With gold reaching multiple all-time highs in a span of a few months, investor interest is also surging. One resource, however, is calling for caution amid an uptick of eager yet vulnerable newcomers who have never held gold in their portfolios.
With gold prices reaching record highs in early 2025, interest in gold individual retirement accounts (IRAs) has surged among pre-retirees whose 401(k) values have been wiped out by tariff fears. But long-time precious metals vets warn that rushing in without doing some basic due diligence can lead to costly mistakes.
According to Gold and Altcoin IRA Review, an online resource on precious metals investing and retirement planning, the spike in attention around gold IRAs mirrors a previous boom that occurred between 2008 and 2013. However, while the asset is often praised as a hedge against inflation, it’s not without its risks.
“We’ve seen a surge of interest in the first few months of this year, and with the way the economy is moving, we’re not surprised,” says a spokesperson for the publisher. “However, we would like to remind gold newcomers to read up before using their hard-earned cash to stock up on bullions.”
Gold and Altcoin IRA Review said that one of the most common mistakes investors make is over-allocating their portfolios to gold. While gold can play a valuable role in diversification, it recommends keeping gold holdings to a modest percentage of a retirement portfolio because overexposure can reduce flexibility and increase vulnerability to market fluctuations.
The group also points out that few investors take time to understand the rules surrounding gold IRA withdrawals. “If you decide to take a distribution from a precious metal IRA, you have two choices: in-kind purchases or purchase of deposits,” its spokesperson states, adding that they recommend studying the tax implications of each option before making a withdrawal.
Another area where due diligence is vital is when evaluating gold IRA kits, which are free informational packages offered by gold IRA companies. While these kits can be helpful, Gold and Altcoin IRA Review urges readers to read the fine print and look beyond the marketing, as some may expose unsuspecting gold buyers to high-pressure sales tactics or hidden fees.
The resource added that despite a heightened focus on gold owing to the stock market’s performance, retail investors and those saving for retirement must read up on the fundamentals of precious metals investing but also be mindful of where they are getting information from.
With the glut of information online, Gold and Altcoin IRA Review said that the challenge today is sifting through the misinformation that organizations claiming to deal with gold IRAs disseminate. “It’s a minefield out there,” its spokesperson warned. “If your resource avoids talking about uncomfortable topics like the risks and costs of gold ownership, that’s a red flag.”
