the ins and outs of this type of IRA. While it’s not difficult, you want to make sure you know all the rules and follow them so that you can avoid unnecessary taxes and penalties.

1. Choose the Type of Gold IRA

The type of self-directed IRA you set up will be dependent on how you want to fund your IRA. Most people will choose to fund their account through a rollover from an existing retirement account such as a 401(k), and they’ll often choose to open a Traditional gold IRA so that they can contribute with their pre-tax retirement savings.

If you’re transferring or rolling over funds from a Roth account, you will need to choose a Roth gold IRA. You can also open a Roth gold IRA if you want to do a Roth conversion.

2. Fund Your Account

Everything You Need to Know About Funding Your Gold IRA

How Much Money Do I Need to Start a Gold IRA?

The funding source for your gold IRA is dependent on what type of account you open. If you open a Traditional gold IRA, you can’t fund it with transfers or rollovers from Roth accounts such as a Roth IRA or Roth 401(k). But a Roth gold IRA can be funded with rollovers from pre-tax or Roth accounts.

Numerous types of retirement accounts can be used for funding. The chart below contains information on which types of accounts can be used.

You may want to check with your tax advisor before making any changes to see if there are tax implications and confirm that your current retirement accounts allow transfers or rollovers.

Choose a Self-Directed Gold IRA Custodian

Like any other IRA assets, gold assets need to be administered by a custodian per IRS regulations. Working with precious metals specialist, like those at Goldco, can help you find a custodian experienced with gold IRAs to make sure your account is opened properly.

Once you have chosen your custodian, you can open your gold IRA. When your  account is open, you can then start the rollover process.

Fund Your Self-Directed Gold IRA

Once you have opened your account, you can start the rollover process. Normally this is done by informing your plan administrator or IRA custodian of your rollover intentions.

Then you’ll sell assets in your current retirement account and roll them over into your gold IRA. Your current plan administrator or IRA custodian will normally be responsible for sending funds to your custodian.

It can be very important to work with precious metals IRA specialists to make sure that the rollover process goes smoothly, that your funds end up where they’re supposed to, and that you’ve adhered to all IRS regulations. While the rollover process can be simple, if you make a mistake you may inadvertently open yourself up to tax liabilities or penalties.

After your funds have been rolled over to your account, you can then begin the process of determining which gold coins or gold bars you want to buy with those funds.

3. Select Your Precious Metals

Now that your self-directed  IRA is funded, it’s time to choose which gold coins or gold bars you want to buy. Remember that certain types of gold coins aren’t eligible for IRAs.

That’s why it can help to work with partners like Goldco who offer IRA-eligible gold coins to ensure that you don’t expose yourself to tax liability by buying the wrong type of gold.

After you’ve purchased your gold coins or gold bars, they will be administered by your IRA custodian and stored at a bullion depository. This ensures that your gold is there when you need it.

Safeguard Your Retirement

By setting up a self-directed IRA, you can rest easy knowing your assets are protected with gold. Diversifying your portfolio with gold can be a great way to protect your hard-earned retirement savings from market fluctuations and economic crises.

There’s no better time than today to start thinking about buying gold. With the economy facing its fair share of difficulties, a gold IRA may be just what you need to help you protect your assets.

Setting up a self-directed IRA can be done easily, especially when you work with Goldco’s experts.

Whether you want to learn more about gold IRAs, start the rollover process, or just buy gold coins, Goldco can help you protect your retirement savings with gold.

No matter your age or stage in life, Goldco has precious metals options for everyone.

By simply filling out our contact form, we’ll connect you with experienced representatives who can answer your questions, offer valuable reference materials, and help you navigate the gold purchase process.

We’re ready to help you facilitate the diversification of your retirement portfolio so you can feel more in control of your financial future.

The post Gold IRA 101 appeared first on Goldco.

The Fed has paused its interest rate cuts for the past couple of FOMC meetings, holding steady until it gets a better sense of which way the economy is moving. But President Trump has put pressure on Fed Chairman Powell to cut interest rates.

