IAU

Nerfarean

it is worse. IAU bags

bejammin075

My portfolio the last year was entirely on an international index fund that did very well. At this point, which I think is the peak, I recently sold everything. I'm sitting on 70% cash, but have recently used 30% of portfolio to buy the dips in gold (IAU), copper mining (COPX), oil & gas (FSENX), and a software (FSCSX). Feels pretty good.

jrex035

B, SILJ, TLT, XLU, PICK, EWY, VXUS, IAU. Managed to buy the daily top on most of them somehow lmao

bejammin075

One thing you could add to your proposed portfolio is gold, for example the IAU ETF which tracks with gold, which is a good hedge against inflation. Bonds have not been working as well as they have in the past. When things got bad in 2022, when we needed bonds to be bonds, both bonds and stocks went down and bonds failed to do their job. Presently a lot of the bond market is tied into the AI sector, so if an AI stock bubble bursts, it's going to take bonds down with it.

mythozoologist

225 VOO 25 IAU (gold) Call me crazy.

Liminal_Aspect

Ah you bought IAU too?

mangoes_and_rainbows

> figma popped 250% and figma makes rectangles Solid gold hilariously true comment right there. So much gold I'm buying IAU because of you.

Nerfarean

IAU burn here

bejammin075

Finally bought my longterm stake in gold. Sold off an international stock index fund to buy IAU ETF, with gold at $4,500. 5.6% of retirement accounts. Fingers crossed!

JoeRochefortBrain

You might be right. But I will bet if retains value better than the dollar. I have used IAU as a money fund since 2021.

old_Spivey

Buy IAU with 10% of your portfolio and forget about it and never touch it.

Joint-Tester

I made 10k last year when I really started investing, mostly on IAU and GLD LEAPS. Been winning and losing on trades since. I took out the initial and a lot of profit, and paid debts. Then lost the $3k I left in my options account on RDDT calls, started over with $500. This week was sweet. Today's trade particularly. I normally sell at open if I have winning trades, and it was 100% at open. It seemed to me that it could run up and I held. It worked well but could have easily tanked.

OutsideAd7986

Sold Reddit today even though I know it is great growth stock. Not enough people know. It just was losing on an up day and I can’t have that shit in my portfolio when I need to hold onto the overpriced IAU and SLV crap until it recovers. The liquid dollars need to chase what is gaining and from a company having double-digit revenue growth year over year.

Nerfarean

Oil will still spike no matter what happens. When market goes tits up, gold will do short term fall then go back up as safe haven asset. All in on IAU

TheInkDon1

IAU is cheaper, and has Weeklies, but nowhere near the open interest as GLD. And there's SGOL and OUNZ, buy they only have Monthlies, and less volume than IAU.

TheHollowHedonist

5% in IBIT, 5% in ETHA, 5% in IAU (GDX if it's a taxable account), 5% in SIVR, 15% in VXUS and 65% in VTI. Tweak it from there. That'll cover your bases since you want to be a little speculative with your crypto.

InverseTheUniverse

You could just buy GLD, PAXG, and IAU and you'll have a million before 2027. All this work to find something that beats shiny rock returns when shiny rock returns would've already achieved your arbitrary victory condition.

teh_herper

IAU 95c since Apr 1 bought right before the dump the next day like a total regard

UnObtainium17

EMBJ, MELI, NFLX and MU. Then very small buys to add more RDDT and IAU.

