Gold IRA Rollover: The Complete 2026 Guide to Moving a 401(k), IRA, TSP, 403(b) or Pension into Gold

That paragraph is the whole idea. Everything else in this guide is about doing it without tripping over a tax rule, overpaying for the metal, or being rushed by a salesperson. The mechanics are not complicated, but the details matter a great deal, because the money involved is usually a large share of someone's retirement savings - and the IRS does not give many second chances.

The three parties in every gold IRA rollover

Most confusion comes from not knowing who does what. There are always three separate roles, even when one company coordinates the paperwork:

• The custodian (or trustee). A bank, trust company or IRS-approved non-bank trustee that legally holds your self-directed IRA, keeps the records, reports to the IRS and pays the bills from your account. Examples include Equity Trust, STRATA Trust and GoldStar Trust.
• The dealer. The company that sells you the coins or bars. Gold IRA companies such as American Hartford Gold, Goldco and Augusta Precious Metals are dealers. They are not custodians, and no dealer is "IRS-approved" - the IRS does not approve or endorse dealers at all.
• The depository. A secure, insured vault such as Delaware Depository, Brink's or the Texas Bullion Depository, where the metal is stored in the custodian's name for your benefit.

The dealer often helps you fill in the custodian's forms, which is why it can feel like one company is doing everything. It is still worth knowing that the custodian - not the dealer - is the one the IRS cares about, and the custodian's fee schedule is separate from the dealer's prices.

What you will learn in this guide

We start with the vocabulary (rollover vs transfer vs conversion), then go account by account: which plans qualify, when you can move money while still working, and the 20% withholding trap that catches people who let a 401(k) send them a check. Then we walk through the process step by step, show realistic timelines, and cover the special cases - Roth money, the TSP, and partial rollovers.

The second half covers what you can buy, where it must be stored, what it really costs over ten years, the mistakes and sales tactics to watch for, how the companies we cover compare on rollovers, and how you eventually get the money back out. If you are new to the whole idea, our plain-English explainer What Is a Gold IRA? and our complete gold IRA guide are good companions to this one.

All company figures below are third-party-reported snapshots from October 2026. Tax rules are summarized from IRS publications and the Internal Revenue Code. None of this is personal advice - for a move this size, a short session with a tax professional or a fee-only financial adviser is money well spent.

People - and salespeople - use "rollover" loosely to mean any move of retirement money. The IRS uses three different terms, and they have different rules. Getting the word right on the paperwork is the first step to avoiding a tax bill.

1. Transfer (trustee-to-trustee transfer)

A transfer moves money from one IRA to another IRA of the same type - traditional to traditional, Roth to Roth, SEP to traditional - directly between the two custodians. You never receive a check made out to you. The IRS does not even treat a transfer as a distribution, so there is no tax reporting on your return, no withholding and no limit on how many you can do in a year. Moving an existing IRA at a bank or brokerage into a self-directed gold IRA is almost always done as a transfer.

2. Rollover (direct or indirect)

A rollover moves money out of one retirement plan and into another, where the money leaves one type of plan and lands in another - most commonly from an employer plan such as a 401(k), 403(b), governmental 457(b) or the TSP into an IRA. A rollover can be:

• Direct - the plan pays the money straight to your new IRA custodian (sometimes by a check made payable to the custodian "for the benefit of" you, which you simply forward). No tax is withheld.
• Indirect (the "60-day rollover") - the plan pays the money to you, and you have 60 days to deposit it into the new IRA. From an employer plan, 20% is withheld for federal tax. This is where most rollover disasters begin.

Rollovers are reported to the IRS on Form 1099-R by the old plan and on Form 5498 by the new custodian, and you report them on your tax return as a non-taxable rollover. That reporting is routine; it just means the paper trail must match.

3. Conversion (traditional to Roth)

A Roth conversion moves pre-tax money (from a traditional IRA or a pre-tax 401(k)) into a Roth IRA. Unlike a transfer or rollover, a conversion is taxable: the converted amount is added to your income for that year. In exchange, future qualified withdrawals from the Roth are tax-free and the Roth IRA has no required minimum distributions during your lifetime. A gold IRA can be a Roth gold IRA, and some people convert at the same time they move into metals. We cover the math in the Roth section and in our Roth gold IRA guide.

Side by side

The practical rule: ask for a direct rollover or a trustee-to-trustee transfer every time, and use the indirect method only if there is truly no alternative.

Most tax-advantaged retirement accounts can be moved into a self-directed IRA that holds metals. The catch is not usually whether the account qualifies, but when you are allowed to move it - an employer plan generally lets you roll money out only after you leave the job, reach a certain age, or the plan ends. The IRS publishes a one-page rollover chart that shows every allowed combination; the summary below covers the accounts our readers ask about most.

Summary for education only. Your plan document and the IRS rollover chart are the final word.

401(k) from a former employer

This is the most common source of gold IRA money and the simplest case. Once you have left the employer - for any reason, at any age - the plan must let you take a distribution, and you can ask for it to be paid as a direct rollover to your new custodian. Our dedicated 401(k) to gold IRA rollover guide has the plan-by-plan details.

One thing to weigh before you move: if you left your job in or after the year you turned 55, many 401(k) plans let you withdraw without the 10% early-withdrawal penalty (often called the "rule of 55"). That exception applies to the employer plan, not to IRAs. If you are between 55 and 59½ and expect to need the money soon, moving it all to an IRA could cost you that flexibility. A tax professional can tell you whether this applies to you.

403(b) and 457(b)

A 403(b) (used by schools, hospitals and nonprofits) works much like a 401(k) for rollover purposes. A governmental 457(b) has a special feature: withdrawals from the 457(b) itself are not subject to the 10% early-withdrawal penalty after you leave the job, regardless of age. Once you roll that money into an IRA, it becomes IRA money and the 10% penalty can apply to withdrawals before 59½. If you are under 59½ and might need some of the money, consider leaving part of it in the 457(b).

SEP and SIMPLE IRAs

A SEP IRA is a traditional IRA with special contribution rules, so it can be transferred to a self-directed gold IRA any time. A SIMPLE IRA has a trap: during the first two years after you first participated in your employer's SIMPLE plan, you can move the money tax-free only to another SIMPLE IRA. Move it to a traditional IRA in that window and any amount treated as a distribution can face a 25% additional tax instead of the usual 10%. After two years, it can move like any IRA.

