A gold IRA has no IRS minimum investment, but gold IRA companies set their own: published minimums run from $5,000 to $50,000 as of September 2026. A gold IRA is a self-directed IRA that holds physical metal, and a minimum investment is the smallest amount a company accepts. The more useful question is how much money makes the yearly fees worth paying. On the four lowest-cost published schedules, flat fees of $215 to $325 a year take 1% or more of any balance under about $21,500 to $32,500. At Madison Trust's $656 a year, that point is about $65,600.
Gold IRA fees, not the minimum, decide how much you need. Minimums are one line of gold IRA fees. This page lists every published minimum, what an account that size costs, how people reach a minimum, the "free" offer thresholds and what to do with less.
Each minimum below was read on the company's own page on the date shown. No company can pay to change its place on this page.
Is There an IRS Minimum Investment for a Gold IRA?#
No: federal tax law sets no minimum investment for a gold IRA, only a maximum yearly contribution and a rule that contributions must be cash. A contribution is new money you put into an IRA for a tax year. A rollover contribution is money moved in from another retirement account, and the cash rule does not apply to it.
The tax code has no separate gold IRA account. A gold IRA is an ordinary traditional or Roth IRA whose custodian allows metal held by a trustee, the bank or trust company that legally holds the account (26 U.S.C. 408(m)(3)(B)). The IRS approves no coin, dealer or vault; its Retirement Plan Investments FAQs say "there is no list of approved investments." Its only approval list covers nonbank trustees: 73 entities as of April 1, 2026.
What the IRS does limit: the 2026 contribution cap#
For 2026, you can contribute up to $7,500 to all your IRAs combined, or $8,600 if you are 50 or older, under IRS Notice 2025-67. A catch-up contribution is the extra $1,100 the law allows from age 50. A trustee-to-trustee transfer moves IRA money straight from one custodian to another, without passing through your hands.
The table shows the three limits that apply as of September 29, 2026.
| Who or what | 2026 limit | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Under age 50 | $7,500 | IRS Notice 2025-67 |
| Age 50 or older | $7,500 + $1,100 catch-up = $8,600 | IRS Notice 2025-67 |
| Rollovers and trustee-to-trustee transfers | No dollar cap | IRS Publication 590-A |
The 2027 limits are not announced as of September 29, 2026. The cap applies to all your IRAs together. So money you put into another IRA this year reduces what a new gold IRA can take.
Why gold IRA companies set minimums the IRS does not#
Gold IRA companies set minimums as a business choice: the law sets no floor, and a small account pays the same fixed custodian fees as a large one. Sellers are paid mainly through the markup, the seller's profit over its own cost of the metal. The markup grows with the size of your order, while the account setup work, for example the paperwork, does not.
The custody rule adds that fixed fee layer. Bullion counts only "if such bullion is in the physical possession of a trustee" (26 U.S.C. 408(m)(3)(B)). In plain English: every gold IRA pays a custodian and a depository, the private vault that stores the metal. Their flat fees, $215 to $325 a year on the four lowest-cost 2026 schedules, do not shrink with a small balance.
Custodians do not screen the seller either. An SEC and NASAA investor alert says custodians "generally do not evaluate the quality or legitimacy of any investment ... or its promoters." In plain English: a minimum is a business choice, not a safety check.
Gold IRA Minimum Investment by Company: 18 Providers Compared (September 2026)#
Of 14 gold IRA companies checked on September 29, 2026, 8 publish a minimum or have one reported for them, from $5,000 to $50,000. Five publish none, and U.S. Money Reserve publishes a threshold only for its fee offer. The table adds 3 bullion dealers and 1 brokerage, for 18 providers.
IRS minimum: none. Federal law caps yearly contributions and sets no floor (26 U.S.C. 408(a)(1)). Company pages read September 29, 2026 unless another date is shown. Companies are listed as sources of their own figures, not ranked.