usa_reddit

Why? because I am only looking for the profit and not looking to be a long term investor in energy. I just want to get the pop, take the profits, and sell. My strategy is that I buy some to establish a position and if it goes down, I sell all and lose a little. If it goes up I keep buying then sell and take profits once it reaches the new line of resistance and move back to cash. In a normal market I would agree with you on VOO, but this is NOT a normal market. This is a pump and dump market being manipulated by Tweets. Looking at the year so far: VOO is down -.52% YTD MSFT is down -21.12% YTD GOOGL is up +1.06% YTD For me rotating in and out of energy, tech, and gold my portfolio is up +7.33% YTD as of today. I am waiting for VDE to either drop back to $138 or for news that the IRGC detained a tanker, then go back in on VDE, ride the wave, take profits, and move back to cash/SGOV. If things ever get back to semi-normal I will get back to boring Bogglehead investing but with the VIX (volatility) being high there is money to be made by shuffling around. So far YTD in my portfolio IAU 6% ITA 10.37% SCHD 11.24% VOO 3.96% MSFT -3.94% Also, I was crushing it with SMH which is still rocking, but had a Trailing Stop set too low and a morning dip got my SMH. :( I really want that ETF back at a discount. Oh well. Why Microsoft? Microsoft is flush with cash and I think they will be the tech comeback story of the year. I typically don't like to buy stocks, but I have a good feeling about them and their cloud services even with the AI CapEx burning money. I am not a genius and this could all just be luck but 7% makes me happy.

nvidia69420

IAU 😜

Solid-Fix-3772

Someone do a vibe check review on the port😮‍💨 KMI, EPD, MOS, IAU

zachmoe

A healthy amount of Bonds, The S&P500, Gold, and Bitcoin. Something like 50% TFLO 33% VOO 15% IAU 2% IBIT

Welschmerzer

Any advice? I'm up 43% in 2025 and 26% in 2026 while actively managing 5%-15% of my total net worth. I'm kind of a paranoid and overly risk-averse investor, though, so I keep roughly half of the actively managed portfolio in cash. This is probably due to losing 60% of my portfolio across 2023 and 2024, when I was fortunately only actively managing 1%-2% of my total net worth. My biggest gains have been bullish bets on EWY, IAU, oil ETFs, and SLV. My biggest losses have been on SQQQ and bearish bets on TSLA and CVNA. I've pretty much quit making significant bearish bets. I mostly trade options.

Forded_Fiction24

Many, but I'm no oracle. Been investing in copper mining( SCCO, FCX) for ~ 7 yrs now which has done well. Thesis for that is more copper needed for electronics and cooling in data centers. Threw some money into Google in 2015 mainly due to their heavy investment in SpaceX and given that SpaceX was/is not publicly traded yet, this was a giving me indirect exposure plus it was still Google Invested in Gold and silver specifically IAU and SLV along with physical due to my lack of trust in the fed reserve, monetary and fiscal spending/ policy and doubled down even further in 2014 as Japanese carry trade was highlighted as a huge risk and still is. For that matter I've also put some "spare change" knowing it's risk and volatility into Bitcoin and it's associated ETFs due to the same reason because excessive government spending, debt levels, inflation risks, and an onslaught of Eastern powers aligning (BRICS) and trying to weaken the US dollar. Gold and silver I think in the short term are a little overbought currently with a huge run up lately. Meanwhile Bitcoin has lagged behind and I think when/if the war in Iran lets up I think that sends Bitcoin on its next run up with it being very oversold in the short term VOO/VTI/VUG and chill. Most of my money invested is in S&P500 based ETF's and index funds. Slow and steady wins the race and investing here allows me to take some chances with individual equities elsewhere

ExplosiveDlarrhea69

Yeah, sure, there's no wrong way to do it. You can also put some money into consistent bearish hedges too. I put $100,000 into $IAU in April of 2025 as a quasi-bearish hedge since my portfolio was basically pure NVDA bullish. That has obviously done fantastic and NVDA has been sideways, which as an options seller, is totally fine by me.

