An IRA to gold IRA transfer moves money from the custodian that holds your IRA straight to a gold IRA custodian. The IRS does not treat it as a rollover or a withdrawal, because the money never reaches you. So what does that change for you? No 60-day deadline, no once-a-year limit and no tax withheld. It is also the method most people mean when they ask how to convert an IRA to gold.
An IRA custodian is the bank or trust company that holds your IRA. A trustee-to-trustee transfer is the IRS name for this move: one custodian pays the other directly. In a rollover, the money is paid to you and you put it back yourself.
Moving existing IRA money is the simplest kind of gold IRA rollover, and this page covers only that case. It covers the rules, the 6 steps, the costs, the special cases and the tax forms, each rule with its IRS or statute citation.
What Is an IRA to Gold IRA Transfer?#
A gold IRA transfer is a trustee-to-trustee transfer: your IRA custodian sends cash straight to a self-directed IRA custodian that holds IRA-eligible gold, silver, platinum or palladium. The law calls a custodian a trustee. A self-directed IRA is one whose custodian allows assets beyond stocks and funds, such as vaulted metal.
A gold IRA is an ordinary traditional, Roth, SEP or SIMPLE IRA whose custodian allows vaulted metal. The transfer does not change the account's tax type.
A transfer is not a contribution, so it uses none of your 2026 limit of $7,500, or $8,600 at 50 or older (IRS Notice 2025-67).
Which IRAs can you transfer to a gold IRA?#
You can transfer a traditional, rollover, SEP or Roth IRA to a gold IRA of the same tax type at any age. A SIMPLE IRA can follow after its first 2 years, and an inherited IRA can go only into an inherited gold IRA.
Tax type means pre-tax money (traditional IRA) or after-tax money (Roth IRA). SEP and SIMPLE IRAs are employer-sponsored IRAs; an inherited IRA is one you received as an heir. A Roth conversion moves pre-tax money into a Roth IRA and is taxed.
The 6 kinds of IRA are matched to their destinations below, as of September 2026.
| Your IRA | Where it can go by transfer | The rule that decides it |
|---|---|---|
| Traditional or rollover IRA | Traditional gold IRA | Same tax type (IRS rollover chart) |
| SEP IRA | Traditional gold IRA | Chart row SEP-IRA to traditional IRA: "Yes" |
| SIMPLE IRA | Another SIMPLE IRA at any time; any other IRA only after 2 years from the first employer deposit | 26 U.S.C. 408(d)(3)(G); 25% additional tax under 72(t)(6) if moved early |
| Roth IRA | Roth gold IRA only; the Roth 5-year clock carries over | IRS rollover chart; IRS Publication 590-B |
| Inherited IRA (non-spouse heir) | Inherited gold IRA, by transfer only | 26 U.S.C. 408(d)(3)(C) |
| Traditional IRA into a Roth gold IRA | A taxable Roth conversion, not a plain transfer | Chart footnote 3: "Must include in income" |
What moves in a transfer: cash, not your funds or stocks#
In a transfer to a gold IRA, your old custodian usually sells your funds or stocks inside the IRA and sends cash by check or wire (an electronic bank payment). Selling (liquidating) your holdings inside the IRA costs you no tax.
ACATS, the brokers' transfer system under FINRA Rule 11870, links only broker-dealers, so metals custodians take a check or wire instead. Ask when the old custodian will sell, since cash waiting to move is out of the market.
Can you convert an IRA or Roth IRA to a self-directed IRA?#
Yes: you convert an IRA or a Roth IRA to a self-directed IRA by transferring it to a custodian that allows metals. A Roth stays a Roth, so this is not a taxable Roth conversion. Custodians, costs and setup of a self-directed IRA for gold are covered on the account page.
Why Is a Transfer Not a Rollover? 3 Rollover Rules That Do Not Apply#
A transfer is not a rollover because you never receive the money, so 3 rollover rules do not apply to it: the 60-day deadline, the once-a-year limit and tax withholding. IRS Publication 590-A calls a rollover "a tax-free distribution to you" that you put into another retirement plan "within 60 days". A distribution is any payment out of an IRA or plan.
