How are you planning on spending your retirement? While everyone will probably have a different answer to this question, in terms of where they want to live and what they want to do when they retire, there’s one thing that everyone has in common in this particular case. Basically, every single person will say that their plan is to be financially independent, and thus able to live a comfortable life after retiring. You’re definitely not different in that regard.

So as to achieve the financial independence you’re striving for, you’ll need to save money while still working, as well as build a great retirement portfolio, investing in different assets. What you can do, apart from buying stocks and bonds, is invest in precious metals with Fidelity or another one of the companies offering this type of a service. Of course, you’ve heard of the idea of buying precious metals for your IRA before, but you may be confused about two of the most important things regarding this.

First, you’re not sure how to actually add gold, or perhaps a different metal, to this account. That is a process that needs to be completed successfully, so learning about how to do it is a must. And then, you may be unsure of how to actually select the perfect precious metals company to be your partner in the investing process, as there are a lot more firms, in addition to Fidelity, that you can find and consider working with. Another significant question. And, you’ll get your answers to both of those if you continue reading.

How To Add Gold To Your IRA

Starting with the basics, of course. This is the more pressing issue, because you can’t start the process without knowing, well, how to start it. And without knowing which specific steps need to be taken when aiming at adding gold to your IRA, or a different precious metal for that matter. So, let’s take you through those steps right away.

Set Up A SDIRA

Understanding that there’s only one account type that allows for these alternative investments will make things easier. Why? Because you won’t have to wonder which one to set up. That one account that you’ll need to open is called a self-directed Individual Retirement Account, or a SDIRA in short, and it allows not only for precious metals investments, but also for investing in cryptocurrencies, if that’s something you prefer.
Here’s some general info on precious metals: https://marketbusinessnews.com/financial-glossary/precious-metals-definition/

Choose A Precious Metals Company

After setting up your SDIRA, the next thing you’ll need to do is choose a precious metals company to work with during the investment procedure. Without one of those companies, the entire investment idea will be in vain, as you need the firm to sell you the gold, or other metals for that matter, as well as to possibly help you in setting up your account and making the right purchasing moves. So, working with these firms is a must, and we’ll learn later on how you can choose the best one for you.

Fund The Account (Do A Rollover If You Want To)

Buying gold or other metals without having previously funded the account is, of course, impossible. You can do a direct deposit, or you can rollover your funds from a different retirement savings account, such as a 401k, if that’s what you want. People often choose to do the rollover, because they don’t like the idea of having their money trapped in the 401k, without having the option of investing in precious metals through it. The best part is, you don’t have to be concerned about the complexity of the rollover process, because the precious metals company you’ll choose will help you do it successfully.

Start Buying

Having done all of this, you’ll be ready to start buying. If unsure of which particular metals to buy, apart from gold for example, you can always get advice from the professionals you’ve previously chosen to partner up with. Remember that portfolio diversification is important, so whatever you do, don’t put all of your money into one asset class. Find some tips on how to diversify here.

How To Choose A Precious Metals Company

Choosing a precious metals company is one of the first step you’ll have to take during the investing process. This will, naturally, take some time, because you want to make the best choice. Companies like Fidelity and similar ones have been operating on this market for quite some time now, but there are also some newly established ones you could come across. What’s important is for you to understand not only how to search for the firms, but also how to do the necessary research and ultimately select the perfect partner.

Get Some Suggestions

Getting suggestions from the people you know is undeniably important when it comes to choosing these companies. Of course, the trick is in talking to those people that have already added gold or other metals to their IRAs, because they are the ones that can give you first-hand information on how all of this works and which companies you may want to work with. Some people may even tell you which companies to stay clear of, in case they’ve had poor experiences in the past. In any case, your goal here is to remember those suggestions and then proceed towards doing your own research.

Do Online Research

The research you’ll need to do can be done online, which is definitely making things easier. Remember, though, that apart from researching the companies someone suggested, you can also use the Internet to find a few of these companies yourself, thus extending your research area. Checking the official sites of the firms you’re considering and taking a look at the specific services they offer is definitely one of the first steps to take. Furthermore, checking how experienced those firms are is also significant, as it will give you a better idea on what to expect from them.

Read Reviews

Stopping at checking out those official websites, however, isn’t the best idea, because you can find more relevant information on some other online places as well. Reviews are the most significant sources to use when checking out Fidelity or any other precious metals company. Reviews will let you know how reputable certain companies are, and how happy their previous clients were, as well as provide you practically with all the information you need so as to determine if working with those particular firms is a good idea, or if you should rather stay clear of some of them. Finding relevant reviews shouldn’t be difficult, as there are some trusted sources out there to provide you with those.

Compare And Choose

Doing your own research and reading the reviews will provide you practically with all the information you need regarding the precious metals companies you’re considering. Comparing the info will further help you make up your mind and figure out which one to partner up with. After doing the comparisons, you’ll be ready to choose, meaning you’ll also be ready to take the rest of the necessary steps and start adding gold and other precious metals to your IRA.

Additional:

• 5 FAQS about the Infamous Gold Eagle Coin
• What You Need To Know About Gold IRA Companies
• How to Invest in Gold and Silver to Get the Best Returns?