Pensions and cash-balance plans

A traditional pension (defined-benefit plan) normally pays a monthly annuity, and annuity payments cannot be rolled over. But many pensions - and almost all cash-balance plans - offer a lump-sum option when you leave or retire. If you elect the lump sum, it can be paid as a direct rollover into an IRA, including a gold IRA. Choosing a lump sum over a lifetime pension is a major, usually irreversible decision that deserves a careful comparison by a fee-only adviser; the gold question comes second.

Inherited IRAs

If you inherit an IRA from a spouse, you generally can treat it as your own and move it like any other IRA. A non-spouse beneficiary cannot roll it over. The only way to move it is a direct trustee-to-trustee transfer into an inherited IRA titled in the deceased owner's name for your benefit. If a check is ever paid to you, it is a taxable distribution and cannot be put back. Most non-spouse beneficiaries must also empty the account within 10 years, which matters if you are buying a physical asset with a sales spread. Not every self-directed custodian offers inherited IRAs, so ask first.

Roth 401(k)

Roth money in a workplace plan can be rolled into a Roth IRA, including a Roth gold IRA. The Roth and pre-tax parts of a 401(k) usually have to go to two different IRAs. We cover the five-year clock and other Roth wrinkles in the Roth section below.

This is the single most important technical choice in the whole process. Choose the direct route and the move is a paperwork exercise. Choose the indirect route and you are personally responsible for a deadline, a withholding shortfall and a once-a-year limit.

The 60-day rule

With an indirect rollover, you have 60 days from the day you receive the distribution to deposit it into an IRA. Day 61 is too late: the money becomes a taxable distribution, plus the 10% additional tax if you are under 59½. Weekends and holidays are not added. Mail delays are not an excuse. If you are buying metals, remember the deadline is about depositing cash into the IRA - not about buying the metal - but you still need the account opened and ready to receive the deposit well before day 60.

The once-per-12-months rule

Since 2015, following the Bobrow Tax Court case, you may do only one IRA-to-IRA indirect rollover in any 12-month period, counted across all your IRAs combined - traditional, Roth, SEP and SIMPLE. It is a rolling 12 months, not a calendar year. A second indirect rollover inside that window is treated as a taxable distribution, and if you deposit it anyway it can be treated as an excess contribution with its own 6% per year penalty.

The rule does not apply to:

• trustee-to-trustee transfers between IRAs;
• direct or indirect rollovers from an employer plan (401(k), 403(b), 457(b), TSP) to an IRA;
• rollovers from an IRA to an employer plan; or
• Roth conversions.

This is another reason to always ask for a transfer: you can do as many as you like, with no clock running. IRS Publication 590-A explains both rules in detail.

Missed the 60 days? Rev. Proc. 2020-46

The IRS does allow relief in some cases. Under Revenue Procedure 2020-46, you can give the receiving custodian a written self-certification that you missed the deadline for one of the listed reasons - for example, an error by the financial institution, a misplaced and never-cashed check, serious illness of you or a family member, a death in the family, a house that was severely damaged, a postal error, or the money being placed in an account you mistakenly thought was a retirement plan. You generally must complete the rollover as soon as practicable once the reason no longer stops you (30 days is treated as meeting that standard).

Self-certification is not a free pass. The custodian may accept the deposit, but the IRS can still review it on audit and reject it if the facts do not hold up. Other options are a private letter ruling (expensive and slow) and an automatic waiver in narrow cases where a bank error caused the delay. The best plan is to never need any of them.

Which one should you choose?

1. IRA to gold IRA: trustee-to-trustee transfer. Your new custodian initiates it.
2. 401(k), 403(b), 457(b), TSP or pension lump sum to gold IRA: direct rollover. You ask the old plan to pay the new custodian.
3. Indirect rollover: only if the old plan refuses to pay the new custodian directly or you have already received a check. If so, read the next two sections carefully.

When a dealer or a website says a gold IRA rollover is "tax-free and penalty-free", that is true only of the direct methods done correctly. It is not a guarantee that applies however the money moves.

"Can I move my 401(k) into gold while I am still at my job?" is one of the most common questions we get. The honest answer is: it depends entirely on your plan. The law permits certain in-service distributions, but each employer decides which ones its plan offers.

What the rules allow

• Age 59½ in-service withdrawals. Many 401(k) and 403(b) plans let active employees who have reached 59½ take an in-service distribution of some or all of their balance. If the plan allows it, that distribution can be paid as a direct rollover to an IRA, including a gold IRA, while you keep working and contributing.
• Rollover and after-tax money. Some plans let you withdraw money you previously rolled into the plan, or after-tax contributions, at any age. These "sources" have their own rules.
• Employer contributions. Some plans permit in-service withdrawals of vested employer money after a certain number of years. This is less common.
• Your own pre-tax deferrals before 59½. Generally not available as an in-service rollover. Hardship withdrawals exist, but hardship distributions cannot be rolled over.
• TSP. Federal employees can take age-based in-service withdrawals from 59½; see the TSP section.
• Governmental 457(b). Some plans allow in-service distributions at 59½; others only after separation.

How to find out what your plan allows

1. Log in to your plan website and look for "withdrawals", "distributions" or "rollovers". If an "in-service" or "age 59½" option appears, the plan offers it.
2. Read the Summary Plan Description (SPD). Search it for "in-service".
3. Call the plan administrator (the record-keeper, such as Fidelity, Vanguard or Empower) and ask, word for word: "Does my plan allow an in-service distribution at age 59½, and can it be paid as a direct rollover to an IRA?"
4. Ask whether there are limits - some plans allow only one in-service withdrawal per year, or only from certain money sources.

Things to weigh before an in-service rollover

• You can usually keep contributing. Taking an in-service rollover generally does not stop your 401(k) contributions or employer match, but confirm this - some plans used to suspend contributions after certain withdrawals.
• Loans. If you have an outstanding 401(k) loan, a large withdrawal can complicate it. Ask the plan how it would be handled.
• Creditor protection. Money in an ERISA plan such as a 401(k) has very strong federal protection from creditors. IRAs have strong protection in bankruptcy, but outside bankruptcy the protection depends on your state. For most people this is a minor point; for people in high-liability professions it is worth asking an attorney.
• Costs. Your 401(k) may have very low-cost index funds. A gold IRA carries a custodian fee, storage and a dealer spread. Moving only part of the balance is common - see partial rollovers.
• The withholding trap. In-service distributions are usually eligible rollover distributions, which means 20% withholding applies if the money is paid to you. Always ask for a direct rollover.

