What % of retirement in gold?

5–10% for most; up to 12% within 10 years of retirement.

Should retirees own physical gold?

A small physical position (1–2% of net worth) for emergency liquidity; bulk in an ETF in an IRA.

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retirement

Gold for Retirement: Allocation, Vehicle Choice & Withdrawal Strategy

How much gold to hold in a retirement portfolio, best vehicle by age, and how to draw down gold alongside stocks and bonds to manage sequence-of-returns risk.

6 min read · Last reviewed 6/23/2026

Gold for Retirement

Gold''s role is sequence-of-returns insurance — it holds or gains during equity drawdowns that hurt early retirees most.

How much

20s–40s: 5%. 50s–early 60s: 7–10%. 65+: 8–12%.

Vehicle by stage

Building wealth → IAU in a regular IRA. Late career → IAU + small physical. Retired → IAU in IRA + physical at a depository.

Rebalancing rule

Set gold at a fixed % (10%). Once/year, sell gold to top up stocks when equities fall >20%; sell stocks to buy gold when gold falls >20%.

Avoid

25% concentration in gold; leveraged 2× ETFs (DGP, UGL) in retirement accounts; numismatic coins marketed as rare.

Frequently asked

What % of retirement in gold?: 5–10% for most; up to 12% within 10 years of retirement.
Should retirees own physical gold?: A small physical position (1–2% of net worth) for emergency liquidity; bulk in an ETF in an IRA.