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Strata Trust Gold IRA: Optimize Your Retirement Investments With Precious Metals
Looking for a way to secure your retirement beyond traditional stocks and bonds? Have you considered investing in precious metals? With the stock market at all time highs and inflation on the rise, more and more people are turning to gold and silver IRAs offered by the Strata Trust Company.
In this article, you will learn about the self-directed custodian Strata Trust. You’ll also discover how Strata Trust and the Certified Gold Exchange can help you purchase alternative assets for your IRA including gold and silver.
How Does A Strata Trust Gold IRA Work?
A Gold IRA with Strata Trust is a self-directed IRA that allows investors to hold physical precious metals. This self-directed IRA differs from traditional IRAs which only allow investments in stocks, bonds and mutual funds. With a Strata self-directed IRA, you can invest in alternative assets like precious metals and real estate.
How Long Has Strata Trust Been In Business?
Strata Trust Company is a self directed IRA custodian and has operated since 2008 as a subsidiary of Horizon Bank in Texas. Strata specializes in providing self directed custodial services for alternative as well as traditional investments.
How To Set Up A Strata Trust Gold IRA
Typically, you’ll select your precious metals dealer first, and they will help you to establish and fund your gold IRA with Strata Trust. Below are the simple steps to follow.
Step 1: Open an Account
Your chosen gold IRA company will help you to complete an application to sign. Once submitted, Strata Trust will have your new self directed IRA set up within 48 hours.
Step 2: Fund Your Account
Once your new account has been established, you can fund it in one of three ways.
- IRA Transfer – Is when you move funds from an existing IRA to your Strata Trust IRA. Your gold dealer will help you complete the Transfer Request documentation, and Strata will submit it to your current custodian.They will then send the funds to Strata.
- Rollover – When you move funds from an existing 401(k), 403(b), 457(b) or TSP plan, your precious metals dealer will perform a 3 way call with you and your current plan provider to verbally initiate the rollover process.
- Contribution – When you make a cash contribution to your IRA, per IRS annual limits of $7,000 if under 50 or $8,000 if over, your precious metals dealer will help you complete a Deposit Coupon that you’ll submit with your contribution, ensuring the correct account is funded.
Step 3: Purchase Your Precious Metals
Once you fund your account, you’ll choose what precious metals you would like to purchase. Per the IRS, certain gold, silver, platinum and palladium coins and bars are permitted based on purity requirements.
*Stick with widely traded bullion items like the American Eagle and Canadian Maple Leaf coins to avoid overpaying. Discover the top 9 gold IRA scams for more information.
Your precious metals dealer will help you complete an Investment Direction form to sign which will authorize the transaction.
Step 4: Store Your Precious Metals
Strata Trust offers secure storage at the following 3rd party depositories:
- Delaware Depository Services Company – DDSC was founded in 1999 and offers a full array of precious metals safekeeping services. They have locations in both Wilmington, Delaware and Nevada. All clients’ metals are fully allocated, held off balance sheet and are covered by a Lloyds of London “all-risk” insurance policy.
- Texas Precious Metals Depository – TPMD is a subsidiary of Kaspar Companies, a fifth generation family business in Shiner, Texas. They offer segregated gold IRA storage insured by Lloyds of London.
Once your purchase is complete, your precious metals dealer will ship or transfer your gold and silver to your account at your chosen depository. They will update you once your metal has arrived safe and sound and has been inventoried.
You can then manage your account through their online portal or by contacting a team member directly.
Step 5: Manage Your Account
Once the process is complete, you can access your self directed IRA through Strata Trust Company official website. Clients can view all of the information pertaining to their account, including what assets you hold.
How Much Does a Strata Gold IRA Cost?
Strata Trust has a flat fee schedule for precious metals IRAs which means you’re charged a flat storage fee for your metal. It’s not based on the account value. Below are the fees to set up and maintain a gold IRA with Strata:
- One Time Account Set Up Fee – $50
- Annual Account Maintenance Fee – $125
- Per Transaction Fee – $75
- Commingled Storage and Insurance Fee – $100
*Segregated storage is available for an additional $50.
Total first year fees – $350
Fees each year thereafter – $225
Benefits of Investing in a Strata Trust Gold IRA
Diversification – Investing in gold and silver can help diversify your portfolio, reducing overall risk and potential losses.
Hedge Against Inflation – Precious metals have historically been a store of value and can help protect against the effects of inflation on your retirement savings.
In-Kind Distributions – With a self directed precious metals IRA, you can take distributions of physical metal.
Tax Benefits – Self-directed IRAs offer the same tax benefits as a traditional IRA, including tax-deferred growth and potential tax deductions.
Control and Flexibility – With a self-directed IRA, you have many more investment options and can control which assets to include in your portfolio.
Secure Storage – Strata Trust works with top-tier 3rd party depositories to store your precious metals, ensuring they are safe and insured.
