What Is a Gold IRA?

By Kristi Waterworth – Updated Apr 9, 2025 at 12:41 PM

Key Points

Gold IRAs allow investment in specific precious metals, needing a special custodian.
Choose from traditional, Roth, or SEP gold IRAs, each with different tax implications.
Opening a gold IRA involves selecting a custodian and understanding associated fees.

Where to put your retirement money can be a huge decision, especially if you're looking for an investment a little off the beaten path. When stocks and bonds aren't what you're after, a gold individual retirement account (IRA) might be the solution you didn't even know existed.

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A golden egg in a nest with a sign reading Retirement. — Image source: Getty Images.

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Gold in a gold IRA must be at least 0.9950 pure, silver must be 0.9990 pure, and both platinum and palladium must be at least 0.9995 pure. This requirement ensures the precious metals you hold will be a safe and secure investment over time.

You can also hold certain types of coins minted in the above-mentioned metals, including American eagle coins, uncirculated gold buffalo coins, Canadian maple leaf coins, Australian kangaroo coins, Isle of Man noble coins, Mexican Libertad coins, and Australian kookaburra coins. Even if graded or certified, collectible coins are not generally allowed in a gold IRA.

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About the Author

Kristi Waterworth has been a contributing real estate and financial expert at The Motley Fool, covering real estate, investing, and personal finance topics, since 2020. Kristi has been interviewed by various TV media outlets and podcasts for her real estate investing expertise – from residential real estate to digital real estate and everything in between. Kristi’s journalist career spans over 25 years, and she has written about real estate investing, homeownership, and home construction specifically for the last decade. She was also previously a licensed Realtor and general building contractor before the Great Recession and housing market collapse. She holds a bachelor’s degree in American history from Columbia College in Missouri.

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