GBI Direct integration with Equity for IRA accounts and New Applications
How our seamless IRA integration works for precious metals investments
Understanding Your Precious Metals IRA
How our seamless IRA integration works for precious metals investments
What is the relationship between GBI Direct and Equity Trust?
GBI Direct serves as the precious metals dealer of record, providing you with the platform to purchase, sell, and store precious metals within your IRA. Your IRA is custodied by Equity Trust Company, one of the largest custodians for alternative assets, administering more than $25 billion in qualified funds for its clients.
Since we have a direct integration with Equity Trust, your account is managed seamlessly in one place — something most precious metals dealers are not able to offer.
What is each party responsible for?
GBI Direct handles everything related to your metals — buying, selling, storage, and transactions. For any questions about your metals or account activity, contact us directly.
Equity Trust serves as the official IRA custodian and is responsible for the account itself, including funding, contributions, rollovers, distributions, and all IRS recordkeeping and reporting. Any distribution requests will require documentation submitted directly to Equity Trust for processing. Our service team can help guide you through this.
What IRA types are available?
You can open one of four IRA types: Roth, Traditional, SIMPLE, or SEP.
Please note for Simple and SEP IRAs additional documents are required by Equity.
What fees should I expect?
- Annual custodian fee: $125, paid to Equity Trust
- Storage fees: Billed by GBI Direct on a quarterly basis (see our storage fee schedule for details)
- Physical delivery: If you wish to take physical delivery of your metals in the future, shipping and insurance fees will apply
How can I fund my IRA?
There are three ways to deposit funds into your IRA:
- Transfer — Move some or all of an existing IRA into your GBI Direct IRA. Transfers are tax-free, not reportable on your tax return, and typically completed in 5–7 business days. There is no limit on how many transfers you can make per year.
- Rollover — If you have a former or current employer retirement plan (such as a 401k, 403b, or 457), you can roll those funds into your IRA to invest in precious metals. Rolled-over funds retain their tax-advantaged status and are generally free to move.
- Contribution — You may contribute cash directly to your IRA up to the annual limits set by Congress. Contributions may be tax-deductible depending on your IRA type, and qualified Roth IRA proceeds may be tax-free.
Where are my metals stored?
Your IRA metals are securely stored at the Brinks Salt Lake City or Brinks New York vault, an IRS-approved depository. The IRS requires that all IRA assets be held by a qualified custodian and stored in an approved facility.
What IRS reporting should I expect?
Equity Trust handles all required IRS filings on your behalf:
- Form 1099 — Reports any distributions taken from your IRA
- Form 5498 — Reports contributions made during the year and the Fair Market Value of your account
How do I get started?
When you open an account with GBI Direct, our system simultaneously creates your Equity Trust IRA — no separate application needed.
👉 Apply here: Account Registration
Already have a GBI Direct account? Log in, and just above the log out button you'll find the option to open a new account.
Already opened an account directly with Equity Trust? No problem — let us know and our team will assist with linking it to the GBI Direct platform so you can begin buying and selling precious metals.