badboyfreud

One major thing I haven't seen anyone mention yet: "In the U.S., physically-backed gold ETFs are taxed as "collectibles" rather than traditional stocks, resulting in a maximum long-term capital gains rate of 28% for holdings over one year. Short-term gains (held $\\le$1 year) are taxed as ordinary income. High earners may also face an additional 3.8% Net Investment Income Tax (NIIT).  **Key Gold ETF Tax Considerations:** * **Long-Term Gains (Held > 1 Year):** Taxed at a maximum rate of 28%, higher than the 20% cap for most stocks. * **Short-Term Gains (Held**   **1 Year):** Taxed at your ordinary income tax rate. * **Tax Treatment:**  Physical gold ETFs (e.g., GLD, IAU, SGOL) are treated as collectibles by the IRS. * **Alternative ETFs:** Gold ETFs that use futures contracts rather than holding physical gold may have slightly different tax rates (e.g., 26.8% top rate). * **Tax-Advantaged Accounts:** Gold ETFs held in IRAs or 401(k)s are not taxed until withdrawal, allowing investors to avoid the immediate collectible tax rate. * **Alternative Investments:** Gold mining stocks or ETFs that hold mining companies (rather than gold itself) are taxed as regular stocks, benefiting from the lower 15-20% long-term capital gains rates."

Ticksdonthavelymph

The COMB and IAU I bought are going to pay tomorrow

Mecha-Dave

I look at the memes here and then decide if they are regarded or not after googling the company. I'll "yolo" on penny stocks with the change left over from bigger transactions. $RKLB, $TDY, $ADM, $SOC, and well timed $TSLQ are ones that did well for me. Also $SLV with good timing and $IAU. Recently $WMT, $CVX, and $CSTC

usa_reddit

I just bought, IAU, AVAV, ITA. Boots on the ground means defense and drone stocks might go up up up. The US is lacking a drone defense system that works and AVAV could get a blank check. Also I am going back into a little gold just because of the geopolitical situation. I have eeked out at 5.03% gain YTD in the face of a down market. I have dumped all tech but Microsoft. I will take SMH at 240 which looks like it could be a reality if energy keeps getting bombed.

jasongok

I would invest half now and DCA the rest over the next few months. I would go VOO, VGT, IDVO, IAU with a break down of 40%, 30%, 20%, and 10%. Give you decent coverage of the markets. The single stocks you want to buy are already large portion of VOO and VGT

essence_of_moisture

Dumb and smart at the same time. I am currently to doing this with an IAU bag.

Liminal_Aspect

Gonna 360 no scope my IAU long position

iamatoad_ama

I hold a tiny bit of IAU and considering buying more at $75. Is that a good price?

iamatoad_ama

Is $75 a good price for IAU?

Liminal_Aspect

IAU 100 calls for 24 April

Then_Consequence_318

I don't usually do short term plays but I thought what the hell. I sold a portion of my IAU right when gold was starting to drop off. Put in to MAGS rather than trying to pick something specific. I'm adding to VUG, VTI etc because it's a good time to do so but MAGS I will sell off when things blow over. Could be 3 weeks could be 3 months. If it's 3 years then that's okay too.

Liminal_Aspect

Holding some IAU calls for late April. Unless something dumps oil prices I'm fucked. Already got my Wendy's application filled out

DinnerNo5925

SCHD is a div etf. If you’re young or got 15+ years, just go VTI 80%. You can DCA each month. Keep it in SGOV to get interest before you buy each month. Maybe have a very small hedge in gold 2%, you can use IAU and some in a growth ETF like VB. VXUS is good for international exposure but the war and what is happening in America right now is going to impact everyone.

Optionally_Invested

Tbh, I don’t focus too much on individual stocks, my main priority for now is broad indexes. At the moment, only these three individual: MSFT, GOOG, and DOCU. The latter is the most interesting in my opinion, as I don’t see how AI is an enemy of DocuSign. If anything, it’s a booster for their product. As for the indexes, I’m selling puts now on the classic ones: VOO, VTI, VXUS, and I just started with SMH and XSD. As gold seems to be coming back to a more reasonable price, I’ll probably add IAU into the game.

5256chuck

I ain't looking. I'm still DCAing all my solid stocks (all the way down) but I'm definitely NOT interested in anything new to consider. My solids? AAPL, BRK.B, COST, GOOGL, IAU, NVDA, RKLB, TSLA & TSM. These, too, shall rise again!