Normally when the economy starts to show signs of weakness, the Fed is at the forefront, cutting interest rates or providing liquidity to try to revive things. And in years past, the Fed has often done this, for instance in its response to the “Taper Tantrum” in 2013.

But the Fed right now is standing pat, despite markets having shed trillions of dollars in value over the past few weeks. So what interest rate move might the Fed make at its next FOMC meeting?

3 Key Takeaways

• President Trump has been putting pressure on the Fed to cut interest rates.
• The impact of tariffs on inflation and economic growth could influence the Fed’s upcoming interest rate decisions.
• Amidst growing economic uncertainty, safe haven buying of gold has helped push the gold price to record highs.

The Case for Interest Rate Cuts

Perhaps the strongest reason for the Fed to cut rates is because President Trump wants Chairman Powell to do it. Despite all the talk of Fed independence, the Federal Reserve System is a federal agency that is subject to executive oversight.

Of course, the question as to whether the President can remove a member of the Board of Governors or even the Chairman is not perfectly clear. But with President Trump having previously stated that he won’t renominate Powell for another term as Chairman, it would seem there’s no real incentive for Powell to give in to Trump’s pressure.

In previous instances in which the economy has shown signs of slowing, the Fed has not been hesitant to cut rates. Its interest rate cuts during 2007 and 2008 were a direct response to signs that financial markets were showing signs of instability.

This time around, however, the Fed has also had to deal with the problem of inflation, which is running above its 2% target. With inflation hitting 40-year highs just a few years ago, the Fed is undoubtedly worried that if it cuts rates too low, it could risk spiking inflation.

But at the end of the day, regardless of political pressure, the health of the economy could be the factor that causes the Fed to cut rates. If markets continue their volatility, or if the unemployment rate picks up, that could spur the Fed to cut rates.

The Case for Standing Firm (or Raising Rates)

President Trump’s tariffs haven’t been in place very long yet, and it could take months before their impact on global supply chains and the price of imported goods is really felt. So in the meantime there isn’t much urgency for the Fed to cut rates.

If these tariffs end up impacting the economy negatively, then there might be some pressure to cut rates. But if these tariffs end up resulting in price increases that show up in inflation data, that rise in prices could cause the Fed to hold off on raising rates.

Inflation is still above the Fed’s 2% target, and Chairman Powell and others have repeatedly stated that they are keeping an eye on inflation to ensure that it doesn’t get out of hand again.

For the sake of argument, let’s assume that these tariffs result in an immediate 5% increase in price in all imported goods, and that this results in a spike in the inflation rate to 5%. That would seem to indicate that the Fed should at the very least hold steady on rates, if not raise them.

But again, as with the argument for rate cuts, everything is going to depend on the impact of tariffs, and it could take months before the impact is noticeable and the Fed reacts one way or another.

Helping To Protect Your Wealth

No matter what the Fed decides to do, the outlook for the economy seems to be looking more and more negative all the time. And more and more Americans are getting uneasy about their 401(k) accounts, wondering what’s going to happen next.

If you’ve built up your retirement savings over the decades, can you afford to let it all melt away if markets end up performing like they did in 2008?

Many Americans today are looking for safe havens to help safeguard them against economic uncertainty and financial turmoil, and more and more are finding that safety with gold. Gold has served as a safe haven for centuries, and is often one of the first assets people look for when looking to safeguard their wealth.

Recent safe haven buying has helped push the gold price to record highs of over $3,200 an ounce, and with so much uncertainty about the future, there is no telling where gold could go next.

Many people are choosing to buy gold with a gold IRA, which allows you to use your existing retirement savings to purchase physical gold coins or gold bars.

Gold IRAs offer the same tax advantages as any other IRA account, and can be funded with rollovers from existing 401(k), 403(b), TSP, IRA, or similar retirement accounts, which normally occur tax-free.