Is a rollover the same as a transfer? No; the IRS treats them as two different moves.
A 401(k) moves to an IRA by "direct rollover", which also avoids withholding but is still a rollover in law. Workplace plans have their own choice of direct vs indirect rollover, with a 20% withholding trap that IRAs do not have.
1. No 60-day clock#
A transfer has no 60-day deadline, because the 60-day rule in 26 U.S.C. 408(d)(3)(A)(i) applies only to money paid to you. A 60-day rollover is the redeposit of such a payment.
For a check payable to you, day 1 is the day after receipt, and a weekend or holiday deadline moves to the next business day (Estate of Caan v. Commissioner, 161 T.C. No. 6 (2023)). How to count the days under the 60-day rollover rule matters only if a check is paid to you.
2. No once-a-year limit#
No, the one-rollover-per-year rule does not apply to transfers: IRS Announcement 2014-32 says "nor does it apply to trustee-to-trustee transfers".
The limit, in 26 U.S.C. 408(d)(3)(B), allows one IRA-to-IRA 60-day rollover in any 12 months, counted from the day you received the first payout. If you received a first check on March 10, 2026, the earliest safe day to receive a second is March 11, 2027: wait at least 366 days, not 365.
| The November 2026 check ($80,000) | Cost |
|---|---|
| Income tax at 22% plus the 10% additional tax (you are under 59 1/2) | $17,600 + $8,000 = $25,600 |
| 6% tax if you deposit it in the IRA anyway (excess contribution) | $4,800 a year until removed |
| The same November move made by transfer | $0 |
SafeOunce computation; federal tax only.
The IRS cannot waive the rule (IRS Publication 590-A). An excess contribution is IRA money above what the law allows. The 6% stops once you take out the excess plus its earnings by your tax-return due date, including extensions; the $80,000 stays taxable either way.
The one-rollover-per-year rule counts all your IRAs together, including Roth and SEP IRAs.
3. No tax withholding#
Nothing is withheld from a transfer, while an IRA that pays you directly withholds 10% for federal tax unless you elect out on Form W-4R. Withholding is tax held back for the IRS; Form W-4R sets the amount.
The 20% mandatory rate applies only to payments from workplace plans such as 401(k)s, never to IRAs (26 U.S.C. 3405(c)).
Is a check made out to your new custodian still a transfer?#
Yes: a check your old custodian mails you, made payable to your new gold IRA custodian, is still a transfer, so no 60-day clock or once-a-year limit applies. IRS Publication 590-A says a transfer "includes the situation where the current trustee issues a check to the new trustee but gives it to you to deposit". Announcement 2014-32 allows transfers "by providing the IRA owner with a check made payable to the receiving IRA trustee".
A check payable to you personally is a distribution. Forward the custodian's check promptly, without endorsing or depositing it. Payee names and addresses differ among gold IRA custodians, so copy them from the new custodian's form.
How to Transfer an IRA to a Gold IRA in 6 Steps#
To move an IRA to gold, you open a gold IRA and let the new custodian request the money from the old one. The whole process takes 6 steps, and you never handle the money.
The 6 steps are listed below in the order you do them.
- Check what your current IRA charges to leave and whether an RMD is due.
- Choose the gold IRA custodian and the dealer separately.
- Open a gold IRA of the same tax type.
- Sign the transfer paperwork the new custodian sends to your old one.
- Buy IRA-eligible metals after the cash arrives.
- Check both statements and confirm nothing was reported as a distribution.
The metal stays at a depository (a professional vault the custodian uses), never at home. Keeping it at home is a taxable distribution of its cost: a home storage gold IRA was taxed that way in McNulty v. Commissioner, 157 T.C. No. 10 (2021).
Step 1: Check what your current IRA charges to leave and whether an RMD is due#
Look up your current IRA provider's exit fee in its fee schedule before you open anything. An exit fee is the old firm's charge to let money leave; a partial transfer moves only part of the account. An RMD (required minimum distribution) is the yearly withdrawal the law requires from age 73 (75 if born in 1960 or later).
