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Last updated: July 22, 2026 · By White Metal Resources Editorial
Quick answer: IRA Financial is a self-directed retirement platform founded in 2010 by tax attorney Adam Bergman. It runs a Self-Directed IRA product with a flat $495 per year account fee and $0 setup, published on its 2026 fee schedule.
Precious metals ride on that same Self-Directed IRA, not a separate metals-only tier. IRA Financial lists gold at 99.5 percent fine, silver at 99.9 percent, and platinum and palladium at 99.95 percent, matching IRS rules. Storage is billed separately by an IRS-approved depository. Buyers should also note the 2022 crypto cyberattack disclosure on the company Security page.
Short on time? The essentials
- IRA Financial Group is the platform brand; IRA Financial Trust Company is the chartered custodian arm, and the group also partners with other federally regulated trust institutions for custody.
- The company was launched in 2010 by Adam Bergman, an attorney whose prior focus was tax law, retirement, and investment strategies.
- The Self-Directed IRA is the product that holds precious metals. It costs 0 dollars at setup and 495 dollars per year, flat, per the May 2026 fee schedule.
- Precious metals sit inside that same account, not in a distinct metals-only tier. The published fee schedule contains no separate precious-metals line.
- Vault storage is not on the IRA Financial invoice. The IRS-approved depository charges storage directly on top of the 495 dollar annual fee.
- Eligible metals match IRC section 408(m)(3): gold 99.5 percent, silver 99.9 percent, and platinum and palladium 99.95 percent. Common named items include American Eagles and Canadian Maple Leafs.
- Other flat fees to expect: 250 dollars account termination, 25 dollars outgoing domestic wire, 45 dollars outgoing international wire, and a 500 dollar required minimum cash balance.
- Assets and clients: the company self-reports over 27,000 clients and more than 8 billion dollars in assets across all account types.
- The 2022 crypto cyberattack is publicly disclosed on the IRA Financial Security and Trust page. The precious metals workflow was not the subject of that incident.
- IRA Financial is the wrong choice if you want a bundled dealer-plus-custodian package or a metals-only tier priced below 200 dollars a year.
This review is for savers weighing IRA Financial as the platform behind a precious metals IRA. Below we cover who the company is, how the account is structured, which metals and vaults it works with, what its published fee schedule actually charges, and the 2022 security incident it discloses on its own site. Every figure traces to IRA Financial's own pages, a federal statute, or an IRS document, and each citation is inline.
Who is IRA Financial Trust?
IRA Financial is a self-directed retirement platform launched in 2010 by Adam Bergman. Bergman is a former tax attorney whose earlier career centered on retirement and investment strategies, and he now leads the group as founder. He has also written nine books on self-directed retirement plans, with a tenth in the works.
The brand covers two functions that savers often blur together. IRA Financial Group operates as the administrator and facilitator that sets up accounts. IRA Financial Trust Company is the chartered custodian arm that can hold IRA assets, and the group also states that it partners with other federally regulated trust institutions for custody work.
On scale, the company self-reports over 27,000 clients and more than 8 billion dollars in assets under its various account types. Those figures come from its About page rather than from a regulator. IRA Financial cites alignment with the Bank Secrecy Act, Anti-Money Laundering rules, and the USA PATRIOT Act on its Security and Trust page.
Worth knowing: IRA Financial is a directed platform. The account owner picks the coin dealer and the depository. The company processes the paperwork, holds legal title through its trust arm or a partner trust, and files the tax reports required by federal rules.
How does IRA Financial structure a precious metals IRA?
A precious metals IRA at IRA Financial uses the standard three-party split that federal law requires. The trustee holds legal title, a coin dealer sells the metal, and an IRS-approved depository stores the physical asset. IRA Financial fills the trustee role either directly or through a partner trust company.
Precious metals IRA early-withdrawal penalty estimator
Take money out of a precious metals IRA before age 59 and a half and the IRS adds a 10% federal additional tax. Many states add their own additional tax on top, so check your state. The federal penalty is estimated below.
Estimate only, not tax advice. The 10% federal additional tax applies to early distributions before age 59 and a half; exceptions exist. Your state may add its own additional tax, and ordinary income tax applies separately. Source: IRS Publication 590-B. Consult your tax advisor.
Picking a company that explains every fee up front is the first step. Get the free precious metals IRA company checklist.