With over $3 billion in precious metals placements and thousands of satisfied customers, Goldco has helped many Americans benefit from adding gold to their portfolios. If you’re worried about the future of the economy, maybe it’s worth taking a look at gold.

No matter how you choose to buy gold, Goldco has options available for you. We work with mints around the world to source high quality IRA-eligible gold coins, guaranteeing that the gold you buy is 100% authentic.

Don’t wait for the Fed to move interest rates one way or another before you take steps to try to safeguard your money. Call Goldco today to learn more about how you can put gold to work in helping to preserve your wealth.

The post Will the Fed Continue Cutting Interest Rates? appeared first on Goldco.

After months of talk about how the Fed might be able to manage a “soft landing”, it seems as though markets are finally coming to grips with reality. Now more people understand just how dangerous and uncertain the future may be, and they’re looking to help preserve their assets accordingly.

Many of those people have decided to turn to gold to help safeguard their assets, as gold has a long and well deserved reputation as a safe haven asset during times of financial distress. And one method in particular, a gold IRA, continues to gain in popularity. Here is how a gold IRA works.

Key Takeaways

• Gold IRAs offer the ability to own physical gold coins or gold bars within a tax-advantaged retirement account.
• Gold IRAs are subject to the same rules and regulations as any other IRA account.
• Gold IRAs can be set up with relative ease, enabling you to use existing tax-advantaged retirement assets to acquire gold coins or gold bars for your gold IRA.

What Is a Gold IRA?

You may be wondering what a gold IRA is, and you’re not alone. To those who have experience with conventional IRAs, the idea of buying gold through an IRA may seem strange or foreign.

But as long as you follow all the rules and regulations, buying gold through a gold IRA works just the same as buying stocks or bonds through a conventional IRA.

Advantages of Owning Gold

Many people choose to start a gold IRA because it allows them to benefit from the many advantages of owning physical gold. There are many potential advantages to owning gold, including these three.

1. Diversify Your Portfolio

If there’s no other reason to buy gold, portfolio diversification could certainly be one. Because gold has a low correlation with many traditional assets, gold is sometimes looked at as an asset that can help diversify portfolios.

Many people think that holding a broad array of stocks and bonds, or mutual funds and index funds, is sufficient to diversify their portfolios. But they may neglect to consider that their assets are completely dependent on the performance of Wall Street and the US financial system for their value.

In the event of a systemic financial crisis, both bonds and stocks can lose value. If the purpose of diversification is to lower the risk of holding any single asset, then portfolios that are too highly concentrated could experience greater risk of loss.

2. Defense From Inflation

Gold has also traditionally served as a safe haven asset during times of high inflation. With inflation having become problematic in recent years, inflation defense could become increasingly important.

The last time the US faced significantly high systemic inflation was during the stagflation of the 1970s, when inflation peaked at over 13%. During that decade, gold’s average annualized growth rate was over 30%.

If inflation becomes resurgent today, as it was during the 1970s, gold owners would certainly hope that gold could repeat that type of performance. And if that happens, those who own gold could look back in 2030 or beyond and be incredibly happy that they made the decision to buy gold.

3. Asset Growth

Gold is an asset that doesn’t just gain value during bad times, either. In fact, over the long run its performance can be even better than stock markets, with gold having outperformed stock markets during the 21st century.

As you can see, gold has the ability to outperform stock markets even during a period in which stocks have seen many bull markets. And you can put that potential to good use through a gold IRA.

Advantages of a Gold IRA

A gold IRA has an additional advantage over other methods of acquiring gold such as buying gold coins. The gold coins or bars that you buy for a gold IRA can be purchased with pre-tax dollars, and your gains within your gold IRA accrue tax-free until you decide to take a distribution.

This is the same as any other IRA account, which is why a gold IRA can be a popular choice for those with existing tax-advantaged retirement accounts such as a 401(k), 403(b), TSP, or IRA. As long as you follow the gold IRA rules and regulations, moving your retirement savings to a gold IRA can be done relatively easily.

