When do RMDs start for a Gold IRA?

Required Minimum Distributions for traditional Gold IRAs begin at age 73 under SECURE 2.0. The first RMD must be taken by April 1 of the year after you turn 73.

Can I take my Gold IRA RMD from another IRA instead?

Yes — IRS aggregation rules let you calculate the RMD per IRA but withdraw the total from any combination of your traditional IRAs. For a Gold IRA, this often means you do not need to liquidate metal if another traditional IRA holds liquid assets.

What is the penalty if I miss my Gold IRA RMD?

The IRS imposes a 25% excise tax on the shortfall. This may be reduced to 10% if you correct the missed amount within the IRS correction window and file Form 5329.

Do Roth IRAs have RMDs?

Roth IRA owners do not have RMDs during their lifetime. A Roth IRA cannot be used to satisfy a traditional IRA RMD because aggregation is only allowed across compatible IRA types.

Gold IRA RMD Calculator

Once you reach age 73, the IRS requires Required Minimum Distributions from traditional IRAs — including a Gold IRA. Unlike a brokerage IRA, a Gold IRA gives you four ways to satisfy the requirement, and one of them may let you skip selling metal entirely.

Educational tool. This calculator illustrates IRS RMD rules using the Uniform Lifetime Table. It is not tax advice. Confirm your specific situation with a CPA or qualified financial advisor before acting.

Age at end of this year

Use your age as of December 31 of the distribution year. RMDs begin at age 73 under SECURE 2.0.

Account value on December 31 of last year

Use the fair-market value reported on Form 5498 for the prior year.

I have other traditional IRAs

Unlocks the IRA aggregation rule: you may be able to satisfy this RMD from another account without selling gold.

Spouse is sole beneficiary AND more than 10 years younger

Triggers the IRS Joint Life Table (Table II). Otherwise the Uniform Lifetime Table (Table III) applies.

Your 2026 RMD from this Gold IRA

$10,163

Distribution period: 24.6 years (age 75 on the IRS table) · Monthly equivalent ≈ $847

Four ways to satisfy this RMD

Cash from this Gold IRA

Custodian sells $10,163 of metal. Default 10% federal withholding ($1,016) — you can elect a different rate on Form W-4R. Net to you: $9,146.

In-kind distribution

Receive approximately 4.234 oz of gold (at ~$2,400/oz spot). Taxable as ordinary income at fair market value on the distribution date. You then own the metal personally outside the IRA.

Mix cash and in-kind

Common: take a portion in cash to cover taxes, the rest in-kind.

If you miss this RMD

Full excise tax (25%)$2,541

Reduced (10%) if corrected within IRS correction window$1,016

If you take the missed amount within the IRS correction window and file Form 5329, the IRS may reduce the excise tax to 10% (down from 25%). See IRS Pub 590-B for current correction rules.

Federal tax estimate

At 22% marginal bracket$2,236

At 24% marginal bracket$2,439

State income tax not included. Consult a CPA for your specific bracket.

Default federal withholding for IRA distributions is 10%. You can elect a different rate or opt out entirely on Form W-4R. (Employer plan distributions like 401(k) have a different 20% mandatory withholding — that does NOT apply here.)

How RMDs work for a physical Gold IRA

The IRS uses the Uniform Lifetime Table (Table III) to calculate most owner-lifetime RMDs. Your account balance on December 31 of the prior year is divided by a distribution period from the table based on your current age. The result is your minimum distribution for the year.

For a Gold IRA, the calculation is identical to any other traditional IRA — but the practical question is different. A brokerage IRA holder simply sells some shares. A Gold IRA holder has to either liquidate physical metal, take metal in-kind, or use another IRA to satisfy the requirement.

Every option is taxable as ordinary income on the fair-market value of what is distributed. The differences are operational (whether metal is sold or shipped) and timing-related (when withholding hits, how taxes are paid).

The aggregation rule: why you may not need to sell gold

The IRS aggregation rule for traditional IRAs (covering traditional, SEP, and SIMPLE IRAs) allows you to calculate the RMD per account but withdraw the total from any combination. If you also hold a brokerage traditional IRA with liquid stocks or bonds, you may be able to take the entire combined RMD from that account — leaving the gold untouched.

This rule applies only across compatible IRA types. Roth IRAs do not have owner-lifetime RMDs and cannot satisfy a traditional IRA RMD. Inherited IRAs follow separate rules. Qualified retirement plans (401(k), 403(b)) do not aggregate with IRAs.

For more on rollover and aggregation interactions, see our RMD rules overview and Gold IRA tax rules.

Common mistakes

Wrong valuation date. The RMD uses the December 31 fair-market value of the prior year, not the current balance.
Confusing 10% IRA withholding with 20% plan withholding. Default withholding on IRA distributions is 10% (electable on Form W-4R). The 20% mandatory withholding applies to qualified retirement plans like 401(k), not IRAs.
Mixing inherited and owner IRAs. Aggregation rules differ for inherited accounts. This calculator covers owner-lifetime RMDs only.
Forgetting in-kind taxation. Taking metal in-kind is still taxable as ordinary income at fair-market value on the distribution date.
Missing the deadline. First RMD must be taken by April 1 of the year after you turn 73. Subsequent RMDs are due by December 31 each year.