Gold IRA Fees Explained: What You Really Pay Each Year

A gold IRA costs more to run than a regular IRA at a bank or brokerage. You pay a custodian to keep the records, a vault to store the metal, and a dealer who builds a markup into the price of the coins and bars.

None of these costs is unusual on its own. The trouble is that they come from three different companies, so they are easy to miss when you add things up. This page shows what each fee is, the typical ranges we found in October 2026, and a 10-year example with simple numbers.

What fees does a gold IRA charge?

There are four main costs: a setup fee, a yearly custodian fee, a yearly storage fee, and the dealer's markup on the metal.

These ranges come from the published precious metals fee schedules of three custodians: Equity Trust, STRATA Trust and GoldStar Trust. They are examples of what exists, not recommendations. Every company sets its own prices and can change them.

Insurance usually doesn't appear as its own line. The vault insures the metal while it is stored, and that cost is built into the storage fee. For example, the Texas Bullion Depository says its stored metal is insured through Lloyd's of London. Ask your custodian to confirm that insurance is included and what it covers.

How much is the gold IRA setup fee?

Small. All three custodian schedules we read listed a $50 setup fee, and STRATA waives it for electronic applications.

Some dealers advertise that they will pay your setup fee or your first year of fees. That can be a real saving. But remember that a dealer earns its money from the markup on the metal, so ask how the offer is paid for. Our page on how gold IRA companies make money explains this.

What does the custodian charge each year?

In the schedules we read, the yearly custodian fee was a flat $90 to $150, whatever the size of the account.

The custodian is the IRA company. It holds the account, sends your statements and reports to the IRS. Here is what each schedule listed for an account that holds only precious metals:

Not every custodian uses a flat fee. The Entrust Group charges a yearly recordkeeping fee of $219 for an account holding one asset, plus 0.17% of the value above $50,000, with a yearly cap of $2,299. With a value-based fee, your cost goes up when gold prices go up.

How much does gold IRA storage cost?

In the schedules we read, storage cost $110 to $125 a year for commingled storage and $160 to $225 or more for segregated storage.

Commingled means your metal is stored with other customers' metal of the same type. Segregated means your coins and bars are kept apart, and you get back the exact pieces. In these schedules, segregated storage cost $50 to $100 more each year. Our storage rules guide explains the difference in more detail.

Some storage fees are based on value instead of a flat amount:

• GoldStar's segregated storage starts at $225 a year and adds $1.80 for every $1,000 of metal value above $125,000.
• The Texas Bullion Depository charges 0.49% a year for its own non-IRA accounts with up to about $500,000 in metal. For IRA metal it says fees are usually negotiated between the custodian, the dealer and the depository, so its standard rates may not apply.

So always ask two questions: how much is storage, and is it flat or a percentage of value?

What is the dealer markup on gold IRA metal?

The markup, also called the premium, is the amount you pay above the metal's market value. It is often the largest single cost in a gold IRA, and it doesn't appear on any custodian fee schedule.

The market value of the metal is called the spot price: the price for one ounce of gold delivered today. The CFTC explains that a dealer "will always sell metal above the spot price and buy it back below" it. The gap between the two is the dealer's spread.

Each dealer sets its own spread. The CFTC says some fraudulent dealers have charged spreads of more than 300 percent, while others charge less than 20 percent. Coins sold as rare or collectible usually carry the largest markups.

To check a markup yourself, the CFTC suggests multiplying the weight of the metal by the current spot price and comparing that with the price you are quoted. For more on premiums when buying gold outside an IRA, see our sister site, bestgoldsilverinvestment.com.

Are there other gold IRA fees?

Yes. Most are small, but they add up if you use them. Here is what the three schedules listed:

• Selling metal: $0 to $40 per sale at the custodian. STRATA also lists a $35 depository handling fee.
• Taking coins out of the IRA: Equity Trust charges $125 for an in-kind distribution, plus shipping. GoldStar lists $75 plus shipping.
• Closing the account: $150 to $250.
• Paper statements: $40 to $60 a year, usually avoided with e-statements.
• Late payment: $50 if the yearly fee isn't paid on time.

Fees for taking metal out matter later in retirement, when required minimum distributions start. Our guide to gold IRA withdrawals and RMDs explains how that works.

What is the minimum to open a gold IRA?

The IRS sets no minimum, and none of the custodian schedules we read listed one. The minimum comes from the dealer.

A 2026 CBS News guide reported that some companies advertise minimums around $10,000, while others require $25,000, $50,000 or more. Some dealers also set a minimum for each later purchase.

A low minimum isn't always a bargain. Because most yearly fees are flat, they hit small accounts harder:

For comparison, a gold fund inside the IRA or 401(k) you already have avoids the separate custodian and storage fees, though funds have their own costs. See gold IRA vs. gold ETF.

What does a gold IRA cost over 10 years?

In our simple example, $50,000 placed in a gold IRA costs about $6,040 over 10 years if gold's price stays flat. More than half of that is the dealer markup and the buyback gap.

This example is hypothetical. It uses round numbers and these assumptions:

• You move $50,000 into a new gold IRA and spend it all on metal.
• The dealer markup is 5%, so the metal is worth $47,500 at spot on day one. Real markups can be much higher.
• Fees are taken from the typical ranges above: a $50 setup fee, a $125 custodian fee and $125 for commingled storage each year.
• The price of gold stays exactly flat for 10 years. This is not a forecast. It just keeps the costs easy to see.
• After 10 years you sell back to a dealer at 2% below spot, and the custodian charges $40 for the sale.

What this means:

• With flat prices, you would get back about $46,510 from the sale, after paying $2,550 in yearly fees along the way.
• Gold's price would need to rise about 13% over the 10 years just for you to break even.
• If the markup were 15% instead of 5%, the total cost would be about $10,940.
• Segregated storage would add roughly $500 to $1,000 over the 10 years, based on the schedules above.

Gold's price will not stay flat. It may rise or fall, sometimes sharply, as the CFTC reminds buyers. The point of the example is the cost, not the outcome.

How can I keep gold IRA fees down?

The biggest saving usually comes from the markup, not the yearly fees.

People comparing gold IRAs often:

• Get every fee in writing before signing anything. The CFTC calls missing written fees a red flag.
• Ask for the markup on each coin or bar as a percentage above spot, and the buyback price for the same item today.
• Compare plain bullion coins and bars rather than coins sold as rare or collectible, which carry higher markups.
• Ask whether storage is flat or a percentage, and whether commingled storage is an option.
• Check the size of the account against the fees. A small account pays a larger share each year.
• Keep metals to a small part of the plan. Our guide to how much of your portfolio could be in gold explains common ranges.

Gold also pays no interest or dividends, so these fees are not offset by any income. If steady income or lower costs matter more, our guide to protecting your retirement savings after 50 covers other tools. Talk to a fee-only fiduciary or a tax professional before moving retirement money.