Gold IRA Rules

As with any IRA or other tax-advantaged retirement account, you need to follow various rules and regulations. You may want to consult with your tax advisor or financial advisor to make sure that you’re following these regulations and not accidentally exposing yourself to taxes or penalties.

The rules and regulations pertaining to gold IRAs are largely the same as those pertaining to other IRA accounts. Here are some important gold IRA rules to be aware of.

Rollovers and Transfers

Many people choose to fund their gold IRA through a rollover or transfer from an existing retirement account such as a 401(k) or Traditional IRA.

Sometimes this is done to safeguard gains made in these retirement accounts. Other times this is to put funds in orphaned accounts managed by previous employers to better use.

Most of the time these rollovers and transfers from an existing retirement account to a gold IRA can be done tax-free. Goldco has helped thousands of customers roll over their retirement savings into a gold IRA to help safeguard their existing retirement assets.

Contribution Limits

Contribution limits are the same for a gold IRA as they are for any other IRA account. For 2025 the contribution limit to an IRA is $7,000 if you’re under age 50, and $8,000 if you’re over age 50. These limits of course don’t apply to rollovers and transfers, which can be any sum you want.

IRA-Eligible Gold Coins and Bars

Not all gold coins and bars are eligible for acquisition through a gold IRA. The tax code forbids collectibles, including coins, from being acquired by an IRA.

The exceptions are for certain coins produced by the US Mint, as well as coins and bars meeting minimum fineness requirements, which are .995 (99.5% pure) for gold coins.

Most gold coins produced today meet these fineness requirements, as they are produced with IRA acquisition in mind. There are numerous coin options that you can choose from.

What this means, however, is that most older coins are not eligible for purchase through a gold IRA. If you were to attempt to purchase these coins with IRA assets, it would be considered a distribution, and would subject you to potential taxes and penalties.

You also can’t purchase coins you already own with gold IRA assets, as this would violate rules against self-dealing.

With over a decade of experience helping customers buy gold coins, and with established relationships with mints around the world, Goldco’s representatives can ensure that the coins you buy are indeed eligible for your IRA.

Tax Treatment

Most gold IRAs are Traditional gold IRAs, in which purchases are made with pre-tax dollars and gains are taxed only at distribution. But you can also open a Roth gold IRA, in which assets are purchased with post-tax dollars and gains are not taxed at all when you take a qualified distribution.

There is also the possibility of a Roth conversion, in which you convert pre-tax dollars from existing retirement accounts into a Roth gold IRA and pay taxes on that conversion. In general, whatever can be done with a conventional IRA can be done with a gold IRA.

Required Minimum Distributions

Regulations pertaining to required minimum distributions (RMDs) are the same for a gold IRA as they are for other IRA accounts. If your gold IRA is a Roth IRA, there are no RMDs.

If your gold IRA is a Traditional IRA, you will be required to take RMDs once you reach age 73. If you attempt to take a distribution before age 59½, you could be subject to potential taxes and penalties.

Gold IRA Custodian and Depository

As with any other IRA account, your gold IRA assets will need to be managed by a custodian. Goldco partners with gold IRA custodians who have years of experience in the precious metals industry.

Your gold IRA coins and bars will also be stored at a precious metals depository. Goldco partners with depositories who have significant experience helping keep our customers’ assets safe and secure.

3 Easy Steps to Start a Gold IRA

At Goldco, we believe that buying gold shouldn’t have to be difficult. We do everything we can to make sure that our customers can benefit from owning gold.

That’s why there are just three easy steps that you can take to start your gold IRA.

1. Sign Your Gold IRA Agreement

If you choose to open a gold IRA, you would first sign an agreement choosing to do business with Goldco.

2. Fund Your Gold IRA

Once you have opened your gold IRA, you can decide how you want to fund your account. Rollovers or transfers from existing retirement accounts are a popular option, and can be done tax-free in most cases.

