A Fidelity gold IRA is an ordinary Fidelity IRA that buys IRA-eligible gold, silver or platinum coins and bars by phone. FideliTrade, an independent Delaware company, holds the metal, so no gold IRA company is involved. IRA-eligible means the tax code lets an IRA own it (26 U.S.C. 408(m)(3)); bullion means coins and bars valued for their metal.
A gold IRA rollover can move retirement money into metal without tax. This page covers Fidelity only; the gold IRA rollover guide covers every other account.
Does Fidelity Offer a Gold IRA?#
Yes: Fidelity lets its IRAs buy and hold 5 kinds of physical precious metals (as of September 2026), although it sells no separate product called a gold IRA. Physical precious metals means real coins and bars, not fund shares.
A gold IRA is any IRA whose trustee holds IRA-eligible metal for you. A trustee is the bank or firm that holds an IRA's assets under the tax law. Fidelity holds the IRA; the metal sits at FideliTrade, which Fidelity calls "an independent, Delaware-based corporation."
Why a Fidelity IRA can hold bullion: the trustee rule#
A Fidelity IRA can hold bullion because the tax code allows pure enough metal when a trustee, not you, holds it. The collectibles rule taxes an IRA's purchase of most coins and metal as a withdrawal (26 U.S.C. 408(m)(1)), with two exceptions.
The second exception, 26 U.S.C. 408(m)(3)(A), names US coins such as the Gold, Silver and Platinum Eagles. The IRS keeps no approved-coin list: its Retirement Plan Investments FAQs (updated April 8, 2026) say "there is no list of approved investments." The list of precious metals the tax code allows shows each coin's legal route.
Fineness is the purity figure: .995 means 99.5% pure. Unnamed bars and coins need .995 for gold, .999 for silver and .9995 for platinum and palladium (408(m)(3)(B)).
Is a Fidelity IRA a self-directed IRA?#
No: a Fidelity IRA is a regular brokerage IRA with a short metals menu, not a self-directed IRA custodian. A self-directed custodian holds almost any alternative asset, meaning anything outside stocks, bonds and funds, such as vaulted metal.
Fidelity's fee schedule says metals "are restricted to certain types of investments in a Fidelity IRA" (FA-FEES-0926, September 2026). A self-directed IRA for gold lets you choose the coins, the dealer and the vault; Fidelity offers 5 items.
In everyday speech, "self-directed" also means an IRA you run yourself, not a managed account where an adviser picks. In that sense, a Fidelity IRA you direct yourself can buy the metals.
Which Fidelity accounts can hold gold and silver?#
Fidelity's Traditional, Roth, Rollover, SEP and SIMPLE IRAs can buy the listed metals, while its 401(k) plans, other workplace accounts and Keogh plans generally cannot. A workplace plan is a retirement plan run by an employer, such as a 401(k).
The rules below come from FA-FEES-0926 and Fidelity's metals page, read September 29, 2026.
| Fidelity account | Can it buy precious metals? |
|---|---|
| Traditional IRA | Yes |
| Roth IRA | Yes |
| Rollover IRA (an IRA that receives money from a workplace plan) | Yes |
| SEP-IRA (an IRA the employer funds, often for the self-employed) | Yes |
| SIMPLE IRA (a small-employer IRA funded from your paycheck) | Yes |
| 401(k) or other workplace plan, including BrokerageLink | No: metals are "generally not eligible" |
| Fidelity Retirement Plan (Keogh, an older plan for the self-employed) | No: metals "may not be purchased" |
| Regular taxable brokerage account | Yes, with a $2,500 minimum purchase and no IRA tax deferral |
Inherited IRAs are in the fee schedule's scope, but Fidelity does not say whether they can buy metal, so ask first.
Can you buy gold in a Fidelity Roth IRA?#
Yes: a Fidelity Roth IRA can buy the same 5 metals as a traditional Fidelity IRA, and qualified Roth withdrawals, coins included, are tax-free. Qualified generally means 5 tax years since your first Roth contribution and age 59 1/2 or older (26 U.S.C. 408A). The rules for a Roth gold IRA are the same at Fidelity as anywhere else.
