Investing in gold and silver has become increasingly popular among investors looking to diversify their retirement portfolios. Perhaps the biggest advantage of investing in precious metals is their potential for providing a hedge against inflation, currency devaluation and other macroeconomic uncertainties. In fact, recently, gold prices have gone up, while cryptocurrency values have come down. This is no prediction of future results, but it highlights why many investors turn to gold and silver in Self-Directed IRAs: they’re relatively confident that these precious metals will hold on to their value.

Using a Self-Directed IRA for Gold and Silver Investments

Self-Directed IRAs are becoming increasingly popular as investors seek to gain control of their retirement investments like never before. One of the main benefits of a Self-Directed IRA is the ability to add physical metals to your savings portfolio. This allows investors to take responsibility for their own financial decisions and take advantage of the unique investment opportunities such vehicles provide – including investing in valuable metals such as gold and silver.

This kind of diversification is beyond what many investors typically experience, as it allows them to diversify a retirement account into multiple asset classes. Many investors might typically think about diversification as including a wide range of stocks across different sectors. But fewer investors think about diversification through asset classes like real estate, precious metals, and more. Precious metals offer one such avenue—to hold a different class of value within the tax protections of a retirement account.

What to Know About Gold and Silver in Self-Directed IRAs

Advantages of investing in precious metals with a Self-Directed IRA include tax deferred growth. That means, any profits made from the sale can be reinvested back into your account without having to pay taxes on those gains. Until withdrawals are made after age 59 1/2, of course (strict IRS rules apply). IRAs also allow for greater flexibility since large amounts of money can be invested all at once without penalty or extra taxes due up front.

Investors should note that when it comes to investing in physical precious metals with an IRA only certain types are eligible. These include: gold, silver, platinum and palladium coins or bars approved by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Additionally, if you plan on taking delivery of whatever metal you purchase then there are specific storage requirements. These are as outlined by law and must be followed. Otherwise, you can choose to have your metals stored via a custodian you appointed yourself. This must also come with an approved depository centers located throughout the United States.

Be Mindful of Risks

Worth noting is that while Self-Directed IRAs offer far more autonomy over one’s investments, they do come with more responsibility. They also automatically involve an element risk due to lack of regulatory oversight provided by banks.

Do precious metals allow investors to hold on to their purchasing power? That’s the subject of some debate, as some investors were disappointed with gold and silver’s performance during the inflationary period of 2022. However, that doesn’t mean gold and silver should always expect to correlate inversely with inflation.

Gaining control over your investments through a Self-Directed IRA provides an excellent option for investors. Specifically, those who are looking to diversify their portfolios while potentially taking advantage of more lucrative investments. When it comes to adding physical gold and silver bullion, make sure you do thorough research beforehand. You will want to familiarize yourself with the laws and regulations so that you can maximize returns without running afoul of the rules. To find out more, be sure to give us a ring at American IRA by dialing 866-7500-IRA today.

Want more about investing in precious metals with your Self-Directed IRA? Visit: A Beginner’s Guide to Precious Metals Investing with Self-Directed IRAs | American IRA