Goldco’s representatives have helped thousands of customers get started with the gold IRA rollover process, and they can help you too. But be sure to consult with your financial advisor and tax advisor to make sure that you’re not going to incur any tax liabilities.

3. Select and Purchase Metals for Your Gold IRA

Once you have funded your gold IRA, you get to decide which gold coins or bars you want to buy.

That’s part of the beauty of a self-directed gold IRA, the ability to control your asset allocation so that you buy what you want, when you want. You are in complete control of your assets.

Goldco offers coins and bars from mints around the world, and our established relationships mean that we can offer you coins that are guaranteed to be authentic.

Once you have purchased your coins, they will be shipped to the depository you choose, which will then keep your gold safe and secure. And when you decide to take a distribution, you will be able to take that distribution either in cash or in gold.

Interested in a Gold IRA?

Buying gold through a gold IRA shouldn’t be difficult. With Goldco’s years of experience and thousands of satisfied customers, we know just what it takes to streamline the process of buying gold so that you can start preserving your wealth as quickly as possible.

If you’re looking to help safeguard your retirement savings, a gold IRA could be just what you’re looking for.

The ability to seamlessly roll over or transfer funds tax-free from existing retirement accounts, the numerous gold coin and bar options available to you, and the ease of providing quick diversification make a gold IRA an increasingly attractive option in today’s uncertain financial environment.

Why let your hard-earned savings remain subject to the potential pitfalls of Wall Street?

If you’re nearing retirement, can you afford to sit through another financial downturn and watch your retirement savings possibly waste away?

If the next potential crisis ends up being long and protracted, do you have time to recoup any potential losses?

Don’t put off trying to defend and preserve your wealth any longer. Call the experts at Goldco today to learn more about how gold can help safeguard your savings.

This article was originally published in May 2022 and was updated in April 2025.

The post This Is How a Gold IRA Works appeared first on Goldco.

Now that inflation has been somewhat tamed, we don’t hear about it nearly as much, but does that mean the problem has gone away?

If you go shopping at the grocery store on a regular basis, you’re probably well aware that prices are far higher today than they were five years ago. But while the pace of inflation may not be as great as it was a few years ago, that doesn’t mean inflation has completely disappeared.

Here’s why inflation could remain problematic.

3 Key Takeaways

• Although inflation has fallen from its 2022 peak, it is still running above the Federal Reserve’s 2% target.
• The future direction of inflation indices is uncertain, and could be impacted by tariffs.
• Gold can act as a hedge against inflation and economic uncertainty, and its recent rise in price has been driven in part by concerns over the economy.

What Is Inflation?

Let’s first get the definition of inflation out of the way. Inflation as it has traditionally been understood is a rise in the supply of money, the effect of which, all other things being equal, is a rise in prices.

Most mainstream modern economic schools have substituted effect for cause, and now define inflation as a general rise in the price level, something that in times past would have been referred to as “price inflation.”

While that may be problematic for economic theory, for our purposes in discussing inflation we’ll run with the modern definition of inflation since that’s what most people today refer to when talking about inflation.

That brings up the question of what is the price level?

Here we’ll look at three different price level indices of inflation:

• Consumer Price Index (CPI)
• Producer Price Index (PPI)
• Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE)

Each of these can also be further broken down into “core” and “headline” figures. Core CPI, PPI, and PCE are those figures from which food and energy prices have been stripped out, as these prices can be vulnerable to volatile swings due to weather, political unrest, or other unpredictable factors.

The headline figures are the overall figures with energy and food included, and give the broadest overall sense of prices.

Consumer Price Index

The consumer price index is the inflation index that is supposed to most closely reflect the price increases seen by consumers. In mid-2022, the annual CPI change hit 9%, the highest level in 40 years.

Since that time CPI has decreased significantly, but it still has a ways to go before it reaches the Federal Reserve’s 2% target. CPI struggled to break below 3%, and momentarily blipped back up to 3% in January.

