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Gold IRA Basics

Gold IRA Guide: How It Works

A plain-English guide to self-directed IRAs holding certain eligible precious metals, including dealer, custodian and storage roles.

Independent editorial research · Fact-checked September 12, 2026

Research takeaway: A Gold IRA is not a special tax class of IRA; it is commonly a self-directed IRA arrangement that holds qualifying precious metals under IRA rules.

What to know first

A plain-English guide to self-directed IRAs holding certain eligible precious metals, including dealer, custodian and storage roles. The practical goal is to reduce the decision to verifiable facts: what the account can legally hold, how money moves, who has custody, what you pay to buy and own the metals, and how you eventually sell or distribute them.

  • Choose an appropriate self-directed IRA custodian or trustee.
  • Fund the account through an eligible contribution, transfer or rollover.
  • Purchase only metals that satisfy applicable IRA rules.
  • Keep qualifying bullion in required custody.
  • Plan for administration, storage and eventual distributions.

The three-party structure

A precious-metals IRA often involves at least three distinct roles. The dealer sells the metal. The IRA custodian or trustee administers the retirement account and reporting. The depository/storage arrangement holds the physical metal under the required custody framework. Some providers coordinate these relationships, but they remain economically and legally distinct.

Why home storage is a high-stakes issue

IRS IRA guidance says gold and other bullion are generally collectibles, with an exception for certain qualifying bullion when it is in the physical possession of a bank or IRS-approved nonbank trustee. That is why marketing claims suggesting that ordinary personal home possession is unquestionably compatible with an IRA deserve careful scrutiny.

Questions to ask before acting

  • What exact problem am I trying to solve with this account or investment?
  • What are the simpler or lower-cost alternatives?
  • What is the all-in first-year cost and expected ongoing annual cost?
  • What facts are coming from the dealer, and what facts are coming from primary legal or tax sources?
  • How will I exit, rebalance, sell or take distributions later?

Primary sources used

Editorial note

Provider terms and promotions can change. We use dealer websites for dealer-specific claims and IRS materials for federal IRA rules. Recheck current documents before moving money or purchasing metals.