The RMD math itself

Say a Silver IRA is worth $100,000 at the end of the prior year and the owner is 75. The IRS Uniform Lifetime Table assigns a divisor of 24.6 at age 75, so the RMD is $100,000 ÷ 24.6 ≈ $4,065 for that year.

Why silver’s price specifically complicates this

That same $4,065 RMD looks very different depending on which metal funds it. At roughly $4,360/oz for gold, $4,065 is worth less than a single one-ounce coin — a Gold IRA custodian can usually cover it by selling a fraction of one coin or from cash already sitting in the account. At roughly $65.86/oz for silver, the same dollar amount is about 62 ounces — potentially dozens of individual one-ounce coins that need to be sold or distributed, since standard bullion coins aren’t divisible into partial units the way a brokerage share is.

Uniform Lifetime Table divisors per IRS Publication 590-B (2022 update, current for 2026). Spot prices as of August 2026 market data; RMD age per SECURE 2.0.

Cash vs. in-kind RMDs from a Silver IRA

Most custodians default to selling enough metal to cover the RMD in cash, which sidesteps the fractional-coin problem entirely. An in-kind distribution — taking actual coins or bars out to satisfy the RMD — is usually available too, but it still counts as a taxable distribution at fair market value, and the owner then becomes personally responsible for storing and insuring that metal outside the IRA.

Frequently Asked Questions