Are you calling every movement a rollover?
A cash contribution, direct IRA transfer and employer-plan direct rollover use different rules and forms. Tell the institutions exactly what account you are moving from and to. Opening a new account does not increase the regular annual contribution allowance. IRS · IRA contribution limits · as of 2026-11-11 IRS · Rollovers of retirement plan and IRA distributions · as of 2026-11-11
Ask the current plan whether the distribution is eligible. Required minimum distributions and certain other amounts cannot be rolled over, even when a dealer is willing to accept a purchase order. IRS · Rollovers of retirement plan and IRA distributions · as of 2026-11-11
Have you received money payable to you?
A distribution paid to you generally has a 60-day rollover deadline. An eligible employer-plan distribution paid to you generally has 20% mandatory withholding; rolling over the full gross amount requires replacing the withheld money from other funds. A direct rollover avoids that withholding. IRS · Rollovers of retirement plan and IRA distributions · as of 2026-11-11
A plan payment made to the receiving IRA differs from money paid personally to you. Confirm the payee wording before a check is issued. The general IRA indirect-rollover frequency limit also applies across your IRAs, rather than separately to each new account. IRS · Rollovers of retirement plan and IRA distributions · as of 2026-11-11
Did you buy the metal personally first?
Regular contributions generally must be in money. Do not buy coins personally on the assumption that they can later be assigned to the IRA as an ordinary contribution. Have the custodian establish the account, accept eligible funding and process the purchase instruction for the IRA. IRS · Publication 590-A · as of 2026-11-11
Selling your own property to the IRA can raise prohibited-transaction issues. The IRS includes selling property to an IRA and buying property for personal use with IRA funds among possible prohibited transactions. These concerns are separate from whether the metal product would otherwise be eligible. IRS · Prohibited transactions · as of 2026-11-11
Are you relying on a home-storage claim?
The IRS possession rule for certain bullion requires a bank or an approved nonbank trustee and also applies to indirect acquisition through an IRA-owned LLC. Do not assume a company structure or a safe at home satisfies that requirement. IRS · IRA investment and home-storage FAQs · as of 2026-11-11
Ask the custodian to describe the actual trustee and storage relationship in writing. Product eligibility and custody both need attention before an order is placed.
Did you treat missing fees as free services?
An unpublished fee is unresolved. Request the applicable schedule, including administration, storage, transaction, transfer and closure charges. Ask who funds any waiver and what conditions terminate it. Keep the metal quote separate so that account fees do not conceal product pricing.
Compare the product on the authorization with the invoice and eventual holding. A substituted coin or storage option deserves an explanation and a fresh review before the trade becomes binding.