As far as investments go, gold and silver are probably one of the more stable investments you can get into. Gold prices do not fluctuate with the market so if the economy fails, your investment should be intact. Silver is a little different, however.
Silver is used in jewelry like gold is, and it is used in technology. If there is a market or economic crash like there has been in the past, then companies that make technology that uses silver may suffer. However, since technology is so important to the everyday workings of society, you probably will not see that big of a change since at worst, you will still have the face value of the silver itself which will not drop. Likewise, if there is an economic boom, then you could get even more money than the face value.
If you are interested in investing in gold or silver, gold or silver IRA can be a great option for you. This will help you earn money for your retirement while also allowing you to invest in a commodity that you have been wanting to invest in for a while.
There are two ways you can get a gold IRA account. You can open a new account and begin from nothing, or you can roll over your existing IRA or 401k into a new account. It’s up to you. Below you will find a little more information about precious metal IRAs and how to roll over your existing accounts.
Choose an institution and a custodian
This is the first step. Before you can open an account, you first need to decide what bank, trust company, or credit unit you are going to use for your new account. I recommend using this link to learn more about potential institutions, you can follow this link. It will also have a more in-depth guide on gold IRAs. https://bmogamviewpoints.com/401k-to-gold-ira-rollover-guide/
Once you have chosen your institution, you have to find a custodian. A custodian will hold your gold for you and keep it safe. You cannot keep the gold that you store in your home safe. The IRS does not allow it and they will consider it a withdrawal from your account if you do not follow this rule. Then you will be subjected to penalties and fees because you withdrew from your account too early.
Finding a custodian, you can trust can be tricky. There are a lot of scammers out there who will take your gold without a second thought. That is why it is important to vet them before you give them any money or gold for their services. If you are having a hard time finding one. The bank or institution you chose to open the account with should be able to help you find a reputable custodian who can keep your gold.
Figure out how you are funding it
Like I said above, there are two options to fund your account. One is to use the money that is in your savings or checking account to fund the account and buy gold. The second, and probably one of the more common options is to roll over your existing IRA or 401k account into your new gold IRA account.
There are a few pros and cons to rolling over your existing 401k or IRA account. By rolling over your money into a new, self-directed IRA account, you will not have multiple accounts open at once. Some people may have a harder time than others managing multiple IRAs. You can only invest a certain amount of money into your accounts and by having more than one, you will have to divide the money amongst them all or you will face penalties and tax implications.
A con to this is that it can take time to roll over your funds into a new account. If you are rolling a 401k account into an IRA, that can take about 60 days to complete depending on the case. The same can be said if you are switching banks and opening a new IRA with a different institution. You have roughly 60 days to move the cash between accounts.
For more information on rollover accounts, click here.
Now it is time to buy the gold or silver
Once your accounts have been settled and your money is in there, you can use it to purchase real, physical gold or silver. You have the ultimate say and can decide on one or both to invest in. While it does not matter which you decide to invest in, it does matter a great deal about what kind of gold or silver you place into your IRA account.
The IRS will only allow you to invest in specific kinds of gold and silver bullion. For gold, you have to purchase bullion coins or bricks with at least a 99.5% purity rating. For silver, it’s a bit higher. You can only invest in silver that has a purity rating of 99.9%. Failure to do so will cost you penalties and fees from the IRS. There are also several kinds of coins that are not allowed in an IRA.
Examples of gold and silver products that can be in an IRA are the American Eagle coin, Australian Kangaroo, Chinese Panda, Canadian Maple Leaf, America the Beautiful, British Britannia, and a few others. Make sure you ask your bank or custodian about your options before you make your purchase. That way you will not be in a situation where you cannot place your newly purchased gold into your account.
Gold coins are extremely collectible, and many people enjoy buying them without putting them into an IRA account. If you’re looking to do this as well, here’s a link that can help guide you.
Final thoughts
Gold and Silver are popular investments that can help you save for your retirement. Precious metal IRAs are easy to open and manage. As long as you go through the proper channels and follow all the IRS-related rules and regulations, you can avoid the fees and penalties that come with an IRA account. Remember, a precious metal IRA follows the same rules as a regular IRA account.