Gold IRA Fees & Costs to Plan Before Investing

• Types of Gold IRA Fees and Costs
• One-Time Fees
• Annual Fees
• Transaction Fees
• Exit Fees
• Other Potential Costs
• Fee Schedules: Short-Term vs. Long-Term Costs
• How to Reduce Fees & Costs
• How to Calculate the Costs
• How Fees Are Different By Gold IRA Company

Types of Gold IRA Fees and Costs

Gold IRA costs include a one-time setup fee of $50 to $300, an annual maintenance fee of $100 to $300, and storage fees ranging from $100 per year for pooled storage to over $500 per year for segregated or high-value holdings. Some custodians may also require a minimum investment up to $50,000 or charge extra for advanced structures like LLCs.

One-Time Fees

Setup Fees

A setup fee of $50 to $300 is charged to open a Gold IRA by the custodian. This one-time account setup fee varies between custodians but can be waived depending on who you invest with. Custodian setup fees are common when opening an account and filling out the application form. These application processing fees can be waived for the first year depending on the Gold IRA dealer chosen and the initial investment.

Transfer/Rollover Fees

There may be fees when you transfer or rollover funds to a Gold IRA from $25 to $75, charged as a processing fee by your current IRA custodian or 401(k) plan administrator. It's more common with employer-sponsored plans and may appear as a distribution or outbound transfer fee. Some Gold IRA companies may cover the conversion costs or reimburse it.

Annual Fees

Maintenance Fees

An annual maintenance fee is charged by the custodian for administering your account from $100 to $300 per year. Management fees cover record-keeping, administrative tasks, compliance monitoring, and account management. Note: Custodial administration fees may increase as the account grows in value.

Storage Fees

Storage fees cover the secure storage of your physical gold in an IRS-approved depository from $100 to $500+ per year. Costs in storage vary based on vault providers, account value, fee model, and whether you choose segregated (Private) or non-segregated storage (Shared).There are two types of storage fee models in a Precious Metals IRA, either flat fee storage or pecentage-based storage, with flat-fee common for accounts under $50,000 and percentage-based common for larger accounts. Percentage fees are significantly impacted by metal prices while flat fees remain stable regardless of the account's value.

Flat Fee Storage

Ranges from $100/year for non-segregated storage or $250/year for segregated storage.

Pecentage-Based Storage Fees

Ranges from 0.5–1% per year of account metal value. $500 to $5,000 annually depending on storage and investment amount.

If later you wanted to upgrade to segregated storage, additional fees are modest at $0.10–$0.25 per troy ounce, plus any handling fees, taking around 1-2 weeks depending on your custodian and depository.

Insurance Fees

Insurance costs are often bundled with storage, covering your metals against theft, loss, or damage. If charged separately, it's usually based on account value or the type of metals held. Lloyd's of London is a common insurer for vaults, with costs varying based on the metal value.

Inactivity or Statement Fees

Some custodians charge annual inactivity or statement fees if no trades occur in a 12-month period. Others waive these for accounts with ongoing activity. Before investing, review the fee schedule to prevent an unexpected charge.

Transaction Fees

Wire Transfer Fees

A wire transfer fee of $25 to $50 per transaction is charged when funding the Gold IRA account and when liquidating funds.

Purchase/Sale Transaction Fees

Some custodians or dealers charge a flat fee or percentage when you buy or sell precious metals within your IRA. These fees are not standardized and may be built into the dealer's pricing in the form of bid/ask spread. Dealers typically charge a premium over the spot price of precious metals like gold and silver.

Exit Fees

Liquidation Fees

When you sell metals back to a dealer, you may be charged a liquidation fee. This may be a flat fee or built into the buyback spread. Always check the dealer's policy before initiating a sale. Some companies will guarantee no liquidation fees.

Termination/Account Closure Fees

A termination fee is charged when you close your Gold IRA entirely and withdraw all funds or assets. Closure fees vary by custodian but commonly range from $50 to $250 in addition to the liquidation costs.

