Precious Metals in your IRA

You might hesitate to add precious metals to your Individual Retirement Account (IRA) because there are still many IRA holders without a precious metal element in their list of assets. However, IRA regulations after 1997 have made it easier and more convenient than ever to hedge against the falling value of the U.S dollar in your retirement. It used to be that only gold and silver American Eagle coins could be admitted into your retirement plan and still be eligible for the tax advantages that an IRA offers. This is no longer the case, and this restriction has been lifted. Nowadays, you can invest in a variety of silver and gold bullion and link it to your precious metals account in your IRA as long as it meets certain minimum purity requirements set by the government.

Gold

All legal tender bullion that has a fineness of at least 99.5% can be incorporated into your IRA. This includes the popular Canadian Gold Leaf coins and the Vienna Philharmonics. Silver

Eligible silver bullion must be certified to be at least 99.9% silver. If you are looking to invest in silver without the premiums that often come along with official coinage, you should consider Northwest Territorial Mint and Pan American Silver Corp. silver bullion bars and rounds-all acceptable under IRA guidelines. Otherwise, silver Canadian Gold Leafs and Vienna Philharmonics are also allowed into your retirement plan. Whether you choose gold or silver or both, investing in precious metals is always a good way to diversify your portfolio and strengthen your overall investment potential. You can protect your retirement portfolio from the ravaging effects of inflation, war, and speculative bubbles like the housing crisis. Historically, precious metals have been recession-proof investments that respond to a completely separate set of market forces than many other investment options. Since precious metals generally strengthen as the dollar weakens in price, they can be powerful hedges and good tools to keep in your IRA. Adding precious metals such as gold and silver to your IRA can only increase your abilities to weather volatile markets and turbulent times like the recession we find ourselves in today. When planning out your IRA, it is a good idea two keep to general rules in mind. First, a diverse portfolio is always stronger than an undiversified one. Secondly, precious metals have historically been immune to value erosion in a way that the U.S dollar and other paper currencies could never claim. Take advantage of the low correlation between gold, silver, and market forces that dictate many other investment options.