What is a Gold IRA Investment

As wise Ben Franklin once alluded to, we are all stuck with death and taxes. As a dedicated citizen, I really don’t mind paying my fair share of taxes; as a daughter of the CPA I know there are plenty of ways to lower my tax base and planning for retirement using government sanctioned tools is the most noble way to do so. That has prompted me to max out my personal contributions to my Individual Retirement Account (IRA) and to make sure my husband is doing the same. For fans of precious metals, a gold IRA investment is one option that can be implemented.

A gold IRA investment is a way for investors to buy gold coins and include the gold bullion in a retirement strategy. A gold investor would work directly with an account executive who would act as a gatekeeper between the investor and the precious metal. The amount of money that can be put towards a gold IRA investment will more than likely fluctuate as the Internal Revenue Service tweaks the tax code every year. Gold investors can continue contributing to their retirement account within government limits and access the money upon the terms of the gold IRA investment terms,  however touching physical gold bullion  is never part of the gold IRA investment package.

In the current tax codes, collectibles are excluded from being added to an investment portfolio, however bullion minted by the United States Treasury Department is the glistening exception to the rule. According to the IRS, a gold IRA investment can contain an assortment of coins including (but not limited to) Gold American Eagles in a variety of sizes, 1 oz silver coins and specific coins forged of precious metals including platinum and palladium.

If you are interested in finding out more about a gold IRA investment, you may want to consider picking the brains of a trained individual who works directly in the industry. One option I located is Merit Gold. They have an IRA F&Q section that may provide you with more information. I would certainly take the time to chat with your accountant to see how the risks and benefits of a gold IRA may impact your gold investment strategy. When you are ready to take the plunge, I know you can make the arrangements to acquire a gold IRA investment through them.

When to Buy Gold

People often ask the experts when to buy gold.  These days the answer often is “eight years ago.”  We all have watched the rise and wondered when to buy gold.  The truth is, almost anytime.  Gold always has value, since the beginning of recorded history.  Gold has been cherished for money, jewelry and technical uses since the ancient days of mankind.

So maybe the question of when to buy gold should be replaced by “Where to buy gold safely?”  Gold is a valuable commodity and a serious investment.  You should not consider it just a hobby or treat its purchase casually. 

Finding a reputable dealer is critical.  Because of the tremendous rise in value, the gold market is attracting many questionable dealers who are out to take advantage of first-time buyers.  They may misrepresent what they sell, have insufficient funds to back up their offers or even deal in counterfeit merchandise.

The good news is that it is easy to find a reputable dealer who buys and sells gold.  A reputable dealer will have many years of serving customers.  He will have a professional staff trained in customer service.  He will put a tremendous value on customer satisfaction.   

Answering another part of the question when to buy gold is easy.  When you can afford it!  Make sure you have your living expenses and your emergency funds in place before you start thinking about buying gold.  Gold is relatively easy to sell, but it is not cash that can be easily traded for goods or services.

Many people like antique gold coins for their connection to the past, some like gold coins because they are buying real money, and others love the designs and engravings.

To find out if gold is right for you, read magazines and books or do your homework on the internet.  Then when you are ready, visit a dealer with a great reputation.

Wondering How to Buy Silver Coins? Here’s Where to Start

Perhaps you’re drawn to the history associated with silver coins. Maybe you’re looking to start a collection. Or maybe you are thinking about silver coins as an investment. Whatever you are thinking about, before you buy silver coins, you need to do your research.

When you want to buy silver coins, you should to check out the Silver Coins Today website. This site has up-to-date news about silver coins, as well as a guide to silver coins, the values of various silver coins, and other essential information. You need to familiarize yourself with prices for coins, availability, and what are your options when you are ready to buy silver coins.

Most of your research, though, is going to be centered on why it is that you want to buy silver coins. If you are looking to start or expand an existing coin collection, then you are going to need to look at websites that specialize in information about numismatics. You may want to join local coin collecting groups and go to coin shows, as well. If you are going to buy silver coins as part of your investment strategy, though, you are going to need to look at different websites for the information you need.

When you buy silver coins for investment, you are likely going to want to look at bullion silver coins; that is, coins where the metal content is 99.9% pure silver. These coins will give you the best return on your investment, because they are pure silver; and, if they have been produced by the U.S. Mint, from silver extracted in the United States, then they can be included in a Silver Individual Retirement Account (IRA), if you wish.

Before you buy silver coins, if you are purchasing bullion-grade coins, you need to research some of the online precious metals companies. Look into the types of silver coins they offer, their mark-up (the price beyond just the weight of the silver in the coins), and their shipping options. It is also essential that you look into their reputation as a company. Customer service is also important, as is how they approach sales: if they have a heavy-handed or pushy approach, you don’t want to deal with them.

One of the best companies around, and one you should consider when you get ready to buy silver coins, is Merit Gold. They have been in business for years, and have an extremely low mark-up on all of the precious metals that they sell. Additionally, they have an excellent variety of silver coins from which you can select.

Making the decision to buy silver coins is a good one. Do your research, though, before shelling out your money. And do look at Merit Gold’s pricing on silver coins.

Gold Bullion Rates Are Rising Again

Political turmoil has always been good for gold.  That’s why in the current economic climate, gold bullion rates are rising again.  Investors rush to gold in uncertain times because they know gold has always been a respected investment.  Since its first discovery in ancient times, gold has fascinated mankind.  It has been fashioned into crowns for kings, worn as a symbol of love on ring fingers and adorned the great trophies and awards of all cultures.