Complete these 4 checks before you call a gold IRA company.
- Find the "full transfer" and "account closure" lines (see what each provider charges).
- Ask whether a partial transfer is free; Schwab and Morgan Stanley charge nothing for one.
- Take this year's RMD first if you are 73 or older (see the RMD year).
- List which of your IRAs are traditional, Roth, SIMPLE or inherited.
Step 2: Choose the gold IRA custodian and the dealer separately#
Choose the gold IRA custodian and the precious metals dealer as two separate decisions: the custodian holds your IRA, while the dealer sets your price. An SEC and NASAA investor alert warns that custodians "generally do not evaluate the quality or legitimacy of any investment ... or its promoters". The questions to ask when you choose a gold IRA company are the same whoever you call.
Spot is the metal's current market price; the bid is what a dealer pays to buy a coin back. Get these 5 numbers in writing before any money moves.
- Price per coin and percent over spot.
- The dealer's buy-back bid today.
- All yearly custodian and storage fees.
- All exit fees, at the custodian and the dealer.
- Any fee if no purchase follows the transfer.
Numismatic coins are collector coins. The CFTC and FINRA advisory "10 Things to Ask Before Buying Physical Gold, Silver, or Other Metals" (March 20, 2024) calls "semi-numismatic" "a made-up industry term". These lines appear in the CFTC cases behind the 11 signs of gold IRA scams.
Step 3: Open a gold IRA of the same tax type#
Open a self-directed IRA of the same tax type as the IRA you are moving. Use traditional for traditional, rollover and SEP money, Roth for Roth money, and an inherited IRA for an inherited one.
The application asks for ID and a beneficiary designation, the form that names who inherits the account.
You can revoke a new IRA, which means cancel it for a full refund, for at least 7 days after you open it (Treas. Reg. 1.408-6). The application, ID and beneficiary forms you need to open a gold IRA are listed step by step.
Step 4: Sign the transfer paperwork the new custodian sends to your old one#
Sign the new custodian's transfer request form and let the new custodian send it to your old one. The money then moves between the two companies and never through your bank account.
The form names both accounts, the amount, full or partial, and "in cash".
Some old custodians insist on their own form or on a medallion signature guarantee, a bank stamp that confirms your signature, so ask yours first. Each field of the transfer form and the rest of the rollover paperwork, including the medallion signature guarantee, is explained line by line.
Step 5: Buy IRA-eligible metals after the cash arrives#
Sign the custodian's purchase direction only after the transferred cash shows in your gold IRA, and only for metal that is IRA-eligible under 26 U.S.C. 408(m)(3). A purchase direction is your signed order telling the custodian what to buy and which dealer to pay.
The law gives 2 routes. Route A covers named US coins: the Gold Eagle at any purity, the 1 oz Silver Eagle and the Platinum Eagle. Route B covers bullion (bars and coins valued for their metal) held by the trustee, at a minimum fineness, or purity: gold .995, silver .999, platinum and palladium .9995.
The IRS FAQ says "there is no list of approved investments" (updated April 8, 2026). An IRA that buys an ineligible collectible is treated as distributing its cost (26 U.S.C. 408(m)(1)). The full list of precious metals the tax code allows shows each coin's legal route.
Step 6: Check both statements and confirm nothing was reported as a distribution#
Check that your old statement shows the money leaving as a transfer and your new statement shows it arriving.
The first statement shows less than you paid, because custodians value metal without the dealer's markup. Equity Trust, for example, uses "the previous day's metal type value" (Precious Metals Risk and Fee Disclosure, CA_F-0003-05 Rev. 121625).
Check 3 items, as listed below.
- Old account: the money left as a transfer out, not a distribution.
- Tax forms early next year: no Form 1099-R for the transfer.
- New account: coins, bars and quantities match the invoice.
Why your first gold IRA statement shows less than you paid is a matter of valuation, not loss.