Which Gold and Silver Can You Buy in a Fidelity IRA? The 5 Products on Fidelity's List#
Fidelity's IRAs can buy 5 kinds of metal as of September 2026: Gold, Silver and Platinum American Eagles, the Gold American Buffalo and bullion-quality bars.
The table shows each product's sizes at Fidelity and its legal route.
| Product | Sizes at Fidelity | Why it is IRA-eligible |
|---|---|---|
| American Gold Eagle | 1, 1/2, 1/4 and 1/10 oz | Named in 26 U.S.C. 408(m)(3)(A), so it qualifies although it is only .9167 gold |
| American Gold Buffalo | 1 oz | .9999 gold bullion under 408(m)(3)(B); it is not a named coin |
| American Silver Eagle | 1 oz (the only size the US Mint makes) | Named in 408(m)(3)(A) |
| American Platinum Eagle | 1 oz | Named in 408(m)(3)(A) |
| Bullion-quality bars | Gold 1, 5, 10, 100 and 400 oz and 1 kg at 99.5% to 99.99%; silver 1,000, 100, 10 and 1 oz at .999; platinum 1 oz at .9995; palladium 10 and 1 oz at .9995 | Fineness under 408(m)(3)(B): bars qualify under the gold IRA purity requirements |
Fidelity's metals page, read September 29, 2026; legal routes per 26 U.S.C. 408(m)(3). Confirm bar sizes on the call.
A named coin is one the statute lists by name, whatever its purity; a bullion-quality bar is sold for its metal content. A troy ounce is 31.103 grams, about 10% more than a kitchen ounce. Fidelity sells "whole ounces, or whole numbers of coins."
What is missing from Fidelity's list#
Fidelity's IRA list leaves out every non-US coin, all proof coins and the Palladium Eagle. Buyers who want those need a self-directed gold IRA custodian that accepts the coin in writing. A proof coin is a polished collector version of a coin.
The 4 gaps, as of September 29, 2026, are listed below.
- Non-US bullion coins, such as the Canadian Silver Maple Leaf (.9999 silver).
- Proof coins: the list names bullion Eagles and bars only, and custodians decide case by case.
- The American Palladium Eagle (.9995), which qualifies only as bullion; no custodian has confirmed it accepts the coin, so ask first.
- Fractional Gold Buffalo and Platinum Eagle sizes: Fidelity sells both only in 1 oz.
The Krugerrand and the British Gold Sovereign stay out of every IRA: they are .9167 gold and not named in the statute.
How to Buy Gold in a Fidelity IRA in 6 Steps#
Buying gold in a Fidelity IRA takes 6 steps, and the one that surprises most people is step 3: every metals order goes through a Fidelity representative by phone.
The 6 steps, under Fidelity's rules as of September 2026, are listed below.
- Use a Fidelity IRA that can hold metals.
- Put at least $1,000 of cash in the IRA.
- Call Fidelity's precious metals line between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. ET.
- Order whole coins or whole ounces and get the full price.
- Let the trade settle in two days.
- Check the confirmation and your first statement.
Step 1: Use a Fidelity IRA that can hold metals#
Use an existing Fidelity Traditional, Roth, Rollover, SEP or SIMPLE IRA, or open one, because Fidelity's workplace 401(k) accounts cannot buy metal. Savings in a Fidelity 401(k) must first reach an IRA; the rollover routes below show how.
Step 2: Put at least $1,000 of cash in the IRA#
Fund the IRA with at least $1,000 of cash, the minimum Fidelity sets for a metals purchase in an IRA, as of September 2026. Cash can reach the IRA in 3 ways, listed below.
- A contribution: up to $7,500 for 2026, plus $1,100 more at age 50 or older (IRS Notice 2025-67).
- A transfer from another IRA: no tax and no 60-day clock (IRS Publication 590-A).
- A direct rollover from a 401(k) or other workplace plan: no tax withheld (26 U.S.C. 3405(c)).
The IRA takes cash only, so coins you already own cannot be deposited (26 U.S.C. 408(a)(1)). Fidelity's summary table shows a "$2,500" minimum, the taxable-account figure; its fee schedule reads "$2,500 ($1,000 for IRAs)" (September 29, 2026).
