Resolve the storage contract before the tariff
Vault location, account ownership, withdrawal terms and allocation rights can differ between two services. Determine whether the quotations cover what you need before treating the lower number as the better offer. A storage label alone does not establish the rights in the contract.
The segregated and commingled storage guide explains the questions to resolve. For an IRA, obtain the custodian’s confirmation that the selected arrangement is available for that account, rather than assuming personal vaulting terms apply.
A minimum is a floor, not another charge
The form compares the calculated percentage with the annual minimum and uses the larger amount. If your agreement adds a fixed base charge to a percentage, that is a different model. Do not enter the base charge as a minimum simply to make the form accept it.
The equal-cost value divides the flat bill by the percentage rate when the minimum permits a crossing. If the flat bill equals the minimum, smaller balances can tie too. With a zero rate and equal fixed bills, every stored value ties, so there is no unique threshold to report.
Add the rest of the account before choosing
A tariff based on value can change when the price or amount of metal changes. This scenario deliberately holds value fixed to show the fee structures separately from a market assumption. Repeat it at other balances if you want to inspect where the quoted schedules differ.
Custody, transaction and distribution costs are absent. Put equivalent recurring account totals into the annual fee comparison, then assess the ownership and service requirements in the custodian and dealer guide. A mathematical threshold is useful only when both contracts meet the same need.
Other ownership expenses can sit outside a storage tariff. The CFTC/FINRA guidance on metals costs includes storage, insurance and administration among the charges to establish before committing money.
Calculator FAQs
Does the minimum get added to the percentage bill?
No. The minimum replaces a lower percentage bill. If the contract instead adds a fixed charge to a percentage, this form does not model that tariff. Read the schedule carefully and obtain a worked invoice before comparing it with a flat bill.
What does no unique threshold mean?
It means there is no single positive stored value at which the annual charges match. A flat bill below the other minimum never meets it; a flat bill equal to the minimum can tie across a range of smaller balances. A zero percentage can also leave two fixed bills that always tie or never meet.
Does the result include an IRA custodian?
Only storage figures you enter are compared. Custodian administration, purchases, sales, distributions and other account services are excluded. A quoted storage package may bundle some of those costs, so establish an equivalent breakdown before relying on the totals.
Will the percentage bill rise if gold rises?
It can if the contract bills against the changing stored value. The calculator holds that value constant throughout its selected period. Use another value to inspect the sensitivity, and check how and when the provider measures value for the actual tariff.
Does this form need access to my vault account?
No. Type the stored value, tariffs and period you want to compare; invented amounts work too. The form does not connect to a vault or verify its bill. You do not need to identify an account holder, upload a statement or provide access credentials to calculate this pricing scenario.