Diversifying your portfolio is vital if you want to have peace of mind when it comes to retirement. Thinking about recession-proof options and time-tested investment opportunities is the only way to achieve your goal of retiring without having to give it a second thought when the time comes.
Investing in precious metals is a great way to ensure you’ll achieve financial freedom when it’s time to retire. To invest in gold, you can choose gold IRAs and direct delivery.
In this article, we’ll explain what direct delivery is, what a gold IRA is, and which one is better.
What is direct delivery?
When you want to purchase gold with cash and have it delivered to your doorstep, you do it through direct delivery. In other words, you’re investing in gold the old-fashioned way: buy it, take it home, and keep it somewhere secure, preferably in a safe box.
That means you have direct access to your gold bars, coins, and ingots. In contrast, when you put money in your gold IRA, you don’t have physical access to the gold you purchase; someone else keeps it in custody for you instead.
Pros of direct delivery
The best part about going down the direct delivery route is that you have total control over your gold. There are no doubts about what you have right in front of you.
At the same time, you can buy and sell gold whenever you want to. You don’t have to ask permission to sell your precious metals: you grab the thing and sell it to whoever you want without going through your retirement account.
That means you can cash in as early as you want with no penalties or fees.
Cons of direct delivery
Buying and selling physical gold works as a double-edged sword: you’ll find plenty of benefits – but there are a few drawbacks you have to deal with.
You need a large amount of money to buy gold, which may be a problem. When you invest in a gold IRA, you can use small sums to build up your portfolio. If you’re buying and selling physical gold, you need to buy the whole thing at once, which may prove not as affordable or accessible.
Storing gold at home is also problematic: it may not be as safe as you think, making it stressful. At the same time, you may find yourself selling gold earlier than expected, making it a poor long-term investment choice.
What is a gold IRA?
A Gold IRA is a tax-free savings account you can use to invest in gold. In other words, it’s the same thing as an IRA, but instead of using it for fiat money (i.e., dollars), you use it for precious metals (i.e., gold).
The great thing about investing in precious metals is their worth: more often than not, gold increases in value over time, so your gold IRA investment will do the same.
Pros of gold IRAs
Having a gold IRA seems the ideal choice for this fast-paced world. You don’t have to worry about handling, inspecting, or storing the gold yourself. Someone else will do everything for you whenever you decide to invest in precious metals. That makes this option the easiest, more accessible, and stress-free choice.
At the same time, you don’t need liquidity to invest in a gold IRA. You can take money from an existing retirement account, so there’s no need to scramble for cash when you want to invest in gold that way. Since you don’t have access to your physical gold, you’ll also have an incentive not to sell early on.
Cons of gold IRA
A gold IRA is not as picture-perfect as it may seem. More often than not, it’s more expensive than any other alternative because of fees: since you’re not storing your gold, someone else is doing it for you – and they’ll charge you for it.
At the same time, gold IRAs are limited (or more limited than the alternative). Since these accounts have to meet several IRS requirements, you won’t have total control over the precious metals you decide to invest in. You won’t have a total say in how they store your gold either.
Conclusion
A gold IRA is the perfect option for people who want an easy and stress-free way of investing in precious metals. Direct delivery is the go-to choice for investors who want total control over their gold. Which one is best for you depends on your investor profile and personal choice.