Gold IRA storage fees - what's normal?

Maria Campbell

Back to forum

🥈 Silver IRA

Gold IRA storage fees - what's normal?

maria_campbell📊Growing (50-100k)

about 4 hours ago

Key Takeaways

•Okay, so I've been a bit out of the loop on this, but I'm looking at my annual statement for my Gold IRA and the storage fees seem...
•I've got a decent chunk in there, around $75k, and last year I paid about $250 for storage.
•Is that in line with what others are seeing?

Get the free Gold IRA guide

Okay, so I've been a bit out of the loop on this, but I'm looking at my annual statement for my Gold IRA and the storage fees seem... high? I've got a decent chunk in there, around $75k, and last year I paid about $250 for storage. Is that in line with what others are seeing?

I set this up a few years back, maybe four or five years ago, after talking with a financial advisor here in Boise. I always loved the idea of having a tangible asset, especially with all the economic uncertainty we've seen. Plus, as a mayor of a smaller community, I tend to lean towards things that feel stable and grounded, and gold just fits that bill for me. I guess I just haven't paid super close attention to the fee breakdown until now.

My custodian uses Delaware Depository, and from what I gather, they're pretty reputable. The fees are usually a flat annual rate, not a percentage, which I appreciate. But still, $250 a year for $75k feels like it adds up over time. Am I being naive here? Is this just the cost of doing business when you want a secure, segregated storage for your precious metals?

Anyone else with similar portfolio sizes seeing similar numbers? Or should I be looking around for alternative custodians? Any thoughts or experiences would be really helpful.

5 comments

The retirement loophole most advisors won't mention

You can move your 401(k) into physical gold — tax-free. Here's the step-by-step guide.

Under $100k? Compare options →

75 people viewed this today8 members requested a free kit this week13 investors bookmarked this

Best Answer▲ 8 upvotes

barbara_white🏆Advanced (250-500k)

Yeah, that sounds about right for that amount. I had a similar experience a few years ago. My account was around $60k and I was paying about $200. It felt like a lot at the time, but after doing some digging, it seemed pretty standard for segregated storage. If you're doing commingled, it might be a bit lower, but with $75k, segregated is probably what you want anyway.

Comments (5)

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

maria_campbell📊Growing (50-100k)✓ Verified•less than a minute ago

Hey, that $250 fee for $75k seems like a pretty standard flat fee for a lot of places. Mine is similar. Did they mention if they offer a percentage-based fee as an option, or is it strictly flat rate for your custodian?

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

Hmm, $250 on $75k isn't *horrible*, but I wouldn't call it a steal either. I've definitely seen worse, especially with some of the smaller custodians. However, for that amount, you might be able to find a flat fee storage option that comes in a bit lower, or at least a tiered structure that caps out differently. It often depends on whether you're paying a percentage or a flat rate once you hit a certain value. Might be worth a quick call to some other custodians just to compare their fee schedules.

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

Hey, that $250 for $75k in gold storage sounds pretty normal, especially if it's segregated storage. Many depositories charge based on the value, and that's roughly 0.33%, which is common. Some also have flat fees that can be higher if you have less gold, but lower percentage-wise if you have more.

One thing to always check is whether your metals are stored in a segregated or commingled account. Segregated is generally preferred for IRAs because your specific bars/coins are stored separately, which often comes with a slightly higher fee. Commingled means yours are mixed with others of the same type. Some providers like Augusta Precious Metals or American Hartford Gold will typically use segregated storage for IRA accounts. It's worth a quick call to your custodian to confirm!

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

Yeah, that actually sounds pretty typical. My Gold IRA is around the same value, maybe a little higher at $80k, and I paid $275 last year for segregated storage. So your $250 for $75k seems entirely in line with what I'm seeing from my custodian.

I know it feels like a lot to just "store" something, but secure, insured storage isn't cheap these days, especially for precious metals. Plus, if it's segregated, that usually adds a bit more too.

The biggest mistake retirees make with their 401(k)

Most people don't diversify until after a crash. Get the free guide and protect your nest egg.

Under $100k? Compare options →