The Complete Texas Gold IRA Guide
Affiliate disclosure: we may earn a commission when a reader opens an account through links on this page. The commission has no effect on what you pay or on what we publish. We are not a financial or tax advisor; consult a licensed advisor for your situation. Last reviewed June 2026.
Short on time? The essentials
- A precious-metals IRA requires four parts: a self-directed IRA, a qualified custodian, IRS-approved metal that meets IRC 408(m)(3) fineness rules, and an IRS-approved depository.
- The 2026 annual IRA contribution limit is 7,500 dollars, or 8,600 dollars at age 50 or older with the 1,100 dollar catch-up included. Rollovers and trustee-to-trustee transfers are not capped.
- Required minimum distributions begin at age 73 for owners born between 1951 and 1959, and at age 75 for owners born in 1960 or later under SECURE 2.0.
- Texas has no state personal income tax under Article 8, Section 24 of the Texas Constitution. Federal income tax and the 10 percent federal early-withdrawal penalty still apply.
- The Texas Bullion Depository in Leander accepts IRA assets through Lone Star Tangible Assets, in collaboration with Equity Trust Company as the first wired-in self-directed IRA custodian.
- Home storage of IRA gold is not allowed. The 2021 Tax Court ruling in McNulty v. Commissioner treats home storage as a full taxable distribution.
- Common eligible gold bullion includes the American Gold Eagle (statutory exception), American Gold Buffalo, Canadian Gold Maple Leaf, and bars from LBMA-approved or COMEX-approved refiners.
On this page
- What a Texas gold IRA actually is
- The two Texas advantages that change the math
- The four mandatory parts of a Texas gold IRA
- IRS-approved metals and the fineness rule
- Source accounts a Texan can move in from
- Where the metal lives, including the Texas Bullion Depository
- Fees you will pay on a Texas gold IRA
- Estimate your future RMD
- Worked example: a San Antonio family with a 100,000 dollar IRA
- Your next step
- When a Texas gold IRA is a bad idea
- Texas gold IRA FAQ
What a Texas gold IRA actually is
A Texas gold IRA is not a special account type in the tax code. It is a self-directed Individual Retirement Account that owns IRS-approved physical precious metals instead of (or alongside) stocks, bonds, and mutual funds. The IRA itself sits at a qualified non-bank trustee or self-directed IRA custodian.
Federal rules govern what the account can hold, how the metal must be stored, and when distributions are taxed. Those rules do not change at the Texas border. What changes is the wrapper around them: zero state income tax, and an in-state depository option that no other state offers.
The label "Texas gold IRA" describes a precious-metals IRA owned by a Texas resident, often with the metal vaulted inside Texas. There is no separate Texas IRA charter, no separate tax form, and no separate IRS rule book.
One more clarification. Harry's Coins is an editorial site that covers gold IRA rules, providers, and storage. We are not a dealer or a custodian. We do not hold metal and we do not open accounts.
The two Texas advantages that change the math
Federal IRA tax stays the same in every state. State tax does not. For a Texas retiree, the state column of the spreadsheet reads zero.
The Texas Constitution prohibits a personal income tax. Article 8, Section 24 sets the rule, and a 2019 ballot amendment hardened it by requiring a two-thirds vote of both chambers plus a statewide vote to impose one. Any taxable IRA distribution, whether a required minimum distribution, an early withdrawal, or a Roth conversion, is taxed at the federal level only for a Texas resident.
The second wedge is physical. The Texas Bullion Depository in Leander is the only state-administered precious-metals depository in the United States. It opened on a 10-acre purpose-built campus north of Austin and has accepted retail deposits since 2017. Its operator is Lone Star Tangible Assets (LSTA), a Texas company contracted by the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts.
For IRA assets the depository works through Equity Trust Company as the self-directed IRA custodian, with LSTA as the IRS-approved non-bank operator. The Comptroller announced this capability publicly on June 12, 2025, citing total deposits across all storage types of more than 400 million dollars. Source: texasbulliondepository.gov, checked June 2026.
