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How Does a Gold IRA Work?

A Gold IRA works exactly like any retirement account with the added benefit of providing you more control over your investment by including physical Gold coins and bars, along with other IRS approved Silver, Platinum, and Palladium metals.

Similar to any retirement account, your Gold IRA or Custom Precious Metals IRA allows you to invest your retirement funds based on a specific tax treatment (pre-tax or after-tax) and take distributions in the future. With your Gold IRA or Custom Precious Metals IRA, you will continue to have beneficiary(ies), receive quarterly statements, and have online access to your balances.

Types of Gold IRA Accounts

As with conventional retirement accounts, there are three types of Gold IRA Accounts that each provide distinct tax benefits, including:

  1. Traditional Gold IRA: A Traditional Gold IRA is a tax-deferred retirement savings account that operates similarly to pre-tax traditional IRAs in terms of tax treatment. Your contributions and any gains will not be taxed and, in most cases, contributions are tax-deductible as well. The IRS sets annual contribution limits of $6,500 if you are under 50 and $7,500 if you are age 50 or above. With a pre-tax IRA, you will have to pay taxes on your distributions during retirement.
  2. Roth Gold IRA: A Roth Gold IRA is an after-tax retirement savings account that works just like any other Roth IRA. While there are not any upfront tax deductions with Roth Gold IRA contributions, the main advantage of a Roth Gold IRA is that you won’t have to pay any taxes down the line when you start to take distributions during retirement.
  3. SEP Gold IRA: SEP Gold IRAs are available to business owners and self-employed individuals. The SEP Gold IRA works similarly to a pre-tax traditional IRA, in that your contributions are not taxed, but it offers higher contribution limits. You can contribute up to 25% of your income or $66,000, whichever is less.

Allegiance Gold can help you navigate regulatory requirements, avoid tax pitfalls, and diversify with Gold and other physical precious metals to stabilize your retirement portfolio. Schedule your free consultation with one of our Senior Portfolio Managers or contact us at Allegiance Gold today.

Does My Account Qualify?

The majority of retirement accounts are eligible to be transferred, either in full or in portion, on a tax-deferred and penalty-free basis, into a Gold IRA or a customized precious metals IRA.

While traditional IRAs, Roth IRAs, Simplified Employee Pension (SEP) IRAs, and Savings Incentive Match Plan for Employees of Small Employers (SIMPLE) IRAs are free of any rollover restrictions, others such as 401(k)s, 403(b)s, 457(b)s and Thrift Savings Plans (TSP), are qualified for transfer if the individual is over 59 ½ years old or is no longer employed by their previous employer.

With a designated IRA specialist, Allegiance Gold staff members can help you determine whether your account is qualified for transfer. Most accounts can be transferred on a tax-deferred, penalty-free basis, except for annuities, which may have a surrender charge depending on the contract. Rest assured, an experienced IRA specialist will help you uncover any potential surrender charges.

At Allegiance Gold, we make the process of protecting your investment with precious metals easy. We assign a team, consisting of an IRA specialist and a Senior Portfolio Manager, to help you throughout the process and handle all the paperwork.

Setting Up an Account

Setting up a Gold IRA is very simple. You can either complete your account online by clicking the following link or through a physical application.

Your Allegiance Gold representatives are there to assist you at every step of the way. Schedule your free consultation with one of our Senior Portfolio Managers or contact us at Allegiance Gold today for trustworthy, timely advice.

Fund Your Gold IRA

Once your application is completed and your self-directed IRA is open, funding your Gold IRA becomes incredibly easy. You have three simple methods to fund the account:

  1. IRA Transfer: The new IRA can be funded through an IRA to IRA transfer by simply completing a Transfer Request Form. This will ensure that the transfer is completed on a tax-deferred and penalty-free basis.
  2. Rollover: A direct rollover from a 401(k) or other qualified retirement plan is another way to fund your self-directed IRA on a tax-deferred basis.
  3. Cash Contributions: You can fund the account with cash by providing either a check or wire to the self-directed custodian. The taxable treatment depends on the type of IRA account, whether it is on a pre-tax (traditional) or after-tax (Roth) basis.

One of the few limitations on funding your account is that you cannot legally fund it with Gold coin or bullion you already own. This restriction exists because the U.S. government only allows certain coins and bullion to be held in IRAs.

Once the funds are received by the new self-directed IRA custodian, your Allegiance Gold representative will help you select the IRS approved coins and the depository to store your precious metals. Your designated Allegiance Gold team members, both an IRA specialist and a Senior Portfolio Manager, will manage the entire process of setting up and funding your Gold IRA or custom precious metals IRA.