If your plan does not allow it

If you are still employed and your plan has no in-service option, you cannot roll the 401(k) into a gold IRA yet. Your options are to wait until you leave the job or reach the plan's eligible age, or to use other money - an existing IRA from an earlier job, for example - for the metals portion. A salesperson who tells you "everyone can roll over at any age" is wrong. Our 401(k) rollover guide walks through how to check.

This is the most expensive mistake in this whole guide, and it is entirely avoidable. When an employer plan - a 401(k), 403(b), governmental 457(b) or the TSP - pays an eligible rollover distribution to you instead of directly to another retirement account, federal law requires it to withhold 20% for federal income tax. You cannot opt out. The catch is that to finish a tax-free rollover, you must deposit the full pre-withholding amount within 60 days - including the 20% you never received.

Worked example: a $100,000 401(k)

Linda, 52, leaves her job with a $100,000 pre-tax 401(k). Instead of requesting a direct rollover, she asks the plan to "send me the money" because a salesperson told her she could then move it into a gold IRA herself.

She now has two choices.

Option A: she finds the extra $20,000

Linda deposits the $80,000 check plus $20,000 from her savings account into her new gold IRA within 60 days. The full $100,000 is rolled over, nothing is taxable, and the $20,000 withheld is credited as tax paid on her return. When she files, she gets that $20,000 back as part of her refund (or it reduces what she owes). Result: no tax, no penalty - but her $20,000 was tied up for up to a year or more, until she files.

Option B: she deposits only the $80,000

Linda deposits only the $80,000 she received. The missing $20,000 is treated as a distribution:

She will get back the part of the $20,000 withholding that exceeds what she owes, but $20,000 of her retirement money has permanently left the tax shelter and she has paid about $6,400 in federal tax and penalty that she did not need to pay - plus any state income tax. If she were 59½ or older, the 10% additional tax would not apply, but the $20,000 would still be taxable income.

Note on the 10% penalty: had Linda left her job in or after the year she turned 55, the plan's "rule of 55" exception would generally have removed the 10% additional tax on that $20,000 - but not the income tax. Exceptions like this are exactly the kind of detail to confirm with a tax professional before the money moves, not after.

How to avoid the trap completely

• Ask the plan for a direct rollover. No withholding applies.
• If the plan insists on cutting a check, make sure it is payable to the new custodian "FBO [your name]" - for example, "Equity Trust Company FBO Linda Smith IRA". A check payable to the custodian, even if mailed to you, is still a direct rollover.
• Never let a plan, an adviser or a dealer talk you into a check payable to you "to keep it simple".
• If it has already happened, decide quickly whether you can cover the 20% from other savings, and get the deposit done well inside 60 days.

IRA-to-IRA indirect rollovers are different: there is no mandatory 20%, though many IRA custodians withhold 10% unless you opt out. The once-per-12-months rule still applies to those. For more on how gold IRAs are taxed on the way in and out, see our gold IRA taxes and RMDs guide.

Here is the process in the order it actually happens. Most people finish in two to six weeks; the slowest step is usually the old plan releasing the money.

Step 1: Decide how much to move and from which account

Before you call any company, decide the dollar amount and the source account. Writing down a number in advance - and the reasons for it - is the best defense against a sales call that ends with you moving more than you intended. Our guide to how much gold belongs in a retirement portfolio covers how people commonly think about this.

Step 2: Check what your old plan allows

Confirm with the plan or IRA custodian that the money can be moved now (separation, age 59½ in-service, IRA transfer), whether there are surrender charges or fees for leaving, and what forms it needs. Ask: "Can you pay a direct rollover to another custodian, and do you need a letter of acceptance?" Many plans charge a small closing or distribution fee.

Step 3: Choose a dealer and a custodian

Pick the dealer (who sells the metal) and the custodian (who holds the IRA). Many dealers have preferred custodians; you are usually free to choose a different one. Compare written fee schedules, minimums and buyback policies. Our rankings of gold IRA companies and the methodology behind them show what we look at. Ask every dealer for its spread or markup in writing on the exact products it suggests.

Step 4: Open the self-directed IRA

Complete the custodian's application - online is often cheaper (for example, Equity Trust lists $50 to set up online vs $75 on paper, per its November 2025 fee schedule). You will need ID, your beneficiaries, and the account type: traditional for pre-tax money, Roth for Roth money. If you are rolling both, you need two accounts.

Step 5: Start the transfer or rollover

• IRA: sign the new custodian's transfer request form; the new custodian contacts the old one.
• 401(k) / 403(b) / 457(b) / TSP: request the distribution from the old plan yourself (online, by phone or form) as a direct rollover payable to the new custodian FBO you. Provide the new account number.

Step 6: Confirm the money arrived

Ask the new custodian to confirm the exact amount received and that it was coded correctly (rollover or transfer, traditional or Roth). Keep the confirmation.

Step 7: Choose your metals and lock the price

Only once the cash is in the IRA do you choose what to buy. Prices are locked on a recorded call or in writing. Get an invoice that shows, for each item: the product name, quantity, price per unit, and the spot price at the time. Check every item is IRA-eligible (see which metals you can buy). Stick with widely traded bullion unless you have a specific, informed reason not to.

Step 8: Sign the buy direction

The custodian - not you - pays the dealer. You sign a purchase authorization (often called a buy direction letter) telling the custodian to send funds to the dealer for the exact metals and prices agreed. Read it line by line before signing; it should match your invoice.

Step 9: Choose storage and confirm delivery

Choose the depository and whether you want non-segregated (commingled, cheaper) or segregated (your specific bars and coins stored separately) storage. The dealer ships the metal directly to the depository. Within a few weeks you should see the holdings, by item and quantity, on your custodian statement.

Step 10: Keep the paperwork and check your tax forms

Next January and February you will receive a Form 1099-R from the old plan (code G for a direct rollover is typical) and, by late May, a Form 5498 from the new custodian. Keep these with your invoice and transfer confirmations. If a 1099-R shows the wrong code, ask the plan to correct it before you file.