| # | Provider | Published minimum | The company's own wording | What it counts | Source, date read |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Birch Gold Group | $5,000 | "currently requires a minimum investment of $5,000, though this amount can vary depending on market conditions and product availability" | Investment; may change | birchgold.com FAQ, September 29, 2026 |
| 2 | Swiss America | $5,000 | $5,000 minimum transfer; "On average, the establishment fees are $250" | Transfer amount | swissamerica.com IRA FAQ, September 29, 2026 |
| 3 | GoldenCrest Metals | $10,000 | "$10,000 minimum" | Not stated | goldencrestmetals.com homepage, September 29, 2026 |
| 4 | American Bullion | $10,000 (recommended) | "recommends a minimum rollover amount of $10,000" | Rollover, as a recommendation | americanbullion.com FAQ, September 29, 2026 |
| 5 | Allegiance Gold | $10,000, as reported by Money | Money's September 2026 review reports a $10,000 minimum; Allegiance's page repeats Money's figure | Not stated | allegiancegold.com and money.com, September 29, 2026 |
| 6 | Noble Gold Investments | $20,000 | "Our Gold IRA minimum investment is $20,000." | Investment | noblegoldinvestments.com gold IRA page, September 29, 2026 |
| 7 | Goldco | $25,000 | "we generally require that you have at least $25,000 available to roll over into a gold IRA" | Money available to roll over | goldco.com FAQ, September 29, 2026 |
| 8 | Augusta Precious Metals | $50,000, according to Augusta's FAQ | Minimum initial purchase for both cash and IRA purchases (FAQ wording, paraphrased) | First purchase | augustapreciousmetals.com FAQ, last updated September 23, 2026 |
| 9 | U.S. Money Reserve | Not published for IRAs; $200,000 rollover for its "fees for life" offer | Offer terms: minimum precious metals rollover; at least 60% proof coins; Equity Trust accounts only | Offer only | usmoneyreserve.com IRA page, September 29, 2026 |
| 10 | American Hartford Gold | Not published | n/a | n/a | Company pages, September 29, 2026 |
| 11 | Lear Capital | Not published | n/a | n/a | Company pages, September 29, 2026 |
| 12 | Preserve Gold | Not published | n/a | n/a | Company pages, September 29, 2026 |
| 13 | Priority Gold | Not published | Free-silver offer requires "a minimum qualifying investment" (amount not stated) | Offer only | prioritygold.com, September 29, 2026 |
| 14 | Patriot Gold Group | Not published | "(Minimum Account Required)" on its "No Fee For Life" IRA page | Not stated | patriotgoldgroup.com IRA page, September 29, 2026 |
| 15 | JM Bullion (dealer) | None for IRAs; $100 per order | "We do not have a specific minimum order size for IRA Purchases, however we do have a $100 minimum that applies to all orders." | Every order | jmbullion.com IRA page, September 29, 2026 |
| 16 | Fidelity (brokerage IRA) | $1,000 per IRA metals purchase | $44 minimum commission; storage 0.50% a year | Each purchase | Fidelity fee schedule FA-FEES-0926, September 29, 2026 |
| 17 | APMEX (dealer) | $2,000 per IRA purchase | "the minimum purchase from APMEX for an IRA is $2,000.00 (USD)"; $1,000 minimum to sell back | Each IRA purchase | apmex.com IRA page, web.archive.org snapshot of August 17, 2026 |
| 18 | Fisher Precious Metals (dealer) | $5,000 first order | "FIRST TIME CUSTOMER ORDER MINIMUM: $5,000 Subsequent orders - no minimum"; its IRA page says "no minimum requirement" | First order only | Fisher price sheet effective September 28, 2026 |
(a) Dealer rows 15, 17 and 18 are purchase minimums. A dealer sells you the metal; the custodian holds the IRA and still charges its yearly fees. (b) Opening an American Bullion IRA and buying nothing costs the greater of $250 or 0.50% of the funds transferred. (c) Not published = no amount found on the company's own pages on September 29, 2026; ask in writing.
Companies are listed as dated sources of their own figures, not ranked; SafeOunce ratings come only from the published methodology. Gold IRA companies differ on far more than minimums. Every one of the gold IRA companies we track, including those that failed, is rated on the same criteria.
Gold IRA companies that publish a minimum#
Eight gold IRA companies publish a minimum or have one reported for them, from $5,000 to $50,000, as of September 2026. The 8 are listed below from the smallest amount to the largest; their exact wording is in the table above.
- Birch Gold Group, $5,000: an investment minimum that "can vary."
- Swiss America, $5,000: a minimum transfer, the least you can move in from another IRA.
- GoldenCrest Metals, $10,000: the minimum type is not stated.
- American Bullion, $10,000: a recommended rollover amount.
- Allegiance Gold, $10,000: as reported by Money in September 2026.
- Noble Gold Investments, $20,000: an investment minimum.
- Goldco, $25,000: money available to roll over.
- Augusta Precious Metals, $50,000: a first purchase, according to Augusta's FAQ (last updated September 23, 2026).
Three of these 8 figures are softer than they look. Birch's amount "can vary," American Bullion's is a recommendation, and Allegiance's comes from a publisher's review, not an Allegiance document.