The four mandatory parts of a Texas gold IRA
Every precious-metals IRA, in Texas or anywhere else, requires the same four pieces. Skip or substitute any one and the IRS treats the account as broken.
- A self-directed IRA at a qualified custodian. The account must be held by a bank, a federally insured credit union, or an IRS-approved non-bank trustee. Common picks for Texas residents include Equity Trust Company, STRATA Trust, and GoldStar Trust.
- IRS-approved physical metal. Bullion must meet the fineness thresholds in IRC 408(m)(3): gold .995, silver .999, platinum .9995, palladium .9995. American Gold Eagle and American Silver Eagle coins are statutory exceptions and qualify by name.
- An IRS-approved depository. The metal must be vaulted at an approved depository. The IRA owner cannot take personal possession. Texans can use private depositories (Delaware, Brinks, IDS, CNT) or the state-administered Texas Bullion Depository in Leander.
- A dealer to source the metal. A gold dealer fills the order at the custodian’s direction. The custodian, not the account owner, sends payment from the IRA and instructs the dealer to ship direct to the depository.
Each piece is independently regulated. The custodian handles tax reporting (Form 5498). The dealer handles the metal purchase. The depository handles storage and insurance. The IRA owner makes the investment decisions but never touches the metal or the cash.
IRS-approved metals and the fineness rule
The IRS bans collectibles inside an IRA under IRC Section 408(m). The statute carves out an exception for bullion and coins that meet a specific fineness threshold, plus a small list of named coins. Anything below the threshold and outside the named list cannot sit inside the account.
| Metal | Minimum fineness | Common eligible products |
|---|---|---|
| Gold | .995 (99.5 percent) | American Gold Eagle (statutory), American Gold Buffalo (.9999), Canadian Gold Maple Leaf (.9999), Austrian Gold Philharmonic (.9999), Australian Gold Kangaroo (.9999), bars from PAMP Suisse, Credit Suisse, Valcambi, Royal Canadian Mint, Perth Mint. |
| Silver | .999 (99.9 percent) | American Silver Eagle (statutory), Canadian Silver Maple Leaf (.9999), Austrian Silver Philharmonic (.999), Australian Silver Kangaroo (.9999), bars from approved refiners. |
| Platinum | .9995 (99.95 percent) | American Platinum Eagle (.9995), Canadian Platinum Maple Leaf (.9995), approved bars. |
| Palladium | .9995 (99.95 percent) | Canadian Palladium Maple Leaf (.9995), approved bars. |
Source: Internal Revenue Code Section 408(m)(3) and IRS Publication 590-A. Checked June 2026.
Two coins get statutory exceptions inside the rule. The American Gold Eagle is IRA-eligible by name even though it is 22-karat (.9167), below the .995 gold floor. The American Silver Eagle gets the same statutory treatment.
Bars must come from a refiner or assayer accredited by NYMEX, COMEX, LBMA, or be a product of a national government mint. The most common bar brands you will see on a Texas gold IRA invoice are PAMP Suisse, Credit Suisse, Valcambi, the Royal Canadian Mint, and the Perth Mint.
Several common coins are not eligible. The South African Krugerrand sits at 91.67 percent gold with no statutory exception. Pre-1965 United States 90 percent silver coins miss the silver fineness floor. Graded, proof, and numismatic coins priced for collectible value sit outside the bullion exception under IRC 408(m).
Source accounts a Texan can move in from
Most Texas retirement accounts can fund a gold IRA, but the path differs by plan type. Active employees often face an in-service restriction that blocks a rollover until separation, age 59 and a half, or another qualifying event. The deeper rollover mechanics live on our dedicated rollover guide.
