Remember the first time you heard the term "IRA"?
Long before the responsibilities of adulthood loomed, you probably overheard your parents using the acronym and dismissed it as yet another boring topic that only old fogies had to worry about. Alas, you finally grew up and realized that your parents were, well ... not that old when they used that foreign-sounding term. The truth is, planning for retirement as early as possible gives you the best possible chance of meeting your goals. A Gold IRA is an option that is often overlooked, but has the potential to be one of the soundest investments you can make in an economic climate fraught with uncertainty.
These days, a trip to your local amusement park is likely to offer fewer ups and downs than the economy. With the stock market fluctuating wildly, many investors have been left scratching their heads at the prospect of finding a reliable long-term investment. Even the purchase of land, once heralded as the best possible investment you could make, has proven to be a tenuous proposition due to the all-around instability.
How did we get here? The worldwide recession we're currently embroiled in (as a result of the sub-prime mortgage crisis) led to heavy borrowing, which in turn left smaller countries (like Greece) unable to repay their debts. The U.S. has had its share of debt-related difficulty as well, as was on stark display when its credit rating was downgraded for the first time in the nation's history. Consequently, the value of currency worldwide is dropping and stocks are plummeting while gold, often referred to as a "crisis commodity," has seen its value soar.
Planning for retirement amid such chaos can be overwhelming. If you're considering options, than you most likely know that an IRA (or Individual Retirement Account) is a form of long-term investment that was created to provide financial stability for you when you reach your golden years. In the past, investors generally thought of IRAs as being restricted to cash and cash equivalents, but in 1997, the Taxpayer Relief Act made adding precious metals like gold, silver and platinum possible.
The Relief Act provided investors an excellent opportunity to reduce portfolio volatility. Gold's remarkable ability throughout the ages not only to weather troubled times but to appreciate in value makes it a particularly dependable investment when compared to mutual funds, stocks or bonds. A rather striking statistic is that if you had invested $25,000 in gold coins 30 years ago, you'd have a net worth of $500,000 today. Since an IRA represents an entire lifetime of work, it makes sense to contemplate making gold a significant role-player on your journey to a successful retirement.
The most priceless commodity of all is peace of mind. A gold IRA is worth considering seriously when planning for a bright future, while living in an all-too-bleak present.
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