Gold IRA companies that do not publish a minimum#
Five gold IRA companies publish no IRA minimum as of September 29, 2026: American Hartford Gold, Lear Capital, Preserve Gold, Priority Gold and Patriot Gold. A sixth, U.S. Money Reserve, publishes a threshold only for its fee offer. The 6 are listed below with what their pages do show.
- American Hartford Gold: nothing.
- Lear Capital: nothing.
- Preserve Gold: nothing.
- Priority Gold: "a minimum qualifying investment" for its free-silver offer, amount not stated.
- Patriot Gold Group: "(Minimum Account Required)" without an amount.
- U.S. Money Reserve: a $200,000 rollover for its "fees for life" offer only (effective April 1, 2026).
Ask for the minimum in writing before any call ends. An unwritten minimum can change during the sale. The 12 questions to ask when you choose a gold IRA company are in how to choose a gold IRA company.
Dealers and brokerages with low or no minimums#
Online bullion dealers and one brokerage accept much smaller IRA purchases, from $100 to $5,000 as of September 2026. The 4 are listed below from the smallest amount.
- JM Bullion: no IRA minimum beyond $100 per order.
- Fidelity: $1,000 per metals purchase inside its own IRAs, with a $44 minimum commission (fee schedule FA-FEES-0926).
- APMEX: $2,000 per IRA purchase and $1,000 to sell back (page archived August 17, 2026).
- Fisher Precious Metals: $5,000 on a first order (price sheet of September 28, 2026), although its IRA page says "no minimum requirement."
A bullion dealer sells coins and bars to the public. A low dealer minimum does not make a small gold IRA cheap, because you still need a custodian that charges flat yearly fees. Fidelity is different: a brokerage IRA is an IRA at a broker, and a commission is the broker's fee per trade. The bullion sits inside that Fidelity IRA, with storage at 0.50% of its value a year.
What each minimum actually counts#
A published minimum can mean four different things: money available to roll over, the first purchase, every purchase, or only your first order. A fifth kind is a recommendation, or a figure that "can vary." A first order is the first purchase you make from a dealer. When a seller quotes a "minimum deposit," ask which of these it means. The table sorts them.
| Minimum type | Who uses it (September 2026) | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| Money available to roll over or transfer | Goldco ($25,000); Swiss America ($5,000 minimum transfer) | Count the rollover or transfer amount, not new yearly contributions |
| First purchase, cash or IRA | Augusta ($50,000, per its FAQ) | The first order itself must reach the figure |
| Each IRA purchase | APMEX ($2,000); Fidelity ($1,000, plus a $44 commission floor) | Every later purchase must reach it too |
| First order only | Fisher ($5,000; later orders have no minimum) | Only your first dealer order must reach it |
| Recommendation or "can vary" | American Bullion ($10,000 recommended); Birch ($5,000, "can vary depending on market conditions and product availability") | The figure can move; get the current one in writing |
Opening an account and buying nothing can itself cost money. American Bullion's Shipping and Transaction Agreement charges an IRA processing fee, a charge for handling the paperwork, when no purchase follows. The fee is the greater of $250 or 0.50% of the funds transferred: $250 on $30,000 and $500 on $100,000.
Why the minimums you read elsewhere disagree#
Review sites can show a different minimum than the company's own page, because lists copy old figures, show a first purchase as a minimum, or print unpublished numbers. The table sets 6 mismatches found on September 29, 2026 against the company's own figure.
| Company | Figure seen elsewhere (source, date) | Figure on the company's own page (date) |
|---|---|---|
| Goldco | $10,000 (RetirementLiving, modified January 14, 2026; Forbes Advisor shows $10,000 as an initial purchase) | $25,000 available to roll over (goldco.com FAQ, September 29, 2026) |
| Noble Gold | "~$2,000" (TipRanks, June 30, 2026) | $20,000 (Noble gold IRA page, September 29, 2026) |
| Birch Gold Group | $10,000 (older reviews) | $5,000 (Birch FAQ, September 29, 2026) |
| Fisher Precious Metals | "no minimum requirement" (Fisher's own IRA page) | $5,000 first order (Fisher price sheet effective September 28, 2026) |
| GoldenCrest Metals | $25,000 argued as "the right starting point" (a GoldenCrest blog post) | $10,000 minimum (GoldenCrest homepage, September 29, 2026) |
| American Hartford Gold | $10,000 (a paid advertorial, October 14, 2025) | None published (September 29, 2026) |
Check the company's own FAQ or terms page and save a dated copy. A minimum can change without notice, as Birch's own wording says. Two of the six mismatches sit on the company's own pages (Fisher and GoldenCrest), so ask which figure applies to you.
