Protect your IRA with Precious Metals
Making physical precious metals part of your IRA is a great way to diversify and protect your retirement portfolio. Precious metals are recession-proof investmentsff that are historically proven hedges against negative economic conditions like inflation, war, housing bubbles and taxation. Safeguard your IRA and your golden years with tangible precious metals bullion and receive the long-term value of mankind's ultimate standard of wealth.

How does it work?
You will be adding physical precious metals to your retirement portfolio. This is great news for anyon e who?s looking to enjoy the peace of mind that comes with tangible ownership of gold, silver, platinum or palladium. The steps to set-up your precious metals IRA are easy:

• Set up a precious metals IRA account with a custodian: Worth Bullion Group deals with GoldStar Trust Company, a distinguished precious metals IRA specialist.
• Name Worth Bullion Group as the bullion dealer for the new account and then fund the account via a direct contribution or roll-over funds from other existing accounts.
• After receiving notification from GoldStar Trust Co. that the account is active, contact Worth Bullion Group and lock in a price for the bullion product you want.
• Worth Bullion Group then ships the physical metal to GoldStar Trust Co. for receipt into their depository.
• GoldStar Trust Co. pays Worth Bullion Group with funds from your account and then credits your account with your newly purchased precious metal.
• GoldStar Trust Co. holds the exact precious metals you purchased at an internationally recognized precious metals depository.

Traditional, Roth, SEP, Simple, and Self-Directed IRAs
Gold bullion and silver bullion were approved for IRAs in 1997. Previously, the only forms of physical gold or silver approved for IRAs were American Gold Eagle coins and Silver Eagle coins.

This change was especially beneficial to IRA investors who prefer silver because they now can select silver bars, which carry much smaller premiums than Silver Eagle coins. The change also permitted the inclusion of platinum and palladium in IRAs.

Gold Coins specifically approved for IRAs
American Gold Eagle coins are the gold coins specifically approved for IRAs. Aside from gold American Eagles, eligible gold bullion includes legal tender gold coins with at least a .995-fineness such as: gold Maple Leafs and gold Philharmonics. Some popular gold bullion coins, such as Krugerrands and some older U.S. gold coins are not eligible because they fall below the required purity standard. Gold Bullion Bars are ideal for IRAs

Because gold bullion bars sell at smaller premiums than gold coins, they are ideal for IRAs. The most common gold bullion bars are the 1-oz bars, the 10-oz bars and kilo bars (32.15 ounces) Although the regulations that govern IRAs call for a minimum purity of only 99.5%, most gold bullion bars are 99.99% pure, what the industry calls "four 9s gold".

Silver Eagles approved for IRAs
One-ounce American Silver Eagles are the only silver coins specifically approved for IRAs. However, Silver Eagles carry high premiums. The problem with high premium forms of silver and gold is that premiums sometimes shrink, even disappear, in rising markets. For investors who prefer silver in their IRAs, silver bars offer more metal for the money because of their low premiums.

Backdated Silver Eagles for IRAs
Sometimes backdated Silver Eagles are available at prices considerably less that new Silver Eagles. Investors who prefer Silver Eagles should ask about backdated Silver Eagles before putting current year Silver Eagles in their IRAs.

Silver Bullion Bars for Self-Directed IRAs
Because of the high premiums on 1-oz American Silver Eagle coins, either 1,000-oz silver bars or 100-oz silver bars for investors who prefer silver. Pre-1965 US 90% silver coins are not eligible for IRAs.

Platinum and Palladium for IRAs
Another significant change in 1997 was the inclusion of platinum and palladium, two precious metals which have become popular investments over the last few years. Although this change offers IRA investors the opportunity to diversify their investments into other precious metals, IRA account holders should do serious research before choosing platinum or palladium for IRA investments. Gold and silver are monetary metals, while platinum and palladium are industrial metals.

GoldStar Trust Company Gold-Silver IRAs
GoldStar Trust Company, based in Canyon, Texas (a suburb of Amarillo), offers self directed IRAs for investors who want to invest in precious metals. Administering more than 10,000 IRA accounts, GoldStar has more than $400 million in custody. Because self-directed IRAs are an integral part of GoldStar's business, gold-silver IRA account holders receive special attention at GoldStar. GoldStar is regulated by the Texas Banking Commission. GoldStar not only is continuing the professional and courteous service that American Church Trust Company provided but is implementing the latest software technology that permits account holders to access their accounts online.