IRA Approved Coins

A Gold IRA or a custom precious metals IRA cannot hold just any type of physical Gold or precious metals. With the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997, the IRS approved the following four main precious metals to be invested into an IRA: Gold, Silver, Platinum, and Palladium. With each type of metal, the IRS only allows a select few forms of bullion, coins, rounds, and bars. In an effort to focus on investment-grade, liquid products and to limit collectibles and older types of coins, the IRS issued requirements of fineness for the precious metals products. This selective approach ensures that Gold and other precious metal products meet minimum standards and maintain better long-term value.

The following coins and bars are among those that meet IRA investment requirements. Gold coins and bullion must be 99.5% fineness or higher.

  • American Eagle and American Eagle Proof Coins
  • American Buffalo Coins
  • Canadian Maple Leaf Coins
  • Canadian Polar Bear & Cub
  • Canadian Polar Bear
  • Canadian Arctic Fox
  • Austrian Philharmonic Coins
  • Australian Kangaroo Coins
  • British Britannia, 2013 and Newer
  • Chinese Panda Coins
  • Credit Suisse Bars and Other Bars and Rounds Produced by a NYMEX or COMEX-Approved Refinery

Silver coins and bullion must be .999 fineness or higher. Some options include:

  • American Eagle Coins and American Eagle Proof Coins
  • America the Beautiful Coins
  • Canadian Maple Leaf Coins
  • Canadian Polar Bear & Cub
  • Canadian Polar Bear
  • Canadian Arctic Fox
  • Austrian Philharmonic Coins
  • Australian Kookaburra Coins
  • British Britannia, 2013 and Newer
  • Chinese Panda Coins
  • Credit Suisse Bars and Other Bars and Rounds Produced by a NYMEX or COMEX-Approved Refinery

Platinum and Palladium coins and bullion must be 99.95% and 99.95% fineness respectively. Some options include:

  • American Eagle Platinum Coins and American Eagle Platinum Proof Coins
  • Canadian Maple Leaf Coins in Either Platinum or Palladium
  • Platinum and Palladium bars and rounds produced by a NYMEX or COMEX-approved refinery

This list is not all-inclusive, and we know determining which precious metals are appropriate for IRA investments can be tough, which is why our Allegiance Gold account executives are always ready to provide assistance.

Depository Storage

If you are interested in rolling the funds in your traditional IRA into physical precious metals, you must decide how you wish to store them before funding a Self-Directed IRA. Your Allegiance Gold account executive will answer any questions you may have and help you determine which type of storage will work best for your retirement savings needs.

 

Depository Storage Facility for IRA

A Depository Storage Facility is a third-party storage facility where all precious metals in storage are insured. With depository storage, your precious metals are stored in a high-security facility that’s 100 percent insured against all loss, damage, theft, or other liability. These Depository Storage facilities have highly-advanced security mechanisms and tools such as timed locks, 24 hour monitoring systems, and vibration, motion, and sound detectors. All depositories provide all-risk insurance and maintain a $1 billion insurance policy through Lloyd’s of London.

According to the IRS, Gold and other precious metals in a retirement account are required to be stored in the custody of an IRS-approved custodian at a third-party storage facility until the funds are withdrawn on reaching the predefined retirement age. Putting your precious metals in depository storage ensures that they are fully protected.

There is an added layer of security with any depository. When a depository receives any products, it will first inspect, audit, confirm, and key in the product’s information, including type, quantity, and weight. Afterward, the depository will securely store the precious metals products.

 

Top Three Depository Storage Facilities:

Allegiance Gold works with the following nationally-recognized depositories for the safekeeping and storage of our clients’ precious metals:

  1. Delaware Depository (Wilmington, Delaware)
  2. International Depository Services
  3. Brinks (Los Angeles, CA or Salt Lake City UT)

 

Commingled Vs. Segregated Storage

Precious metals stored in a commingled storage option are held in a communal area with other people’s products. Precious metals kept in segregated storage will be separated from all other precious metals at the depository in a storage compartment reserved for private use. Both segregated and non-segregated storage provide an equally strong degree of protection.

There are two options of storage:

  1. Commingled: A commingled storage in a Gold IRA or a Custom Precious Metals IRA means that your precious metals will be held in a segregated storage area based on the custodian. When you later decide to sell, exchange, or take an in-kind distribution of your precious metals, you will receive “like” precious metals and not the exact metals that you initially purchased.
  2. Segregated: A segregated storage in a Gold IRA or a Custom Precious Metals IRA ensures that your precious metals will be held in a separate storage area and will be segregated, marked, and stored with your name and IRA account number. When you later decide to sell, exchange, or take an in-kind distribution of your precious metals, you will receive the exact metals that you initially purchased.

Your Allegiance Gold representatives will help you navigate the options for storage that meet your needs.