How Much Money Do You Really Need? The Fee-Drag Answer#
A gold IRA's flat custodian and storage fees fall to 1% of the account a year only above about $21,500 to $32,500 on the four lowest-cost published schedules, as of September 2026. They fall to 0.5% only above about $43,000 to $65,000. At Madison Trust's $656 a year, the 1% point is about $65,600.
Fee drag is the share of your balance that fixed yearly fees take. A flat fee is the same dollar amount at any balance: a $235 fee is 4.7% of $5,000 but 0.24% of $100,000. So fees, not the company's minimum, set how much money you really need.
Opening the account costs $0 to $50 at the published metals custodians. The yearly fees and the dealer's spread cost far more over time.
Flat fees as a share of your balance#
On a $10,000 gold IRA, the four lowest-cost published flat fees take 2.15% to 3.25% a year; on $50,000 they take 0.43% to 0.65%. Madison Trust's $656 takes 6.56% and 1.31%. Commingled storage keeps your coins with other owners' identical coins, while segregated storage keeps your exact coins apart. The table applies five published 2026 schedules to 8 balances.
| Balance | GoldStar Trust, commingled ($215) | Equity Trust metals-only, commingled ($235) | Equity Trust metals-only, segregated ($285) | STRATA Trust, segregated ($325) | Madison Trust ($656) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $5,000 | 4.30% | 4.70% | 5.70% | 6.50% | 13.12% |
| $8,600 | 2.50% | 2.73% | 3.31% | 3.78% | 7.63% |
| $10,000 | 2.15% | 2.35% | 2.85% | 3.25% | 6.56% |
| $20,000 | 1.08% | 1.18% | 1.43% | 1.63% | 3.28% |
| $25,000 | 0.86% | 0.94% | 1.14% | 1.30% | 2.62% |
| $50,000 | 0.43% | 0.47% | 0.57% | 0.65% | 1.31% |
| $100,000 | 0.22% | 0.24% | 0.29% | 0.33% | 0.66% |
| $200,000 | 0.11% | 0.12% | 0.14% | 0.16% | 0.38% ($756) |
Yearly fees only, from GoldStar GTC Rev. 01/2026, Equity Trust FS-0004-05 Rev. 081726, STRATA's fee page of August 31, 2026 and Madison Trust's schedule effective January 1, 2026 ($556 a year plus metals storage of $1 per $1,000 of value, $100 minimum). Setup, trade and exit fees and the dealer spread are extra. Custodians are named only as sources of published schedules. SafeOunce computation.
A value-based fee is a percentage of the metal's value, such as 0.50% a year. It costs less than a $285 flat fee below about $57,000, and more above it. So the choice between flat vs scaled gold IRA fees turns on your balance, as worked through in flat vs scaled gold IRA fees.
Fee drag at each company's own minimum#
At the lowest published company minimum, $5,000 at Birch Gold Group, Birch's own estimate of about $235 a year in fees is 4.7% of the account every year. The table repeats that test with each company's own published fee figure.
| Company | Minimum | Yearly fees the company publishes (page, date) | Share of the minimum |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birch Gold Group | $5,000 | About $235 a year on average; first year paid over $50,000 (FAQ, September 29, 2026) | 4.7% a year |
| Swiss America | $5,000 | "On average, the establishment fees are $250"; yearly fees not published (IRA FAQ, September 29, 2026) | 5.0% in year one |
| Noble Gold Investments | $20,000 | $80 setup + $275 a year (support FAQ) or $50 setup + $285 a year (gold IRA page); both pages live September 29, 2026 | 1.375% to 1.425% a year |
| Goldco | $25,000 | $225 non-segregated or $275 segregated after year one (cost page, updated February 2025) | 0.90% to 1.10% a year |
| Augusta Precious Metals | $50,000 (per its FAQ) | $235 a year after a $285 first year; "up to 10 years" paid by Augusta, conditions not stated (FAQ, last updated September 23, 2026) | 0.47% a year |
| APMEX | $2,000 per purchase | Not an IRA fee; with Equity Trust's metals-only schedule (Rev. 081726), $335 in year one and $285 after | 16.8% in year one, then 14.3% |
Goldco's own cost page reaches the same 0.90% for $225 a year on $25,000. GoldenCrest Metals has no row, because its own fee figure conflicts with its custodian's published schedule. Ask for the custodian's fee schedule in writing.
Gold IRA storage fees, the part of the bill set by the vault, are compared in gold IRA storage fees.
