Gold IRA Withdrawals & RMD Rules

Withdrawals and Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) for a Gold IRA

A Gold IRA is a self-directed retirement account that holds precious metals. As with any IRA, you can take distributions under specific rules and tax considerations.

**Early withdrawals**: Taking a distribution before age 59½ counts as an early withdrawal. You’ll owe ordinary income tax on the value withdrawn and an additional 10% penalty unless you qualify for an exception (such as disability, qualified education expenses, or certain medical bills). Traditional Gold IRAs are fully taxable upon withdrawal, while Roth Gold IRAs offer tax-free distributions if you meet the five-year holding rule.

**Penalty-free distributions**: After age 59½, you may withdraw without the 10% penalty. You can take your distribution as cash by selling metals through your custodian or “in kind” by receiving the actual coins or bars. In-kind distributions allow you to keep physical gold or silver, but taxes are still calculated on the metals’ fair market value.

**RMDs at 73**: The SECURE Act 2.0 increased the required minimum distribution age to 73 beginning in 2025. Traditional Gold IRA holders must start taking RMDs by April 1 of the year following the year they turn 73. Failing to take an RMD results in a penalty of up to 25% of the amount that should have been withdrawn (reduced to 10% if corrected promptly). Roth IRAs are exempt from RMDs during the account holder’s lifetime.

**How to calculate and take your RMD:**

1. **Find your year-end balance**: Obtain the fair market value of your metals as of December 31 from your custodian. Use this value to calculate your RMD.
2. **Determine your distribution period**: Use the IRS life expectancy table appropriate for your situation (Uniform Lifetime Table for most account holders).
3. **Compute the RMD**: Divide your account balance by your life expectancy factor. This gives the amount you must withdraw.
4. **Choose cash or in-kind distribution**: Decide whether to sell some metals and take cash or receive bullion directly. Selling involves your metals being sold on your behalf; receiving bullion may incur shipping and insurance fees.
5. **Report the distribution on taxes**: RMDs from Traditional IRAs are taxable as ordinary income. Work with a tax professional to ensure proper reporting.

**Best practices and additional considerations**:

- Avoid early withdrawals unless absolutely necessary to prevent the 10% penalty.
- Schedule RMDs in advance to ensure you don’t miss the deadline.
- Keep thorough records of your purchases, valuations, and distributions to accurately determine taxes.
- If you have multiple Traditional IRAs (including Gold IRAs), you can aggregate RMDs and take the total from one account, but all accounts must be considered for calculation.

For more details on taxation and distribution rules, visit our [Gold IRA Tax Rules](/gold-ira-tax-rules) page. To understand how storage options affect distributions, see our [Gold IRA Storage](/gold-ira-storage) guide. And if you’re

### Exceptions to the 10% Early Withdrawal Penalty
While distributions from a Gold IRA before age 59½ usually trigger an additional 10 percent early‑withdrawal tax, the IRS provides several exceptions. Distributions taken after age 59½ are exempt from the penalty, as are withdrawals due to permanent disability or death. You may also avoid the penalty if the money is used for qualified higher‑education costs, first‑time home purchases (up to $10,000), or up to $5,000 for qualified birth or adoption expenses. Other exceptions cover disaster recovery, domestic‑abuse and emergency personal‑expense distributions, corrective distributions of excess contributions, substantially equal periodic payments, payments made to satisfy an IRS levy, medical expenses exceeding 7.5 percent of your adjusted gross income, and health‑insurance premiums while unemployed【824690717790990†L364-L444】. Withdrawals from a SIMPLE IRA within the first two years of participation incur a higher 25 percent penalty【824690717790990†L442-L444】.

### Updated RMD Rules and SECURE Act Changes
Under the SECURE Act 2.0, most Traditional, SEP and SIMPLE IRA owners must begin required minimum distributions (RMDs) in the year they reach age 73【943763735127095†L350-L358】. Participants in employer plans can delay RMDs until they retire unless they own more than 5 percent of the company【943763735127095†L350-L358】. You can always withdraw more than the required minimum, but distributions are generally taxable unless they represent after‑tax contributions or qualified Roth withdrawals【943763735127095†L360-L362】. For those reaching age 73 in 2024, the first RMD is due by April 1, 2025 based on the December 31, 2023 account balance, and the second RMD must be taken by December 31, 2025 based on the December 31, 2024 balance【943763735127095†L368-L373】.

### 10-Year Rule and Beneficiary Exceptions
When an IRA owner or defined‑contribution plan participant dies after December 31, 2019, the SECURE Act requires beneficiaries to withdraw the entire account within ten years. There is an exception for a surviving spouse, a minor child, a disabled or chronically ill beneficiary, or anyone less than ten years younger than the original owner【943763735127095†L375-L435】. In these cases, the beneficiary can stretch distributions over their life expectancy, but once the minor child reaches the age of majority, the 10‑year clock begins.

### RMD Penalties and Correction
Failing to withdraw your full RMD by the due date triggers an excise tax. Under current law, the penalty has been reduced to 25 percent of the amount that should have been withdrawn, and it drops to 10 percent if you correct the shortfall within two years【943763735127095†L510-L513】. If you miss an RMD, file Form 5329 when you submit your tax return and include a letter explaining the reasonable cause; the IRS may waive the penalty【943763735127095†L519-L523】.

### Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs)
Once you reach age 70½, you can direct a qualified charitable distribution from your IRA to a charity. A QCD is an otherwise taxable distribution made directly from your IRA to an eligible charity【931494941058377†L439-L446】. The amount donated counts toward satisfying your RMD and is excluded from your taxable income. For example, if your RMD is $10,000 and you donate $5,000 to charity via a QCD, you only need to withdraw another $5,000 for that year【931494941058377†L449-L456】. To report a QCD, list the total distribution amount on your Form 1040 and enter zero for the taxable amount, writing “QCD” next to the line【931494941058377†L463-L469】. Consult your custodian because QCDs are not available from ongoing SEP or SIMPLE IRAs.

### Additional Tips for Compliance
- **Use accurate values:** Always use the fair market value of your metals as of December 31 when calculating RMDs and consult the appropriate IRS life‑expectancy table for your situation.
- **Aggregate IRAs correctly:** You must calculate RMDs separately for each IRA you own, but you can take the total amount from one or more IRAs. RMDs from 401(k), 403(b) and 457(b) plans must be taken separately from each account【943763735127095†L486-L495】.
- **No RMD for Roth IRAs during life:** While Roth IRAs are not subject to RMDs while the owner is alive, beneficiaries must follow the RMD rules【943763735127095†L364-L366】【943763735127095†L451-L453】.
- **Hire a professional:** RMD rules can be complex, especially when multiple accounts or inherited IRAs are involved. Consider working with a qualified tax advisor or financial planner to ensure you meet deadlines and optimize your distribution strategy.

planning your first rollover, our comprehensive [Gold IRA Rollover Guide](/rollover-guide) walks you through the process step by step.

By understanding withdrawals and RMDs, you’ll stay compliant with IRS rules and ensure your Gold IRA continues to work for you in retirement.