Two federal rules anchor that structure. Only an IRS-approved trustee may hold the metal, and the statute itself requires physical possession by that trustee (source: IRS collectibles snapshot). The metal must also meet the fineness minimums drawn from commodity-market delivery standards (source: 26 U.S.C. section 408).
IRA Financial fills the trustee role through its trust arm or a partner. The workflow expects you to open a Self-Directed IRA, fund it by direct transfer or direct rollover, sign a purchase authorization, and let the platform wire funds to your chosen coin dealer. The metal then ships to the depository under the IRA's name. See what a self-directed IRA custodian does for the mechanics.
Which metals and purities does IRA Financial accept?
IRA Financial's precious metals page lists all four IRA-eligible metals. The purities it prints line up with the IRS minimums drawn from IRC section 408(m)(3). Gold sits at 99.5 percent pure. Silver sits at 99.9 percent. Platinum and palladium sit at 99.95 percent.
On gold, the page names American Gold Eagle coins and Canadian Gold Maple Leaf coins as accepted items. On silver, it names American Silver Eagle coins and Austrian Silver Philharmonic coins. Coins from other approved mints qualify when they meet the same fineness rule, and bars from approved refiners are also allowed.
On platinum, IRA Financial calls out the American Platinum Eagle coin as an accepted item. On palladium, it names the Canadian Palladium Maple Leaf. Numismatic or graded rare coins fall outside the collectibles carve-out and do not qualify for an IRA.
The American Silver, Gold, and Platinum Eagles qualify through a separate carve-out for United States coins, even where the coin itself does not meet the bullion fineness test (source: IRS collectibles snapshot). See IRA-eligible silver coins and platinum IRA rules.
Where is the metal actually stored?
IRA Financial does not run its own vault. The physical metal ships to a third-party depository that is approved to store IRA assets under federal rules. The depository holds the coins or bars, insures them, and bills the annual storage fee directly to your account.
The depository choice is made at purchase time and is usually driven by the coin dealer's default relationships. Common IRS-approved vaults in this segment include the Delaware Depository in Wilmington and the Brink's Global Services vaults. IRA Financial did not publish a fixed depository list on the precious metals page we reviewed in July 2026.
That leaves storage cost outside the IRA Financial fee invoice, which matters for your total cost math. You will pay the 495 dollar IRA Financial annual fee, then a separate depository storage line. Ask the depository directly for its own segregated and commingled storage prices before you commit to a specific vault.
Segregated storage keeps your exact coins or bars apart in your account name and usually costs more. Commingled storage pools like-kind metal across accounts and usually costs less. See segregated versus commingled storage for how that trade-off plays out on small versus large accounts.
What does the IRA Financial fee schedule actually list?
IRA Financial publishes a full fee schedule as a downloadable PDF, effective January 1st, 2026 and dated May 2026. The schedule is transparent and flat by account type. That flat structure is the main pricing story to understand before you open an account.
The Self-Directed IRA is the vehicle that holds precious metals. Its numbers are 0 dollars at setup and 495 dollars flat per year. IRA Financial does not list a separate precious-metals fee tier on its schedule, so metals sit inside that same base account at that same base fee.
Other flat lines appear across the schedule for different account types. Solo 401(k) is 999 dollars setup and 399 dollars annual. A crypto account is 0 dollars setup and 100 dollars annual with a 1 percent per-trade cost. ESA and HSA accounts are 120 dollars annual each, and a Stocks account is 100 dollars annual.
The table below groups the published lines you are most likely to see across the account lifecycle when the vehicle is a Self-Directed IRA that holds precious metals.
| Fee | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Account setup (Self-Directed IRA) | $0 | No setup charge on the base Self-Directed IRA product. |
| Annual account fee (Self-Directed IRA) | $495 | Flat annual charge that covers custody and administration; not asset-based. |
| Vault storage | Depository quotes directly | Storage is billed by the depository, not by IRA Financial. |
| Outgoing domestic wire | $25 | Applies when funds move out of the IRA by wire. |
| Outgoing international wire | $45 | International wire out of the account. |
| Expedited processing | $75 to $200 | Rush processing on requested transactions. |
| Overnight shipping | $75 | Overnight shipping on physical documents or checks. |
| Account termination | $250 | Fee to close and terminate the account. |
| Required minimum cash balance | $500 | Cash floor held in the IRA at all times. |
Source: IRA Financial Fee Schedule, May 2026, effective January 1st, 2026. Fees are subject to change. Checked July 2026.