How Do You Convert an IRA to Gold Without Penalty?#
You convert an IRA to gold without tax or penalty by asking your new gold IRA custodian to request a trustee-to-trustee transfer. Never take a check in your own name, and let only the custodian buy the metal.
Three rules keep the move from being taxed, as listed below.
- Use a transfer, not a check to you (IRS Publication 590-A).
- Keep the same tax type in and out (IRS rollover chart).
- Buy the metal inside the IRA, never outside it (same-property rule, IRS Publication 590-A).
What a 60-day IRA check costs in dollars#
Taking your IRA as a check instead of a transfer costs you 10% up front in withholding. It can cost thousands if you cannot replace that 10%, or if you already used your one 60-day rollover this year.
The table compares 3 routes for a $100,000 traditional IRA whose owner is 57 and in the 22% federal tax bracket (the rate on the top dollars of income).
| Route | What reaches the gold IRA | Federal tax and additional tax |
|---|---|---|
| A. Trustee-to-trustee transfer | $100,000; $0 withheld | $0 |
| B1. Check payable to you, 10% withheld: deposit the $90,000 check plus $10,000 from savings within 60 days | $100,000 | $0; the $10,000 withheld comes back as a tax credit when you file |
| B2. Same check, but you deposit only the $90,000 | $90,000 | $10,000 is taxable: $2,200 tax + $1,000 additional tax = $3,200 |
| C. Check, with a 60-day rollover already done in the past 12 months | Nothing can be rolled over | See the $80,000 example |
SafeOunce computation; federal tax only; rules as of September 2026.
A tax credit counts as tax already paid. The additional tax is the 10% early-withdrawal penalty on IRA money taken before 59 1/2 (26 U.S.C. 72(t)).
A check also starts a 60-day clock that a transfer never has. If a check does reach you, the calculator counts the 60-day window and flags weekends and holidays. Miss day 60 for one of 12 listed reasons, such as a financial firm's error, and IRS Revenue Procedure 2020-46 lets you self-certify a late rollover at no cost.
Why the same-property rule stops you buying coins with an IRA check#
You cannot take cash out of an IRA, buy gold coins and deposit the coins in a gold IRA. A rollover must return the same property you took out.
In Lemishow v. Commissioner, 110 T.C. 110 (1998), cash used to buy stock that was then deposited was not a rollover. Estate of Caan v. Commissioner, 161 T.C. No. 6 (2023), says the IRS "cannot waive the same property requirement". Workplace plans may sell shares and roll the cash, but "there is no similar exception for IRAs" (Caan).
Coins you already own cannot go in either. An ordinary contribution (money you put in) must be cash: "no contribution will be accepted unless it is in cash" (26 U.S.C. 408(a)(1)). The IRA version of the rollover rule, the same-property trap, sank the Caan estate's rollover.
What Does an IRA to Gold IRA Transfer Cost?#
An IRA to gold IRA transfer costs $0 to $125 in exit fees at 6 large providers, up to $250 at Morgan Stanley, as of September 2026. Holding the gold IRA then costs $215 to $656 a year in published custodian and storage fees on a $50,000 account, and the dealer's spread is usually the largest cost.
The low end is GoldStar Trust with commingled storage; the high end is Madison Trust. The spread is the dealer's price above market value; the round trip is what you lose buying and selling straight back. A CFTC advisory (August 4, 2020) puts bullion at 5% to 10% over spot and numismatic coins at 40% to 200%.
A 1 oz Gold Eagle cost about 5.39% round trip in SD Bullion's prices on September 29, 2026, a one-day snapshot. How dealers set gold IRA markups and spreads decides most of the cost of the metal.
