Goldco Review 2026

How a Goldco rollover works

A direct rollover moves the money from one institution to the next without you touching it, so nothing is withheld. An indirect rollover pays you first, withholds 20%, and gives you 60 days to redeposit the full amount. Insist on the direct route.

1. Open a self-directed IRA with an IRS-approved custodian.
2. Ask your 401(k) administrator or current IRA custodian for a direct rollover or trustee-to-trustee transfer.
3. Wait for the funds to reach the new custodian; this site lists 7-10 days for Goldco's rollovers.
4. Select IRA-eligible metal. Silver must be .999 fine, gold .995, platinum and palladium .9995.
5. The custodian buys the metal and sends it to an IRS-approved depository.

Where the speed matters, and where it does not

Speed matters most when you move cash out of the market and want it back in metal quickly, because money in transit earns nothing. It matters less if you are making a planned, gradual move, since a rushed purchase can mean a weaker price.

Ask Goldco what part of the 7-10 days is controlled by the old plan administrator. Delays usually start at the institution you are leaving, not the one you are joining.

The buyback question

Goldco lists its buyback as a core feature. A buyback only helps if you know the price. Metal sells back at the current market bid, which sits below the price you paid by the spread, so ask how the buyback price is set, whether it follows a posted market price, and whether anything is deducted at sale.

Get the buyback terms as written disclosures. A verbal promise on a call is not a contract.

Metals and fineness rules

Goldco's four metals are only IRA-eligible when each piece meets the IRS fineness minimum: .999 for silver, .995 for gold, and .9995 for platinum and palladium. Coins such as the American Silver Eagle qualify, and bars qualify when an accredited refiner stamps them to the required purity. Collectible or numismatic coins are barred by the collectibles rule, even if they contain the same metal.

Ask the representative to list the exact products in your proposed order and to confirm that each one is IRA-eligible before you approve it.

Costs on the table

The figures below are from this site's data; the setup and annual amounts are approximate. Storage depends on whether you choose segregated or commingled storage, so ask which one the range covers.

Working by phone

Goldco runs mainly by phone, which suits people who want a person to guide each step but leaves less on paper. After each call, send a short email summarising what was agreed, and keep every confirmation. If a representative will not put a price, a fee or a date in writing, treat that as an answer.

Questions to ask before you fund

• What is the total first-year cost, including setup, custodian, storage and insurance?
• Which depository holds the metal, and is storage segregated or commingled?
• What is the spread on the coins or bars you are proposing?
• How does the 10% silver bonus mentioned on this site work on a first-year account, and when does it expire?
• What happens to the buyback price if the market is moving fast?

Goldco next to the other four

Goldco costs less to enter than Augusta ($25,000 against $50,000) but more than American Hartford Gold or Birch Gold Group ($10,000 each). It carries four metals, as Birch Gold Group does. Choose Goldco if rollover speed and a buyback policy count most; choose Birch if you want longer history (since 2003) and a library of articles; choose American Hartford Gold if a price lock matters.

Taking metal out later

A metals IRA follows ordinary IRA withdrawal rules. Taking money out before age 59½ usually brings income tax plus a 10% early withdrawal penalty, and a Traditional account requires minimum distributions from age 73. You can satisfy a distribution by selling metal for cash or by taking it in kind, which is taxed at its market value on that day.

Selling is where the buyback matters. Ask how long a sale takes to settle, and what the custodian charges to process a distribution.