Step 3: Call Fidelity's precious metals line between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. ET#
Call Fidelity to place the order, because Fidelity says "All trades must be placed through a representative by calling 800-343-3548" between 8:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Eastern, never online. Fidelity's metals page also lists its general line, 800-544-6666 (both numbers as published on September 29, 2026).
Step 4: Order whole coins or whole ounces and get the full price#
Order by the coin or by the ounce, not by dollar amount, and ask for the all-in price before you confirm. The spot price is the market price of raw metal today. The spread is the gap between a seller's selling and buying price.
Ask these 4 questions before you confirm.
- Ask the price per coin and how far it is above spot; Fidelity does not publish it.
- Ask which fee tier applies.
- Ask whether your metal is segregated (kept apart under your name) or commingled (pooled with other owners' identical metal).
- Ask whether the coins could later move in kind, as coins, to another custodian.
One online dealer's premiums give you a yardstick. A premium is how far a coin's price sits above the value of its metal.
| Coin | Premium over metal value (SD Bullion, September 29, 2026) |
|---|---|
| 1 oz Gold Eagle (random year) | 3.03% |
| 1/2 oz Gold Eagle | 7.83% |
| 1/4 oz Gold Eagle | 10.83% |
| 1/10 oz Gold Eagle | 13.82% |
| 1 oz Gold Buffalo | 5.71% |
| 1 oz Silver Eagle (random year) | 11.2% |
| 1 oz Platinum Eagle | 11.4% |
If Fidelity's quote sits well above these, ask why. The CFTC says bullion typically sells at 5% to 10% over spot (CFTC release 8215-20, August 4, 2020).
Step 5: Let the trade settle in two days#
A Fidelity metals trade settles in two days, and the coins are then held for your IRA at FideliTrade rather than shipped to you. Settlement is the moment the cash leaves the IRA and the metal becomes its property.
Step 6: Check the confirmation and your first statement#
Check the confirmation for the coin, quantity, price and fee, then check that the first statement shows the same metal. IRA metal stays in the vault: home storage counts as a taxable distribution (McNulty v. Commissioner, 157 T.C. No. 10 (2021)). That is why a home storage gold IRA fails the trustee rule.
What Does Fidelity Charge for Gold in an IRA? (2026 Fees)#
Fidelity charges 0.99% to 2.90% to buy metal, 0.75% to 2.00% to sell, at least $44 a trade and 0.50% a year to store it, as of September 2026. These are the only metal fees in its fee schedule FA-FEES-0926; the spread in Fidelity's phone price comes on top.
Buy and sell fees by order size#
Fidelity's metal fees fall as the order grows, from 2.90% on a purchase under $10,000 to 0.99% on $100,000 or more. A tier is one of these size bands; the gross amount is the order's full value before fees. The tiers are shown below.
| Order size (gross amount) | Buy fee | Sell fee |
|---|---|---|
| $0 to $9,999 | 2.90% | 2.00% |
| $10,000 to $49,999 | 2.50% | 2.00% |
| $50,000 to $99,999 | 1.98% | 1.00% |
| $100,000 to $249,999 | 0.99% | 1.00% |
| $250,000 or more | 0.99% | 0.75% |
| Minimum fee per trade | $44 | $44 |
Source: Fidelity Brokerage Commission and Fee Schedule FA-FEES-0926, "% Charged on Gross Amount", read September 29, 2026.
SafeOunce applies each tier's rate to the whole order, as "% Charged on Gross Amount" reads. Fidelity has not confirmed that reading, so confirm your rate on the call.
The $44 minimum: why small orders cost up to 4.4%#
Fidelity's $44 minimum fee means a $1,000 IRA purchase costs 4.40%, not 2.90%, and the listed rate only takes over above about $1,517. A minimum fee is the smallest charge per trade, whatever the order size.
The effective rates are SafeOunce computations from FA-FEES-0926 (September 2026).
| Trade | Fee | What you really pay |
|---|---|---|
| Buy $1,000 | $44 | 4.40% |
| Buy $1,517.24 | $44 | 2.90% (the break point) |
| Sell $1,000 | $44 | 4.40% |
| Sell $2,200 | $44 | 2.00% (the break point) |
Storage has a floor too: $3.75 a quarter, or $15 a year. That floor applies below $3,000 of metal, and on $1,000 it costs 1.50% a year.
