A traditional gold IRA carries the same required minimum distributions (RMDs) as any traditional IRA. The owner can meet them in one of two ways: sell metal inside the IRA and withdraw the cash, or take the coins or bars out as an in-kind distribution, which is taxed at their fair market value on the distribution date. Either way, the metal has to be priced, and the custodian’s exit fees apply.
Key takeaways
- RMDs from a traditional gold IRA follow the standard traditional IRA rules: they start at age 73 under current law, and the amount is the prior December 31 account value divided by a life-expectancy factor from IRS Publication 590-B.
- Selling metal inside the IRA and taking metal in kind are both taxed as ordinary income at the distributed value. The differences are who sets the price, which fees apply, and what the owner holds afterward.
- The custodian values the metal for the December 31 balance reported on Form 5498. That value drives the next RMD and is not the dealer’s retail price.
- Documented exit fees differ by custodian: $30 per liquidation at Equity Trust (form FS-0004-05, revision printed 081726), $40 per sale at STRATA Trust Company (checked September 21, 2026), and $200 per sale or in-kind distribution at Preferred Trust Company (schedule dated January 20, 2026).
When RMDs start and how much they are
RMDs start at age 73 under current law, and the amount is the prior December 31 account value divided by a life-expectancy factor from the tables in IRS Publication 590-B. The IRS RMD FAQs, last updated January 29, 2026, give the age as 73. The Internal Revenue Code sets the age at 75 for people who reach age 74 after December 31, 2032, which covers people born in 1960 or later (26 U.S.C. 401(a)(9)(C)(v)). Most owners use the Uniform Lifetime Table.
The first RMD is due by April 1 of the year after the owner reaches the RMD age. Every later RMD is due by December 31. Taking the first one in April means two RMDs fall in the same calendar year.
A missed RMD triggers a 25% excise tax on the shortfall. The rate drops to 10% if the shortfall is corrected within two years.
Roth IRAs have no RMDs during the original owner’s lifetime. An owner with several traditional IRAs figures an RMD for each one, but the total may be taken from any one or more of them. The whole RMD can come from a non-metal IRA, leaving the gold untouched. The broader tax picture is covered in Gold IRA tax rules.
Two ways to meet an RMD from metal
One route is a sale inside the IRA followed by a cash withdrawal. The other is an in-kind distribution of the metal itself. The table compares them on price, taxes, fees, and what the owner holds afterward.
| Sell inside the IRA | Take metal in kind | |
|---|---|---|
| Who sets the price | The dealer’s bid, through a sale the custodian executes | The custodian’s fair market value on the distribution date |
| Taxes | Ordinary income on the cash withdrawn | Ordinary income on the fair market value, per the Form 1099-R instructions |
| Fees | The custodian’s liquidation or sale fee | The custodian’s in-kind distribution fee, plus shipping |
| What the owner holds afterward | Cash, withdrawn from the IRA | Coins or bars, shipped to the owner |
A sale inside the IRA means the custodian sells the metal to a dealer at the dealer’s bid price. The cash lands in the IRA’s cash account, and the owner withdraws it. The gap between retail price and bid is the cost of exiting, which Gold IRA spread and buyback explains in detail.
An in-kind distribution means the custodian ships the coins or bars to the owner. The Form 1099-R instructions tell the custodian to report property distributed in kind at its fair market value on the date of distribution. The owner owes income tax on that value, the same as on a cash withdrawal.
The IRS RMD FAQ page does not state in plain words that an RMD may be paid in kind. Equity Trust, Preferred Trust, and GoldStar Trust each publish an in-kind distribution fee, which shows the option exists. Confirm with your custodian that it can be used for an RMD before planning around it.
The valuation problem
The December 31 value that drives next year’s RMD is the custodian’s valuation of the metal, reported on Form 5498. The custodian sets that value; it is not a dealer’s retail price. Because the RMD is a fraction of the December 31 figure, the valuation method directly shapes the withdrawal amount. Ask the custodian which price source it uses. Two custodians using different price sources can report different year-end balances for the same coins.
Fees on the way out
Three published fee schedules show the range. They are dated snapshots, not a survey of the market.
- Equity Trust: $30 per liquidation and $125 per in-kind distribution, per its precious metals fee schedule (form FS-0004-05, revision printed 081726).
- STRATA Trust Company: $40 per sale, per its published fee schedule (checked September 21, 2026).
- Preferred Trust Company: $200 per sale or in-kind distribution, per its fee schedule dated January 20, 2026.
Shipping is extra for an in-kind distribution. Fee schedules change, so check the current schedule before relying on any figure. Gold IRA custodians explains how to read a custodian’s fee schedule line by line.
Planning the lumpy asset
A 1-ounce coin cannot be split, so an RMD rarely matches the metal exactly.
Hypothetical example, with round numbers: an owner owes a $4,000 RMD and holds coins the custodian values at $2,500 each. Distributing two coins reports $5,000 of income, which is $1,000 more than the RMD requires. Distributing one coin covers $2,500; the other $1,500 has to come from selling part of the metal inside the IRA or from cash already in the account.
Aggregating RMDs across IRAs avoids the mismatch. Because the combined total can be taken from any one or more of the owner’s traditional IRAs, the full amount can come from a non-metal IRA while the coins stay put.
What to ask the custodian
The decisions above come down to five questions:
- Which price source do you use for the December 31 valuation reported on Form 5498?
- Do you allow RMDs to be taken in kind?
- What do you charge for a sale and for an in-kind distribution?
- How do shipping and insurance work for metal sent to the owner, and who pays for each?
- How long does a sale take to settle before the cash is available to withdraw?
The answers determine the real cost of each route. A custodian that allows in-kind distributions but charges high shipping can make the in-kind route more expensive than a sale, and the reverse is also true.
Related research
These pages cover the adjacent decisions:
- Gold IRA tax rules — how distributions from a gold IRA are taxed.
- Gold IRA custodians — what custodians do and how their fees are structured.
- Gold IRA spread and buyback — the cost of selling metal back to a dealer.
- Gold Roth IRA — the Roth version, which has no RMDs during the original owner’s lifetime.
- Retirement planning with a gold IRA — where a gold IRA fits in a retirement plan.
- Gold IRA glossary — definitions for terms used here, including in-kind distribution and fair market value.
Frequently asked questions
When do RMDs start from a traditional gold IRA?
At age 73 under current law, per the IRS RMD FAQs (last updated January 29, 2026). The Internal Revenue Code sets the age at 75 for people who reach age 74 after December 31, 2032, which covers people born in 1960 or later.
How is the RMD amount calculated?
The prior December 31 account value divided by a life-expectancy factor from the tables in IRS Publication 590-B. Most owners use the Uniform Lifetime Table.
Can an RMD be paid in gold instead of cash?
The IRS RMD FAQ page does not state in plain words that an RMD may be paid in kind. Several custodians publish a fee for an in-kind distribution, which shows the option exists; confirm with your custodian that it applies to an RMD. An in-kind distribution is taxed at the metal's fair market value on the distribution date, per the Form 1099-R instructions.
What happens if an RMD is missed?
A 25% excise tax applies to the shortfall. The rate drops to 10% if the shortfall is corrected within two years.
Do Roth gold IRAs have RMDs?
No. Roth IRAs have no RMDs during the original owner's lifetime.
Must the RMD come out of the gold IRA itself?
No. With several traditional IRAs, an RMD is figured for each one, but the total may be taken from any one or more of them (Publication 590-B). The whole RMD can come from a non-metal IRA.