Question about storage fees for gold IRA

Paul Hill

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Question about storage fees for gold IRA

paul_hill🏆Advanced (250-500k)

about 2 months ago

Key Takeaways

•I was just reviewing my Q1 statements from Delaware Depository for my Gold IRA and these storage fees are really starting to bug me.
•With my current holdings around $380k in physical gold and silver, the annual fee is hitting me for just over $4k.
•But man, the cost difference between segregated and commingled is pretty substantial.

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I was just reviewing my Q1 statements from Delaware Depository for my Gold IRA and these storage fees are really starting to bug me. With my current holdings around $380k in physical gold and silver, the annual fee is hitting me for just over $4k. It's not a deal-breaker or anything, but it feels like a significant bite out of what should be a rock-solid, inflation-proof portion of my portfolio.

My financial advisor, who actually specializes in precious metals IRAs here in Salt Lake, strongly recommended segregated storage, and I get the logic – having my specific bars and coins accounted for separate from everyone else’s makes sense, especially given the amount I've invested over the last few years. But man, the cost difference between segregated and commingled is pretty substantial. I know some of you guys have even larger positions than me, and I'm curious how you're handling these fees. Is everyone just eating the segregated storage cost, or are some of you going with commingled to save a few grand a year?

I'm trying to weigh the peace of mind of segregated vs. the annual savings. On one hand, $4k isn't going to make or break my retirement, but on the other, it's money that could be invested elsewhere or, you know, just stay in my pocket. Has anyone here ever switched from segregated to commingled or vice-versa? What was your experience? And for those with really large holdings, do you ever feel like the storage fees negate some of the benefits of having gold as a long-term hedge?

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5 comments

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Best Answer▲ 14 upvotes

timothy_reed💎Premium (500k-1m)

Okay, storage fees. This was a sticking point for me when I first rolled over my old 401k a few years back. Most custodians charge a flat annual fee, not a percentage, which is key if your gold really takes off. What I found helpful was confirming with my chosen custodian (Equity Trust in my case, based on a recommendation from a friend in Madison) that they offer commingled storage as an option. Dedicated storage sounds fancy, but for a 500k-1M portfolio, the cost difference isn't usually worth the marginal benefit. Definitely check the fee schedule for all potential fees, not just the headline storage number – some try to nickel and dime with transfer fees or even withdrawal fees you might miss. The Learning Center on this site has some good breakdowns of the different fee structures too, saved me a headache there.

Comments (5)

donna_rogers🏆Advanced (250-500k)Real Investor•about 2 months ago

Totally feel this. I'm with Brink's and while my portfolio isn't quite as large as yours, those quarterly statements always make me wince a little. It's like, I know it's a necessary evil for secure storage, but it still feels like a decent chunk of change just...poof. Wonder if there are any significant differences in fees between the major depositories or if they're all pretty much in the same ballpark once you hit a certain value.

donna_rogers🏆Advanced (250-500k)Real Investor•about 2 months ago

Hey, that's a decent chunk of change for sure. Just curious, are those fees a flat rate or a percentage of your holdings? $4k on $380k is over 1%, which seems a bit high. Is that pretty standard for Delaware Depository?

matthew_murphy👑Elite (1m-5m)Real Investor•about 2 months ago

Honestly feel like $4k on $380k isn't too bad for insured, secure storage of physical precious metals. Think about the peace of mind you're getting, knowing it's not sitting in your house or a regular bank safe deposit box. That's a different level of security. What price do you put on that?

timothy_reed💎Premium (500k-1m)Real Investor•about 2 months ago

Okay, storage fees. This was a sticking point for me when I first rolled over my old 401k a few years back. Most custodians charge a flat annual fee, not a percentage, which is key if your gold really takes off. What I found helpful was confirming with my chosen custodian (Equity Trust in my case, based on a recommendation from a friend in Madison) that they offer commingled storage as an option. Dedicated storage sounds fancy, but for a 500k-1M portfolio, the cost difference isn't usually worth the marginal benefit. Definitely check the fee schedule for *all* potential fees, not just the headline storage number – some try to nickel and dime with transfer fees or even withdrawal fees you might miss. The Learning Center on this site has some good breakdowns of the different fee structures too, saved me a headache there.

ronald_morris👑Elite (1m-5m)Real Investor•about 2 months ago

The fee structures for storage can be all over the map, especially if you're looking at segregated storage. I pulled my gold out of a commingled vault years ago – not worth the peace of mind tradeoff, even if it was a few basis points cheaper. Went with Delaware Depository; they're solid, but expect to pay a bit more for that individual allocation.

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