How Does a Gold IRA Work?

A Gold IRA works exactly like any retirement account with the added benefit that it provides you more control over your investment to include physical gold coins and bars and other IRS approved silver, platinum and palladium metals.

Similar to any retirement account, with your Gold IRA or Custom Precious Metals IRA, you will be investing your retirement funds based on specific tax treatment (pre-tax or after-tax) and then take distributions in future. With your Gold IRA or Custom Precious Metals IRA, you will continue to have beneficiary (ies), receive quarterly statements and be able to log in online to check your balances.

Types of Gold IRA Accounts

As with conventional retirement accounts, there are few types of accounts that each provide distinct tax benefits. The following are the three types of Gold IRA Accounts:

  1. Traditional Gold IRA: A traditional gold IRA is a tax-deferred retirement savings account and works just like pre-tax traditional IRAs when it comes to taxes. Your contributions and any gains will not be taxed and, in most cases, contributions are tax deductible as well. The IRS sets annual contribution limits of $5,500 if you are under 50 and $6,500 if you are above 50. With a pre-tax IRA you will have to pay taxes on your distributions during retirement.
  2. Roth Gold IRA: A Roth Gold IRA is an after-tax retirement savings account and works just like any Roth IRA. While there is not any upfront tax deduction with Roth IRA contributions, the main advantage of a Roth IRA is that you won’t have to pay any taxes down the line when you start to take distribution during retirement.
  3. SEP Gold IRA: SEP gold IRAs are available to business owners and self-employed individuals. The SEP Gold IRA works similarly to a pre-tax traditional IRA, in that your contributions are not taxed, but it offers higher contribution limits. Instead of the $5,500 limit, you can contribute up to 25% of your income or $53,000, whichever is less.

Allegiance Gold can help you navigate regulatory requirements, avoid tax pitfalls and diversify with physical precious metals to stabilize your retirement portfolio. Schedule your free consultation with one of our Senior Portfolio Managers or contact us at Allegiance Gold today.

Does My Account Qualify?

Majority types of retirement accounts are qualified to be transferred all or portion, on a tax-deferred, penalty-free basis, into a Gold IRA or a custom precious metals IRA.

While traditional IRA, Roth IRA, Simplified Employee Pension (SEP) IRA, and Savings Incentive Match Plan for Employees of Small Employers (SIMPLE) are free of any rollover restrictions, others such 401k, 403b, 457b and Thrift Savings Plan (TSP), are qualified to be transferred if the individual is over 59 ½ years old or no longer works with prior employer.

With a designated IRA specialist, Allegiance Gold staff members can help you determine whether your account is qualified to be transferred. Most accounts can be transferred on a tax-deferred, penalty-free basis with the exception of annuities which could, depending on the contract, have a surrender charge. However, an experienced IRA specialist will help you uncover if there are any surrender charges.

At Allegiance Gold, we make the process of protecting your investment with precious metals easy. A team of an IRA specialist and a Senior Portfolio Managers will help you throughout the process and handle all the paper works.

Setting Up an Account

Setting up a Gold IRA is very simple. Allegiance Gold offers a streamlined process with a Senior Portfolio Manager and an IRA Specialist helping you along with the way.

Opening your account can be either completed online by clicking the following link or through your IRA Specialists that will help you fill the application.

Your Allegiance Gold representatives are there to assist you every step of the way. Schedule your free consultation with one of our Senior Portfolio Managers or contact us at Allegiance Gold today for trustworthy, timely advice.

Fund Your Gold IRA

With your application completed and your self-directed IRA open, funding your Gold IRA cannot get easier. Funding the account is simple and can be completed by one of the three methods:

  1. IRA Transfer: The new IRA can be funded through an IRA to IRA transfer by simply completing a Transfer Request Form. This will ensure that the transfer is completed on a tax-deferred and penalty-free basis.
  2. Rollover: A direct rollover from a 401(k) or other qualified retirement plan is another way to fund your self-directed IRA on a tax-deferred basis.
  3. Cash Contributions: To fund the account with cash, the self-directed custodian will accept either a check or wire. The taxable treatment depends on the type of the IRA account either pre-tax (traditional) or after-tax (Roth) basis.

 

One of the few limitations on funding your account is that you can’t legally fund it with gold coin or bullion you already own, in part because the U.S. government only allows certain coins and bullion to be held in IRAs.

Once the funds are received by the new self-directed IRA custodian, your Allegiance Gold representative will help you select the IRS approved coins and the depository to store your precious metals. Your designated Allegiance Gold team members, both an IRA specialist and a Senior Portfolio Manager, will manage the entire process of setting up and funding your Gold IRA or custom precious metals IRA.