What your current IRA charges to let the money leave#
Six large IRA providers charge $0 to $125 in transfer fees to let a full IRA leave, as of September 2026, and two charge nothing for a partial transfer. The table lists each published fee and its schedule.
| Provider | Full transfer or closing fee | Partial transfer | Schedule and date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vanguard | $100 per account closure or full transfer (waived at $5 million in qualifying assets) | No fee listed; the account left behind pays a $25 annual service fee unless you choose e-delivery (statements by email), and closing it later costs $100 | v414, effective July 10, 2026 |
| Charles Schwab | $50 per account | $0 | Pricing Guide, April 2026 |
| Merrill Edge | $49.95 (full transfer and closeout are not charged twice) | The $49.95 closeout is due when the account finally closes | Schedule 11/2025 |
| Morgan Stanley | $125 ($95 for self-directed and MSVA accounts); the $125 annual IRA fee is also due on the transfer day | Not charged | Schedule March 2026 |
| Robinhood | $100 (ACATS out), plus any IRA match taken back within 5 years: a 2% match of $5,000 on $250,000 moved in February 2026 makes a March 2027 exit cost $5,100 (SafeOunce computation) | $100 | Fee schedule 20260917; match terms March 18, 2026 |
| Fidelity | None listed | None listed; a balance left behind pays up to $5 a quarter if under $100 and inactive 12 months or more | FA-FEES-0926 |
Morgan Stanley's annual IRA fee is due on the day you transfer, so a full exit can cost $250 ($125 annual + $125 transfer). Vanguard's $100 applies per account, so a couple moving 4 IRAs pays $400.
A partial transfer avoids Schwab's $50 and Morgan Stanley's transfer fee, but the balance left behind can carry the costs shown in the table.
SafeOunce has not collected exit fees for other firms, such as Edward Jones and TIAA, or checked which new custodians pay exit fees back. The full, dated table of costs to leave your brokerage or 401(k), provider by provider, is kept current.
First-year cost of a $100,000 IRA to gold IRA transfer#
Moving $100,000 from a Vanguard IRA into a segregated metals-only gold IRA costs about $435 in fixed fees in year 1, as of September 2026, before the dealer's spread. Segregated storage keeps your coins apart; commingled storage pools identical coins. A fixed fee stays the same at any balance.
| Year-1 cost | Amount | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Vanguard full transfer | $100 | Vanguard fee schedule v414, effective July 10, 2026 |
| Gold IRA setup | $50 | Equity Trust metals-only schedule FS-0004-05 Rev. 081726 |
| Annual custodian fee | $125 | Same schedule |
| Segregated storage | $160 | Same schedule |
| Total fixed fees | $435 (0.435% of $100,000) | SafeOunce computation |
| Same-day sell-back at a 5.39% round trip | About $94,610 back ($5,390 less) | SD Bullion 1 oz Gold Eagle, September 29, 2026 |
SafeOunce computation. The custodian is named only as the source of a published schedule. Non-segregated storage is $110, for $385 in fixed fees.
Custodians also bill on different calendars, so the month you open matters, as the 3 published schedules below show.
| Custodian schedule | Setup | Annual fee | Storage | When billed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Equity Trust metals-only (FS-0004-05 Rev. 081726) | $50 | $125 | $110 non-segregated / $160 segregated | At opening, then each January; not prorated |
| GoldStar Trust (GTC Rev. 01/2026) | $50 | $90 | $125 commingled | At opening and each anniversary; not prorated |
| STRATA Trust (fee page, August 31, 2026) | $50, waived for electronic applications | $150 | $115 commingled / $175 segregated; $75 per trade | At opening and each anniversary; not prorated |
Published gold IRA custodian fees differ by schedule, storage type and billing date.
What if you change your mind after the money arrives?#
Some dealers charge a fee if you cancel after the transfer lands but before you buy metal, and their cancellation windows can close before the money even arrives. Three dealer documents show the range.
| Dealer document | What it says | What it means for a transfer |
|---|---|---|
| American Bullion Shipping and Transaction Agreement (October 2024) | The greater of $250 or 0.50% of the transferred funds if no purchase follows | $500 on $100,000; $250 on $30,000 |
| Lear Capital terms and conditions (updated December 2025) | Cancellation until 24 hours after the invoice, longer where state law requires | The window can close before the transferred cash arrives |
| American Hartford Gold Shipping and Transaction Agreement (September 2026) | 7 days "regardless of whether the account is fully funded"; non-bullion coins only | Bullion orders fall outside this 7-day clause |
The same no-purchase formula appears in the agreement of Safeguard Metals, a failed dealer. Your 7-day revocation right binds the custodian, not the dealer. Moving the money out again is a new transfer with its own exit fees: STRATA lists $100 for a cash transfer out (August 31, 2026), plus any account closure fee. Ask whether both apply.
