Gold IRA Fees & Costs

Understand setup, custody, storage, dealer spreads and other costs that can affect a precious-metals IRA.

Understand setup, custody, storage, dealer spreads and other costs that can affect a precious-metals IRA. This guide is designed to help you identify the rules, costs, and decision points that matter before you contact a dealer or move retirement assets.

The visible fees

Common account-level charges include setup, annual administration or custody, and storage. Some providers bundle costs; others bill separately.

The less-visible cost: dealer spread

The spread is the difference between what a dealer charges you and what it would pay to buy the same product back at the same moment. Ask for both numbers in dollars before placing an order. A “zero commission” claim does not mean a transaction has zero economic cost.

Questions to put in writing

• What is the total first-year account cost?
• What is the recurring annual cost?
• Is storage segregated or commingled?
• What is today’s spot price and my purchase price?
• What would your current buyback price be for the same product?
• Are there wire, shipping, liquidation or account-closing charges?

Compare total dollars, not labels

A flat annual fee can be attractive for a large account and relatively expensive for a small one. Percentage-based costs work the opposite way. Use a realistic holding period and total dollar estimate.