| Source account | Typical funding path | Texas note |
|---|---|---|
| Traditional IRA, SEP IRA, SIMPLE IRA | Trustee-to-trustee transfer | Clean and uncapped. SIMPLE IRA: 2-year wait from first contribution. |
| Roth IRA | Trustee-to-trustee transfer to self-directed Roth | Stays Roth. Texas adds no state tax on the eventual qualified distribution. |
| Former-employer 401(k) | Direct rollover | Available after separation. Match the tax type when rolling. |
| Current-employer 401(k) | Usually blocked until age 59 and a half | A few plans allow in-service withdrawals of post-tax or rollover sub-accounts. |
| 403(b) (public schools, non-profits) | Direct rollover after separation | Texas educators often pair this with a TRS lump-sum refund question. |
| 457(b) (state and local government) | Direct rollover after separation | Penalty waiver inside the 457(b) does not survive the move to an IRA. |
| TSP (federal, military) | Direct rollover via Form TSP-99 or TSP-70 | Roth TSP rolls into a Roth IRA; traditional TSP into a traditional IRA. |
| Texas pension lump sum (TRS, ERS, TMRS, TCDRS, municipal) | Direct rollover of refund of member contributions | Annuity payments cannot roll; only lump-sum refunds qualify. Confirm with each plan. |
| Annuity | Depends on tax type | Qualified annuities (inside an IRA or 401(k)) can roll. Non-qualified cannot. |
| New annual contribution | Cash contribution to the self-directed IRA | 2026 limit: 7,500 dollars, or 8,600 dollars at age 50 or older. |
Sources: IRS Publication 590-A (2026 contribution limits), IRS Topic 413 (Rollovers), IRS Topic 558 (early distributions), plan documents at TRS Texas, ERS Texas, TMRS, TCDRS. Checked June 2026.
For a Texas educator with a Teacher Retirement System of Texas balance, the rollover path is constrained. A defined-benefit pension pays a monthly annuity for life, and that annuity stream cannot be rolled. A member who separates from service can elect a refund of their own member contributions as a lump sum, and that lump sum is eligible for a direct rollover into a gold IRA.
Where the metal lives, including the Texas Bullion Depository
Once the dealer fills the order, an IRS-approved depository takes custody of the metal. The IRA owner cannot take personal possession at any point. The 2021 Tax Court ruling in McNulty v. Commissioner confirmed that a home-storage IRA triggers a full taxable distribution.
Texas residents have access to every private depository available nationally. Common names include Delaware Depository in Wilmington, Brinks Global Services in Salt Lake City and Los Angeles, International Depository Services (IDS) with vaults in Texas and Delaware, and CNT in Massachusetts. Several of these operators also run Texas-based vaults.
The Texas-specific option is the Texas Bullion Depository (TxBD), an official agency under the administration of the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. The depository was authorized by House Bill 483 signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott on June 12, 2015, and began accepting deposits in 2017 with Lone Star Tangible Assets as the contracted operator.
The depository sits on a roughly 10-acre purpose-built campus in Leander, Texas, just north of Austin. The vault accepts gold, silver, platinum, palladium, and rhodium for individuals, businesses, and government entities. As of June 2025 total deposits had surpassed 400 million dollars across all account types.
For IRA assets specifically, the IRS requires the depository to hold the metal through a bank or an IRS-approved non-bank trustee. Lone Star Tangible Assets received IRS non-bank trustee approval, which is what enables IRA storage at TxBD. Equity Trust Company is the first self-directed IRA custodian wired in for the IRA flow.
The practical setup is straightforward. Work with a precious metals dealer that coordinates with Equity Trust, open the self-directed IRA, fund it through a rollover or transfer, and instruct that the metal ship to the Texas Bullion Depository for segregated storage. Confirm fee schedules with the dealer; the depository states that IRA storage rates are negotiated between the dealer, the custodian, and the depository operator and may differ from the public retail schedule.