How Long Does an IRA Transfer to a Gold IRA Take?#
No law or custodian fixes how long an IRA to gold IRA transfer takes, and a slow transfer costs you time but no tax. The fixed rules and published statements for each stage are listed below.
| Stage | What is fixed | Source |
|---|---|---|
| New IRA opened | Right to revoke for at least 7 days | Treas. Reg. 1.408-6 |
| Old custodian sends the cash | No legal deadline and no 60-day clock in an IRA-to-IRA transfer | IRS Publication 590-A |
| Broker-to-broker ACATS move (not used by most metals custodians) | Validation within 1 business day, completion within 3 business days after | FINRA Rule 11870 |
| E*TRADE's own statement on brokerage transfers | Electronic full transfers "typically completed in ten business days"; paper requests "three to six weeks" | E*TRADE FAQ, retrieved September 29, 2026 |
| Metal bought | Should reach your depository account within about 28 days of payment; later is a warning sign | Benchmark from the actual-delivery rule, CEA 2(c)(2)(D) |
| Year-end | New custodian reports the December 31 value on Form 5498 | 2026 Instructions for Forms 1099-R and 5498 |
Actual delivery is the Commodity Exchange Act term for metal truly handed to the buyer or its vault. The 28 days binds metal bought on credit, so for an IRA it is only a benchmark.
Transfers most often stall at the sending custodian, not at the vault. SafeOunce reviewed 239 retirement-account complaints filed with the BBB about Inspira Financial Trust (formerly Millennium Trust) from October 13, 2023 to September 10, 2026. Of these, 161 (67%) describe a delayed transfer or rollover out. Inspira is a large holder of automatic-rollover IRAs, and BBB complaints are customer statements, not findings.
Ask both custodians for their processing times in writing; no primary source sets a day range for gold IRA transfers. Provider-by-provider data on how long a gold IRA rollover takes, transfers included, is collected as it is published.
Special Cases: RMDs, Roth, SIMPLE, Inherited and Divorce Transfers#
Five situations change the transfer rules: a year you owe an RMD, a Roth IRA, a SIMPLE IRA in its first 2 years, an inherited IRA and a divorce.
Transferring in a year you owe an RMD#
A transfer does not count as your required minimum distribution. If you are 73 or older, this year's RMD is still due by December 31, or April 1 of next year for your first RMD. The easiest way is to take it in cash before the transfer.
Your total RMD "may be distributed from any one or more of the IRAs" (1.408-8(e)(1)(i)). The Uniform Lifetime Table divisor is the IRS number you divide last year's balance by; at 75 it is 24.6 (IRS Publication 590-B).
| Option | What happens | Extra cost (as of September 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Take $12,195 in cash from the old IRA, then transfer the rest | The RMD is done before the move | $0 |
| 2. Transfer everything into metal, then take the RMD from the gold IRA | The custodian sells metal, or ships coins in kind | Sale: $30 per transaction (Equity Trust metals-only); in kind: $125 per transaction (Equity Trust) or $75 + $10 + shipping (GoldStar, GTC Rev. 01/2026) |
| 3. Transfer everything, and take the whole $12,195 from another traditional IRA you keep | Allowed, because traditional IRA RMDs can be combined (1.408-8(e)(1)(i)) | $0 at the gold IRA |
| Any option | The RMD can never be moved into another IRA | A rolled RMD is an excess contribution taxed 6% a year (IRS Publication 590-B) |
An in-kind distribution pays out the coins themselves instead of cash. Ask for an in-kind or sale RMD by early December, because the custodian values the metal on the day it processes the request. Inside the gold IRA, the RMD rules let you take the amount in cash or in coins.