What a small gold IRA costs over 10 years#
A $10,000 gold IRA of 1 oz bullion coins can lose about $3,720, or 37.2%, to costs over 10 years if the gold price does not move. Those costs are the dealer's round trip and the account fees. A round trip means buying coins and selling them straight back, and its cost is the spread: the gap between the dealer's selling and buying prices.
| Starting balance | Cost if you sell after year one | 10-year cost | Share of the starting balance (10 years) | Gold must rise to break even (10 years total / per year) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $5,000 | $885 (17.7%) | $3,450 | 69.0% | 72.9% / 5.6% |
| $10,000 | $1,155 (11.6%) | $3,720 | 37.2% | 39.3% / 3.4% |
| $25,000 | $1,965 (7.9%) | $4,530 | 18.1% | 19.2% / 1.8% |
| $50,000 | $3,315 (6.6%) | $5,880 | 11.8% | 12.4% / 1.18% |
| $100,000 | $6,015 (6.0%) | $8,580 | 8.6% | 9.1% / 0.87% |
| $250,000 | $14,115 (5.6%) | $16,680 | 6.7% | 7.1% / 0.68% |
5.4% round trip on 1 oz bullion coins (SD Bullion Gold Eagle, September 29, 2026) + $50 setup + $285 a year + $280 exit (Equity Trust metals-only, segregated, Rev. 081726). Gold price flat; fees paid from outside the IRA. Break-even rise = 10-year cost ÷ (balance × 94.6%). SafeOunce computation.
A $10,000 account needs gold to rise about 39% in 10 years just to get your money back. High-markup coins raise every row. At a 20% spread, about a 23.7% round trip once the dealer's lower buyback price is added, the $100,000 row becomes $26,880.
An ETF (exchange-traded fund) trades like a stock, and its expense ratio is its yearly fee as a share of your money. The gold ETF GLDM costs 0.10% a year as of September 2026, about $100 over 10 years on $10,000, inside an IRA you already have.
A gold IRA fee calculator runs the same math on your own balance and custodian: try the gold IRA fee calculator.
Why $1,000 is not enough: a 10-year test#
$1,000 put into a gold IRA on September 28, 2016 ran out of metal at the fourth fee date, September 28, 2020. The test assumes a $50 setup fee, a 5% premium and $250 a year in fees paid by selling metal. A premium is the price above the metal's own value. The LBMA PM price is the London afternoon benchmark price for gold, set each business day.
| Case | Result |
|---|---|
| Gold at spot, no costs | $1,000 became $3,134 on September 28, 2026 (LBMA PM $1,322.50 on September 28, 2016; $4,144.55 on September 28, 2026) |
| Same $1,000 inside a gold IRA | Empty on September 28, 2020 |
| The lesson | A $250 flat fee is 25% a year of $1,000, 5% of $5,000, 2.5% of $10,000, 1% of $25,000 and 0.25% of $100,000 |
The price of gold tripled, but a flat $250 fee took at least a quarter of the account every year until nothing was left. These are past prices, not a forecast.
Gold IRA returns look very different once costs come out. Longer windows and the gold IRA returns after costs since 1971 are in the returns table.
What each minimum buys in ounces#
At the LBMA PM gold price of $4,144.55 on September 28, 2026, a $5,000 minimum buys about 1.21 troy ounces before any premium, and a $50,000 minimum about 12.06 ounces. A troy ounce is the standard unit for precious metals, 31.1 grams. The spot price is the market price for one ounce of pure metal.
| Minimum | Troy ounces of gold at spot | Grams |
|---|---|---|
| $5,000 | 1.21 oz | 37.5 g |
| $10,000 | 2.41 oz | 75.0 g |
| $20,000 | 4.83 oz | 150.1 g |
| $25,000 | 6.03 oz | 187.6 g |
| $50,000 | 12.06 oz | 375.2 g |
Spot value before any dealer premium. Silver at the LBMA price of $61.33 the same day: $5,000 buys about 81.5 ounces.
The ask is the dealer's selling price. At SD Bullion's ask of $4,280.53 for a 1 oz Gold Eagle on September 29, 2026, a $5,000 account holds one coin plus cash.
Silver costs more to trade. SD Bullion's round trip on a Silver Eagle was 14.6%, against 5.39% on a Gold Eagle (snapshot of September 29, 2026). So a $5,000 silver IRA loses about $730 on the round trip before any fee.
How Do People Reach a Gold IRA Minimum? Contributions, Rollovers and Transfers#
A rollover or transfer can reach any gold IRA minimum in one step, while one year's contributions match only the two $5,000 minimums in dollars. Those two are Birch Gold Group and Swiss America. Every other company minimum is above the 2026 maximum contribution of $8,600.
How many years of contributions a minimum takes#
At the 2026 maximum of $8,600 a year, a $25,000 minimum takes about 2.9 years of contributions and a $50,000 minimum about 5.8 years. Under age 50, at $7,500 a year, the same minimums take about 3.3 and 6.7 years. The $50,000 case matches Augusta's figure, according to its FAQ.