Fees you will pay on a Texas gold IRA
A Texas gold IRA carries the same fee categories as any precious-metals IRA. The line items are predictable; the dollar amounts vary by provider and account size.
| Fee | What it pays for | How it is usually charged |
|---|---|---|
| Account setup | Opening the self-directed IRA at the custodian | One-time fee at account open |
| Annual custodian fee | Recordkeeping, tax reporting, statements, IRS forms 5498 and 1099-R when applicable | Flat annual fee, sometimes scaled by account size |
| Annual storage fee | Depository vault, insurance, audits, segregated bin if applicable | Flat annual fee, sometimes scaled by metal value |
| Dealer markup on metal | The spread between spot price and the price the IRA pays | Embedded in the metal price; rarely itemized on the invoice |
| Wire and shipping | Funding wires, dealer-to-depository shipping, insured transit | Per-event flat fee |
| Buyback spread | Difference between dealer bid and current spot when you sell | Only applies if you sell back to the dealer |
Sourced from public fee schedules at Equity Trust, STRATA Trust, GoldStar Trust, Delaware Depository, and the Texas Bullion Depository. Confirm current pricing with each provider before signing. Checked June 2026.
Dealer markup is the line with the widest spread. Common bullion (American Gold Eagle, Canadian Gold Maple Leaf, generic LBMA bars) carries tighter premiums above spot. Proof, graded, or marketed-as-exclusive coins can carry markups several multiples higher.
Custodian and storage fees compound. On a small account, that drag is the difference between a useful diversifier and a slow leak. We unpack the math on our dedicated fees guide.
Estimate your future RMD
Once you hit the SECURE 2.0 age threshold (73 for owners born 1951-1959; 75 for owners born 1960 or later starting 2033), the IRS requires an annual minimum distribution from a traditional IRA. The calculator below estimates your RMD using the IRS Uniform Lifetime Table.
It is a planning tool, not personalized tax advice. Roth IRAs have no lifetime RMD for the original owner.
Texas gold IRA required minimum distribution (RMD) estimator
Once required minimum distributions begin (age 73 now, 75 starting 2033), you divide last year-end balance by an IRS life-expectancy factor. Texas charges no state income tax, so the result is taxed only at the federal level. You can take a gold IRA RMD in cash or in metal.
Estimate only, not tax advice. Uses the IRS Uniform Lifetime Table (most owners). A spouse more than 10 years younger and sole beneficiary uses a different table. Roth IRAs have no lifetime RMD. Sources: IRS Publication 590-B (Table III); IRS RMD FAQs. Consult your tax advisor.
Picking a company that explains every fee up front is the first step. Get the free gold IRA company checklist.
Worked example: a San Antonio family with a 100,000 dollar IRA
Your next step
If a Texas gold IRA fits your situation, the highest-leverage move is to vet any provider you talk to before signing paperwork. Augusta Precious Metals is our primary affiliate partner for Texas gold IRA accounts, and they publish a free company checklist built for exactly that vetting step.
Get the Augusta Precious Metals gold IRA company checklistSponsored link. Use the checklist to compare any provider you talk to, including Augusta. Past performance is not a guarantee of future results.When a Texas gold IRA is a bad idea
A precious-metals IRA is not the right move for every Texan. The pattern of accounts where it tends to backfire is consistent. We list the cases here, with no CTA attached.
Small account balance. A 15,000 dollar IRA carrying a 200 dollar annual custodian fee and a 150 dollar storage fee pays roughly 2.3 percent per year in fixed fees alone, before any dealer markup. The fee drag compounds against returns.
Liquidity need inside five years. Physical metal in an IRA is liquid in theory and slow in practice. Selling back to the dealer takes days, the buyback spread costs money, and a forced sale during a soft market hurts.
Already over-concentrated in metals. If a sizable share of your net worth is already in physical gold, more gold inside an IRA may not help. Talk to a fiduciary financial advisor, not a metals salesperson.
You expect to take a 72(t) substantially equal payment stream. Setting up SEPP withdrawals on an account holding physical metal is workable but operationally heavier than the same plan held in cash and securities.
The dealer is pushing premium or proof coins. Wide markups on graded or marketed-as-exclusive coins are the most common way a gold IRA goes wrong. Common bullion coins and bars fit the IRA structure better.
You want the metal in your hand. An IRA cannot hold metal at home. If physical custody is the point, a direct cash purchase from a Texas dealer is a different product from an IRA.
Texas gold IRA FAQ
Is a Texas gold IRA legal?
