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Research note · Gold IRA field guide

Before the rollover.

A retirement-account decision deserves more than a sales call.

Education, not a rollover recommendation. Metals can lose value, generate no interest or dividends, and create custody, liquidity and concentration risks. Moving retirement money can have tax consequences. No paid referral links are active here; enrollment and provider vetting are unverified. Disclosure & limitations.

Your first conversation is with your current plan

Establish the account path.

  1. Name the existing account. Record whether it is an employer plan, traditional IRA, Roth IRA or another arrangement. Ask the current administrator which transfers or distributions are permitted.
  2. Distinguish a transfer from a rollover. Ask who receives the money, what paperwork is required and whether withholding, deadlines or tax reporting apply. Do not assume a salesperson’s use of “tax-free” resolves those questions.
  3. Compare doing nothing. Set out the costs and trade-offs of retaining the current account, using a different investment structure or buying taxable bullion. A metals IRA is not automatically the appropriate route.
  4. Get independent tax guidance. Ask a qualified professional about your specific account, eligibility, distribution obligations and proposed transaction before authorizing movement.

Put every party on the page.

The dealer
Who sells the coins or bars? Who sets the purchase price and any repurchase bid? Is the person calling you employed by that dealer or a separate marketer?
The custodian
Who administers the account and maintains records? Request the account agreement directly; ask what oversight the custodian does—and does not—provide.
The depository
Where would the metal be stored? Request the storage agreement, ownership records, insurance scope and instructions for a sale or distribution. Do not assume home storage is a compliant option.

The fee stack: request it in writing.

For each line below, ask who receives the fee, when it is charged, what makes it change and whether it still applies after a promotion ends.

  • Opening and funding: account setup, transfer, wire and transaction charges.
  • Ongoing administration: annual account fees, flat versus value-based schedules, and charges for extra services.
  • Storage and insurance: segregated versus non-segregated arrangements, coverage limits and any separately billed insurance.
  • Purchase markup: exact coin or bar, quantity, total metal content, quoted price and the contemporaneous spot reference. Account fees alone do not reveal the cost of buying the metal.
  • Exit and distribution: selling spread, liquidation, account closure, transfer-out, shipment and in-kind distribution costs.
  • Promotions: eligibility, duration, exclusions, repayment conditions and the standard charges after the waiver.

Copy this request into your own notes

Ask for a complete quote.

“Please send the custodian and storage agreements, the full fee schedule, and an itemized quote identifying the exact metals. Separately show the dealer’s current buyback bid for those same items, all charges to sell or transfer, and the terms after any promotion ends. Identify which amounts are estimates and when this quote expires.”

Compare documents on equivalent assumptions. Keep the quote date and source, and write “not supplied” beside unanswered questions. A verbal assurance is not a substitute for a contract.

Reasons to pause.

  • A deadline, fear-based pitch or promised return replaces a written explanation.
  • The quoted product changes from ordinary bullion to a collectible without a clear cost and resale comparison.
  • The sales team cannot distinguish its role from the custodian or vault.
  • “Guaranteed buyback” does not specify pricing, deductions, timing or conditions.
  • You would need quick access to money, cannot absorb losses, or do not understand the tax path.

Do not send money or sensitive account documents until you have independently checked the legal entity and contact details.

Start with primary sources.

These are official educational sources, not provider referrals. Rules and your circumstances may differ; consult the current documents and a qualified professional. This research note has not received professional factual sign-off.

Provider referrals are on hold. Earlier company-review notes did not establish completed fee verification, regulatory checks or professional review. We have not converted them into endorsements or enrollment links.