GOLD IRA — Education & Provider Information

The education library

Gold IRA Guides

Plain-English explanations of how a gold IRA works: the rules, the costs, storage and taking money out. Written by Adam Zimmerman, who has spent his career valuing precious metals for families deciding what to do next.

New to the terms? See the gold IRA glossary

Inheriting a Gold IRA: What Happens to the Account When You Pass
Education9 min read

Inheriting a Gold IRA: What Happens to the Account When You Pass

A gold IRA passes to the people you name, like any other IRA. How the handover works, the rules for spouses and children, what heirs can do with the metal, and how taxes apply.

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What Is a Gold IRA? A Plain-English Guide
Education9 min read

What Is a Gold IRA? A Plain-English Guide

A Gold IRA is a self-directed retirement account that can hold certain eligible physical precious metals. This guide explains the account structure, costs, custody requirements and risks.

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How a Gold IRA Rollover Works, Step by Step
Education7 min read

How a Gold IRA Rollover Works, Step by Step

A Gold IRA rollover generally involves account-opening and transfer paperwork. This guide explains the sequence, possible tax consequences, and questions to ask before authorizing a transaction.

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Gold IRA Fees Explained: What Costs May Be Involved
Education9 min read

Gold IRA Fees Explained: What Costs May Be Involved

Gold IRAs can involve account setup, custodial administration, storage, transaction and dealer-related costs. This guide explains each potential charge, who receives it, and what information to request from a provider.

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Counterfeit Gold Coin Detection Methods
Education9 min read

Counterfeit Gold Coin Detection Methods

Weight, dimensions, magnetism, sound, conductivity, ultrasound and professional assay each check something different. What each method can and cannot detect, and why they are used together.

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What Is a Depository? Where Your Gold IRA Metal Actually Lives
Education8 min read

What Is a Depository? Where Your Gold IRA Metal Actually Lives

Every Gold IRA ends with the same question: where does the metal go? Eligible bullion generally must remain in the physical possession of a qualified IRA trustee or custodian, often through a depository it uses. What that means, how it differs from a safe deposit box, and what to ask about any facility.

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How Physical Bullion Is Priced: Spot, Weight, Purity, Premiums and Spreads
Education9 min read

How Physical Bullion Is Priced: Spot, Weight, Purity, Premiums and Spreads

The price you pay for a coin is not the spot price. This guide breaks down each component of a bullion quote: the spot benchmark, how weight and purity are measured, what a premium covers, and how the buy-sell spread works.

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Questions to Ask a Gold IRA Company Before You Sign
Education9 min read

Questions to Ask a Gold IRA Company Before You Sign

A plain checklist of questions to put to any Gold IRA company about fees, pricing, buyback terms, minimums and custody, so you can compare answers side by side before you commit.

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Taking Money Out of a Gold IRA: Distributions and RMDs Explained
Education8 min read

Taking Money Out of a Gold IRA: Distributions and RMDs Explained

Most Gold IRA guides cover how to get in. This one covers how to get out: selling the metal for cash, taking the coins themselves, required yearly withdrawals, and the taxes and fees that can come with each.

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Can I Keep IRA-Owned Gold at Home?
Education7 min read

Can I Keep IRA-Owned Gold at Home?

Short answer: generally no, not while it's still inside the IRA. This guide explains the IRS custody rule, what "home storage IRA" offers really involve, and how you can legally end up holding the metal yourself, including through required withdrawals later in life.

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