A Gold IRA is a type of retirement account that allows you to hold physical gold — and other precious metals — inside a tax-advantaged IRA structure.

Opening a Gold IRA involves a few more steps than opening a standard brokerage IRA

As long as the account is structured as a self-directed IRA and follows IRS rules for precious metals, it can hold physical gold.

While many investors default to standard bullion coins, semi-numismatic coins offer unique advantages that make them especially appealing for retirement portfolios.

There are important situations where gold becomes an option — and for many investors, those moments create the best opportunity to add precious metals to their retirement strategy.

When held properly, silver offers many of the same benefits as gold: diversification, inflation protection, and insulation from traditional financial markets.

When adding gold to an IRA, you typically have two choices: physical gold held in a Gold IRA or gold ETFs held in a standard brokerage IRA.

If you’re considering a Gold IRA, one of the most important things to understand is where your gold is actually kept.

As long as your gold is part of an IRA, it must be held by an approved custodian and stored in an IRS-approved depository.

Adding to your account over time allows you to respond to market conditions, adjust your retirement strategy, and increase your exposure to precious metals as your financial situation evolves.

When you decide to sell gold held in your IRA, you don’t sell it personally. Instead, the transaction is handled through your IRA custodian and an approved precious metals dealer.

Unlike traditional IRAs that hold stocks or mutual funds, a Gold IRA involves physical assets, which introduces additional services and costs.

A Gold IRA isn’t a “set it and forget it” account. Just like a traditional or Roth IRA, it allows for ongoing adjustments as your financial goals, market conditions, or risk tolerance evolve.