A quick checklist

• Amount decided in writing before any sales call
• Old plan confirmed it can release the money now
• Written fee schedule from the custodian
• Written spread/markup on each product from the dealer
• Direct rollover or transfer - no check payable to you
• Only IRA-eligible bullion on the invoice
• Metal shipped to an approved depository, not your home
• Holdings confirmed on your custodian statement

There is no official timetable for gold IRA rollovers, and the times below are approximate, typical ranges based on how custodians and plan administrators commonly describe the process. Your experience can be faster or slower. The biggest variable is how quickly the old plan or custodian releases the money.

After the money arrives, add roughly:

• 1-3 business days to choose metals and lock prices, if you have already decided what to buy;
• about 1-3 weeks for the dealer to ship the metal to the depository and for it to show on your statement.

So an end-to-end timeline of roughly two to six weeks is typical for an IRA or a former employer's 401(k), and longer for pensions. If a dealer advertises "same-day IRA" setup, that usually refers to opening the account, not to the old plan sending the money.

How to speed things up

• Open the new account online and get the account number before you request the rollover.
• Ask the old plan whether it can send the money by wire or electronic transfer rather than a mailed check.
• Ask in advance whether you need a medallion signature guarantee or notarized spousal consent - these are the most common causes of a two-week delay.
• Do not schedule the move during a plan's "blackout period" (often when the employer changes record-keepers).

Is your money "out of the market" while it moves?

Usually yes, for a short time. Most plans sell your funds to cash before sending a rollover. The money is then in cash until it reaches the new custodian and you buy metals. Prices of both stocks and gold can move during that window. In January 2026 gold hit a record of about $5,595 an ounce intraday (Reuters), then fell to an LBMA fix of about $3,994.50 by late June - roughly 29% lower. Nobody can time those moves, which is one reason some people move money in stages rather than all at once.

Roth money follows its own rules. The core principle is simple: Roth money must stay Roth, and pre-tax money can become Roth only through a taxable conversion. A Roth gold IRA is just a self-directed Roth IRA that holds eligible metals; everything else about the Roth IRA - tax-free qualified withdrawals, no lifetime required minimum distributions for the owner - works the same way. Our Roth gold IRA guide covers the account in depth; here we focus on moving money into one.

Rolling a Roth 401(k) into a Roth gold IRA

A direct rollover from a designated Roth account (Roth 401(k), Roth 403(b), Roth 457(b) or the Roth TSP) into a Roth IRA is not taxable. In practice:

• Two destinations. Most people's 401(k) holds both Roth and pre-tax money - employer matching contributions have traditionally been pre-tax even when your own deferrals were Roth. You will typically need a traditional gold IRA for the pre-tax part and a Roth gold IRA for the Roth part, or you can send one part to an ordinary IRA elsewhere.
• The Roth IRA five-year clock. To take earnings out of a Roth IRA tax-free, you must be 59½ (or meet another qualifying condition) and your first Roth IRA must have been opened at least five tax years earlier. Years your money spent in a Roth 401(k) do not count toward the Roth IRA's clock. If you already have a Roth IRA that is five or more years old, the clock is already satisfied. If you do not, some people open a Roth IRA with a small contribution years before they plan to roll, simply to start the clock.
• Your contributions stay yours. The part of a Roth 401(k) that represents your own contributions generally carries over as Roth IRA contribution basis, which can come out tax- and penalty-free.
• RMDs. Since 2024 (SECURE 2.0), Roth 401(k)s no longer have lifetime required minimum distributions either, so the old reason to roll Roth 401(k) money purely to avoid RMDs has largely gone. Roth IRAs have never had them for the original owner.

Converting traditional money to a Roth gold IRA

A Roth conversion moves pre-tax money into a Roth IRA. The amount converted is added to your taxable income for that year. Conversions are not limited by income and are not subject to the once-per-12-months rollover rule. Since 2018 they can no longer be reversed ("recharacterized"), so a conversion is permanent.

Worked example: converting $50,000

Robert, 62, is married and files jointly. He has a $50,000 traditional IRA he wants to move into gold, and he is considering converting it to a Roth gold IRA at the same time. Assume (for illustration only) that the whole $50,000 falls in the 22% federal bracket for him this year and his state has a flat 5% income tax.

Key points from the example:

• Pay the tax from outside money if you can. If Robert pays the $13,500 out of the IRA itself, that amount is a distribution, so less goes into the Roth - and if he were under 59½, the withheld part could also face the 10% additional tax.
• A conversion can ripple. Extra income in a year can push you into a higher bracket, increase how much of your Social Security is taxable, and raise Medicare Part B and D premiums (IRMAA) two years later. Spreading conversions over several years is a common way to manage this.
• Conversions have their own five-year rule. Each conversion has a five-year waiting period before the converted amount can be withdrawn penalty-free if you are under 59½.
• Converting in kind. If you already own metals in a traditional gold IRA, many custodians can convert them "in kind" to a Roth gold IRA - the metal moves, and you are taxed on its fair market value on the conversion date. The tax is based on the price that day, so the date matters.

Whether a conversion makes sense depends on your current and expected future tax brackets, how long until you need the money, and how you will pay the tax. This is a decision to run past a tax professional with your actual numbers. The 2026 Roth IRA contribution income limits (phase-outs of $153,000-$168,000 single and $242,000-$252,000 married filing jointly, per IRS Notice 2025-67) do not apply to conversions or rollovers.

Federal employees and members of the uniformed services hold their workplace savings in the Thrift Savings Plan. The TSP cannot hold physical metals, and it is one of the lowest-cost retirement plans available, so the decision to move money out deserves care. Our dedicated TSP to gold IRA rollover guide covers the forms and screens; here are the rules that matter most.

When you can move TSP money

• After you separate from federal service - retirement, resignation or leaving the military - you can withdraw all or part of your balance and have it paid as a transfer to an IRA.
• While still working, from age 59½, the TSP allows age-based in-service withdrawals, which can also be transferred to an IRA.
• Financial hardship withdrawals cannot be rolled over, and installment payments set up to last ten years or more are not eligible rollover distributions.