The 495 dollar annual line is the main number to compare against peers. A metals-only tier at another custodian, such as STRATA's 125 dollar Precious Metals Tier, is priced below IRA Financial's base Self-Directed IRA. The flat structure at IRA Financial only starts to pay off on larger balances where 495 dollars becomes a small percentage.
The calculator below shows how a flat annual fee compounds against different account sizes over time. Enter a balance and a fee rate to see the drag on returns.
Precious metals IRA fee-drag calculator
Precious metals IRAs charge mostly flat dollar fees (setup, annual custodian, storage). Flat fees take a much bigger bite out of a small account than a large one. Enter your numbers to see the drag.
Estimate only. Fee amounts vary by provider and are often not published; enter figures you confirm in writing. This tool ignores metal price changes and the dealer spread, which also affect returns. Not financial advice.
Picking a company that explains every fee up front is the first step. Get the free precious metals IRA company checklist.
Picture a saver who rolls 100,000 dollars into an IRA Financial Self-Directed IRA and buys silver bullion. The IRA Financial side is a flat 495 dollars per year. The depository charges storage on top; assume 150 dollars per year for a commingled silver line. Total custodial and storage is 645 dollars per year in this illustration.
- On 100,000 dollars: 645 dollars in annual fees is 645 divided by 100,000, which equals 0.65 percent per year.
- On 25,000 dollars: the same 645 dollars is 645 divided by 25,000, which equals 2.58 percent per year, four times the drag.
- Separately, a coin dealer spread of 6 percent on the silver you buy is a one-time 6,000 dollar cost on a 100,000 dollar purchase, paid up front and again, in part, when you sell.
The 495 dollar figure is IRA Financial's published number. The 150 dollar storage and 6 percent spread are illustrative, not quotes from any specific vault or dealer. They show the structural point. The flat fee only spreads thin on balances above roughly 75,000 to 100,000 dollars, and the dealer spread on the metal is usually the largest lifetime cost. This is an illustration, not financial advice.
The 2022 cyberattack, plainly stated
Any honest review of IRA Financial has to address the 2022 security incident. The company itself discloses it on its public Security and Trust page, which is the plainest source to lean on.
Per that page, in 2022 IRA Financial was targeted by a criminal cyberattack that affected some crypto accounts. The company states that it partnered with federal law enforcement, cybersecurity experts, and its custodial partners at the time of the incident. It also states that it later expanded its external security audits and risk oversight.
On the crypto side, IRA Financial states that it moved its crypto trading platform to Bitstamp, a globally regulated exchange. The precious metals workflow at the company sits inside a different account type and involves a physical depository, not a crypto exchange. A metals IRA holds bullion at a bonded vault, so the technical attack surface is different.
For a metals saver, the takeaway is this. The 2022 event was crypto-specific, and it is publicly acknowledged. Before opening any Self-Directed IRA, read the current Security and Trust page yourself and confirm which trust institution will hold your specific account. Ask about identity verification, wire authorization steps, and account access controls in writing.
How do you open a precious metals IRA at IRA Financial?
Opening the account follows the direct-rollover route most savers use for a metals IRA. You open the Self-Directed IRA at IRA Financial first, then move funds in from an existing plan, then pick a coin dealer and buy the metal, then send the metal to a depository. Each step is discrete and reversible up to the purchase.
- Open a Self-Directed IRA at IRA Financial. Pick the IRA type that matches your source money, such as traditional, Roth, SEP, or SIMPLE. Setup is 0 dollars and the account carries a 495 dollar flat annual fee.
- Fund the account with a direct transfer or direct rollover. Move money custodian to custodian to sidestep the 60-day redeposit deadline and the 20 percent mandatory withholding that applies to many plan payouts.
- Pick an IRA-eligible metals dealer yourself. IRA Financial is a directed platform and does not sell metal. Favor common bullion at fair spreads and avoid pitches that push premium numismatic coins.
- Confirm each product meets the fineness minimum. Ask the dealer for the fineness in writing and check it against the 99.5, 99.9, or 99.95 percent rule for the metal you plan to buy.
- Pick an IRS-approved depository and storage type. Choose a bonded vault such as Delaware Depository or Brink's, then pick commingled or segregated storage where the metal supports it.
- Sign the purchase authorization with IRA Financial. Provide the dealer invoice and the storage election so the platform can wire funds and route the metal to your chosen depository.
- Let IRA Financial settle the trade and confirm delivery. The platform wires the funds, the metal ships to the vault under the IRA's name, and IRA Financial updates the account record.