IRA Approved Coins

A gold IRA or a custom precious metals IRA cannot hold just any type of physical gold or precious metals. With the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997, the IRS approved the following four main precious metals to be invested into an IRA: gold, silver, platinum and palladium. With each type of metal, the IRS only allowed a select few forms of bullion, coins, rounds and bars. In an effort to focus on investment grade liquid products and limit collectibles older types of coins, the IRS issued requirements of fineness for the precious metals products. One reason for being selective is to ensure that the gold and other precious metal products meet minimum requirements likely to ensure better long-term value.

The following coins and bars are among those that meet IRA investment requirements. Gold coins and bullion must be 99.5% finess or higher.

  • American Eagle and American Eagle Proof coins
  • American Buffalo coins
  • Canadian Maple Leaf coins
  • Canadian Polar Bear & Cub
  • Canadian Polar Bear
  • Canadian Arctic Fox
  • Austrian Philharmonic coins
  • Australian Kangaroo coins
  • British Britannia (2013 and newer)
  • Chinese Panda coins
  • Credit Suisse bars and other bars and rounds produced by an NYMEX or COMEX-approved refinery

 

Silver coins and bullion must be .999 fineness or higher. Some options include:

  • American Eagle coins and American Eagle Proof coins
  • America the Beautiful coins
  • Canadian Maple Leaf coins
  • Canadian Polar Bear & Cub
  • Canadian Polar Bear
  • Canadian Arctic Fox
  • Austrian Philharmonic coins
  • Australian Kookaburra coins
  • British Britannia (2013 and newer)
  • Chinese Panda coins
  • Credit Suisse bars and other bars and rounds produced by an NYMEX or COMEX-approved refinery

 

Platinum and palladium coins and bullion must be 99.95%  and 99.95% fineness respectively, and options include:

  • American Eagle platinum coins and American Eagle platinum proof coins.
  • Canadian Maple Leaf coins in either platinum or palladium
  • Platinum and Palladium bars and rounds produced by an NYMEX or COMEX-approved refinery

This list is not all-inclusive, and we know determining whether precious metals are appropriate for IRA investments can be tough, which is why our Allegiance Gold account executives are always ready to provide assistance.

Depository Storage

If you are interested in rolling the funds in your traditional IRA into physical precious metals, you must decide how you wish to store them before funding a Self Directed IRA. Your Allegiance Gold account executive will answer any questions you may have and help you determine which type of storage will work best for your retirement savings needs.

 

Depository Storage Facility for IRA

A Depository Storage Facility is a third party storage facility where all precious metals in storage are insured. With depository storage, your precious metals are stored in a high-security facility that’s 100 percent insured against all loss, damage, theft or other liability These Depository Storage facilities have highly advanced security mechanisms and tools such as timed locks, 24 hours monitoring system, automatic relocking, and vibration, motion, and sound detectors. All depositories provide all risk insurance and maintain a $1 billion insurance coverage through Lloyd’s of London.

According to the IRS, gold and other precious metals in a retirement account are required to be stored in the custody of an IRS-approved custodian at a third party storage facility until the funds are withdrawn on reaching the predefined retirement age.  Putting your precious metals in depository storage ensures that they are fully protected

There is an added layer of security with any depository. When a depository receives any products, it will first inspect, audit, confirm, key in the product annotating the type, quantity and weight and then securely store the precious metals products.  

 

Top Three Depository Storage Facilities:

Allegiance gold works with the following nationally recognized depositories for the safekeeping and storage of our clients’ precious metals:

  1. Delaware Depository (Wilmington, Delaware)
  2. International Depository Services
  3. Brinks (Los Angeles, CA or Salt Lake City UT)

 

Commingled Vs. Segregated Storage

Precious metals stored in a commingled storage option are held in a communal area along with other people’s products. Precious metals kept in segregated storage will be separated from all other precious metals at the depository in a storage compartment reserved for private use. Both segregated and non-segregated storage provide an equally strong degree of protection.

There are two options of storage:

  1. Commingled: A commingled storage in a Gold IRA or a Custom Precious Metals IRA simply means that your precious metals will be held in a segregated storage area based on the custodian but will be commingled with other customers within the storage area. When you later decide to sell, exchange or take an in-kind distribution of your precious metals, you will receive “like” precious metals and not the exact metals that you initially purchased.
  2. Segregated:  A segregated storage in a Gold IRA or a Custom Precious Metals IRA ensures that your precious metals will be held in a separate storage area and will be segregated, marked and stored with your name and IRA account number. When you later decide to sell, exchange or take an in-kind distribution of your precious metals, you will receive the exact metals that you initially purchased.

Your Allegiance Gold representatives will help you navigate the options of your storage that meet your needs.

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