Gold ETFs offer investors looking to diversify their retirement portfolio a solid choice, yet must meet specific criteria in terms of structure and exchange requirements. Furthermore, these ETFs must also adhere to widely recognized market indices with standard pricing methods.
Investors should keep in mind that physical gold does not generate earnings other than price appreciation; any gains will be taxed as with traditional IRA investments upon withdrawal.
Eligibility
Investment of precious metals through a gold IRA requires opening an individual retirement account with a custodian or broker, offering similar tax advantages as other tax-advantaged accounts such as 401(k). Investors may make both pretax and after-tax contributions; when making withdrawals they will owe taxes at ordinary income tax rates.
Investors comparing gold ETFs should consider several criteria when making their selection, such as underlying assets, performance over five years and expense ratio. They should also carefully review each fund’s prospectus which can be found online.
While IRAs typically cannot own collectibles, there is one notable exception for precious metals: IRS ruling that allows IRAs to purchase shares of precious metal exchange traded funds which qualify as grantor investment trusts. Such ETFs offer lower annual costs and greater liquidity when investing than physical bullion.
Taxes
Gold Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) are tradable investments that track the price of gold. While held by investors themselves, they are stored with third-party depository or vault facilities and should be considered carefully when choosing ETFs for your IRA portfolio. Storage fees may be costly without guarantee of security for these ETFs, so investors must keep this cost in mind when making their choice.
Gold ETFs do not typically trigger capital gains taxes for their investors as they are structured as grantor trusts, meaning profits do not pass to shareholders directly. However, should investors withdraw shares and realize a gain, taxes may apply and may need to be paid accordingly.
Select a company with an excellent track record and emphasize transparency and customer feedback in your selection process to avoid unexpected fees and surprise charges. Also look for businesses that prioritize educating their customers instead of aggressively pushing sales.
Fees
Gold exchange traded funds (ETFs) provide an easy and accessible way to invest in gold without buying and storing physical metal. Although fees associated with holding ETFs may add up over time, it’s essential that your financial goals and risk tolerance are taken into consideration before investing in one.
Physical metal requires investors to cover both storage and security costs as well as insurance to protect its value in case it is stolen or damaged, which are both avoidable by investing in a Gold IRA with a custodian that specializes in self-directed IRAs.
Though IRAs are generally prohibited from purchasing collectibles, an exception was created in 1986 that allows IRAs to invest in certain U.S.-minted gold coins and bullion that is 99.5% pure. Unfortunately, however, these investments cannot be physically held by their IRA owner as they are classified as grantor trusts and don’t pay dividends or qualify for tax-advantaged growth.
Investment options
Gold has long been considered an investment option during times of financial instability. Many investors view gold as helping balance out stocks and bonds in their portfolio while possibly acting as a hedge against inflation. Unfortunately, physical gold requires storage facilities with high costs as well as no dividends or earnings being distributed back. ETFs offer similar exposure without all the difficulties involved with buying and storing physical gold.
Traditional and Roth IRAs allow investors to invest in an array of assets, including precious metals. Although in the past there was speculation that precious metal coins or bullion couldn’t be held because they are considered collectibles, now that the IRS has issued a private letter ruling (PLR), IRAs can hold precious metal ETFs that track certain precious metal prices instead.
Gold ETFs in an IRA offer many advantages over buying physical gold, including lower account fees than traditional IRA accounts and easier liquidation when reaching age 72 due to required minimum distribution (RMD) issues.