Expert Guidance – Strata Trust has a team of experienced professionals who can and assist in setting up and managing your Gold IRA.
What are the Pitfalls of Opening a Gold IRA?
The biggest and mostly costly pitfall is choosing an overpriced gold dealer to purchase from. There are dozens of Southern California dealers that will charge you over 30% buy/sell spreads.
The good news is that it’s easy to steer clear of such dealers by reading the guide below which covers the following bullet points:
- Free Gold and Silver Promotions
- Celebrity Endorsements
- Zero Custodian Fee Promotions
- Contracts with Buy/Sell Spreads Over 30%
- Most Southern California Dealers
To protect yourself from common pitfalls of investing in precious metals, please get your free copy of the following report.
Types of Alternative Assets Strata Trust Manages
Strata Trust Company, as a custodian of self-directed IRAs, allows for a broad range of alternative investment options beyond just precious metals. This flexibility is one of the key attractions of using a self-directed IRA for retirement planning. Here are some of the alternative asset types that Strata Trust typically offers:
- Real Estate: Investors can include residential, commercial and land investments in their IRA. This can include rental properties or real estate intended for resale.
- Private Equity: This includes investments in private companies, from startups to more established enterprises that are not publicly traded on stock exchanges.
- Private Debt: Investors can choose to lend money to private companies or individuals in the form of notes, which can be secured or unsecured.
- Limited Partnerships (LPs): Investments in limited partnerships can cover a variety of sectors such as real estate, energy and more.
- Limited Liability Companies (LLCs): Investment through LLCs allows IRA owners to invest in a portfolio of assets that the LLC owns.
- Promissory Notes: These are debt instruments where the borrower agrees to pay back the lender at agreed terms and interest rates.
- Crowdfunding Investments: Investments in projects or companies through crowdfunding platforms can also be included, subject to the specific rules of the IRA custodian.
- Precious Metals: Including gold, silver, platinum and palladium that meet specific purity standards set by the IRS.
- Commodities and Futures: Some self-directed IRAs allow investments in commodities like agricultural products, energy resources and precious metals futures.
Each type of investment has its own set of rules regarding how it must be managed to comply with IRS regulations, including prohibitions on self-dealing and ensuring that all income and expenses related to IRA-owned assets flow through the IRA itself.
If you’re considering investing in alternative assets through a Strata Trust self-directed IRA, it’s crucial to understand these regulations and work closely with a knowledgeable broker dealer who can help ensure that your investments remain in compliance.
Why Does Certified Gold Exchange Prefer Strata Trust?
CGE prefers working with Strata Trust because they are more responsive than other self-directed custodians. Strata is also one of two custodians that has a flat rate fee schedule that isn’t based on the value of your account. This is important.
Conclusion
Setting up a Strata Trust gold IRA can help diversify your retirement portfolio. Let’s recap the key points of this article.
Recap of Key Points
- A Gold IRA allows investors to hold physical precious metals in a self directed IRA.
- Strata Trust Company specializes in providing IRA custodial services to alternative assets including precious metals.
- Setting up a gold IRA with Strata Trust involves opening an account, funding it, purchasing precious metals and storing it.
- Investing in a Strata Trust Gold IRA can provide benefits, such as portfolio diversification, protection against inflation, tax benefits and additional control and flexibility.
FAQ’s
Where can I find a full list of gold IRA custodians?
Strata Trust is the custodian of choice for the Certified Gold Exchange; however, we can work with all on this list of self-directed precious metals custodians.
Can I invest in both gold and silver through a Gold IRA?
Yes, you have the option to invest in gold, silver, platinum and palladium coins and bars of a certain purity. This allows you to diversify your portfolio and benefit from owning multiple precious metals.
How quickly can my Gold IRA be funded?
Once your account is opened, it can typically be funded with an IRA transfer within a week. If rolling over a 401(k), it can take up to 3 weeks depending on your current provider.
How do I sign up for a Strata Trust Gold IRA?
You can contact the Certified Gold Exchanges gold IRA department at 800-300-0715, and they’ll walk you through the process. Or you can easily open an account with Strata Trust by visiting their website and completing an application online.
How do I sell precious metals in my Strata Trust retirement account?
To sell precious metals within your Strata Trust IRA, contact CGE at 800-300-0715 and request the high buyback quote per our Price Match Plus Guarantee. Once price is agreed upon, we’ll help you to liquidate your precious metals so you can move your funds, take a distribution or invest in another asset.
The Certified Gold Exchange has been helping clients with gold and silver IRAs since they were first permitted in 1997. In all that time, we have never had a single client complaint. This is because we’re a high integrity company and offer unparalleled service in every interaction.
To get started setting up a Strata Trust Gold IRA, call the Certified Gold Exchange directly at 800-300-0715 and ask for teammates Pat, David, John or Jan who all specialize in retirement accounts.
Avoid These 10 Gold IRA Scams.
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