Yes. Self-directed IRAs holding physical precious metals have been permitted since the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997. The account follows the same tax rules as any other IRA — the difference is that it holds IRS-approved coins and bars at a licensed depository instead of stocks and funds.

Not when it is done as a direct rollover or a trustee-to-trustee transfer — the money moves between custodians and never touches your hands, so the IRS does not treat it as a distribution. The trap to avoid is the indirect rollover, where you personally receive a check and must redeposit it within 60 days.

Not inside an IRA. The law requires IRA metals to be held by an approved custodian at an IRS-approved depository, stored in your account's name, insured and audited. Storing IRA gold at home is treated as a distribution, with taxes and potential penalties to match.

Three layers: a one-time setup fee (commonly $50–$150), annual custodian and storage fees (typically $150–$300 combined), and the dealer's premium over the spot price of the metal — which is where careless buyers lose real money. A trustworthy company puts all three in writing before you commit.

Only high-purity bullion: gold at 99.5% or finer, such as the Canadian Maple Leaf, Austrian Philharmonic, and American Buffalo, plus the American Gold Eagle under a specific exception. Collectible, commemorative, and pre-1933 coins do not qualify — and an IRA pitch built around 'rare' coins is a warning sign.

That is between you and a licensed advisor — we don't give individual financial advice. For context, advisors who use precious metals at all most commonly discuss single-digit to low-teens percentages of a portfolio. Gold is a hedge that holds purchasing power; it isn't designed to be the whole plan.