FAQ: Precious Metals IRA — Using Gold Eagle Coins and Other Precious Metals

1. What is a precious metals IRA? (A self-directed IRA)
The term ‘self-directed’ simply means that you, as an individual, have complete control over selecting and directing your own individual retirement account or 401k investments. Once established, your account can buy real estate, notes, limited partnerships, commercial paper and many other types of assets.

With a self directed individual retirement account or real estate IRA, you make all of the decisions regarding your investments. The self directed IRA custodian or administrator completes the documents required to establish your account and purchase your investment.

A Precious Metals IRA is one type of Self-Directed IRAS. Precious metals are one of the many options self-directed investors have to choose from when it comes to diversifying their retirement portfolios.

2. When is an optimal time to buy IRA gold?
We get this question nearly every day. Most experts and investors agree that you can drive yourself crazy trying to time the market for the optimal entry point. What they do agree on is that it’s a good idea to have ten to twenty percent of your assets in precious metals as ‘wealth insurance’. That way, if your ‘paper’ and traditional investments (stocks, bonds, mutual funds, etc.) lose a great deal of their value, chances are that precious metals can either retain or gain value in inverse to how the paper investments perform. And don’t forget silver and platinum, too. Further diversifying into other precious metals give you even more flexibility.

3. Can I use gold eagle coins for my Precious Metals IRA?
Yes. Gold needs to be .995 pure to be deposited in a Precious Metals IRA account. The one exception is the US Gold Eagle, which is .9167 pure (22 carat purity).

4. How do I know when to cash out of my Precious Metals IRA?
You should apply the same considerations as with any other IRA. Consult your tax or investment specialist for questions regarding payouts, tax implications, early withdrawals, etc.

5. Are some gold IRA coins better than others?
Here is a partial list of acceptable gold coins for Precious Metals IRA accounts:

GOLD
American Eagle coins
Australian Kangaroo/Nugget coins
Austrian Philharmonic coins
Canadian Maple Leaf coins
Credit Suisse – Pamp Suisse Bars
U.S. Buffalo Gold Uncirculated coins (no Proofs)
When you’re ready to purchase coins for your Precious Metals IRA, just contact us and we’ll advise you on what the lowest available premium is. At the end of the day, you want the most metal for your money. Some gold will carry a lower premium than others on any given day. We’ll make sure that you get the most metal for your money invested.

6. How do I set up a Precious Metals IRA?
We work with three different companies to assist our customers in establishing Precious Metals IRAS:

The Entrust Group, Self-Directed IRA, Real Estate IRA or Precious Metals IRA: Open Up A World of Choices for Your Retirement Investments

Goldstar Trust
GoldStar Trust Company is a leading custodian for Self-Directed IRAs specializing in precious metals in the United States. Our experience and expertise in precious metals investments make it easy to own these assets as part of your retirement.

Sterling Trust
The Leading Custodian for Alternative Investments
Sterling Trust is a passive self-directed IRA custodian specializing in self-directed IRAs, qualified business retirement plans and non-qualified custodial accounts.