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Precious metals IRA

Rollovers and transfers, step by step.

Moving retirement money the wrong way can turn it into a taxable withdrawal. The safest route, almost always, is a direct transfer between custodians.

Direct transfer or 60-day rollover?

Direct transfer compared with an indirect 60-day rollover
Direct transfer or direct rolloverIndirect (60-day) rollover
Who moves the moneyYour old custodian sends it straight to the new oneYou get a check, then deposit it yourself
DeadlineNone for you to meet60 days from when you receive the money
LimitAs many as you likeOne IRA-to-IRA rollover in any 12 months, across all your IRAs
Tax withheldNoneFrom a workplace plan: 20% withheld, which you must make up from other savings to roll over the full amount
RiskLowMiss the deadline and it becomes a taxable withdrawal, possibly with a 10% penalty if under 59½

Source: IRS: rollovers of retirement plan and IRA distributions. Rules summarised October 2026; check the IRS page for changes.

Checklist

How to move an account into metals

  1. Check the costs first. Get the custodian’s fees, the depository’s storage fee, and the dealer’s prices and buyback prices in writing. See what it costs.
  2. Check whether you can move the money. Many workplace plans only allow rollovers when you leave the employer or reach a certain age. Ask your plan administrator.
  3. Open the self-directed IRA with the new custodian. Use the same type as the money you are moving: traditional to traditional, Roth to Roth. Moving pre-tax money into a Roth is a conversion, and it is taxable.
  4. Ask for a direct transfer (IRA to IRA) or a direct rollover (401(k) or similar plan to IRA). The new custodian usually sends the paperwork to the old one. Do not ask for a check made out to you.
  5. Wait for the cash to arrive in the new account. Nothing is bought until it does.
  6. Choose the metal yourself. Stick to plain bullion that meets IRS rules. Compare each price with its live melt value before you approve the purchase.
  7. Get confirmations from the custodian and the depository listing exactly what was bought and where it is stored.

Things that cannot be rolled over

Required minimum distributions, hardship distributions, and a few other payments cannot be rolled over. The IRS has arollover chart showing which account types can move to which.

The one-rollover-per-year rule

You can make only one IRA-to-IRA indirect rollover in any 12-month period, counting all your IRAs together. Direct trustee-to-trustee transfers do not count towards this limit, which is one more reason to use them.

If someone says “act now”

There is no tax reason to rush a transfer. Deadlines invented by a salesperson are a pressure tactic. Read theCFTC’s warning on precious metals frauds before you sign.

This page is general information, not tax or investment advice. Rules have exceptions; confirm with your custodian, plan administrator, or a tax professional.