AmnaAbdel

Guys I am a newbie in trading! What’s happening to RTX and IAU?

gussiger

If you’re doing weekly buy-and-forget for 20+ years, liquidity and structure matter more than squeezing a few bps. GLD vs IAU is mostly size vs cost, but Thor Metals Group style thinking on recognizability makes me care more about long-term exit liquidity than tiny fee differences.

Budget-Class-1297

I have a bunch of gold and have for many years. Don't really care much if it drops like a stone, which it is, since my cost base is less than zero. It always pays pretty big premiums so I've been selling covered calls on it every month for years. That alone brings in around $250 a month and reduces cost basis by $2.50 a share. I bought IAU when it was $37.50 bit I've gotten over $5k in premiums in that time I've actually got a cash secured put that expires tomorrow that is $600 under water, that instead of closing and taking the L I'm just going to let get assigned and then sell covered calls on

snkscore

IAU is still classified for 28% collectible tax rate no?

dabhard

IAU is the answer.

dabhard

I didn't invest in gold exactly, instead in IAU which follows the price of gold but it's taxed as a stock/ETF instead of a commodity. I bought in April and have made nice returns. I might readjust my portfolio makeup and take some profits once it's long-term gains, but I plan on maintaining some as a hedge against inflation.

Dapper-Hat-6523

Praying for you, hoping gold starts to strengthen itself, I believe. Pray for my IAU calls LMFAO

Dapper-Hat-6523

Why? Just bought some IAU $93 calls, APR 2nd

Hamzehaq7

man, that's rough. i feel you... it's tough to watch the portfolio drop, especially in something like IAU. with all this news about the missile hitting near the Bushehr plant, it's got to be shaking things up in the gold market too. just gotta ride it out and hope for a bounce back, i guess. any plans to diversify a bit?

ApartmentVegetable77

IAU = I Am Underwater?

EngineeringEasy1941

I mean I invested in IAU-USD so 8k ish..

Ok-Part-3711

The overlap between your all-world and Nasdaq is real but not a dealbreaker — you're basically just overweighting US tech, which has been the right call for a while. Bitcoin goal is fine as long as it's the speculative slice and not the foundation. At your age the real superpower is time. Seriously consider carving out 5-15% for precious metals though. For gold, IAU is the easy entry point (cheap, liquid, physically backed) or PHYS if you want allocated storage and better tax treatment. For silver, consider PSLV. Silver especially is in an interesting spot right now with 6 straight years of demand outpacing supply, aboveground stockpiles getting drawn down every year, and industrial consumption hitting record highs. And I'm not talking about WSB hype — solar panels, EVs, and AI are eating silver faster than mines can dig it up. That gap keeps growing. So 250-300€/month at 21 and you already have a plan! You're already doing more than most people twice your age. Stick to it and keep asking questions and learning.

Liminal_Aspect

IAU dumping harder than your last GF

Ok-Part-3711

Solid setup overall. SGOV and BOXX are smart plays for capital preservation right now. One thing worth considering given how tech-heavy your brokerage already is — a small slice of your safe money (maybe 10-15%) into precious metals ETFs could add some diversification that doesn't move in lockstep with your stocks. IAU or PHYS (Sprott Physical Gold Trust) for gold, and PSLV (Sprott Physical Silver Trust) if you want a higher upside allocation with more volatility. They've been doing their job as a macro hedge lately and tend to move independently of equities. Not saying go heavy, just that having some exposure alongside your T-bill position isn't a bad idea when your main portfolio is basically a Mag7 bet.