Storage: 0.125% a quarter at FideliTrade#
Fidelity charges storage of 0.125% of the metal's value each quarter, or $3.75 if more: 0.50% a year with a $15 minimum.
Yearly storage at 3 balances is shown below.
| Metal value | Fidelity storage a year |
|---|---|
| $10,000 | $50 |
| $50,000 | $250 |
| $100,000 | $500 |
FideliTrade's price list for its own direct customers does not apply to a Fidelity IRA. How this compares with gold IRA storage fees at other custodians is shown in the fee database.
What Fidelity does not publish#
Fidelity does not publish 4 things that affect your cost: its price over spot, the storage type, whether coins can leave in kind, and pricing near a tier line.
As checked on September 29, 2026, the 4 questions in Step 4 cover them; get each answer on the recorded call or in writing.
The whole-order tier rate used on this page is SafeOunce's reading, not a published rule. The difference between segregated vs commingled storage is explained separately.
Worked example: $30,000 of Gold Eagles for 5 years#
Buying $30,000 of Gold Eagles in a Fidelity IRA and selling them after 5 years at the same price costs $2,100 in published fees, or 7.0%, before Fidelity's metal spread.
The cost lines, at a flat gold price, are shown below.
| Cost line | Calculation | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Buy fee | 2.50% of $30,000 | $750 |
| Storage | 0.50% x $30,000 x 5 years | $750 |
| Sell fee | 2.00% of $30,000 | $600 |
| Total at Fidelity | $2,100 (7.0%) | |
| Same money in GLDM, a gold ETF | 0.10% a year x $30,000 x 5 years | $150 |
SafeOunce computation from FA-FEES-0926 and the GLDM expense ratio, as of September 2026.
GLDM is a gold ETF, an exchange-traded fund that holds bullion and trades like a stock. The $1,950 gap is the price of owning coins instead of fund shares. The gold IRA fee calculator runs the same numbers for any balance over 10 years.
Fidelity IRA Bullion vs a Gold ETF vs a Gold IRA Company: 10-Year Costs#
Over 10 years at a flat gold price, Fidelity's published fees cost 6.7% to 9.5% of the balance, against 1.0% for the GLDM gold ETF, as of September 2026. A low-cost self-directed gold IRA costs 6.7% to 18.1%, including a dealer spread.
A gold IRA company is the dealer that sells metal to a self-directed IRA. A flat gold price means gold ends where it started, so only costs matter. An expense ratio is a fund's yearly fee. The table compares 5 balances.
| Balance | Fidelity bullion (buy + 10 years' storage + sell) | GLDM (0.10% a year) | IAU (0.25% a year) | GLD (0.40% a year) | Self-directed gold IRA, low-cost bullion route |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $10,000 | $950 (9.5%) | $100 | $250 | $400 | n.a. (flat fees alone are $3,180, or 31.8%) |
| $25,000 | $2,375 (9.5%) | $250 | $625 | $1,000 | $4,530 (18.1%) |
| $50,000 | $3,990 (8.0%) | $500 | $1,250 | $2,000 | $5,880 (11.8%) |
| $100,000 | $6,990 (7.0%) | $1,000 | $2,500 | $4,000 | $8,580 (8.6%) |
| $250,000 | $16,850 (6.7%) | $2,500 | $6,250 | $10,000 | $16,680 (6.7%) |
SafeOunce computation, September 29, 2026. Fidelity: FA-FEES-0926, each tier's rate applied to the whole order, no spread. ETFs: annual-report expense ratios. Gold IRA: Equity Trust FS-0004-05 Rev. 081726, segregated, plus an about 5.4% dealer round trip.
Fidelity's figures leave out its unpublished spread, so they are a floor. The gold IRA column adds Equity Trust's $50 setup, $285 a year and $280 exit ($3,180) to an about 5.4% dealer round trip on 1 oz Gold Eagles.
