This page collects the numbers we’ve verified across The Rollover Ledger in one citable place. Each figure names its source and verification level. Journalists, researchers, and other publishers are welcome to cite this page with attribution and a link; see “How to cite” at the bottom.
Annual fee statistics
- The average published cost of a gold IRA is roughly $180–$300 per year, combining annual administration ($75–$125) and depository storage ($100–$150), plus a one-time setup fee of $50–$80.
- All six major companies charge flat dollar fees, not percentages. The identical fee therefore costs a $10,000 account about 2.4% per year but a $100,000 account under 0.3% per year.
- Only one of the six major companies (Augusta Precious Metals) publishes a complete fee sheet. The other five disclose exact figures during the sales process; third-party reported ranges are marked accordingly in our full fee table.
- Goldco’s own published math: ~$225 per year equals about 0.90% annually at its $25,000 minimum.
Account minimums across the industry (2026)
| Company | Minimum | Source level |
|---|---|---|
| Augusta Precious Metals | $50,000 | Company-published |
| Goldco | $25,000 | Company-published |
| Noble Gold | $20,000 | Company-published |
| Birch Gold Group | $10,000 | Third-party consensus |
| American Hartford Gold | $10,000 (IRA) | Third-party consensus |
| Advantage Gold | $5,000 | Third-party consensus |
- Median minimum: ~$15,000. Range: 10x from lowest to highest.
- Note on stale data: Noble Gold’s current official minimum is $20,000; the $2,000 and $10,000 figures still circulating on many review sites are outdated.
Dealer spreads and enforcement data
The spread — the gap between what you pay for metal and its market value — is the largest cost of a gold IRA and is published by no dealer.
- Standard 1 oz sovereign coins (American Eagles, Canadian Maples) typically carry 3–8% premiums over melt value. Bullion bars run roughly 2–5%.
- Numismatic, proof, and “exclusive” coins carry 30%+ markups.
- Buybacks typically run 2–5% under the dealer’s sell price. Augusta states roughly 5% openly, which is unusual in the industry.
- CFTC enforcement context: the CFTC and FINRA jointly warn about metals overcharging, and CFTC actions have charged dealers with more than $500 million in fraudulent sales. In CFTC v. TMTE/Metals.com (2020), overcharges averaged 100–300% over market price; in the Safeguard Metals action, markups averaged 51–70%.
- A round-trip on standard bullion (buy plus eventual sell-back) commonly costs 5–9% of the invested amount.
The 10-year cost model (original calculation)
Our model of total cost over a 10-year hold, using industry-typical assumptions: $250/year in flat fees, a 5% purchase spread on standard bullion, and a 3% sale spread at exit.
| Account size | Fees (10 yrs) | Purchase spread | Sale spread | Total cost | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $25,000 | $2,500 | $1,250 | $750 | $4,500 (18%) | ~1.8%/yr |
| $50,000 | $2,500 | $2,500 | $1,500 | $6,500 (13%) | ~1.3%/yr |
| $100,000 | $2,500 | $5,000 | $3,000 | $10,500 (10.5%) | ~1.1%/yr |
| $250,000 | $2,500 | $12,500 | $7,500 | $22,500 (9%) | ~0.9%/yr |
- Headline figure: a typical gold IRA costs roughly 0.9–1.8% per year all-in over a decade, with smaller accounts paying proportionally more.
- The model excludes promotional fee waivers (which would lower year-one costs) and premium-coin spreads (which would raise costs dramatically). Buying proof coins at a 30% premium adds $7,500 to the $25,000 scenario alone — more than the entire 10-year baseline cost.
Tax and regulatory figures (2026)
- 2026 IRA contribution limit: $7,500, or $8,600 for those 50 and older (IRS IR-2025-111; up from $7,000/$8,000 in 2025). Rollovers and transfers are unlimited and don’t count against this.
- Required minimum distributions begin at age 73, rising to 75 in 2033 under SECURE 2.0. Roth IRAs have no lifetime RMDs.
- IRS purity requirements: gold 99.5%, silver 99.9%, platinum and palladium 99.95% (IRC §408(m)). The American Gold Eagle (91.67%) is the single statutory exception.
- Home storage of IRA metals is a taxable distribution. In McNulty v. Commissioner, 157 T.C. No. 10 (2021), roughly $400,000 in IRA-purchased coins stored in a home safe were ruled distributed, with income tax and penalties on the full amount.
Methodology
Company figures were compiled July 2026 from company-published fee sheets and disclosures where available (marked “company-published”) and from cross-referenced third-party reporting where not. Regulatory figures come from primary sources: IRS announcements, the Internal Revenue Code, US Tax Court decisions, and CFTC enforcement releases. The 10-year cost model is our own calculation with assumptions stated above. Fee and promotion data is re-verified quarterly; tax figures annually. Full verification levels per figure: gold IRA fee comparison.
How to cite
Cite as: The Rollover Ledger, “Gold IRA Statistics 2026,” [URL], data verified July 2026. Attribution with a link is appreciated. For questions about the data or methodology, see the editorial policy.