Traditional and Roth balances

Many federal employees have both a traditional (pre-tax) and a Roth TSP balance. TSP withdrawals are generally taken proportionally from the two, so a partial withdrawal will usually include some of each. That means you may need both a traditional and a Roth IRA ready to receive the money - or a plan for where the Roth part will go. Confirm how your specific withdrawal will be split before you request it.

Ask for a transfer, not a check

The TSP is an employer plan, so the 20% mandatory withholding applies to any eligible rollover distribution paid to you. Request that the money be transferred directly to your new IRA custodian. Have the custodian's account number and any acceptance documentation ready; the custodian can usually tell you exactly what the TSP will ask for. If you are married, spousal consent or notice requirements can add time.

What federal employees give up

Many federal retirees move only part of their TSP and leave the rest where it is. That is a perfectly reasonable approach and keeps the G Fund available.

A warning specific to TSP money

Federal retirees are a frequent target of precious metals fraud. In the Red Rock Secured case, federal and state regulators said the company took about $61.8 million from roughly 950 customers, much of it from IRAs, 401(k)s and TSP accounts, while charging markups as high as about 130% (CFTC release). Be especially wary of anyone who cold-calls about "protecting" your TSP, or claims to be affiliated with the government - see red flags below.

A gold IRA rollover does not have to be all or nothing. Every account type in this guide can be moved partially: you can transfer $40,000 of a $300,000 IRA, or roll part of an old 401(k) and leave the rest in the plan's index funds. In practice, most people who use gold IRAs move only part of their savings.

This section is general education, not a recommendation. How much - if any - of your retirement savings belongs in metals depends on your age, other income, risk tolerance and the rest of your portfolio. Our guide to how much gold to hold in a retirement portfolio goes deeper, and a fee-only adviser can look at your whole picture.

Facts worth knowing before you pick a number

• Gold pays no income. No dividends, no interest. Its return comes only from price changes.
• Gold has had long, deep slumps. It fell from about $850 an ounce in January 1980 to about $252 in August 1999 - roughly 70% in nominal terms. It fell about 45% between 2011 and 2015. In 2026, it fell roughly 29% from its January record of about $5,595 to an LBMA fix near $3,994.50 in late June.
• It has also had strong runs. Gold rose about 27% in 2024 and about 65% in 2025, and sat around $4,170 an ounce on October 19, 2026 (Kitco).
• Over long periods, stocks have usually returned more. One estimate puts the S&P 500 with dividends at about 11.2% a year since 1971 versus about 8.8% for gold (nominal). Results depend heavily on the start date: from January 2000 to August 2025, gold returned about 10.4% a year versus about 7.9% for the S&P 500 total return.
• Past returns do not predict future returns. No one can promise what gold will do next.

Account size matters because fees are flat

Gold IRA fees are mostly flat dollar amounts, not percentages, so they weigh much more heavily on small accounts. Using Equity Trust's published annual fee tiers plus its $110 non-segregated storage fee (Rev. 11/06/2025) as an illustration:

Illustration only. Other custodians charge flat fees - for example STRATA Trust reportedly $150 a year for its precious metals tier, GoldStar a reported $90 - so shop around. Dealer spreads are extra.

At $10,000, fees alone take more than 3% a year before the metal has to rise at all. That is one reason some people with smaller amounts consider lower-cost ways to own gold, such as a low-fee gold ETF inside an existing IRA; see gold IRA vs gold ETF.

Dealer minimums

Dealers set their own minimum purchases for IRAs. As reported in October 2026: American Hartford Gold about $10,000, Goldco generally $25,000, and Augusta Precious Metals $50,000; American Gold and Silver Group does not publish one. Never let a minimum push you into moving more than you planned - pick the dealer that fits your number, not the other way round.

Ways people structure a partial move

• A fixed dollar amount from one account, decided in advance.
• Staged purchases - moving the money once but buying metal in two or three tranches over a few months to avoid putting everything in at one price.
• Using the right account. Some people prefer to hold metals in a traditional IRA they will draw from later, rather than in a Roth IRA meant to compound tax-free for the longest time; others prefer the reverse. There is no single right answer.

Once the money arrives in your self-directed IRA, you cannot buy just any gold. Section 408(m) of the Internal Revenue Code (26 U.S.C. 408) says that if an IRA buys a collectible - which includes most coins and metals - the purchase is treated as a distribution: taxable, and penalized if you are under 59½. The law then carves out two exceptions:

1. Certain U.S. coins - the American Gold, Silver and Platinum Eagles (and certain state-issued coins).
2. Bullion - gold, silver, platinum or palladium that meets the minimum fineness required for a regulated futures contract, held in the physical possession of the IRA trustee.

Minimum fineness

Commonly eligible products

• American Gold Eagle (bullion, and the proof version, which the statute covers)
• American Gold Buffalo (.9999)
• Canadian Gold Maple Leaf (.9999)
• Austrian Gold Philharmonic (.9999)
• American Silver Eagle; Canadian Silver Maple Leaf
• Gold and silver bars from accredited refiners that meet the fineness rules

Not eligible

• South African Krugerrands (about .9167 gold and not named in the statute)
• Most rare, numismatic or "collectible" coins, including pre-1933 U.S. gold coins
• Most foreign proof coins and "limited mintage" or graded coins sold as investments
• Jewelry, and any metal you hold yourself

Our full list is in IRS-approved precious metals for IRAs. Note the wording: the IRS sets rules for which metals qualify. It does not approve dealers, and it does not certify individual products.

What the products typically cost over spot

Eligibility is only half the question; price is the other. Premiums at large online retailers in 2026 have looked roughly like this:

Sources: findbullionprices.com, SD Bullion and other retail price trackers; online retail prices, not phone-sales IRA pricing.

Phone-based gold IRA dealers usually charge more than these online retail premiums, because they include sales and service costs. One dealer, American Bullion, disclosed spreads of 10% on bullion inside an IRA, 20% on collectible coins and 23% on proof coins. That gap - between a common bullion coin and a "premium" proof or semi-numismatic coin - is where most overpaying happens. If a salesperson steers you toward proof coins or exclusive "limited" products, ask for the spread in writing and compare it with a plain bullion Eagle or Maple Leaf.

Gold, silver or a mix?

Silver is more volatile than gold, and its storage costs more per dollar because it is bulkier. Silver hit a reported record of about $121.62 in January 2026 and was about $57.70 on October 19, 2026 - a gold-to-silver ratio of roughly 72 to 1. If you are considering silver, see our silver IRA guide.

