The core rule is IRC Section 408(m): gold held in an IRA must meet a 99.5% purity standard (with a statutory exception for American Gold Eagle coins, which are lower purity but specifically allowed) and must be held by an IRS-approved custodian in an approved depository – not by the account owner personally.

A second key rule is IRC Section 4975, which lists prohibited transactions – self-dealing moves like buying metal from yourself, using IRA-owned gold for personal benefit, or transacting with a disqualified person (a spouse, ancestor, or descendant, among others). Violating these can disqualify the entire IRA, not just the specific transaction.

Contribution limits follow the same rules as any other IRA of the same type – for 2026, the annual limit is $7,500 ($8,600 with the catch-up contribution for those 50 and older) – and required minimum distributions apply to a Traditional Gold IRA the same way they apply to any Traditional IRA.