FrostyCartoonist8523

# Gemini said Your analysis is a textbook study of **market contagion** and **liquidity traps**. You are essentially describing the "Minsky Moment"—the point where over-extended investors are forced to sell even good assets to cover losses, leading to a self-sustaining collapse. While "old and crusty" investors will indeed recognize the 1999–2000 parallels, there are some nuanced differences in today's plumbing that either validate or slightly complicate your math. # 1. Validating the "Trigger" Mechanism Your assessment of the **VC-led rug pull** is logically sound. In venture capital, there is a phenomenon called "Flight to Quality." * **The Chain Reaction:** When the first major "AI Unicorn" fails to raise a down-round, it sets a new benchmark for valuations. VCs don't just stop funding the "weakest" firm; they immediately re-calculate the Terminal Value of their *entire* portfolio. * **The "Short" Incentive:** While a VC firm shorting the market to hedge their own failing portfolio is technically a conflict of interest (and potentially a violation of fiduciary duty to their LPs), **insiders** and **hedge funds** with cross-exposure absolutely do this. # 2. Comparing the "Burn" (2000 vs. 2026) You asked: *How long can fresh cash sustain the burn rate?* * **The Dot-Com Era:** Companies were burning cash on marketing (Super Bowl ads) and basic infrastructure. When the cash ran out, the value was zero. * **The AI Era:** Companies are burning cash on **Compute (GPUs)**. * *The Twist:* If an AI startup goes bust, their primary "asset" is their reserved compute or hardware. If everyone goes bust at once, the secondary market for GPUs craters, dragging down the "picks and shovels" companies (like NVIDIA) faster than the software firms. # 3. The Probability Math (Expected Value) Your indifferent probability calculation is a great way to strip emotion out of "stonks." EV=(Pgain​×Rgain​)+(Ploss​×Rloss​) Using your numbers: * If you need to beat a **3.6% Treasury yield**, and a crash (−50%) is a 25% possibility, the "up" scenario (+20%) results in an EV of 2.5%. * **Verdict:** You are mathematically correct to prefer Treasuries here. The "Risk Premium" (the extra return you get for taking the risk) is actually **negative** in your scenario (2.5%−3.6%=−1.1%). You aren't being paid to take the risk. # 4. Nuance: The "Big Tech" Firewall The biggest difference between now and 2000 is **Cash Flow**. * In 1999, many leaders were pre-profit. * In 2026, the "Big 7" are essentially sovereign-wealth-sized entities with massive buyback programs. **The Risk:** Even if Big Tech stays profitable, your scenario holds true because of **Multiple Compression**. If the market decides AI is a "bust," Microsoft's P/E ratio could drop from 35x to 15x, even if their earnings stay flat. That is where your −50% scenario lives. # Analysis of Your Positions * **Swiss Francs ($CHF):** A classic "flight to safety" currency. It de-correlates from the USD/Euro-centric tech collapse. * **Gold ETFs (IAU, SGOL):** If the Fed reacts to your "Scenario B" by printing money to save the banking system (again), gold is your hedge against the resulting debasement. * **Hedged Options (QQQ/IWM):** This is the smartest part of your play. By "setting a floor," you change your EV calculation because your Rloss​ is capped (e.g., instead of −50%, it's capped at the cost of the put premiums). # Summary Your scenario is highly plausible. The "AI Winter" usually follows an "AI Summer" not because the tech stops working, but because the **Return on Investment (ROI)** takes longer to manifest than the **Burn Rate** allows.

UnObtainium17

Added more IAU and ITA. At least if the situationship with Iran gets worse in the weekend my portfolio could go up like $4.

UnObtainium17

Just a little concern though still not as scared as the 2020. I sold around 10% of my Google, VTI and Micron last week, most of gains left as cash and some i used to get more netflix and MELI. It was few % off the peak but gains is gains. I have surrendered to the fact that i'll never time the peak or the bottom perfectly and it is liberating. I will keep on monitoring the situation, Because if things go worse I would sell more and move it to IAU and VDE.