The latest CPI numbers show a 2.8% year-on-year increase, but consumers and policymakers are going to want to see whether those numbers can push further downward towards 2%.

Producer Price Index

The producer price index is supposed to reflect the costs producers of goods and services see. The particular index that is cited in headline data is the producer price index (PPI) for final demand, which reflects the prices received by producers for finished goods and services.

PPI numbers can often be higher and more volatile than CPI numbers. PPI peaked at 11.6% in March 2022, and has since fallen back to 3.2% in February, up from 0.3% in June 2023. Looking at PPI charts, the general trend since June 2023 has been upward once again.

PPI final demand data only goes back to 2010, so to look at how these numbers compare historically, we have to look at various other PPI indices, such as the PPI index for final demand for finished goods.

That index peaked at over 18% in mid-2022, the highest level since 1974. Various other PPI indices showed similar behavior, indicating that producers may have seen even more volatility in prices over the past few years than consumers did.

Personal Consumption Expenditures

Personal consumption expenditures is “a measure of the prices that people living in the United States, or those buying on their behalf, pay for goods and services.” Unlike CPI and PPI, which are published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, PCE figures are published by the Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Whereas CPI is a pure index, PCE itself is a measure of the total amount of money spent by Americans. These figures are then used to create a PCE index, which is the Federal Reserve’s preferred method of calculating inflation.

The PCE index peaked at 7.2% year-on-year increases in mid-2022, and is currently showing a 2.5% year-on-year increase, up from 2.1% in September 2024. Once again, like the other inflation indices, the PCE index fell and is now rising again.

Where Is Inflation Headed?

It’s hard to say right now where inflation might be headed. Looking back historically at the 1970s stagflation, it was characterized by peaks and troughs, including periods in which it looked like inflation was coming back down to more normal levels.

Could recent inflation moves mean that inflation is going to pick back up again? Could this be a temporary blip after which inflation will once again resume falling? Or could this be a long-term level at which inflation is going to stay for a while?

It will likely require many more months of data and observation before any long-term trend in inflation becomes apparent. But there are plenty of things that could happen between now and then that could impact inflation.

Perhaps first and foremost at the front of most people’s minds is the potential impact of Trump’s tariffs. Any price increases as a result of tariff increases could result in increases in the CPI, PPI, or PCE figures.

That, in turn, could impact how the Federal Reserve decides to go forward with its conduct of monetary policy. It will have to figure out, if inflation figures rise, how much can be attributed to tariffs versus monetary factors.

The Fed will also have to take into account the potential for recession, as fears of recession and stock market crashes have come to the fore after stock markets saw red in the days following Trump’s Liberation Day tariff announcement.

If the Fed ends up cutting rates to try to forestall a recession, it could end up pushing inflation even higher. So the Fed could find itself between a rock and a hard place, having to weigh potentially higher inflation on the one hand and potential recession on the other.

Millions of Americans may have to deal with those possibilities as well, with fears of inflation and recession as a result of Trump’s tariffs rocking financial markets and eroding the value of assets held in 401(k) and IRA accounts.

If markets continue to decline, Americans could see trillions of dollars of wealth wiped out of their retirement accounts. And that’s why so many Americans today are starting to look to precious metals like gold and silver to help safeguard their portfolios.

Gold and silver have served as safe haven assets for centuries, helping people navigate financial turmoil and economic uncertainty. And with a gold IRA or silver IRA you can even own physical gold or silver within a tax-advantaged retirement account.

Precious metals IRAs allow you to acquire gold or silver coins or bars using the assets in your existing assets in your 401(k), 403(b), TSP, IRA, or similar retirement accounts. In most cases the rollover from these accounts into a gold IRA can be done tax-free, allowing you to benefit from owning gold while still enjoying the same tax advantages as any other IRA account.

If you’re worried about the threat of inflation, recent weakness in markets, or the potential for recession, maybe gold and silver are worth looking into. And Goldco’s representatives can help.

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