Roth vs Traditional Gold IRA for a widow - what's everyone's take?

Betty King

Back to forum

🏢 Gold Companies

Roth vs Traditional Gold IRA for a widow - what's everyone's take?

betty_king📊Growing (50-100k)

about 1 month ago

Key Takeaways

•Okay, so I've been doing a lot of reading and still feel like I'm spinning my wheels trying to decide between a Roth vs a Traditional Gold IRA.
•I'm sitting on about a $75,000 portfolio that I'm looking to roll over into physical gold, and I'm living here in Raleigh, NC.
•My main concern is really about future taxes.

See what your 401(k) could look like in gold

Okay, so I've been doing a lot of reading and still feel like I'm spinning my wheels trying to decide between a Roth vs a Traditional Gold IRA. My late husband, bless his heart, was always the one who handled all the tricky investment stuff, and now it's fallen to me to make sure his legacy is… well, protected. I'm sitting on about a $75,000 portfolio that I'm looking to roll over into physical gold, and I'm living here in Raleigh, NC.

My main concern is really about future taxes. With a Traditional IRA, I get the tax deduction now, which is appealing, especially since my income isn't what it used to be. But then I'm thinking about those golden years, you know? What if tax rates are just through the roof when I finally need to start taking distributions? The idea of withdrawing tax-free from a Roth account down the line is incredibly attractive, particularly if gold prices soar, which is obviously what I'm hoping for.

I know everyone's situation is unique, but I'm curious what steered others in one direction or the other. Was it a gut feeling, or clear financial planning? Did you work with a specific advisor who specialized in gold IRAs who helped you make that call? I'm trying to be smart about this and honor my husband's hard work, so any insights from those of you who've already navigated this would be so incredibly helpful. It feels like such a big decision!

And on a side note, for those of you who did a rollover, how straightforward was the process either way? Any unexpected hiccups with either Roth or Traditional Gold IRAs that I should be aware of?

163

11 comments

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 →

510 people viewed this today68 members requested a free kit this week102 investors bookmarked this

Best Answer▲ 16 upvotes

dorothy_lopez💰Established (100-250k)

My advisor told me 10-15% in gold is the sweet spot but I went heavier. We'll see how it plays out.

Comments (11)

elizabeth_johnson💰Established (100-250k)Real Investor✓ Verified•about 1 month ago

Hey there, I totally understand where you're coming from. My husband passed a few years back, and I felt the exact same way trying to sort out our investments. He was the finance whiz, not me!

For me, after talking to a financial advisor (which I really recommend doing if you haven't already!), the Roth made more sense just because I liked the idea of those tax-free withdrawals later on. But everyone's situation is different, so definitely get some personalized advice if you can. It really helped clear things up for me.

andrew_roberts👑Elite (1m-5m)Real Investor✓ Verified•about 1 month ago

Hey, first off, really sorry for your loss. That's a tough spot to be in, and it's totally understandable to feel overwhelmed by all this.

You mentioned "his legacy" – are you looking to keep the Gold IRA specifically because it was something he started or was passionate about, or is it more about the general idea of maintaining some of his investments? Just curious if that's playing into your decision-making process at all.

sharon_evans💰Established (100-250k)Real Investor•about 1 month ago

Hey there, I totally get the struggle. It's a lot to take on, especially when you're dealing with everything else. While most people here might lean towards Roth for the tax-free withdrawals later, don't completely discount the Traditional option yet. If you anticipate your income (and thus your tax bracket) might be lower in retirement than it is now, those upfront tax deductions from a Traditional IRA could be pretty significant. It really boils down to future income projections, which I know is easier said than done, but it's worth considering your current situation too.

sandra_green📊Growing (50-100k)✓ Verified•about 1 month ago

Hey there! This is a super common dilemma, and it's totally understandable to feel a bit overwhelmed. Since you mentioned being a widow, definitely look into the "stretch IRA" rules for beneficiaries, especially if you inherited the IRA. It can significantly impact whether a Roth conversion makes sense for *you* and how distributions are handled. Lots of good info out there if you Google "stretch IRA rules for spouses" or something similar!

james_wilson👑Elite (1m-5m)Real Investor✓ Verified•4 days ago

Just started my rollover process last month. The paperwork alone almost made me quit lol.

margaret_chen🏆Advanced (250-500k)Real Investor•4 days ago

Ngl I came here expecting the usual affiliate spam but the discussions are actually decent. Way better info than what I was getting from my old advisor.

steven_mitchell🏆Advanced (250-500k)Real Investor✓ Verified•4 days ago

Been looking into this myself — the fees on some of these custodians are wild. Anyone found one that doesn't gouge you?

donna_rogers🏆Advanced (250-500k)Real Investor•4 days ago

Just started my rollover process last month. The paperwork alone almost made me quit lol.

robert_thompson💰Established (100-250k)Real Investor✓ Verified•4 days ago

I was pretty skeptical about another gold IRA forum but the tools here on GIRAB actually surprised me — the calculator alone saved me hours of spreadsheet work.