Fidelity bullion vs a gold ETF in the same IRA#
A gold ETF bought in the same Fidelity IRA costs far less than Fidelity bullion: $1,000 over 10 years on $100,000 in GLDM, against $6,990 in Fidelity's published metal fees.
Fidelity charges $0 commission on online ETF trades, and ETFs can sit in an IRA (private letter ruling 200732026). For silver and platinum, SLV costs 0.50% a year and PPLT 0.60%. SIVR states 0.45%, cut to 0.30% by a fee waiver ending February 28, 2027 (funds' annual reports, as of September 2026).
What you give up is the coins: an ETF share is a claim on a trust's metal, not coins held for you. The full gold IRA vs gold ETF comparison covers taxes and what you own.
Where Fidelity's 0.50% storage costs more than a flat fee#
Fidelity's 0.50% storage costs less than a flat-fee gold IRA custodian on small balances, but more above about $43,000 to $57,000 of metal, depending on the schedule. A flat fee is a set dollar charge that does not grow with your balance; the crossover is where the two costs meet.
Crossover balance = flat yearly fee ÷ 0.005 (0.005 is 0.50% written as a decimal).
Three published custodian schedules give the crossovers below, as of September 29, 2026.
| Custodian schedule | Flat yearly fee (custodian + storage) | Fidelity storage costs more above |
|---|---|---|
| GoldStar Trust, commingled (GTC Rev. 01/2026) | $215 ($90 + $125) | $43,000 |
| Equity Trust precious-metals-only, non-segregated (FS-0004-05 Rev. 081726) | $235 ($125 + $110) | $47,000 |
| Equity Trust precious-metals-only, segregated (same schedule) | $285 ($125 + $160) | $57,000 |
Yearly fees only; setup, exit and dealer prices excluded. Custodians are named only as sources of published schedules, as of September 29, 2026.
Storage is not the whole cost. A gold IRA adds a one-time dealer round trip, setup fee and exit fee, and Fidelity's buy and sell fees are smaller. The payback years are shown below.
| Balance and schedule | One-time cost gap | Yearly storage saving | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|
| $50,000, Equity Trust segregated | n.a. | None: Fidelity's $250 is below $285 | Never |
| $100,000, GoldStar commingled | $3,610 | $285 | About 13 years |
| $100,000, Equity Trust segregated | $3,740 | $215 | About 17 years |
| $250,000, Equity Trust segregated | $9,480 | $965 | About 10 years |
SafeOunce computation: (gold IRA setup + exit + about 5.4% round trip, minus Fidelity's buy and sell fees) ÷ yearly saving; before Fidelity's spread; September 29, 2026.
Every published schedule of gold IRA custodian fees is compared in the fee database.
Fidelity bullion vs a self-directed gold IRA#
On $100,000 over 10 years, Fidelity's published fees come to $6,990 and a low-cost self-directed gold IRA to about $8,580, which already includes a dealer spread.
The dealer's spread (the gap between its selling and buying price) is usually the largest cost in a gold IRA. The CFTC puts numismatic coins, meaning rare or collector coins, at 40% to 200% over spot (release 8215-20, 2020).
The gap between the two 10-year totals is the most Fidelity's own round-trip spread can be before the gold IRA costs less. The break-even points are below.
| Balance | 10-year gap before Fidelity's spread | Largest Fidelity round-trip spread that still wins |
|---|---|---|
| $25,000 | $2,155 | 8.6% |
| $50,000 | $1,890 | 3.8% |
| $100,000 | $1,590 | 1.6% |
| $250,000 | None: the gold IRA is already $170 cheaper | 0% |
SafeOunce computation from the 10-year table above, as of September 29, 2026.
How gold IRA markups and spreads are set decides most of the difference.
Is Buying Gold in a Fidelity IRA Worth the Fees?#
Buying gold in a Fidelity IRA is worth its fees when US coins are enough and you hold about $3,000 to $43,000 of metal. In that range it is the cheapest way to hold coins on published fees. A gold ETF is cheaper for price exposure alone; a flat-fee custodian wins only on large balances held 10 years or more.