Typical_Patience_838

That's a really insightful way to put it, and you've hit on a common dilemma for investors: the trade-off between maximizing long-term growth and seeking peace of mind through protection. When you talk about "Priority Gold," you're likely referring to a \*\*portfolio strategy or investment approach that gives a significant, intentional allocation to gold (or gold-related assets) as a core component for stability, capital preservation, and diversification.\*\* Here's a breakdown of what that implies and why it fits your description: 1. \*\*"Priority"\*\*: This suggests that gold isn't just a small, token hedge in the portfolio. Instead, it's a \*meaningful allocation\* – perhaps 10%, 15%, or even more – reflecting a deliberate decision to prioritize its unique characteristics. This often comes from a belief in gold's role as: \* \*\*A Safe Haven:\*\* During economic uncertainty, market crashes, or geopolitical instability, gold often performs well when other assets (like stocks) are falling. \* \*\*An Inflation Hedge:\*\* Gold has historically maintained its purchasing power during periods of high inflation, protecting against the erosion of currency value. \* \*\*A Diversifier:\*\* It often has a low or negative correlation with traditional assets like stocks and bonds, meaning it tends to move independently, which can smooth out portfolio volatility. 2. \*\*"Gold"\*\*: This refers to various ways to invest in gold: \* \*\*Physical Gold:\*\* Bars, coins (held directly or in a vault). \* \*\*Gold ETFs (Exchange Traded Funds):\*\* Like GLD or IAU, which track the price of gold. \* \*\*Gold Mining Stocks/ETFs:\*\* Investing in companies that mine gold, which can offer leveraged exposure to gold prices but also carry company-specific risks. \* \*\*Gold Futures/Options:\*\* More complex derivatives for sophisticated investors. 3. \*\*"Not completely dragging things down"\*\*: This is the crucial part that makes it a "solid choice" for peace of mind without sacrificing \*too much\*. \* \*\*It's not cash:\*\* Unlike holding pure cash, which loses purchasing power to inflation, gold has the potential to appreciate, especially during times of economic stress or rising inflation. \* \*\*It mitigates losses:\*\* By providing a counterbalance to other assets, a significant gold allocation can soften the blow during market downturns. If your stocks drop 20%, but your gold component rises 10%, your overall portfolio decline is less severe than if you had no gold. This \*preserves capital\* that can then participate in the next market recovery. \* \*\*It offers potential upside:\*\* While not a growth engine like tech stocks, gold can have significant rallies, particularly when real interest rates are low or negative, or when confidence in fiat currencies wanes. \*\*In essence, "Priority Gold" is a strategy for investors who are willing to accept potentially lower \*peak\* returns during bull markets in exchange for greater stability, reduced downside risk, and protection against specific economic threats (like inflation or systemic crises).\*\* It's a compromise that prioritizes capital preservation and emotional comfort, making it a sensible choice for those who value peace of mind over chasing every last percentage point of growth, especially as they get closer to or are in retirement.

iFiredIce

Not for my IAU calls

Top_Cranberry_3254

CRWD, RDW, and IAU are my only Green right now lol. That's about 5% of my port stocks.

waityoucandothat

20% IAU (physical gold ETF) and 80% BRK/B (Berkshire Hathaway - massive cash moat to buy the dips). Reinvest dividends!

bkk_digital_nomad

With 4K you're already spreading pretty thin across 5 ETFs. SPY and QQQ overlap a lot since the Nasdaq 100 is heavily weighted in the S&P 500 too, so you're basically double dipping on the same mega cap tech names. If you want broad US exposure I'd just go heavier on one or the other. IAU for gold is fine as a small hedge but at this portfolio size it's barely going to move the needle. VGK for Europe is interesting, valuations are cheaper than the US right now so I don't hate it. ITA is pretty niche though, defense sector ETFs can be lumpy. With 4K I'd simplify, maybe just QQQ and VGK if you want that US growth plus European diversification split. Easier to manage and you're not paying 5 sets of spreads on tiny positions.

DesticularDorsion

Let's go GLD! SLV! IAU!

Schmergenheimer

When you buy a bar of gold at Costco, they're giving you a price that (1) is based on gold they already paid for last week and (2) has overhead, including volatility, baked into it. When you buy shares of a trust like GLD or IAU, you're getting closer to the spot price, but you give up your right to hold the underlying asset in your hand. Your trust shares are also a lot more liquid than the actual gold.

