The short answer
How does a self-directed IRA that holds gold work?
It combines an IRA account with an eligible physical-metal investment and a custody arrangement. You direct and evaluate the investment; the custodian administers the account. A dealer sells the metal and a storage provider holds it under the arrangement. Start with the rule or role you need to resolve rather than with a purchase.[1][2]
- 01YoudecideChoose and check the investment
- 02Custodianholds the accountAdministers the IRA and its assets
- 03Dealersells metalQuotes the product and price
- 04Depositorystores itHolds metal under the custody arrangement
Where should you go for a detailed answer?
Each guide owns a different decision, so the short answers below point you to the appropriate depth.
Scroll horizontally to read every column →
| Your question | Owning guide |
|---|---|
| What changes with alternative assets? | Meaning and investment access |
| Who holds the account? | Custody documents and responsibilities |
| Which assets and storage qualify? | Investment and possession conditions |
| Who benefits from the transaction? | Personal-benefit and related-party boundaries |
| What does an LLC change? | Manager control and possession |
| What does Roth change? | Tax type and qualified withdrawals |
| Does my business qualify for a plan? | One-participant eligibility and reporting |
| How do I start? | Opening order and document register |
| Which paid partners are compared? | Published company records and limitations |
| Do I want the added responsibility? | Benefits paired with obligations |
Can you keep IRA gold at home?
Do not treat personal possession as permitted IRA storage.
The home safe in the illustration is a question prompt, not an approved storage example. The LLC control guide explains why an entity layer alone does not establish permission. The complete possession checks belong before the metal order.
IRS Publication 590-B cautions that the coins in its exception must be in the possession of the custodian or trustee.[2]
How much is a self-directed IRA?
There is no universal total: the provider, asset, storage choice, transactions and resale terms all affect it.
The two-partner fact tables show the published inputs we have. “Not published” is an information gap to resolve with a quote, not a zero cost.
The SEC alert identifies opening, annual, administrative, transaction and asset-specific fees as possible costs.[3]
Which decision comes before a company inquiry?
Decide whether the account responsibilities and asset fit your need, then identify the documents a company would need to supply.
The four-role account map is the quickest place to orient yourself. A Roth IRA remains distinct from a business retirement plan. Neither gives you a shortcut around personal-benefit restrictions.
Your document check
- Know the intended tax type.
- Know who will hold the account and metal.
- Know what is published and what still needs a written answer.
- Allow yourself to choose a simpler account or make no change.
What else do readers ask?
Why do a self-directed IRA?
To obtain asset access a chosen custodian permits beyond a conventional brokerage menu. That choice also gives you responsibility for evaluating the investment. [1]
Is there a self-directed Roth IRA?
Yes. Self-directed describes the investment menu and Roth describes the tax treatment. Roth contribution and qualified-distribution conditions still apply. [4]
Can I keep IRA gold at home?
Do not assume that is allowed. Publication 590-B says the coins in its IRA exception must be in the possession of the custodian or trustee. [2]
What is the loophole for self-directed IRAs?
There is no broad exemption from IRA restrictions. Product eligibility, custody and personal-benefit rules still require separate checks. [5]
How much is a self-directed IRA?
Ask for setup, recurring, storage, dealing and exit costs. There is no single published price that covers every custodian, asset and transaction. [3]
What are the downsides of a self-directed IRA?
The official SDIRA alert highlights fraud exposure, limited liquidity, information gaps and potentially high fees. Custodial administration does not validate the investment. [6]
Can I open a self-directed IRA with Fidelity?
This guide has not verified Fidelity’s current physical-metal offering. Ask whether the provider will hold the exact asset, and obtain the account terms in writing.
Can I buy gold through my IRA account?
Certain coins and qualifying bullion can fall within the section 408(m) exceptions. Check the exact product and required possession arrangement before buying. [7]
Sources and checked records
Rule sources checked November 3, 2026. Annual figures keep the year stated by the source; company tables show their original field dates.
- SEC / NASAA / FINRA: Self-Directed IRAs and the Risk of FraudAccessed November 3, 2026.
- IRS Publication 590-B: investment in collectiblesAccessed November 3, 2026.
- SEC / NASAA / FINRA: account feesAccessed November 3, 2026.
- IRS: Roth IRAsAccessed November 3, 2026.
- IRS Publication 590-B: prohibited transactionsAccessed November 3, 2026.
- SEC / NASAA / FINRA: fraud precautionsAccessed November 3, 2026.
- 26 USC 408(m)(3): coins and bullionAccessed November 3, 2026.
Changes to this page
— First edition: assembled relevant PAA questions and routed each task to its owning guide; excluded unrelated wealth statistics and return forecasts.