Shipping & Handling Fees

Applies when metals are shipped from the depository to you (Liquidation or distribution). Fees vary by weight, method, and destination. Not charged if metals remain stored. The depository exit fee only occurs during distribution or early withdrawal.

Other Potential Costs in a Gold IRA

Minimum Investment Requirement

Many Gold IRA companies have a minimum to open an account ranging from $10,000 to $50,000. This isn't a fee or additional cost, but it's a required entry threshold to invest. The initial investment can impact if you are eligible for fee waivers.

The smallest amount that can be invested in a Gold IRA of $10,000 usually does not qualify for waiving fees. The pros and cons of Gold IRAs can depend on how much you invest, as smaller accounts can face much higher fees.

Dealer Premiums (Bid-Ask Spread)

Gold IRA dealer markups range from 1-3% for bullion bars and 2-5% for coins over spot, depending on rarity and demand. These premiums can often be negotiable, especially for large investments or repeat clients, and usually exceed annual custodian and storage charges.

Custodian Change/Reallocation Fees

If you switch custodians or reallocate your precious metals between depositories, your account may incur a small reallocation or custodian change fee. This includes metal type switches for example from gold to silver which can trigger reallocation fees.

Buyback Policies

Some dealers guarantee a buyback program, but terms vary. Watch for restocking fees, minimum sale amounts, or pricing that is different from the market value. Confirm the policy in the company's written buyback guarantee to ensure when the time comes to sell back your precious metals there are no surprises.

Fee Schedules: Short-Term vs. Long-Term Costs

There are two types of Gold IRA fees: short-term setup costs and long-term recurring fees. Short-term fees apply in the first year and include account setup, rollover or transfer processing, and initial funding. Long-term fees include annual maintenance and secure storage costs which are charged yearly and can increase based on your account size.

Both types of fees impact your Gold IRA differently over the lifetime of the account. Many Gold IRA companies offer promotional incentives to reduce or waive these setup and annual costs entirely, helping increase your long-term returns.

How to Reduce Fees & Costs

Some Gold IRA fees are avoidable, with methods in reducing costs nearly entirely being possible. The best way to cut costs in a Gold IRA is to invest enough to qualify for fee waivers or promotional offers by Gold IRA companies. These promotions can remove the fees entirely if your investment is high enough. If a large investment isn't possible, comparing fee schedules can help you plan out the cheapest Gold IRA option. You can also reduce long-term fees by choosing pooled storage over segregated, or by limiting unnecessary trades that may trigger transaction charges.

Keep in mind fee waivers may be clawed backed as a termination fee if the account is closed within a set period (typically 12–24 months). Double check your account agreement for clawback clauses.

How to Get a No-Fee Gold IRA

Some leading Gold IRA companies offer up to 10 years with no fees, including free setup, storage, and maintenance, for qualifying accounts of at least $50,000 or more. These promotions reward higher investment amounts by removing typical long-term costs. We discuss this more in our Gold IRA Checklist we provide to our readers to plan ahead of these costs.

How to Calculate the Costs

To estimate the costs of your Gold IRA, add your one-time setup costs with the ongoing annual fees for maintenance and storage. You can also use a Gold IRA calculator to estimate the costs you expect to pay. Below Gold IRA Planners has outlined what the costs could be for a $50,000 Gold IRA over the first five years. (Assuming no fees are waived)

This estimate assumes pooled storage (segregated could add $50–$100 per year). Promotional offers could waive many of these fees entirely.

How Fees Are Different By Gold IRA Company

Gold IRA fees vary depending on the company you choose. Custodians often charge a baseline set of custodian fees for setup, storage, and maintenance, while many Gold IRA companies build promotional structures or fee waivers. Fees to compare include setup and first-year fees, storage, and annual maintenance costs. Some companies waive all fees for accounts over a certain minimum, while others offer flat-rate structures regardless of the account size. Gold IRA Planners ranks the cheapest Gold IRA companies for investment, so you can compare which is right for you.