Roth IRA to Roth gold IRA#
A Roth IRA can be transferred only to another Roth IRA, and the Roth 5-year clock carries over. All your Roth IRAs share one clock that starts on January 1 of the year of your first Roth contribution or conversion.
Earnings come out tax-free in a qualified distribution, which generally needs age 59 1/2 and a clock that has run 5 years (IRS Publication 590-B).
Money from a Roth 401(k) is different: the plan's 5-year clock does not carry into a Roth IRA, and that move is a rollover, not a transfer. A Roth gold IRA keeps qualified withdrawals tax-free.
SIMPLE IRA in its first 2 years#
A SIMPLE IRA can move to a gold IRA that is not a SIMPLE IRA without tax only after 2 years from your employer's first deposit. Before that, the move is taxable and can carry a 25% additional tax (26 U.S.C. 408(d)(3)(G) and 72(t)(6)).
The 2026 Instructions for Form 1099-R cover a transfer "from a traditional SIMPLE IRA to a traditional IRA that is not a SIMPLE IRA during the 2-year period". The old custodian reports it "as a taxable distribution in boxes 1 and 2a". The new custodian reports it as a regular contribution in Form 5498 box 1.
Contribution limits and custodian support for a SIMPLE IRA and gold are covered separately.
Inherited IRA: a transfer is the only way#
A non-spouse heir can move an inherited IRA into an inherited gold IRA only by trustee-to-trustee transfer. A non-spouse beneficiary is any heir other than the owner's husband or wife.
IRS Publication 590-A allows the heir only a trustee-to-trustee transfer, into an IRA that keeps the deceased owner's name for the heir's benefit. A surviving spouse can instead treat the IRA as his or her own. The 10-year rule and yearly RMDs for an inherited gold IRA are explained for each type of heir.
Transfers under a divorce decree#
An IRA moved to a former spouse under a divorce decree is not taxed, and the receiving spouse can then transfer it into a gold IRA like any other IRA. A divorce decree is the court order that splits the accounts.
26 U.S.C. 408(d)(6) says such a transfer "is not to be considered a taxable transfer". The 2026 Form 1099-R instructions add: "Do not report such a transfer on Form 1099-R".
How metals are split between gold IRAs in divorce is covered step by step.
What Tax Forms Show an IRA to Gold IRA Transfer?#
An IRA-to-IRA transfer produces no Form 1099-R and no Form 5498 entry for the move itself, except a SIMPLE IRA moved out in its first 2 years. The new custodian later sends only Form 5498, showing the year-end value.
Form 1099-R reports payouts; its box 7 distribution code names the kind. Form 5498 reports deposits and fair market value, the December 31 market price without dealer markup.
The table compares a transfer with a 60-day check.
| Form | After a transfer | After a 60-day check |
|---|---|---|
| Form 1099-R from the old custodian | None | A distribution, usually code 7 (normal) or 1 (early), with any tax withheld |
| Form 5498 from the new custodian | No rollover entry; year-end fair market value only | The rollover in box 2 (a late rollover goes in box 13a, with a code such as SC, PO or FD) |
| Your Form 1040 | Nothing to report for the move | Report the distribution and write "Rollover" |
If a 1099-R arrives for a transfer, call the old custodian before you file: the Caan case began with an IRS notice about a mismatch. Every box on Forms 1099-R, 5498 and the other gold-related forms is decoded.
Which Moves Into or Out of a Gold IRA Are Not IRA Transfers?#
Three common gold IRA moves are not IRA-to-IRA transfers: a workplace-plan rollover, a switch to a new custodian and a Roth conversion.
401(k), TSP and other workplace plans: a direct rollover#
Money in a 401(k), 403(b), governmental 457(b), TSP or pension moves to a gold IRA by direct rollover. It avoids the 20% plan withholding (26 U.S.C. 3405(c)) but is a rollover in law.
The plan reports it on Form 1099-R with code G. Plan money has its own traps, covered in the 401(k) to gold IRA rollover guide.