The metal you buy with rollover money must be held by your IRA's trustee or custodian - in practice, in an approved, insured depository the custodian works with. You can visit some depositories by appointment, and you can see your holdings on your statement, but you cannot keep IRA metal in your house, your safe or your safe deposit box while it remains in the IRA.

Why: the "physical possession of the trustee" rule

The bullion exception in IRC 408(m) applies only to metal "in the physical possession" of the IRA trustee. If you take possession yourself, the metal no longer fits the exception, and the IRS treats it as a distribution. That means income tax on its value and, if you are under 59½, the 10% additional tax.

The McNulty case

Some promoters sell "home storage gold IRAs" or "checkbook IRAs": the IRA owns a limited liability company (LLC), you manage the LLC, and the LLC buys coins that you keep at home. In McNulty v. Commissioner, 157 T.C. No. 10 (2021), the U.S. Tax Court looked at exactly this arrangement. The taxpayers had used IRA-owned LLCs to buy American Eagle coins and kept them at home. The court held that taking physical possession of the coins counted as taxable distributions from the IRAs, and penalties applied on top. Being the "manager" of the LLC did not make the taxpayers trustees.

The lesson is simple: if anyone offers you a legal way to keep IRA gold at home, walk away. We explain the case and the promoters' arguments in detail in Can you store IRA gold at home?

Segregated vs non-segregated storage

What storage reportedly costs

• Bundled by custodian: Equity Trust $110 non-segregated / $160 segregated; STRATA Trust reportedly $115 / $175; GoldStar reportedly $125 commingled.
• Delaware Depository (per one election form): commingled about $0.80 per $1,000 of value a year ($95 minimum) and segregated about $1.60 per $1,000 ($190 minimum). Other sources quote different rates.
• Brink's: about $1.50 per $1,000 a year, per one custodian form.
• Texas Bullion Depository (state-run): IRA rates are negotiated through the custodian.

No major depository publishes a single IRA rate card, so ask your custodian for its current storage fee in writing. On a value-based schedule, storage rises as gold prices rise.

Insurance and audits

Ask the custodian or depository: who insures the metal, for how much, and how often holdings are audited. Reputable depositories carry insurance and are audited regularly. Your custodian statement should list each product and quantity, not just a dollar figure.

A gold IRA has two kinds of cost, and most marketing talks only about the smaller one.

1. Account fees - setup, annual custodian fee, storage, and transaction and exit fees. These are flat dollar amounts, published by the custodian.
2. The dealer spread - the difference between what you pay for the metal and what it would fetch if you sold it back. Gold IRA dealers rarely publish this, and none of the four companies we rank publishes product spreads. It is usually the biggest single cost.

To make this concrete, here is a fully worked example. These are illustrations, not quotes. They use Equity Trust's published Retail Fee Schedule (FS-0001-03, Rev. 11/06/2025) and two assumed dealer spreads - 5%, roughly what a competitive bullion purchase might cost through a gold IRA dealer, and 15%, a level that should prompt hard questions. To isolate costs, we assume the price of gold stays flat for ten years. In real life it will not.

Assumptions

• Rollover amount: $100,000 from a former employer's 401(k), done as a direct rollover (no tax).
• Setup: $50 (online application).
• Account value after the spread: about $95,000 (5% spread) or $85,000 (15% spread), so both fall in the $50,000-$99,999 annual fee tier: $425 a year.
• Storage: non-segregated, $110 a year.
• Exit after ten years: metals liquidation $10 per asset (maximum $30) plus full account termination $250.
• "Spread" here means the round trip: the gap between your purchase price and the immediate sell-back value.

First-year cost on $100,000

Ten-year cost on $100,000

In plain terms: at a 5% spread, gold would need to rise by roughly $10,700 over ten years on this account just to get you back to $100,000. At a 15% spread, it would need to rise by about $20,700. The difference between the two scenarios is $10,000 - and it is decided in a single phone call on the day you buy.

The same example on $50,000

All figures are illustrations based on one custodian's published schedule and assumed spreads. Your custodian, tier, storage choice and dealer pricing will differ. If gold rises, value-based tiers and storage fees can rise too.

What changes the numbers

• Segregated storage adds $50 a year at Equity Trust ($500 over ten years).
• Cheaper custodians. Some flat-fee custodians reportedly charge far less on large accounts - for example STRATA Trust's reported $150 a year precious metals tier. Others charge more: Preferred Trust lists $300 a year for a metals-only IRA, and Madison Trust's quarterly fee works out to roughly $556 a year for one asset.
• Fee waivers. Dealers sometimes cover the first year or several years of fees. American Hartford Gold reportedly waives storage for one year at $50,000+ and three years at $100,000+; Goldco advertises up to three years of waivers for eligible accounts. Waivers are worth having - but compare them against the spread, because $1,605 of waived fees (three years at $535) is small next to a 5- or 10-point difference in spread.
• Product choice. Proof and "premium" coins carry much wider spreads than bullion (see which metals you can buy).

You can run your own numbers with our gold IRA fee calculator, and our complete guide to gold IRA fees compares custodian schedules line by line.

Almost every expensive gold IRA rollover story comes down to one of a dozen mistakes. Here they are, roughly in order of how much they can cost.

The RMD trap in more detail

If you are already at required minimum distribution age (73 for people born 1951-1959, 75 for people born in 1960 or later), the first dollars that come out of a traditional IRA or 401(k) in a year count toward that year's RMD - and RMDs are not eligible to be rolled over. So if you move a 401(k) in a year you owe an RMD, take the RMD first (or make sure the plan pays it to you separately) and roll only the rest. IRS Publication 590-B covers RMD rules in detail.

Softer mistakes that still cost money

• Moving more than you planned because a minimum or a promotion nudged you higher.
• Not reading the buy direction letter before signing - it is your last chance to catch the wrong product or price.
• Ignoring liquidity. Metal has to be sold (or distributed in kind) to pay RMDs. If your gold IRA is your only IRA, plan how you will meet RMDs.
• Not keeping records. Invoices, confirmations, 1099-R and 5498 forms are your proof if the IRS asks questions.
• Not asking a professional. One hour with a tax professional before a large rollover costs far less than fixing a mis-coded distribution.

