Weighing Gold vs. Silver in my Retirement Portfolio - RMD Concerns as I Approach 70

Maria Campbell

Back to forum

📰 Gold News

Weighing Gold vs. Silver in my Retirement Portfolio - RMD Concerns as I Approach 70

maria_campbell📊Growing (50-100k)

about 9 hours ago

Key Takeaways

•I’ve been doing a lot of soul-searching lately about my precious metals allocation, specifically the gold-to-silver ratio in my Gold IRA.
•I’ve currently got about $75,000 invested in a Gold IRA, which I started a little over four years ago.
•Most of that, probably 70-75%, is in gold, and the rest is in silver.

The 3-step rollover process explained

I’ve been doing a lot of soul-searching lately about my precious metals allocation, specifically the gold-to-silver ratio in my Gold IRA. I’ve currently got about $75,000 invested in a Gold IRA, which I started a little over four years ago. Most of that, probably 70-75%, is in gold, and the rest is in silver. I'm hitting 69 next year, and while I'm still feeling good and active as our small town's mayor here in Boise, those RMDs are starting to loom large. I’ve been using that RMD Calculator from Gold IRA Blueprint to get a sense of what I’ll be looking at, and honestly, it’s a bit of a wake-up call. I want to make sure I’m set up optimally.

My initial thought was to really lean into gold for stability, especially with all the economic uncertainty out there. As someone who’s always tried to be community-focused and stable in my civic duties, that rationale carried over to my investments. Gold just feels like the anchor. But lately, I’ve been hearing more and more about silver's industrial demand and its potential for bigger gains, even if it comes with more volatility. Part of me thinks about taking advantage of that upward potential before I have to start taking distributions.

So, I’m wrestling with whether I should increase my silver holdings. Maybe shift another 10-15% of my gold into silver to get closer to a 60/40 or even 50/50 split? Or is that too risky this close to RMD age? I’m envisioning potentially liquidating some of this down the line to cover living expenses or even contribute to local community projects I deeply care about. The idea of getting a better return on that silver if it takes off is appealing, but I genuinely worry about a significant drop right when I need the funds.

What are your thoughts on balancing growth potential with stability, especially with RMDs on the horizon? Has anyone here adjusted their gold/silver ratio significantly in their later years, and how did that work out for you? Any advice or personal experiences would be truly appreciated. I value hearing from folks who’ve navigated these waters.

5 comments

12,000+ investors requested this guide last month

Find out why retirees are moving savings into gold. Free kit, no obligation.

Under $100k? Compare options →

76 people viewed this today9 members requested a free kit this week14 investors bookmarked this

Best Answer▲ 8 upvotes

daniel_wright💎Premium (500k-1m)

Hey, I hear you on the RMD stuff, it's definitely something to think about. But are silver's RMD implications really that different from gold's in an IRA? You're still selling a commodity to take a distribution, regardless of which metal it is. Seems like focusing on the long-term growth potential and diversification benefits of silver might be a more impactful consideration than splitting hairs on RMD mechanics between the two.

Comments (5)

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

Hey, I'm literally in the same boat! Approaching 70 and really trying to figure out the gold/silver balance. I've got a bit more in my IRA, but the RMD concerns hit close to home. I'm leaning heavily towards gold myself, just feels a bit more stable for that long-term RMD strategy, you know? But then I see those silver dips and think "what if?"

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

Hey, interesting post! When you say "RMD concerns," are you talking about the potential difficulty of liquidating physical gold/silver to meet those RMDs, or more about the tax implications of taking distributions from a Gold IRA that holds physical assets?

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

Hey, I hear you on the RMD stuff, it's definitely something to think about. But are silver's RMD implications *really* that different from gold's in an IRA? You're still selling a commodity to take a distribution, regardless of which metal it is. Seems like focusing on the long-term growth potential and diversification benefits of silver might be a more impactful consideration than splitting hairs on RMD mechanics between the two.

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

Hey there! Sounds like you're on the right track thinking about RMDs now. One thing often overlooked is that while physical gold and silver in an IRA are great, getting those distributions can be a bit different than stocks or funds. You generally can’t take physical distribution of the metals without it being considered a taxable event, even if you’re just moving it to a personal vault. Many providers will liquidate for you, but it’s good to understand their process and fees beforehand. This article on Gold IRA RMD liquidation processes might have some helpful info!

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

Totally get where you're coming from on this. I'm in a similar boat, though a few years behind you on the RMD front. I've been leaning heavily into gold simply because of its historical stability, especially with all the market weirdness lately. For me, it's about peace of mind. I've got roughly 70k in my Gold IRA right now, and it's almost all gold for that exact reason.

12,000+ investors requested this guide last month

Find out why retirees are moving savings into gold. Free kit, no obligation.

Under $100k? Compare options →