Can I roll my 401(k) into a gold IRA?

By Kaz · Published 28 September 2026 · How this site checks figures

Summary

Yes. A 401(k) can be rolled into a traditional IRA like any other, and a "gold IRA" is that IRA buying metal; the rollover is ordinary and the rules bite on the gold. Under IRS rules an IRA that buys a collectible is treated as taking a distribution of the purchase price, with exceptions for certain U.S. and state coins and for bullion "of a certain fineness if a bank or approved non-bank trustee keeps physical possession of it." Gold kept at home does not meet that condition.

One example from the CFTC

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission describes a complaint in which "a gold dealer and IRA custodian charged nearly $150,000 in commissions and fees to a customer who rolled over a $300,000 retirement account into a gold IRA." Nearly half the account went to costs. The same page lists dealers who "charged customers extra to store bullion in far-away vaults that didn't exist."

That was one complaint, but the costs stacked up in it are the ordinary ones. The CFTC names commissions and fees when you buy and sell, ongoing storage, and insurance, and says together they "may require you to earn well above the rate of inflation just to break even." The joint SEC, NASAA and FINRA alert on self-directed IRAs adds account opening, annual, administrative and asset-specific fees, and says fees for these accounts "may be significantly higher than those for other types of investment accounts."

What counts as a collectible

The IRS list covers:

any work of art, rug or antique
any metal or gem, with limited exceptions
any stamp or coin, with limited exceptions
any alcoholic beverage

If an IRA acquires one, the cost is treated as distributed in that year, reported on Form 1099-R and generally taxed as ordinary income, and the 10% additional tax on early withdrawals may apply to an owner under age 59½.

The exceptions are certain gold, silver or platinum coins described in 31 USC 5112, coins issued under state law, and qualifying gold, silver, platinum or palladium bullion held by a trustee. The IRS page doesn't print the fineness standard; it points to section 408(m)(3).

Can the gold be kept at home?

No. The IRS FAQ on IRAs says gold and other bullion are collectibles, and the only exception is "certain highly refined bullion provided it is in the physical possession of a bank or an IRS-approved nonbank trustee." Routing the purchase through an IRA-owned LLC doesn't change that; the FAQ says the rule "also applies to an indirect acquisition." The IRS also warns that buying a collectible can be a prohibited transaction, which our page on self-directed IRA prohibited transactions covers.

What the custodian does and doesn't check

Self-directed IRA custodians, per the investor alert, do not sell investments, do not "evaluate the quality or legitimacy of any investment in the self-directed IRA or its promoters," and do not verify the financial information supplied for it. Their job is holding and administering assets. The alert also notes that custodians often report the value of an investment as its original purchase price or a price the promoter provides, so a statement can show a number nobody has tested in a market.

Sources

Written by Kaz, an independent publisher.
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