Fees

Clear about costs

A precious metals IRA carries a few straightforward fees. Here is what each one is, what it typically costs, and how it compares to the fees already built into most retirement accounts.

The basics

Where the fees come from

The fees in a precious metals IRA are not unique to gold. They are part of maintaining any properly structured, IRS compliant retirement account. The difference is that they come from a few clearly separate sources, each charged by a different party. We believe you should understand each one before you proceed.

The fees

The three fees, plainly

Account setup fee

Typically $50 to $100, one time

Charged by your custodian

A one time fee to establish your self-directed IRA. It is charged by the custodian who administers the account, not by Ardent Gold.

Annual administration fee

Typically $80 to $150 per year

Charged by your custodian

An annual fee for administering the account and keeping it IRS compliant. This is similar to the administrative fees found in conventional retirement accounts.

Secure storage fee

Typically $100 to $150 per year

Charged by the depository

An annual fee charged by the depository for securely holding and insuring your metals at an approved, segregated facility. Because IRS rules require metals to be held at an approved depository, this cost is part of keeping the account tax advantaged.

In context

How this compares to a conventional IRA

If you already hold a retirement account, you are already paying fees. They are simply structured differently. In a conventional IRA, costs usually come from fund expense ratios and management fees, charged as a percentage of your account balance every year. As the account grows, those percentage based fees grow with it.

A precious metals IRA uses flat dollar fees instead. The setup, administration, and storage fees stay the same regardless of how large the account becomes. For many accounts, the total annual cost is comparable to what is already being paid inside a conventional retirement account. It is simply organized as flat fees rather than a percentage.

The exact figures depend on the custodian you use, the depository, the account size, and the metals you select. Your specialist reviews all of them with you directly, in full, before anything moves forward.

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