A per-purchase fee is a custodian's charge each time the IRA buys metal, and it hits small yearly additions hardest. STRATA Trust charges $75 per trade ($40 plus $35 depository handling) on its August 31, 2026 fee page. Madison Trust charges $75 per investment on its 2026 schedule. Each is 0.87% of an $8,600 contribution, while GoldStar Trust charges no trade fee (Rev. 01/2026).
Can spouses combine IRAs to reach a minimum?#
No: an IRA belongs to one person, so a married couple cannot pool two IRAs into one account to meet a company minimum. The tax code defines an IRA as a trust "for the exclusive benefit of an individual or his beneficiaries" (26 U.S.C. 408(a)). In plain English: each spouse's IRA must meet a minimum on its own. A spousal IRA contribution, made for a spouse with little or no pay, still goes into that spouse's own IRA.
Rollovers and transfers: how most accounts reach the minimum#
A rollover from a 401(k) or a trustee-to-trustee transfer from another IRA has no dollar cap, so it can fund a $25,000 or $50,000 minimum in one step. Neither counts toward the $7,500 yearly limit (IRS Publication 590-A). In a direct rollover, the old plan pays the new custodian itself, so nothing is withheld. Every source account and its trap is covered in the gold IRA rollover guide.
This is the usual route to the larger minimums, since none fits in one year's contributions. Goldco's minimum counts money "available to roll over," not a yearly contribution (Goldco FAQ, September 29, 2026). You can also move part of an IRA and leave the rest.
An IRA to gold IRA transfer between custodians is not a rollover. It has no 60-day clock, no once-a-year limit and no withholding (Publication 590-A). The once-a-year limit covers only IRA-to-IRA 60-day rollovers (Announcement 2014-15). Each step of an IRA to gold IRA transfer is covered on its own page.
Minimums vs "Free" Offers: The $50,000, $100,000 and $200,000 Thresholds#
Published minimums run from $5,000 to $50,000, but advertised fee waivers and free-silver offers start at $50,000 and reach $200,000, as of September 2026. A fee waiver is an offer to pay your custodian and storage fees for a time. Bonus metal, advertised as "free silver," is extra metal added to a qualifying purchase. Accounts below $50,000 qualify for none of the offers listed here.
What each offer threshold unlocks#
The offer thresholds below come from each company's own page, read on September 29, 2026. The word "free" in the table is the companies' own.
| Threshold | Company | Advertised offer | Conditions (company page, September 29, 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | American Bullion | First year of storage and custodian fees advertised as free | "Minimum account rollover size of $50,000"; "total savings will be $350" |
| Over $50,000 | Birch Gold Group | First year's fees paid | "for accounts over $50,000" |
| $50,000 to $99,999 | Goldco | "up to 5% back in FREE Silver" | On purchases "in Goldco premium coins" |
| $50,000 to $100,000 | GoldenCrest Metals | 5 years of free storage | Company claim |
| $100,000 or more | Goldco; GoldenCrest Metals | Goldco "10% in FREE Silver" (company wording); GoldenCrest 10 years of free storage | Goldco: purchase in its premium coins; GoldenCrest: company claim |
| $200,000 | U.S. Money Reserve | "Fees for life," up to $300 a year | Rollover of at least $200,000; at least 60% proof coins; Equity Trust accounts only; first-time customers; offer valid 30 days (effective April 1, 2026) |
A premium coin is a seller's label for a higher-priced coin line. A proof coin is a specially struck, polished coin sold above bullion prices.
What the offers are worth next to the markup#
American Bullion's advertised $350 first-year saving equals 0.7% of its $50,000 threshold, a small sum next to the dealer's spread on the metal the offer requires you to buy. U.S. Money Reserve's offer shows the same trade-off. On September 29, 2026, Orion Metal Exchange priced a proof 1 oz Gold Eagle at 13.38% over spot and a bullion Gold Eagle at 5.90%. So each proof dollar buys 6.6% less gold. On $120,000 of proofs (60% of $200,000), that is about $7,917 of gold forgone: 26.4 years of the $300 waiver.
Gold IRA markups outweigh every offer above: how dealers set gold IRA markups decides most of the cost.
The CFTC's advisory 8215-20 (August 4, 2020) puts bullion at 5% to 10% over spot and numismatic coins at 40% to 200%. Numismatic coins are collector coins priced for rarity rather than metal.