Seven situations and the deciding number are shown below.
| Your situation | What usually fits | The number that decides it |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Under about $3,000 of metal | A gold ETF, or wait | The $44 minimum = 4.40% on $1,000; the $15 storage floor = 1.50% a year; $1,000 buys only 1/10 oz Gold Eagles |
| 2. $3,000 to about $43,000, and US Eagles, Buffalos or bars are enough | Fidelity IRA bullion | 0.50% storage beats the lowest published flat fee ($215) below $43,000 |
| 3. More than about $57,000 of metal you will hold 10 to 17 years or longer | Ask Fidelity's spread, then compare a self-directed gold IRA custodian | A $285 flat fee costs less than 0.50% storage above $57,000, but pays back its one-time costs only after about 10 to 17 years |
| 4. You want Maple Leafs, proof coins, a Palladium Eagle or segregated storage in writing | A self-directed gold IRA custodian that accepts the coin in writing | Not on Fidelity's list, or not published |
| 5. You only want gold's price | A gold ETF in your IRA | $1,000 vs $6,990 over 10 years on $100,000 |
| 6. Still working, money in a Fidelity 401(k) | A gold fund in the plan if offered; coins only after the money can leave | Fidelity's "generally not eligible" rule |
| 7. You take RMDs soon | Plan how RMD cash is raised | Selling $4,065 of metal costs about $81 |
As of September 2026; situations overlap. On total 10-year published fees, Fidelity stays cheaper than the low-cost gold IRA up to about $250,000.
The table describes situations, not advice for your household. Gold also falls: the LBMA PM price, the daily London benchmark, fell 26.1% from its $5,405.00 record (January 29, 2026) to $3,993.55 (July 16, 2026). It was $4,144.55 on September 28, 2026.
Whether a gold IRA is a good investment for you is the other half of the question.
Can You Buy Gold in a Fidelity 401(k)?#
No: a Fidelity 401(k) cannot buy gold coins or bars, and at most it lets you buy a gold fund if your plan's menu or its BrokerageLink window offers one. BrokerageLink is Fidelity's brokerage window, an option in some workplace plans to buy funds outside the plan's menu.
Fidelity's fee schedule says "Precious metals are generally not eligible to be held in other retirement accounts at Fidelity" (FA-FEES-0926, read September 29, 2026).
Coins become possible once the money can leave the plan: when you leave the employer or, in many plans, at 59 1/2 through an in-service withdrawal (26 U.S.C. 401(k)(2)(B)(i)). See the plan rules for a rollover while still working.
Why BrokerageLink cannot hold coins#
BrokerageLink cannot hold coins because Fidelity's own rule keeps metals out of its workplace accounts. Metals are "generally not eligible" there and "may not be purchased in a Fidelity Retirement Plan (Keogh)." The tax code adds a second limit: the collectibles rule reaches the self-directed part of a 401(k) as well as IRAs (26 U.S.C. 408(m)(1)). A collectible includes art, antiques, gems, stamps, most coins and metal.
Gold IRAs rely on the exceptions for named coins and trustee-held bullion (408(m)(3)); a brokerage window holds securities, not vaulted metal. The limited ways to hold gold in a 401(k) run through funds.
How to Roll a Fidelity 401(k) Into a Gold IRA#
You can move Fidelity 401(k) money into physical gold by two routes, both using a direct rollover. Route 1 goes into a Fidelity IRA that buys Fidelity's bullion; Route 2 goes to a self-directed gold IRA custodian. A direct rollover is a payment from the plan straight to the new IRA, with no check made out to you.
The custodian is the trust company or bank that holds a self-directed IRA; the dealer is the company that sells the metal. The two routes are compared below, as of September 2026.
| Route 1: Fidelity IRA | Route 2: self-directed gold IRA | |
|---|---|---|
| Who holds the metal | Fidelity, at FideliTrade | The custodian, at the depository it uses |
| Products | The 5 on Fidelity's list | Any IRA-eligible product the custodian accepts |
| Yearly holding cost | 0.50% of value, $15 minimum | Flat, $215 to $285 on the schedules above |
| Buying cost | 0.99% to 2.90%, plus Fidelity's metal price | The dealer's spread |
| New companies involved | None | A custodian and a dealer |
| Fee to leave later | None listed at Fidelity | $150 to $280 on the schedules above |
Either route starts with the same rollover request to the plan. The full 401(k) to gold IRA rollover guide covers the 6 plan protections you give up and all 7 steps.
