Questions to Ask a Gold IRA Company - 20 Questions That Reveal the Real Cost (2026)

The most useful questions to ask a gold IRA company are about money and custody: what you'll pay for the metal compared with its spot price, what the company would pay to buy it back, which custodian and depository will hold it and what every fee is in writing. Clear, specific answers to those four topics tell you most of what you need to know.

Federal regulators make the same point. The CFTC's guidance on buying metals suggests asking how a company earns its profit, especially when it appears to give away metal, and treats fees that aren't available in writing before purchase as a red flag. Below is our full checklist, grouped by topic.

Questions About Pricing

Product pricing is where most of your cost hides, so start here.

Answers that should worry you: "Our prices are the best in the industry" with no numbers, a refusal to quote a buyback price, or heavy steering toward proof and "limited" coins. See proof coins vs bullion.

Questions About Fees

Table: Fee questions and what a good answer looks like | Question | A good answer | |---|---| | What's the one-time setup or application fee? | A specific dollar amount | | What's the yearly custodian fee? | A flat amount, named custodian | | What's the yearly storage fee, pooled and segregated? | Two specific amounts | | Are there wire, transfer or shipping fees? | A list with amounts | | What does it cost to take a distribution or close the account? | Specific custodian fees | | Are fees flat or a percentage of my balance? | A clear answer either way |

If you'd like to see how these fees play out over time, our gold IRA fees guide and the worked examples in Augusta Precious Metals fees are a good reference.

Questions About Custody and Storage

These questions confirm that your account and your metal are held properly, which is your main protection.

• Which custodian will hold my IRA? Get the name, then look up its fee schedule yourself.
• Can I choose a different custodian? It's fine if the answer is no, but you should understand why.
• Which depository will store my metal, and where is it?
• Is storage segregated or pooled, and what's the price difference?
• How is the metal insured, and by whom?

Answers that should worry you: any suggestion that you can keep IRA metal at home, or that the dealer itself will hold it. See home storage gold IRA.

Questions About the Rollover

The rollover is where tax mistakes happen. A good company will explain it clearly.

• Will this be a direct transfer or a direct rollover? Either avoids withholding when done correctly.
• Will any check be made out to me personally? The safest answer is no.
• Can my current plan release funds while I'm still employed? Some can't. See in-service 401(k) rollovers.
• How long do you expect each step to take?
• Who follows up with my old plan administrator if it's slow?

Questions About Selling and Distributions

You'll eventually want money out. It's better to understand how that works now.

• Do you run a buyback program, and how are buyback prices set?
• Are there fees to sell back to you?
• How do you help with required minimum distributions?
• Can I take my metal in kind when I retire, and what does shipping cost?
• Can I sell to another dealer if I choose?

No dealer can legally guarantee a future buyback price. If a company promises one, treat it as a red flag. Our guide on how to sell a gold IRA explains the exit process.

Questions About the Company

• How long have you been in business, and under what name?
• What's your BBB rating, and how do you handle complaints?
• Have you faced any regulatory actions? Then check for yourself with the SEC, CFTC and your state regulator.
• Are your representatives paid on commission?
• What's your minimum for my account type?

Questions to Ask Yourself First

The company's answers only help if you've settled your own plan. Before calling anyone, it's worth asking:

• How much of my retirement savings do I want in metals? See how much gold in a retirement portfolio.
• Will I need this money in the next few years?
• Do I want a traditional or Roth gold IRA? See Roth gold IRA.
• Am I comfortable with gold's price swings and lack of dividends?

How Augusta Answers These Questions

We recommend Augusta Precious Metals for accounts of $50,000 or more partly because its process is built around these questions. It starts with a free kit, assigns a dedicated contact and offers an optional one-on-one session that covers costs, storage and industry red flags.

Augusta accounts are commonly reported to use Equity Trust as custodian and Delaware Depository for storage, with flat yearly fees of roughly $200–$250. Read the full details in our Augusta Precious Metals review.