Custodian fees — what are you guys seeing these days?

William Davis

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Custodian fees — what are you guys seeing these days?

william_davis💎Premium (500k-1m)

about 10 hours ago

Key Takeaways

•Alright, so I’ve been in the gold game for about 15 years now, started back when my kids were still in elementary school.
•Seen a lot of ups and downs, but one thing that always gets my goat is these custodian fees.
•Over 15 years, that adds up, you know?

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Alright, so I’ve been in the gold game for about 15 years now, started back when my kids were still in elementary school. Seen a lot of ups and downs, but one thing that always gets my goat is these custodian fees. I've got a decent chunk, about $750k in my Gold IRA spread across a few different metals, and I always feel like I'm leaving money on the table with these yearly charges, even if it's just a few hundred bucks. Over 15 years, that adds up, you know?

Currently, I’m paying around $250 a year for storage and administration for my primary IRA with one firm, and then another $150 or so for a smaller account somewhere else. That includes the segregated storage, which I insist on. I know some folks go for commingled to save a few bucks, but after working in the oil fields for decades, I’ve seen enough commingled assets to know I prefer my own barrel, so to speak. Dallas climate doesn’t exactly help with storage options at home either, even if it were legal for an IRA.

I’m constantly comparing what’s out there, and it seems like the big players all hover around a similar range once you get to my portfolio size. But are there any newer players or less advertised options you folks have found that offer more competitive rates without sacrificing security or service? I'm not looking to move my entire nest egg for a $50 saving, but if there's a firm doing things smarter, I'm all ears.

It also makes me wonder if these fees are justified when you compare precious metals to other asset classes. Sometimes I poke around tools like “Silver vs Stocks” over at https://silvervsstocks.goldirablueprint.com/?period=10Y just to remind myself of the long game and why I'm in metals, despite the extra hoops. But those custodian fees are a constant reminder of the friction cost. What are your experiences? Are you finding more dynamic pricing based on account size these days?

3 comments

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Best Answer▲ 3 upvotes

carol_carter💰Established (100-250k)

Dude, I feel you on the custodian fees. I've got a similar amount, maybe a hair under, and it's always felt like a necessary evil. Had one custodian years ago where the "special introductory rate" mysteriously vanished after the first year and the fees jumped a solid 30%. Had to switch, which was a whole other headache. Definitely pays to shop around and really dig into the fine print with those guys.

Comments (3)

carol_carter💰Established (100-250k)Real Investor•less than a minute ago

michelle_collins🏆Advanced (250-500k)Real Investor•less than a minute ago

Hey, interesting post! With $750k, you'd think you'd get some pretty competitive rates. When you say "a few different metals," are we talking just gold and silver, or do you have some platinum/palladium in there too? Wondering if that affects the fee structure at all.

barbara_white🏆Advanced (250-500k)Real Investor✓ Verified•less than a minute ago

Honestly, $250 for $750k doesn't sound too bad these days for a Gold IRA. I've heard of people paying way more, especially with smaller custodians. Maybe it's a "you get what you pay for" situation, or perhaps the competition has gotten a little fiercer with more players in the space. Just curious, have you looked into what other services that fee covers beyond just holding the metals?

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