Free silver follows the same math. Goldco's 10% silver bonus requires a $100,000 purchase in its premium coins. At an assumed 20% spread on those coins, the buyer holds about $88,613 of metal, $6,387 less than $95,000 of bullion at a 5% spread (SafeOunce computation).
Fees paid for life cover only the yearly bill. What each waiver is worth over 20 years is computed in fees paid for life offers.
Custodian Minimum Cash Balances: Money That Cannot Buy Metal#
Ten self-directed IRA custodians and administrators require or may require $250 to $750 to stay in cash, money that cannot buy metal. Count it on top of any company minimum. A minimum cash balance is cash the custodian requires you to keep in the account. It sits in the IRA's uninvested cash account, sometimes called the cash sweep, so it holds no gold.
| Custodian or administrator | Minimum cash | Schedule date |
|---|---|---|
| American IRA | $750 ($25 a month if below) | Archived November 14, 2024 |
| Madison Trust | $500 ("This is not a fee") | Effective January 1, 2026 |
| uDirect IRA Services | $500 | Page of November 2025 (archived May 15, 2026) |
| Provident Trust Group | $500 | Fee schedule 3/2025 |
| IRA Financial | $500 | Effective January 1, 2026 |
| Forge Trust | $500 | Effective December 1, 2025 |
| Preferred Trust | $500 | Fee schedule 1.26.26 |
| Directed IRA | $500, only if fees are deducted from the account | 2026 schedule |
| Accuplan | $325 | 2026 fee page |
| Equity Trust Institutional (former Midland accounts) | $250 | Effective July 15, 2024 |
On a $5,000 account, $500 in required cash is 10% that holds no gold. Equity Trust's metals-only schedule, GoldStar Trust, STRATA Trust and Entrust printed no cash minimum in the schedules read. That does not confirm they have none, so ask.
The cash also pays the yearly bill. When it runs out, a custodian can sell metal to cover unpaid fees or close the account. Equity Trust's Institutional schedule (effective July 15, 2024) closes and distributes past-due accounts and charges $250 to reinstate one. A distribution from a traditional IRA is taxable income.
Gold IRA custodian fees include more than the cash rule. Setup, yearly and transaction charges are compared in gold IRA custodian fees.
What Can You Do With Less Than a Company Minimum?#
A gold ETF inside an IRA you already have is usually the cheapest way to hold gold with less than about $25,000. Flat gold IRA fees take roughly 1% a year or more below that size. In-IRA bullion means coins or bars your broker buys and stores inside your existing IRA. The table matches 5 situations to the number that decides each.
| Your situation | What usually fits | The number that decides it (as of September 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Under $5,000 for gold | A gold ETF in an IRA you already have | GLDM costs 0.10% a year, against 4.30% to 6.50% flat-fee drag at $5,000 |
| Money already in a Fidelity IRA, and US coins or bars are enough | Fidelity's in-IRA bullion | $1,000 per purchase; storage 0.50% a year; $10,000 held 10 years costs about $950 (9.5%: $250 to buy, $500 storage, $200 to sell) plus FideliTrade's spread, against $3,720 (37.2%) in a gold IRA and about $100 in GLDM |
| $5,000 to $25,000, and you want vaulted coins | A low-minimum dealer plus the lowest flat custodian schedule, knowing the 10-year cost | $10,000 loses about 37.2% over 10 years in the 10-year table above |
| $25,000 to $50,000 | A gold IRA with flat fees near 1% a year or less; you should get the spread in writing | $235 to $285 a year = 0.47% to 1.14% |
| $50,000 or more | Every published minimum is met and offers start; compare the spread, not the perk | A $285 flat fee beats 0.50% storage above $57,000 |
The table describes situations, not advice for your household. A fee-only planner or tax professional can check your numbers.
Gold IRA vs gold ETF is mostly a cost question at small balances. The yearly-cost crossover of gold IRA vs gold ETF is $285,000 for GLDM against a $285 flat fee.
Fidelity's in-IRA program lists Gold, Silver and Platinum Eagles, the 1 oz Gold Buffalo and bullion bars (FA-FEES-0926, September 29, 2026).
Its commission falls from 2.90% under $10,000 to 0.99% at $100,000 or more. The $44 minimum makes a $1,000 purchase cost 4.4%.
In practice, a Fidelity gold IRA means this program: the closest thing to a Fidelity gold IRA, with no gold IRA company involved.
Where Else Do Gold IRA Minimums and Fees Show Up?#
Minimums also appear in each company's review, next to its fees, contract terms and complaint record, and in the questions readers ask before opening an account.