Most gold IRA companies sell by phone, and many are paid largely through the spread on the metal they sell you. That does not make them dishonest - but it does mean the person on the phone has an incentive to sell more, and to sell higher-margin products. Regulators have repeatedly found that some firms crossed the line into fraud, often targeting retirees rolling over 401(k), IRA and TSP money.

Common tactics and what is really going on

• "Free silver" or bonus metal. Offers such as "up to 10% bonus silver" or "up to $25,000 in free silver" are paid for by the company's margin on what you buy. They are not necessarily bad deals, but the real question is your total price per ounce. Ask: "What is my total spread over spot, including the bonus?"
• Buyback promises. Advertised "buyback guarantees" or "highest buyback" pledges are generally policies, not contracts, and they do not fix the price you will receive. American Hartford Gold, for example, says it cannot legally guarantee repurchase. A promise to buy back means little if the buyback price is far below what you paid.
• Fear and urgency. Scripts about imminent bank failures, dollar collapse or government seizure of retirement accounts are designed to rush you. A legitimate rollover can wait a week while you check facts.
• "IRS-approved" dealers. The IRS does not approve dealers. The phrase is a red flag on its own.
• Steering to proof, semi-numismatic or "exclusive" coins. These typically carry far wider spreads than bullion (one dealer disclosed 20-23% on collectible and proof coins versus 10% on IRA bullion).
• Home storage pitches. See the McNulty case.
• Pressure to move everything, or to move more than the minimum you stated.
• Refusing to put prices and spreads in writing, or to quote fees except on a sales call.
• Telling you to take a check payable to yourself. This exposes you to the 20% withholding trap.

What regulators have found

The CFTC, FINRA and NASAA published a joint advisory on March 20, 2024, "10 Things to Ask Before Buying Physical Gold, Silver, or Other Metals". It is short and worth reading before any call. Our gold IRA scams and red flags guide covers more cases.

Questions to ask every dealer, in writing

1. What is the spread over spot on each product you are recommending, today?
2. What would you pay me to buy it back today, and how is that price set?
3. Who is the custodian, and can I use a different one?
4. Which depository, and is storage segregated or commingled?
5. What fees will the custodian charge in year one and every year after?
6. What exactly is the bonus or promotion, and is its cost included in my price?
7. Is there a cancellation or refund window, and what does it cost to use it?

A company that answers clearly and in writing is not guaranteed to be the cheapest, but one that refuses is telling you something. A rule of thumb many buyers use - a heuristic, not a regulation - is to push back hard on any bullion spread above roughly 10-15%.

Every dealer below can help with the paperwork for a 401(k), IRA or TSP rollover, and all of them work through third-party custodians and depositories. Where they differ for rollover purposes is mainly the minimum, the promotions, how much they publish, and what other customers report. The figures are third-party-reported snapshots as of October 2026; dealers change terms often, so confirm everything in writing before you move money.

Reported figures from third-party sources and company advertising, October 2026. None of the four publishes its product spreads. Not an endorsement; verify on each company's site, BBB.org and Trustpilot.

What stands out for rollovers

• Smaller rollovers: American Hartford Gold's reported $10,000 minimum is the lowest of the four. Remember the flat-fee math in our partial rollover section - at $10,000, annual fees alone can exceed 3% a year.
• Mid-size rollovers ($25,000-$50,000): Goldco's reported minimum is generally $25,000, and it advertises bonus silver and multi-year fee waivers. Its Trustpilot score (4.4) is lower than the other two established firms here, and Finder reported that its live chat would not quote fees and pushed for a sales call.
• Larger rollovers ($50,000+): Augusta Precious Metals requires $50,000 and positions itself for savers with $100,000 or more, with an education-led process. It advertises a no-fee lifetime buyback, but sources say it does not offer a written guarantee of repurchase price.
• American Gold and Silver Group: it advertises offers but publishes little else, and its Trustpilot listing had no reviews as of October 19, 2026. Ask for the minimum, custodian, fees and spreads in writing before deciding.

For head-to-head comparisons, see American Hartford Gold vs Goldco, Augusta vs Goldco and Augusta vs American Hartford Gold. Our overall gold IRA company rankings weigh fees, transparency, complaints and buyback terms; how we rank explains the method.

Whichever company you call

The company matters less than the quote. Two buyers at the same dealer can pay very different spreads depending on the products they accept. Bring the seven written questions above to every call, compare at least two quotes for the same products, and remember that you choose the custodian, the products and the amount.

Before you move money in, it is worth knowing exactly how it comes back out. There are four routes, and each has different costs and tax effects.

1. Selling metal inside the IRA

You can ask your custodian to sell some or all of your metal at any time. The sale proceeds stay in the IRA as cash, so there is no tax on the sale itself - tax applies only when money is distributed from a traditional IRA. Practical points:

• The custodian sells to a dealer - often the one you bought from, but you can usually ask for bids from others.
• Dealers typically bid around 1-2% under spot for common sovereign coins. A full round trip on a Gold Eagle (buy then sell back) has been estimated at about 4-8% at competitive retail dealers in 2026; phone-based IRA dealers can be wider.
• Custodian fees apply. Equity Trust, for example, lists a metals liquidation fee of $10 per asset (maximum $30).

2. Rolling back to a regular IRA or 401(k)

If you decide gold is no longer for you, you can sell the metal inside the IRA and then do a trustee-to-trustee transfer of the cash to an ordinary IRA at a brokerage - tax-free and not limited by the once-per-12-months rule. Many 401(k) plans also accept roll-ins from IRAs, though they will accept cash only, not metal. Expect a termination fee (Equity Trust lists $250 for a full termination, $100 per asset for a partial). You can also move the metal itself, in kind, to a different self-directed IRA custodian if you want to change custodians but keep the metal (Equity Trust lists $50 per in-kind transfer).

3. Taking a distribution in kind

You can have the actual coins or bars shipped to you as a distribution. From a traditional gold IRA:

• The fair market value of the metal on the distribution date is taxable as ordinary income.
• If you are under 59½, the 10% additional tax applies unless an exception does.
• That value becomes your cost basis outside the IRA. If you later sell the metal at a gain, the gain is taxed under the collectibles rules, at long-term rates up to 28%.
• Fees apply, such as an in-kind distribution fee and shipping and insurance (Equity Trust lists shipping at cost plus $10, $50 minimum).