The direct route matters for tax reasons. A direct transfer or direct rollover keeps the money custodian to custodian, which avoids the 60-day rule that can turn an indirect rollover into a taxable distribution on missed timing. See direct versus indirect rollover for the exact mechanics.
How does IRA Financial compare with other custodians?
IRA Financial is one of several self-directed IRA platforms that support precious metals. A short comparison against a metals-focused peer shows the price and structure differences that matter for a metals account, without any invented figure.
| Feature | IRA Financial | A metals-focused peer, such as STRATA Trust |
|---|---|---|
| Model | Self-directed retirement platform with a chartered trust arm; also uses partner trusts | Independent state-chartered trust company that acts as the custodian directly |
| Founded | 2010, by tax attorney Adam Bergman | Varies by peer; STRATA traces its business to 2008 |
| Metals-only fee tier | None; metals ride on the Self-Directed IRA at 495 dollars per year | Often yes; STRATA lists a Precious Metals Tier at 125 dollars per year |
| Setup | 0 dollars on the Self-Directed IRA | 50 dollars at STRATA, waived when opened electronically |
| Vault choice | No fixed depository list published on the metals page | Named vault list such as Delaware Depository and Texas Precious Metals Depository |
| Storage billing | Depository invoices storage separately, on top of the 495 dollar fee | Depository invoices storage separately, alongside a published tier fee |
| Dealer choice | Account owner selects the dealer; platform is not a dealer | Account owner selects the dealer; STRATA is not a dealer |
| Public security disclosure | Yes, 2022 crypto cyberattack is disclosed on the Security and Trust page | No comparable public incident disclosure at STRATA |
Sources: IRA Financial Fee Schedule May 2026, IRA Financial About and Security pages, STRATA Trust Company precious metals and fee pages. Checked July 2026.
The main takeaway is pricing shape. IRA Financial's flat 495 dollar Self-Directed IRA fee is the same whether you hold metals only or metals plus other alternatives. A metals-only peer tier at 125 dollars a year is priced lower for savers who only hold physical bullion. See how to compare precious metals IRA custodians, STRATA Trust review, and Equity Trust review.
Who IRA Financial fits, and who it does not
IRA Financial tends to fit savers who plan to hold precious metals alongside other alternative assets inside the same Self-Directed IRA, want a flat annual fee they can budget for, and are comfortable choosing their own dealer and vault. It also fits people who value having a founder-led platform with a public educational library and a published fee PDF.
It tends not to fit savers who want a bundled dealer-plus-custodian package, a metals-only tier under 200 dollars a year, or a fixed named depository. Balances under about 50,000 dollars will feel the 495 dollar annual fee more than a small metals-only account at a peer with a 125 dollar tier fee.
Our view: IRA Financial is honest with its numbers and honest about its history. That earns trust. The right question is not whether the platform is legitimate. It is whether the flat 495 dollar Self-Directed IRA fee makes sense for the size and mix of the account you actually plan to open.
A vetting checklist before you sign
The IRA Financial fee schedule is easy to check, but the signature belongs to you. A short checklist filters most surprises out of the account before you commit.
- Confirm the current fee schedule in writing. The May 2026 PDF is the version we cited; ask for a copy of the schedule that will apply on your open date and check whether any line has moved.
- Ask which trust institution will custody your IRA. IRA Financial Trust Company is the in-house arm, but the group also states that it partners with other trust institutions. Ask in writing which entity holds title on your account.
- Verify the coin dealer separately. IRA Financial is not a dealer and does not vet them. Check the dealer's Better Business Bureau profile, complaint history, and willingness to quote the spread in writing.
- Check the depository directly. The vault charges storage on its own invoice. Get a written quote for commingled and segregated storage for your specific metal before you sign.
- Understand the fee shape. A 495 dollar flat annual fee is small on a large account and heavy on a small one. Do the drag math on your realistic balance before you rollover.
- Read the closure line. Account termination is 250 dollars and outgoing wires are 25 dollars domestic and 45 dollars international. Neither figure is unusual, but both belong on your total cost estimate.
When IRA Financial is a bad idea
A balanced review has to name when this platform works against you. For several savers, IRA Financial is the wrong pick, and saying so plainly is part of an honest review.
It is usually a bad idea in these situations:
- A very small metals balance against a 495 dollar flat annual fee. On a 15,000 dollar account, 495 dollars per year is a 3.3 percent drag before you even pay the depository. A peer tier at 125 dollars per year would drop that to about 0.83 percent.