Federal employees follow Thrift Savings Plan rules, explained in the TSP to gold IRA rollover guide.
Moving a gold IRA you already own to a new custodian#
Moving an existing gold IRA to a new custodian is also a trustee-to-trustee transfer, but the coins usually move in kind, between vaults, for a fee. Equity Trust charges $125 per in-kind transfer out (FS-0004-05 Rev. 081726) and GoldStar $75 (GTC Rev. 01/2026), as of September 2026. An account termination fee may come on top; ask whether both apply.
Moving metal in kind when switching gold IRA custodians has its own steps and fees.
Each custodian's termination and transfer-out fees are compared.
Converting a traditional gold IRA to a Roth#
Moving traditional IRA metal into a Roth IRA is a Roth conversion: the coins can move unsold, but their value is taxed as income that year. IRS Publication 590-A says "the 1-year waiting period doesn't apply". It adds: "No recharacterizations of conversions made in 2018 or later", so it cannot be undone. The tax bill and the no-undo rule of a Roth conversion of a gold IRA are worked through with numbers.
Questions readers ask about transferring an IRA to gold#
Five common reader questions are answered below.
Should you convert your IRA to gold?#
Converting an IRA to gold makes sense only for money you can leave in metal for years, after you count the spread, yearly fees and price risk. SafeOunce applies the 3 tests listed below.
- Under $25,000: compare a gold ETF or brokerage gold first; a $235 yearly fee (Equity Trust non-segregated, as of September 2026) is 2.35% of $10,000.
- Needed within 5 years: at a 20% spread, gold must rise about 31% to break even (SafeOunce computation).
- 10 years on $100,000 (flat price, before dealer spread, as of September 2026): about $3,000 in the gold IRA above ($100 + $50 + $285 x 10). Fidelity's bullion program costs $6,990 and GLDM $1,000.
Gold also fell 26.1% from its record LBMA PM price (the London afternoon benchmark) of $5,405.00 on January 29, 2026 to $3,993.55 on July 16, 2026. It stood at $4,144.55 on September 28, 2026. Whether a gold IRA is a good investment at all is weighed with the downsides on its own page.
Can you put your IRA in gold without a gold IRA company?#
Yes: Fidelity IRAs can hold Gold Eagles, 1 oz Gold Buffalos and bullion bars without a gold IRA company. Any brokerage IRA can also hold gold ETFs such as GLDM, which charges 0.10% a year, as of September 2026.
Fidelity charges 2.90% to buy under $10,000, down to 0.99% at $100,000, plus 0.125% a quarter for storage, with a $1,000 IRA minimum (FA-FEES-0926). IAU's yearly fund fee is 0.25% and GLD's 0.40%, as of September 2026. Fidelity's own bullion program, the closest thing to a Fidelity gold IRA, needs no gold IRA company.
How many IRA transfers are allowed per year?#
There is no yearly limit on IRA trustee-to-trustee transfers; the IRS limit is one 60-day IRA-to-IRA rollover in any 12 months. Each transfer can still cost an exit fee, such as Vanguard's $100 per account (effective July 10, 2026).
What happens if you do two rollovers in one year?#
A second 60-day IRA rollover within 12 months fails: the money is taxable and may carry the 10% additional tax. Left in the IRA, it is also taxed 6% a year (see the $80,000 example). How one rollover per year and gold IRAs interact, with the Bobrow case, is explained in full.
What if your gold IRA custodian quits or is sold?#
A custodian that resigns or is sold usually gives at least 30 days' written notice, and you can transfer the IRA to a custodian you choose. If you do nothing, it may pick a successor or distribute the assets, which is generally taxable. Directed IRA's application (03-26) and Inspira's agreement (IRA-003.1) set the 30 days.
A move the custodian starts is still a transfer, not a rollover (IRS Publication 590-A). Midland Trust accounts moved to Equity Trust by negative consent (unless the owner objected) on July 15, 2024. What to do if your custodian quits, is sold or fails is covered with the real cases.