When you consider buying gold, the gold bullion rates are only part of the consideration.  You should always choose a company that has had a long history of customer satisfaction and commitment to quality.  Merit Financial has been selling gold for 26 years; there is no other company more respected.  They have a wide range of satisfied customers from all walks of life.  What keeps everyone coming back is the founder of Merit Financial's belief in ethical business practices and the simple golden rule.  With gold bullion rates rising, there are many shady firms out to make a quick buck.  They don’t know anything about the gold business, they just want to make a lot of money while the precious metals market is hot.

Gold has been discovered on every continent on earth.  The amount of steel poured in one single day exceeds the amount of poured gold since the beginning of recorded history.  Because of its high value, most of all gold discovered is still in circulation.  To the Incas, gold represented the sun god and was called the tears of the sun.  Similarly, in ancient Egypt, gold was thought to be the skin or flesh of the sun god RA.

The first gold in America was found in North Carolina:  a 17 pound nugget.  The most famous American gold rush started in 1848 when gold was discovered in California.  This gold rush was largely responsible for the quick settlement of the American West.  With such a fascinating history it is no wonder that people throughout the world want to own gold.  Gold bullion rates are always fluctuating, reflecting the supply and demand for gold.  To get the right deal, you must always consider the source of your gold.  Merit Financial will educate you about where your gold came from and what it’s worth.

The founder of Merit Gold built his company with complete customer service in mind.  His philosophy of treating people the way you want to be treated has been the cornerstone of the company since the beginning.  Every staff member is aware that this approach is critical to Merit Financial’s reputation.  Other reputable companies also have regular office hours, customer service departments, informative brochures and websites, and never do high-pressure selling.

Investing in gold is fun and rewarding, but with any investment, there is due diligence to be done.  Find out all you can about who you are buying from.  Make sure that they have been in business for while and have a customer service track record.  Gold needs to be handled and stored properly to maintain its value.  Investors should consult with sellers about the best way to store and protect gold.

American Investors Love a Bag of Coins

American investors love a bag of coins. There is something about a bag of coins, especially if it is gold and silver, that gets investors excited. They feel like they have won the jackpot or the lottery. Any legitimate dealer can put a bag of coins together that will hit many different price points.

Inform your dealer of what price range you have in mind and how many coins you want selected. He will use his knowledge to choose a balanced selection to meet your price range. You may want a mixture of gold and silver coins or you may want your bag of coins to feature the same coin in different years of release.

Buying coins is a little more complicated than buying gold bars by weight. Coins have an add on value due to their rarity. It is important that the dealer you choose is an expert in coin grading and has all the necessary paperwork to validate any claims. You can also ask him to show you recent auction or other sales prices for a specific coin to make sure that you are not overpaying.

Please be aware that because of the rise in gold prices, many shady dealers have sprung up to take advantage of people who might not know what they are selling or buying. They will try to buy gold coins for the weight value alone and then try to sell you the same coins at a premium collectible level.

Reputable dealers are easy to find. They have been in business a long time, provide purchase guarantees in place, and put customer service first. They should also offer a good education of the strengths and weaknesses of gold for the first time buyer.

So go out and put together a coin bag, it’s fun and a great investment. But before you bring them home or store them in a secure place, ask your dealer about the proper care that will insure their value for decades to come.

Buying Gold and Building a Future

Years ago I worked in fashion and I bought lots of tools of me trade (shoes, purses and shiny things). As I get older, I still want to shop, but now my main interest is buying gold. The further away I get from my youth, the more I think about kicking back, hanging with my honey and not doing much more. In order to do that buying gold is part of my long-term strategy.

It is true that as you age, priorities change and the future inches closer. Now when I go to rub elbows with my friends Gucci, Prada and Christian Louboutin, it is only to say hello as I want gold bullion, gold bars, silver bullion, gold Maple Leaf coins and anything else that will fund my future of being able to enjoy my retirement. While it is no easy task leaving my fashion friends behind on the rack, I have learned to prioritize and look ahead.

My forray into buying gold and building a future is a cautious one. In my fantasy world, I personally have all the money the world and a hefty assortment of gold bullion, gold bars and gold Eagles, my real life, not so much. My personal gold predictions include that the price will keep going up and instead of saving of a fortune to buy a new 1 oz silver bar, I am going to start small and go big as the sooner I buy gold including the smallest gold American Eagle possible, the better off I will be in the long run.

The thing about buying gold is that it is a very expensive investment and it can take decades to see returns. That is why buying gold should be a part of a foundation for building a future, it has the built in time needed to force savings and increase the odds of turning a profit.

Purchase Gold Today or Regret it Later

Many investment specialists are advising their clients to purchase gold or it regret later.  This is because of the high prices precious metals have brought over the last eight years.  The rush to purchase gold is largely the result of people’s uncertainty over the global economy.  In times of economic stress, the desire to purchase gold typically drives the market higher.

Gold has always had value.  It’s the world’s oldest investment.  Gold is treasured for jewelry, industrial uses, and as a commodity.  More and more new investors are discovering the advantages of gold and other precious metals.

The decision to invest in gold is a personal one and should be taken seriously.  Many times, people are dazzled by the breakthrough prices and are in a rush to purchase gold.  This can lead to them falling victim to unscrupulous dealers who charge a high premium over the market value.  Even worse, they can find themselves purchasing gold of inferior quality.

To prevent this, you should always make any gold purchases from a dependable dealer who has been in the business for a long time.  They will know how to present you with all the proper paperwork and documentation that guarantees your purchase will hold its value.  Professional gold dealers who are reputable will have customer service policies in place.  They will answer all your questions, be totally transparent and honestly explain what premium price you are paying.

Don’t rush in to any deal.  The price of gold is not going to double in one day.  Take your time, figure out whether you are thinking long term or short term.  Understand that there are storage and security considerations that may add to the yearly cost of the investment.

Even though many experts are recommending that gold be part of your portfolio, you have to determine whether you want coins or bars, and how much you want to invest.