Gold IRA fees - anybody compared Equity Trust vs. Kingdom Trust vs. Strata?

Donald Nelson

Back to forum

🪙 Gold Coins

Gold IRA fees - anybody compared Equity Trust vs. Kingdom Trust vs. Strata?

donald_nelson💎Premium (500k-1m)

about 9 hours ago

Key Takeaways

•Okay, so I've been in gold for a looooong time – over 20 years now, through the ups and downs.
•We're talking probably half a million locked up in various precious metals across a few accounts now.
•My first Gold IRA custodian was Equity Trust, and they've been fine, no major complaints.

Get the free Gold IRA guide

Okay, so I've been in gold for a looooong time – over 20 years now, through the ups and downs. Most of that was physical, but once I retired from the auto industry here in Detroit a few years back, I started moving a significant chunk into a Gold IRA to help with estate planning and just overall diversification. We're talking probably half a million locked up in various precious metals across a few accounts now.

My first Gold IRA custodian was Equity Trust, and they've been fine, no major complaints. But as I get closer to needing to take RMDs (ugh, that's a whole other stressor), I'm starting to wonder if I'm leaving money on the table with fees. I've always been pretty hands-on with my finances, and I want to make sure I'm not overpaying for what is essentially just holding my assets. I've been looking at Kingdom Trust and Strata Trust as alternatives from some of the bigger gold IRA companies out there. Has anyone here done a deep dive into the fee structures of these three? I'm talking annual maintenance, storage (segregated vs. unsegregated), transaction fees for buying/selling, precious metals dealer fees – the whole nine yards.

I know the fees can seem small percentage-wise on paper, but when you're talking about a significant portfolio, it adds up quickly over years, especially when you factor in inflation. I'm trying to get ahead of it before those RMDs truly kick in. Speaking of RMDs, has anyone used that RMD Calculator from Gold IRA Blueprint? I dabbled with it a bit, and it was pretty handy, but I'm curious if anyone has used it extensively for their planning.

Any insights, personal experiences, or even horror stories about custodians would be greatly appreciated. Just trying to make sure my golden years are as golden as possible and not eaten away by unnecessary fees!

5 comments

Considering a Gold IRA for your retirement?

Get a free info kit from a top-rated company — trusted by thousands of investors.

Under $100k? Compare options →

92 people viewed this today11 members requested a free kit this week16 investors bookmarked this

Best Answer▲ 10 upvotes

susan_clark💰Established (100-250k)

Hey, super interesting you're looking at those specific custodians. I've found that while the big names like Equity Trust and Kingdom Trust are often mentioned, sometimes it's worth peeking at some of the smaller, but still reputable, players. They can occasionally have more competitive fee structures or slightly different service models that might fit a particular need better, especially with larger accounts. Just a thought!

Comments (5)

matthew_murphy👑Elite (1m-5m)Real Investor•less than a minute ago

Hey, glad to hear from someone else in a similar boat! I've been doing the gold thing for a while too, though not quite as long as you. When I started looking into Gold IRAs a few years ago, I definitely went through a similar comparison headache. I ended up going with Strata, mainly because their fee structure felt the most transparent and their customer service was pretty responsive when I had a ton of questions. Haven't had any issues so far, but it's good to hear other perspectives.

Good luck with the decision!

betty_king📊Growing (50-100k)•less than a minute ago

Hey, cool to hear about your experience. Given your long history with physical gold, how did you choose between Equity Trust, Kingdom Trust, and Strata for the Gold IRA? Was there anything specific that stood out (or concerned you) about their storage options or security protocols, since you're coming from a physical gold background?

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

william_davis💎Premium (500k-1m)Real Investor•less than a minute ago

Hey, great thread! When you're comparing custodians like Equity Trust, Kingdom Trust, and Strata, don't forget to look at their precious metals storage options and associated fees too. Sometimes the custodian fees look good, but then the storage really hits you.

Here's a decent Investopedia article on Gold IRA storage that breaks down what to look for. Good luck with the comparison shopping!

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

Totally agree with what you're saying about the move to a Gold IRA for estate planning. I'm in a similar boat, just retired from teaching art in Chicago. I went with Goldco as my dealer and they actually set me up with Equity Trust for my IRA custodian. So far, so good. No complaints about Equity Trust from my end either.

Considering a Gold IRA for your retirement?

Get a free info kit from a top-rated company — trusted by thousands of investors.

Under $100k? Compare options →