- You only hold physical metal and want the cheapest fit. A metals-only tier at another custodian is priced lower than a general-purpose Self-Directed IRA. You are paying for optionality you may not use.
- You want a single provider that also vets the dealer. IRA Financial is a directed platform. It processes the paperwork and settles the trade, but it does not screen dealers for you.
- You cannot tolerate any prior security incident, even one that did not touch metals. The 2022 crypto cyberattack is publicly disclosed. If that history is a hard no, another custodian may fit better.
- You may need the money within a few years. Physical metal is volatile short-term, selling means crossing the dealer spread again, and account termination costs 250 dollars. Before age 59.5 you also owe the 10 percent federal additional tax on top of ordinary income tax.
If any of these describes you, slowing down is the sensible call. The flat annual fee and the dealer spread both punish a short or small position more than most savers expect. There is no CTA in this section on purpose.
IRA Financial Trust questions, answered
Is IRA Financial Trust a legitimate IRA custodian?
Yes. IRA Financial Trust Company is a chartered trust company that can hold IRA assets, and IRA Financial Group partners with other federally regulated trust institutions for custody. The company also states alignment with the Bank Secrecy Act, Anti-Money Laundering rules, and the USA PATRIOT Act on its Security and Trust page.
Does IRA Financial sell precious metals?
No. IRA Financial is a directed platform, not a coin dealer. You select the metals dealer yourself and the platform settles the purchase from the Self-Directed IRA. Ask the dealer for the fineness of each item and for the spread in writing before you commit.
Which precious metals can IRA Financial custody?
IRA Financial's precious metals page lists gold, silver, platinum, and palladium at the IRC 408(m)(3) purities of 99.5, 99.9, 99.95, and 99.95 percent. Named products include American Gold and Silver Eagles, Canadian Gold and Palladium Maple Leafs, Austrian Silver Philharmonics, and American Platinum Eagles.
How much does an IRA Financial precious metals IRA cost per year?
The Self-Directed IRA is the account that holds precious metals, and its published cost is 0 dollars at setup and 495 dollars flat per year. Vault storage is billed separately by the IRS-approved depository. Other lines include a 250 dollar termination fee and 25 to 45 dollar outgoing wires.
Is there a dedicated precious metals fee tier at IRA Financial?
No. The May 2026 fee schedule does not list a separate precious-metals tier. Metals ride on the base Self-Directed IRA product at the same 495 dollar flat annual fee. That is a real difference from peers that publish a metals-only tier priced below 200 dollars a year.
What did the 2022 IRA Financial cyberattack affect?
Per the IRA Financial Security and Trust page, the 2022 criminal cyberattack affected some crypto accounts. The company states that it worked with federal law enforcement, cybersecurity experts, and its custodial partners on the incident and later moved its crypto trading platform to Bitstamp. The precious metals workflow is a different account type.
Where is the metal stored in an IRA Financial precious metals IRA?
The metal ships to an IRS-approved third-party depository, not to IRA Financial. Common vaults in this segment include the Delaware Depository in Wilmington and Brink's Global Services vaults. The depository handles insurance, audits, and storage billing directly with the IRA.
What happens if I close an IRA Financial precious metals IRA?
You can take an in-kind distribution of the physical metal, which is taxable and may carry the 10 percent early penalty if you are under 59.5, or transfer the IRA to another custodian. Account termination costs 250 dollars under the May 2026 fee schedule, and depository handling is billed on top.
Sources
- IRA Financial, Precious Metals IRA product page. Checked July 2026.
- IRA Financial, Fee Schedule, May 2026, effective January 1st, 2026. Checked July 2026.
- IRA Financial, About Us. Checked July 2026.
- IRA Financial, Security and Trust. Checked July 2026.
- IRA Financial, Adam Bergman biography. Checked July 2026.
- Cornell Legal Information Institute, 26 U.S.C. Section 408. Checked June 2026.
- IRS, Investments in collectibles in individually directed qualified plan accounts (Issue Snapshot). Checked June 2026.
- IRS, Publication 590-B, Distributions from Individual Retirement Arrangements. Checked June 2026.
- IRS Newsroom, 2026 retirement plan and IRA limits (Notice 2025-67). Checked June 2026.
- IRS, Required Minimum Distributions FAQs. Checked June 2026.
- Delaware Depository. Checked July 2026.
