Augusta Precious Metals
Our featured pick for gold and silver IRAs, with education-first guidance, lifetime account support, and a transparent approach to pricing.
Get a free gold IRA guideMetal held inside a gold IRA must be stored with an approved trustee or depository, not in your house or a personal safe. The IRS treats the metal as a retirement asset, so a qualified third party has to hold it on the account's behalf, and taking it home can be treated as a taxable distribution.
Depositories generally offer two arrangements. With allocated storage, the specific bars or coins you own are kept separate and tied to your account, so you get back the exact items you bought. With commingled storage, your metal is pooled with holdings of the same type and weight, and you receive equivalent pieces rather than the identical ones. Allocated storage often costs more because of the extra segregation.
Be cautious of any pitch to keep IRA metal at home or in a self storage unit. Storage costs vary by depository and by arrangement, so confirm the fee and the storage type in writing before you commit.
Frequently asked questions
Can I store my gold IRA metal at home?
No. IRS rules require the metal in a gold IRA to sit with an approved trustee or depository. Keeping it at home can be treated as a taxable distribution of the account.
What is the difference between allocated and commingled storage?
Allocated storage keeps your exact bars and coins separate and assigned to you, while commingled storage pools your metal with others of the same type and returns equivalent pieces.
What is a precious metals depository?
A depository is a secure, insured facility that specializes in holding precious metals for IRA accounts and other owners, keeping the metal safe and separate from the custodian that administers the account.
Is a home storage gold IRA legal?
Schemes marketed as home storage or self storage gold IRAs carry serious tax risk and are widely flagged as a red flag. Keep IRA metal with an approved depository instead.
What the rules say
Metal held inside a gold IRA must be stored with an approved trustee or depository, never at home. The IRS sets this requirement for individual retirement arrangements, and any pitch for at home storage of IRA metal should be treated with caution, as the CFTC warns in its advisory on gold and silver schemes aimed at retirement savings.