Gold IRA minimums, fees and contracts company by company#
Each company's minimum is checked again with its fees and contract in its own review. The table lists the 17 reviews with the minimum as of September 29, 2026.
| Company | Minimum (September 29, 2026) | Review |
|---|---|---|
| Birch Gold Group | $5,000 | Birch Gold fees and minimums |
| Swiss America | $5,000 minimum transfer | Swiss America fees and minimums |
| GoldenCrest Metals | $10,000 | GoldenCrest fees and minimums |
| American Bullion | $10,000 recommended | American Bullion fees and minimums |
| Allegiance Gold | $10,000, as reported by Money | Allegiance Gold fees and minimums |
| Noble Gold Investments | $20,000 | Noble Gold fees and minimums |
| Goldco | $25,000 available to roll over | Goldco fees and minimums |
| Augusta Precious Metals | $50,000, according to its FAQ (updated September 23, 2026) | Augusta Precious Metals fees and minimums |
| U.S. Money Reserve | Not published; $200,000 for its fee offer | U.S. Money Reserve fees and minimums |
| American Hartford Gold | Not published | American Hartford Gold fees and minimums |
| Lear Capital | Not published | Lear Capital fees and buyback |
| Preserve Gold | Not published | Preserve Gold fees and minimums |
| Priority Gold | Not published | Priority Gold fees and minimums |
| Patriot Gold Group | Not published | Patriot Gold fees and minimums |
| JM Bullion (dealer) | None for IRAs; $100 per order | JM Bullion precious metals IRA program |
| APMEX (dealer) | $2,000 per IRA purchase (archived August 17, 2026) | APMEX precious metals IRA program |
| Fisher Precious Metals (dealer) | $5,000 first order | Fisher Precious Metals fees and minimums |
| Fidelity (brokerage IRA) | $1,000 per IRA purchase | Covered in the Fidelity section above |
Questions readers ask about gold IRA minimums#
Seven reader questions about gold IRA minimums get short answers below, each pointing to the page that covers it in full.
Is there a gold IRA with no minimum?#
Yes: the IRS sets no minimum, and JM Bullion sets none for IRA purchases beyond its $100 order floor. Custodian fees of $215 or more a year, as of September 2026, still make a very small gold IRA expensive. Which gold IRA companies for small investors fit best is weighed in best gold IRA companies for small investors.
How much money can you put in a gold IRA each year?#
You can contribute up to $7,500 in 2026, or $8,600 at 50 or older, across all your IRAs; rollovers and transfers have no dollar cap. Gold IRA contribution limits also depend on your income and account type. Income rules, SEP and solo 401(k) caps sit with the gold IRA contribution limits, including how many years of contributions each company minimum takes.
How much would $5,000 in a gold IRA be worth after 20 years?#
$5,000 put into gold at the LBMA PM price of $603.00 on September 28, 2006 was worth about $34,366 at spot on September 28, 2026. Inside a gold IRA it became about $17,526 (SafeOunce computation). That assumes a 5% premium, a $50 setup fee, $250 a year paid by selling metal and a sale 1% below spot. These are past prices, not a forecast.
What if you invested $10,000 in gold 20 years ago?#
$10,000 of gold bought at $603.00 on September 28, 2006 was worth about $68,732 on September 28, 2026 before costs. Inside a gold IRA with a 5% premium, a $50 setup fee, $250 a year in fees and metal sold 1% below spot, it became about $49,929. So what $10,000 became after IRA costs is about $18,800 less than spot. Year-by-year returns and what $10,000 became after IRA costs are in the returns table.
Is it worth investing $10,000 in a gold IRA?#
On cost alone, rarely: a $10,000 bullion gold IRA held 10 years can lose about $3,720 to spread and fees. A gold ETF in an IRA you already have costs about $100 over the same 10 years. Whether a gold IRA is a good investment goes beyond cost. Is a gold IRA a good investment? That page weighs the real downsides.
Is it better to have physical gold or a gold IRA?#
A gold IRA keeps the tax deferral but adds custodian and vault fees and forbids home storage. Gold you own outside an IRA has no account fees. Its gains are taxed as a collectible, the tax class for coins and art, at up to 28% (26 U.S.C. 1(h)). IRA gold kept at home counts as a taxable distribution (McNulty v. Commissioner, 157 T.C. No. 10, November 18, 2021). Costs, taxes and control of gold IRA vs physical gold are compared side by side.
Does the IRS know if you buy gold for an IRA?#
Yes for the account: the custodian reports your IRA's contributions, rollovers and year-end value to the IRS on Form 5498. Form 5498 is the yearly IRA information return. Box 2 shows rollover contributions, and box 5 shows fair market value, meaning what the account was worth at year-end. Whether the IRS knows about gold you buy outside an IRA is answered in Does the IRS know about your gold.