Gold IRA Fees Explained: What You'll Actually Pay

Every gold IRA carries four costs, and providers love to talk about the three small ones while staying vague about the big one.

• •Setup fee — one-time, typically $50–$150, usually paid to the custodian
• •Annual custodian/maintenance fee — typically $75–$300 per year
• •Annual storage fee — typically $100–$300, higher for segregated vaulting
• •The dealer spread — the markup over the metal's spot price when you buy, and the discount under spot when you sell

Flat fees are easy to compare; the spread is where the industry earns its living. Markups on standard bullion commonly run several percent over spot, and far more on premium or semi-numismatic coins. On a $50,000 purchase, a 5% spread is $2,500 — more than a decade of storage fees. Always ask a rep two questions: what is the total price per ounce versus today's spot, and what would you pay me for it back today? The gap between those numbers is your true cost of entry and exit.

Most major providers run promotions: first-year fees covered, storage waived for two or three years, or bonus silver on qualifying orders. Augusta Precious Metals has offered fee coverage up to ten years on qualifying accounts; American Hartford Gold regularly waives storage for up to three. These are genuinely valuable — but a waived $200 fee never justifies an extra point of spread. Compare the all-in cost, promotion included, before choosing.

A $200 annual fee load is 0.2% on a $100,000 account and 2% on a $10,000 one. If you're investing near a provider's minimum, fee structure should weigh more heavily in your choice — see our comparison table for each company's schedule side by side.