How to Roll Over a 401k to a Gold IRA: Guide to Rules, Costs, and Procedures
Key Takeaways A 401(k) can move into a Gold IRA only after confirming the plan allows it, since former-employer balances are usually eligible while current-employer plans often depend on special in-service rules Direct rollovers send money straight from the 401(k) to the new IRA custodian, which avoids the mandatory 20% withholding and the tight 60-day deadline that come with indirect rollovers Pre-tax 401(k) funds belong in a Traditional Gold IRA and Roth 401(k) funds belong in a Roth Gold IRA, since mixing the two can create unwanted tax complications Physical metals held in a Gold IRA must stay at an IRS-authorized depository through the custodian, because home storage can put the entire account at risk Fees, processing timelines, and the simple fact that gold prices can fall are all part of the decision, so weighing the full picture matters before any paperwork gets signed Moving part of a retirement nest egg into physical gold sounds simple on the surface, but the process runs thr...