The commonly cited ‘5-15% in gold’ range isn’t a rule from the IRS, SEC, or any regulator — it’s a guideline that originated with individual financial advisors and firms as a rule of thumb for a diversifying allocation, and it has been repeated widely enough to sound official. No law or regulation sets a recommended percentage for any individual investor’s precious metals holdings.

Whether a 5%, 15%, or different allocation makes sense depends on your full financial picture — your age, other income sources like Social Security, risk tolerance, and overall portfolio size. The legitimate underlying principle is diversification (which the SEC’s investor education materials do support in general terms), but the specific number is an opinion, not a standard. Be wary of anyone presenting a single percentage as universally correct.