From a Roth gold IRA, a qualified in-kind distribution is tax-free.

4. Required minimum distributions

A traditional gold IRA is subject to RMDs like any traditional IRA: from age 73 if you were born 1951-1959, and 75 if you were born in 1960 or later. Roth IRAs have no RMDs for the original owner. Options for meeting an RMD from a gold IRA:

The ability to take all your traditional IRA RMDs from a single, more liquid IRA is one of the most useful planning tools here: many people leave their gold IRA untouched and meet the total RMD from a brokerage IRA. Our gold IRA taxes and RMDs guide has worked examples, and IRS Publication 590-B is the official reference.

No, not if it is done correctly. A direct rollover from a 401(k), 403(b), 457(b), TSP or pension, or a trustee-to-trustee transfer from another IRA, is not taxable and carries no penalty, as long as pre-tax money goes into a traditional IRA and Roth money goes into a Roth IRA.

A rollover can become taxable when:

• an employer plan pays you a check and you do not redeposit the full amount, including the 20% withheld, within 60 days;
• you miss the 60-day deadline on any indirect rollover;
• you do a second IRA-to-IRA indirect rollover within 12 months;
• you convert pre-tax money to a Roth (taxable by design); or
• the IRA buys ineligible metal or you store the metal at home.

Even a tax-free rollover is reported: the old plan issues a Form 1099-R and the new custodian a Form 5498, and you show the rollover on your return. See our gold IRA tax guide.

Yes. Once you have left an employer, you can generally roll that employer's 401(k) into a gold IRA at any age, in whole or in part. Request a direct rollover payable to your new custodian for your benefit, so no tax is withheld. If the old plan was taken over by another company or the employer went out of business, the plan's record-keeper or the plan's successor still holds the money - your old statements, or the Department of Labor's retirement savings lost-and-found tools, can help you track it down.

Before you move it, check two things: whether you might need the money between ages 55 and 59½ (the 401(k) "rule of 55" may give penalty-free access that an IRA does not), and whether the plan offers unusually good options, such as very low-cost funds. Our 401(k) to gold IRA rollover guide has the step-by-step details.

The IRS has no minimum. You can roll over any amount. Minimums come from the dealers and, sometimes, the custodians. As reported in October 2026, American Hartford Gold's IRA minimum is about $10,000, Goldco's is generally $25,000 and Augusta Precious Metals' is $50,000; American Gold and Silver Group does not publish a minimum. Some custodians also have small minimum cash balance requirements.

The more useful question is the practical minimum. Because gold IRA fees are mostly flat, a small account pays a much bigger share of its value each year - roughly 3.4% a year at $10,000 versus about 0.6% at $100,000 in our Equity Trust illustration. Try your own figures in the fee calculator.

Yes - in the sense that you do not need a dealer to manage it. You can open a self-directed IRA directly with a custodian that allows metals, request the transfer or direct rollover yourself, choose a dealer (including an online bullion retailer that sells to IRAs) and sign the purchase direction. Some people do exactly this to keep spreads low.

What you cannot do is hold the money or the metal yourself. The custodian must receive the money and pay the dealer, and the metal must go to an approved depository - not to your home (see storage rules). The "do it yourself" home-storage LLC structures some promoters sell were rejected by the Tax Court in McNulty.

If you go the do-it-yourself route, confirm with the custodian which dealers it can pay and which depositories it uses before you buy anything, and get the dealer's price in writing.

The rollover itself does not change your RMDs - the money is still in a traditional IRA, and RMDs start at the same age (73 if born 1951-1959, 75 if born 1960 or later). Two things do change in practice:

• You cannot roll over an RMD. If you are already at RMD age, take the year's required amount before you roll the rest.
• Meeting RMDs needs planning, because metal must be sold or distributed in kind. You can usually take the total RMD for all your traditional IRAs from one of them, so many people meet it from a non-gold IRA. Note that 401(k) RMDs cannot be combined with IRA RMDs.

A Roth gold IRA has no RMDs for the owner, and since 2024 Roth 401(k)s do not either. Heirs who inherit a gold IRA have their own distribution rules, usually including the 10-year rule for non-spouse beneficiaries. Details are in our taxes and RMDs guide.

Typically about two to six weeks from start to metal in the vault, though this is an approximate range, not a guarantee. An IRA-to-IRA transfer is often the quickest (roughly one to three weeks for the money to arrive); 401(k), 403(b) and TSP rollovers commonly take two to six weeks; pension lump sums can take one to three months because of election windows and spousal paperwork. After the money arrives, choosing and pricing metals can take a day or two, and delivery to the depository about one to three weeks.

The biggest delays come from the old plan: mailed checks, medallion signature guarantees, spousal consent and blackout periods. See the full timeline table for each account type.

A gold IRA rollover is, mechanically, one of the simpler things you can do with retirement money: open a self-directed IRA, ask your old plan to send the money directly to the new custodian, buy eligible bullion, and let an approved depository hold it. Done that way, it is tax-free and penalty-free.

The risks are not in the mechanics but in the choices around them:

• Use a direct rollover or trustee-to-trustee transfer. Never accept a check payable to you from a 401(k), 403(b), 457(b) or TSP.
• Decide how much in advance. Move only the share you have decided on - gold pays no income and has had drawdowns of roughly 29% to 70%.
• Know your timing rules. In-service options, the SIMPLE two-year rule, the rule of 55 and 457(b) access, and RMDs can all change the right answer.
• Buy plain, eligible bullion and get every spread in writing. In our illustration, the difference between a 5% and a 15% spread on $100,000 was $10,000 - more than ten years of account fees.
• Store it properly. Home storage of IRA metal is a taxable distribution.
• Plan the exit - selling, rolling back, in-kind distributions and RMDs - before you go in.
• Get qualified help. A tax professional or fee-only adviser who does not sell metals can review the plan in an hour or two.

For the bigger picture, read our complete guide to gold IRAs and gold IRA fees guide. When you are ready to compare companies, start with our rankings and the individual reviews of American Hartford Gold, Goldco, Augusta Precious Metals and American Gold and Silver Group.

This article is general information, not financial, tax or legal advice. Fees, minimums and promotions change often and vary by custodian and account size - confirm current terms in writing with the company and your custodian before you invest.