Yes. A precious-metals IRA is a self-directed IRA that holds IRS-approved bullion under IRC 408(m)(3). The federal rules apply in every state including Texas. The account must use a qualified custodian and an IRS-approved depository.
Does Texas tax IRA distributions?
No. Texas has no state personal income tax under Article 8, Section 24 of the Texas Constitution. Federal income tax and the 10 percent federal early-withdrawal penalty (if you are under age 59 and a half and no exception applies) still apply.
What is the minimum to open a Texas gold IRA?
There is no federal minimum. Each provider sets its own. Common dealer minimums for a precious-metals IRA range from a few thousand dollars at the low end to 50,000 dollars or more for full-service operators. Verify directly with each provider before committing.
Can I store my IRA gold at the Texas Bullion Depository?
Yes. The depository accepts IRA assets through its operator Lone Star Tangible Assets, with Equity Trust Company as the first wired-in self-directed IRA custodian. Work with a dealer that coordinates with Equity Trust to set it up. Source: texasbulliondepository.gov, checked June 2026.
Is home storage of IRA gold ever legal in Texas?
No. Federal IRA rules apply in every state. The 2021 Tax Court decision in McNulty v. Commissioner confirmed that a self-directed home-storage IRA triggers a full taxable distribution.
How much can I contribute to a Texas gold IRA in 2026?
The 2026 annual IRA contribution limit is 7,500 dollars, or 8,600 dollars at age 50 or older with the 1,100 dollar catch-up included. The limit applies across all of your IRAs combined. Rollovers and trustee-to-trustee transfers are separate and are not subject to this cap.
What gold coins can I hold in a Texas gold IRA?
Eligible gold coins include the American Gold Eagle (statutory exception at 91.67 percent purity), American Gold Buffalo (.9999), Canadian Gold Maple Leaf (.9999), Austrian Gold Philharmonic (.9999), and Australian Gold Kangaroo (.9999). Eligible gold bars must come from refiners accredited by LBMA, COMEX, or a national mint. The South African Krugerrand is not eligible.
Do I need a Texas-based custodian for a Texas gold IRA?
No. The custodian can sit anywhere in the United States as long as it is a qualified bank, federally insured credit union, or IRS-approved non-bank trustee. Equity Trust (Ohio), STRATA Trust (Texas), and GoldStar Trust (Texas) all serve Texas residents.
Sources
- Internal Revenue Service. Publication 590-A: Contributions to Individual Retirement Arrangements (IRAs). irs.gov/publications/p590a. Checked June 2026.
- Internal Revenue Service. Publication 590-B: Distributions from Individual Retirement Arrangements (IRAs). irs.gov/publications/p590b. Checked June 2026.
- Internal Revenue Service. Retirement Topics: IRA Contribution Limits. irs.gov/retirement-plans. Checked June 2026.
- Internal Revenue Service. Topic No. 413, Rollovers from Retirement Plans. irs.gov/taxtopics/tc413. Checked June 2026.
- Internal Revenue Service. Topic No. 558, Additional Tax on Early Distributions from Retirement Plans. irs.gov/taxtopics/tc558. Checked June 2026.
- Internal Revenue Code Section 408(m). Collectibles rule and bullion exception. Office of the Law Revision Counsel. uscode.house.gov. Checked June 2026.
- Texas Bullion Depository. Precious Metal IRA Storage Now Available. texasbulliondepository.gov/ira-now-ready. Checked June 2026.
- Texas Bullion Depository. IRA Storage Services. texasbulliondepository.gov/ira-storage. Checked June 2026.
- Office of the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. Texas Bullion Depository overview. comptroller.texas.gov. Checked June 2026.
- Teacher Retirement System of Texas. Refund of Member Contributions. trs.texas.gov. Checked June 2026.
- Employees Retirement System of Texas. Refunds and Rollovers. ers.texas.gov. Checked June 2026.
- United States Tax Court. McNulty v. Commissioner, 157 T.C. No. 10 (November 18, 2021). Confirms home storage triggers full distribution.
- Texas Constitution, Article 8, Section 24. State personal income tax prohibition. statutes.capitol.texas.gov. Checked June 2026.