Capstone Metals — gold and silver IRA dealer
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Retirement

The IRS rules that govern a Gold IRA

A Gold IRA follows the same rulebook as any IRA; the metal adds a second set of rules about what may be held and where it must live. Both are summarized here, with the IRS publications worth reading linked in our research library.

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  • Fiduciary advisory — licensed since 1970
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Governing statute

26 U.S.C. §408(m)

Gold fineness

.995 minimum

Early withdrawal

59½ age threshold

RMDs (traditional)

Begin at age 73

The metal rules: §408(m)

The tax code generally treats collectibles held in an IRA as a distribution, then carves out exceptions for specific bullion. Gold must be at least .995 fine; silver .999; platinum and palladium .9995. The American Gold Eagle is a statutory exception, allowed at .9167 fineness. Metal must be held by the IRA trustee or an approved depository — not in your safe.

  • Gold: .995 fine minimum — Maple Leaf, Buffalo, bars from accredited refiners
  • Silver: .999 fine — American Silver Eagle, qualifying bars and rounds
  • Numismatic and collectible coins are excluded regardless of metal content
  • Possession at home or in a personal safe-deposit box risks a deemed distribution

The account rules: contributions, rollovers, RMDs

Annual contribution limits, income rules for Roth eligibility, and required minimum distributions match any other IRA. For 2026 the contribution limit set by the IRS applies in full — but most Gold IRAs are funded by rollover or transfer, which carries no dollar cap and no tax event when executed trustee-to-trustee.

  • Direct trustee-to-trustee transfers: no limit, no 60-day clock, no withholding
  • 60-day indirect rollovers: one per 12 months, 20% withholding risk from plans
  • Traditional IRA RMDs begin at age 73 and can be taken in cash or in kind
  • Roth IRAs have no lifetime RMDs for the original owner

Prohibited transactions — the rules people break

You cannot buy metal you already own into your IRA, sell personal metal to your IRA, or use IRA metal for personal benefit before distribution. Transactions with disqualified persons — yourself, your spouse, lineal family, or entities you control — can disqualify the entire account. Keep every transaction at arm's length through the custodian.

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Common questions

What are the Gold IRA contribution limits?
The same annual IRS limits that apply to any traditional or Roth IRA for the tax year, including the catch-up provision for those 50 and older. Rollovers and trustee-to-trustee transfers are not contributions and are not capped.
How rollovers and transfers differ
When can I take money out of a Gold IRA?
From age 59½ without the 10% early-distribution penalty. Traditional accounts owe ordinary income tax on distributions; qualified Roth distributions are tax-free. You can take distribution in cash by selling metal, or in kind by taking delivery of the bullion itself.
Do Gold IRAs have RMDs?
Traditional Gold IRAs follow the standard RMD schedule beginning at age 73. Because metals are indivisible, most investors satisfy RMDs by selling a portion of holdings for cash or distributing whole coins in kind at their fair market value.
What happens if I break a rule?
A prohibited transaction can cause the IRS to treat the entire account as distributed — the full balance becomes taxable income in that year, plus a 10% penalty if you are under 59½. This is the most expensive mistake in self-directed IRAs and the reason the custodian relationship matters.
What the custodian actually does

Continue reading

Retirement

Gold IRA

Taxes & distributions

Gold IRA Taxes

Eligibility

IRA Approved Gold

Structure

Gold IRA Custodian

Get the rules in writing before you fund anything

Ask us any rule question on a call — we'll answer in plain English and point you to the IRS source so you can verify it yourself.

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