Gold IRA

I received many positive responses to the first Golden Rule Column, so I want to start by saying thank you to everyone who took the time to read it. It is an honor and privilege to write for the Coastal Breeze News!

There was one question from a reader that I want to take head-on this week. It came from one of my mom’s neighbors, and is a common question from people who are new to Gold IRAs: “Gold sounds great on paper, but what am I supposed to do with it?”

First of all, when I say gold, I mean tangible, physical, hold-in-your-hands gold. We are not talking about gold ETFs, mining stocks, privately funded mining companies, or jewelry (although, if you were thinking jewelry, you’re on the right track - at least jewelry is REAL, right?). For all intents and purposes, whenever I am talking about gold, I am referring to tangible, physical gold coins, rounds, and bars. And, in most cases, 24 karat (99.99% pure - although this can vary). Legally and technically I am obligated to let you know I am not a financial advisor, tax preparer, and nothing you do is to be directed by anything I ever say in this column.

Typically, the idea of transferring IRA funds into tangible gold coins and bars is a brand-new subject for retirees. They might have a story or two of a relative that used to own a sack of coins, their grandmother’s old jewelry collection, or silverware from the 1930s - something like that. But the idea of “exploring” gold as an investment for the first time in their lives sounds foreign. Could this possibly be the result of the first generation of modern American kids who were raised without the gold standard attached to the dollars in their hands?

People who are New To Gold (NTG) see the price of gold rising and get a strange mixture of FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) and ITOFT (I’m Too Old For This) syndrome at the same time. SQT (Status Quo Theory) usually wins in this case.

However, what if I told you that We, The People, are not conditioned to invest in physical gold - it’s simply not in Uncle Sam’s best interest. Instead, we are taught to earn dollars and immediately spend those dollars within the vast array of U.S. paper dollar-based products. Long story short, buying gold doesn’t exactly boost GDP.

Kids these days call it being “blue pilled.” The result, as it pertains to this column, is that many of our great nation’s smartest and most successful retirees think of gold and say, “Why the heck would I use my money I waited 20 years to access to buy something I can’t immediately spend?”

To potentially double your money in two to five years? If your money doesn’t double in that time, sell it, or hold it longer? Riddle me this: How is it that gold — a metal extracted from dirt — can be on sale for $4,500 an ounce? Better yet, how is it not worth more? After all, controlled inflation is the Fed’s main mission, right? The Buffett Indicator is calling the Stock Market a bubble (200%+ overvalued). And maybe most importantly, Poland just (more-than) doubled its gold holdings. Doubled!

That brings us to the answer to the trivia question asked in my April 9 column: What country’s central bank bought the most gold per capita in 2025? Hint: Who was invaded first in WWII? Poland bought more gold than any other country in 2025 and is buying even more this year (source: gold.org). Some might say it has a little something to do with Poland's proximity to Russia and that it was the first country invaded in WWII. Plus, according to sources, Ukraine is leading the world in “depleting gold reserves.” Aka Ukraine is paying for part of its war with its gold reserves. (They stopped reporting this statistic in 2022 due to international security reasons - scary times, indeed). Think gold won’t hold its value this year? No one has a crystal ball, but if Poland and Ukraine aren’t evidence, I plead the fifth!

Next week’s trivia question: What day is Florida planning to legalize gold and silver coins as legal tender? Hint: it’s the same week as my favorite holiday.