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    Gold IRA storage fees - what's normal these days?

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    Key Takeaways
    • Thought I'd finally ask this here since it's been bugging me.
    • Anyway, my custodian here in Madison charges me around $200 a year for storage, flat fee.
    • It's not breaking the bank, but every year when that bill comes, I wonder if I'm getting hosed or if that's par for the course nowadays.
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    Thought I'd finally ask this here since it's been bugging me. I got into Gold IRAs a few years back, just a small slice of my retirement pie – maybe 10-15% of my total portfolio, so probably around $50k-$100k these days with the way things are going. I'm one of those folks who saw the writing on the wall with inflation years ago, always been a bit cautious after seeing a few downturns in the dairy industry. Anyway, my custodian here in Madison charges me around $200 a year for storage, flat fee. It's not breaking the bank, but every year when that bill comes, I wonder if I'm getting hosed or if that's par for the course nowadays.

    I know some places charge a percentage, and others have different tiers. Mine's stored in a pretty reputable vault, fully insured, all that good stuff, so I'm not worried about the security. It's more about knowing if I should be shopping around. I've been with the same company since I opened the IRA, mainly because, frankly, once you set these things up, it's a hassle to move them. But if there's a significant difference, I'm a practical guy, I can make a change.

    So, for those of you with Gold IRAs, especially if you have a similar amount invested (let's say anywhere from $50k-$200k in physical gold), what are you paying for storage these days? Flat fee? Percentage? Any custodians out there you'd recommend or warn against based on their fees? Appreciate any insights folks can offer.

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    Best Answer▲ 16 upvotes
    B
    barbara_white🏆Advanced (250-500k)
    Good question. I was actually just looking into this myself. I’m in Portland and for a $350k portfolio, I’m paying about $180 a year for segregated storage. I used the IRA Calculator from the sidebar here on GIRAB and it helped me figure out what a fair historical average should look like based on my portfolio value. Definitely worth a quick run through to see if your current fees are in line.

    Comments (5)

    8
    thomas_walker🏆Advanced (250-500k)Real Investor✓ Verifiedabout 2 months ago

    Hey, just curious! You mentioned your Gold IRA is a "small slice" of your retirement, around $50k-$100k. Are you storing all of that in segregated storage, or is some of it in commingled? Wondering if that affects the fee structure you're seeing.

    3
    elizabeth_johnson💰Established (100-250k)Real Investor✓ Verifiedabout 2 months ago

    Oh man, I totally get this. I'm in a similar boat, though maybe a slightly smaller amount. I remember when I first started looking into a Gold IRA, I got hit with some pretty wild storage fee quotes. One place was trying to charge me a percentage that felt like highway robbery for what amounted to a glorified safety deposit box.

    Ended up going with a company that had a flat annual fee, which felt much more transparent and fair. Definitely worth shopping around!

    2
    james_wilson👑Elite (1m-5m)Real Investor✓ Verifiedabout 2 months ago

    Honestly, "normal" is a pretty wide range when it comes to storage fees, especially for smaller accounts. Sometimes it feels like the industry is set up to overcharge folks with less precious metal. Have you looked into segregated vs. commingled storage? The price difference can be significant, and for that account size, commingled might be totally fine and save you a chunk of change.

    Also, don't just compare percentages. A flat annual fee might look higher as a percentage for a $50k account than a $500k account, but it doesn't mean you're getting ripped off. It's all about the actual dollar amount you're paying versus the service you're getting.

    11
    diane_bailey💰Established (100-250k)Real Investorabout 2 months ago

    Glad someone brought this up. Storage fees are often the hidden bite that catches people off guard. I've been with Augusta for years, and while their initial coin markup was a bit higher than some, their segregated storage fee for my ~$150k portfolio has been pretty consistent at around $100-$125 annually. Just be sure to clarify whether it's segregated or commingled; that affects the price, and sometimes your peace of mind.

    16
    barbara_white🏆Advanced (250-500k)Real Investor✓ Verifiedabout 2 months ago

    Good question. I was actually just looking into this myself. I’m in Portland and for a $350k portfolio, I’m paying about $180 a year for segregated storage. I used the IRA Calculator from the sidebar here on GIRAB and it helped me figure out what a fair historical average should look like based on my portfolio value. Definitely worth a quick run through to see if your current fees are in line.

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