Route 1: Fidelity 401(k) to a Fidelity IRA, then buy bullion#
Ask the Fidelity 401(k) plan for a direct rollover into a Fidelity Rollover IRA, then call Fidelity's metals line once the cash has settled. A direct rollover has no tax withheld (26 U.S.C. 3405(c)). The plan reports it on Form 1099-R with code G and $0 taxable.
Roth 401(k) money goes to a Roth IRA instead of a Rollover IRA.
Route 2: Direct rollover to a self-directed gold IRA custodian#
Open the self-directed gold IRA first, then ask the Fidelity 401(k) plan to pay a direct rollover to that custodian for your benefit, never to you. Payee names differ among gold IRA custodians, so copy them exactly.
The custodian's letter of acceptance, the form confirming it will take the money, gives the payee, account number and address. A sample letter asks for "Direct Rollover" in the memo line.
Custodians do not check the dealer's prices: an SEC and NASAA alert says they "generally do not evaluate the quality or legitimacy of any investment ... or its promoters." Each field of the rollover paperwork is explained line by line.
The 20% withholding trap on a Fidelity 401(k) check#
The plan must withhold 20% for federal tax when a Fidelity 401(k) check is made out to you instead of the new IRA (26 U.S.C. 3405(c)). To finish a 60-day rollover, you must deposit the full amount, replacing the withheld 20% from savings, or that part is taxed (26 U.S.C. 402(c)(3)).
The 20% withholding trap and its fixes are covered in full.
You also cannot buy coins with the check and deposit them: a rollover must carry the same property (Lemishow v. Commissioner, 110 T.C. 110 (1998)).
How to Move a Fidelity IRA to a Gold IRA Company#
You move a Fidelity IRA to a gold IRA company's custodian by a trustee-to-trustee transfer, which is not a rollover: no tax, no withholding, no 60-day clock, no yearly limit. The once-a-year limit covers only 60-day rollovers between IRAs, never transfers (IRS Announcement 2014-15).
A trustee-to-trustee transfer moves the account straight from Fidelity to the new custodian (IRS Publication 590-A). A check payable to the new custodian but mailed to you is still a transfer (IRS Announcement 2014-32). An IRA to gold IRA transfer is explained step by step.
Fidelity's exit fee: none listed#
Fidelity's fee schedule lists no fee for transferring an IRA out or closing it, as of September 2026. Vanguard charges $100 per account (effective July 10, 2026), and Schwab $50 for a full transfer (April 2026).
The only related line is a "Residual Balance Maintenance Fee" of up to $5 a quarter, on accounts left under $100 with no activity for 12 months (FA-FEES-0926). A $50 Fidelity closeout fee quoted elsewhere is not in the schedule, searched September 29, 2026.
Moving gold you already hold at Fidelity#
Fidelity does not say whether coins bought in its IRA can move in kind to another custodian, so ask before you buy if you might leave later.
The sale is not taxed, because the cash stays in the IRA. How to sell gold in your IRA is covered step by step.
Is Gold in a Fidelity IRA Safe? Storage, Insurance and SIPC#
Gold in a Fidelity IRA is held by FideliTrade, which carries $1 billion of all-risk insurance and $300 million of contingent vault coverage, but SIPC does not cover the metal. All-risk insurance covers loss from any cause the policy does not exclude; contingent coverage is a backup policy for set cases.
Three protections apply, or do not, as listed below.
- FideliTrade vault insurance: $1 billion all-risk at Lloyd's of London plus $300 million contingent, as Fidelity states it (September 2026).
- SIPC (Securities Investor Protection Corporation): up to $500,000, including $250,000 cash, when a broker fails; securities only.
- FDIC (Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation): bank deposits only.
Depository insurance generally pays the metal's value, not the premium you paid. A 2016 SEC staff letter names FideliTrade as owner of the Delaware Depository; SafeOunce has not confirmed the 2026 owner. That depository's FAQ (read September 29, 2026) lists its own $1 billion plus $100 million coverage, and Fidelity does not say whether its IRA metal sits there.
How Do You Take Gold Out of a Fidelity IRA?#
You take gold out of a Fidelity IRA in two ways: sell it inside the IRA and withdraw cash, or take delivery of the coins as a distribution. From a traditional IRA, both are taxed as income in the year they leave.
Selling inside the IRA#
Selling metal inside a Fidelity IRA costs 0.75% to 2.00% of the sale, at least $44, as of September 2026. The sale itself is not taxed while the cash stays in the IRA. Cash you then withdraw from a traditional IRA is ordinary income.
Taking delivery is a taxable distribution#
Taking delivery of coins from a Fidelity IRA is a distribution taxed at the coins' fair market value. Before 59 1/2, a 10% additional tax applies unless an exception fits (26 U.S.C. 72(t)). Fair market value is what the coins would sell for that day; the 10% additional tax is the early-withdrawal penalty. Fidelity also adds "delivery charges and applicable taxes if you take delivery."
Coins you later sell outside the IRA at a gain are taxed as collectibles, at up to 28% (26 U.S.C. 1(h)). SafeOunce reads that gain as measured from the coins' value on the distribution day; the IRS publications do not state this directly. The rules for gold IRA distributions are the same for cash and coins.
Taking RMDs from gold held at Fidelity#
A traditional Fidelity IRA that holds metal must pay out a required minimum distribution (RMD) each year from age 73, or 75 if you were born in 1960 or later. Age 73 covers people born 1951 to 1958, and 1959 under proposed rules (26 U.S.C. 401(a)(9)(C)(v)).
The RMD rules for metal apply at Fidelity as at any custodian.
SafeOunce takes no money from any company named on this page.
How Does Fidelity Compare With Other Brokerages for Gold?#
Fidelity is the only one of the 4 large providers below that holds physical metal inside an ordinary IRA. Vanguard, Schwab and Empower offer gold ETFs or plan funds at most, and leaving costs $0 to $100 (2023-2026 schedules and plan notices).
| Provider | Physical metal in the IRA? | Fee to leave (dated) | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fidelity | Yes, 5 products | None listed (FA-FEES-0926, September 2026) | This page |
| Vanguard | No; third-party gold ETFs only | $100 per account (schedule effective July 10, 2026) | Vanguard and gold IRAs |
| Charles Schwab | No; ETFs and funds | $50 full transfer, $0 partial (pricing guide, April 2026) | Charles Schwab and gold IRAs |
| Empower (401(k) recordkeeper) | No; plan funds only | Plan-specific, such as $25 to $75 per distribution in plan notices (2023 to 2025) | Empower 401(k) to gold IRA rollover |
The dated cost to leave your brokerage or 401(k) at every provider is kept in one table.
Questions readers ask about Fidelity and gold#
Four questions readers ask about Fidelity and gold are answered below.
Is a Fidelity gold fund a good investment?#
Fidelity's Gold Portfolio (FSAGX) is a fund of gold-company stocks and some bullion, not gold held for you, and it charges 0.64% a year. Its April 29, 2026 summary prospectus describes "normally investing at least 80% of assets" in gold-company securities "and in gold bullion or coins." Mining shares can move differently from the metal price. Funds that hold metal itself are compared among gold and silver ETFs for your IRA.
Is it better to buy physical gold or a gold IRA?#
Coins you keep yourself are taxed as collectibles when sold at a gain, at up to 28%. A gold IRA defers tax but adds custody fees and can never be stored at home. The full gold IRA vs physical gold comparison covers costs and access.
What is the downside of a gold IRA?#
The main downsides are that metal pays no interest or dividends, fees and spreads weigh most on small balances, and traditional IRA withdrawals are taxed as ordinary income. The pros, cons and real downsides of a gold IRA are weighed in full.
What is the best gold IRA?#
No single gold IRA is best for everyone. For a Fidelity customer happy with US coins, Fidelity is often cheapest on published fees; elsewhere, the dealer's spread decides. How SafeOunce ranks the best gold IRA companies by real cost is explained there.