Reasonable-Desk3273

Solid picks overall, but think in roles. IAU is more of a hedge than a return driver, ITA is cyclical and tied to geopolitics, and VGK has lagged the US for years. If you’re already buying QQQ and SPY, you’re heavily US-tilted, so just make sure you’re adding these for diversification, not expecting them to outperform consistently.

schnoggly

up 22% on $IAU its a meme stock

dietcoke2765

Made it all back today by 10am XOM, IAU, PG, VIX Calls. Spy Puts. Casheddddd.

teh_herper

5% SPY shares 15% Gold 29% IAU shares 50% GLD LEAPS 1% Bonds is the new asset allocation

No-Consequence-8768

Here is the Issue here, Someone says "Physical Gold/Silver" 50% of people think Gold/Silver Coins/Bars Nuggets, etc... The other 50% think ETFs- GLD/SLV/SIVR/IAU/IGLN, etc... instead of ones that track Gold Miners GDX/GDXJ, etc.. and other forms. So with all that said, I say you should try Apmex or JMbullion and see if they will cut an American Eagle $50 coin in 2/3 and sell you. Then you will have \~$3,500 of 'REAL' Physical Gold in the actual Palm of your hand...

The_Last_Otter

They seem to outperform IAU/SLV on all longer timeframes, even YTD. Great recommendation!

The_Last_Otter

Interesting, I was not aware of those. I’ve usually preferred individual stocks rather than ETFs but I’ll certainly look into these possibly instead of just holding IAU/SLV

UnObtainium17

I was taking a bit of profits on tech these past few months.. Sold all my AMZN, Sold half my MSFT, Half of NOW at bigly loss.. Moved the money of EMBJ, IAU, SLV, AVGO and just today VDE. Got a bit cash left for dips. Still hold mostly at tech because ER still looks great and I think once Warsh cuts rates, tech will pop again.

Frozen_Shades

Should bought IAU and SIVR

stockjocky

i hold Call positions on IAU and SLV. the gains for 2025 were phenomenal. the track the Gold and Silver movements in price. the government considers them 1256 contracts and they are on my 1099-b. but the taxation is different from a regular Etf holding equities. some kind of 60/40 rule, short/long term. i can research it more but i thought there might be an option trader that has played the 1256 contracts before and could give me some tax savings tips.

Select_Reply

Is gold like IAU a "chill" long term investment

teh_herper

IAU leaps might be good, lower price per share than GLD, but similar volume. Still underwater on both though...

MagicJuggler

Kinross and Couer earnings are the most interesting imo, as their earnings will be another barometer of the gold and silver markets. CSPs are cheaper compared to IAU (much less GLD!) and SLV, respectively.

Roll-Annual

Others have commented on your tech-heavy investments. You’re also in most specific stocks and not ETFs. There are ideological arguments around that, but generally ETFs are stabler.  Another consideration is your investing horizon, are you looking for maximum near-term growth, stable long-term growth, or maximum near-term stability? If you want diversity, consider adding non-US ETFs (Vanguard VEA), less-tech dominant value-companies (Vanguard VTV), diversified US ETFs (VOO or VTI). There are also thematic ETFs (energy, infrastructure, consumer staples, defense). And hedges (commodities, non-US ETF, etc) if you aren’t bullish on US dollar.  If you want a hands-off approach, target-date investment funds.  An advisor is highly likely to move away from single-stocks (for the most part) and prefer ETFs because of the inherent risk mitigation associated with them. You likely don’t need to pay for an advisor unless (1) you can’t stop yourself from trading and you want to, (2) you want someone actively trading for you, or (3) you’re really trying to maximize near-term returns and willing to have someone be risky. Outside of those conditions, you’re likely better off with low-fee ETFs, index, or target-date funds.  Personally, I’m pretty near-ish on the current US market valuations and I’ve done extremely well with gold-ETF (IAU), defense ETF (NATO), and non-US ETF (VEA + Fidelity equivalent) and very so-so with VTI, QQQ, and US-growth stocks. But that’s recency bias and potentially not reliable in 2026 and beyond. 

Frozen_Shades

GLD is for active trading. IAU is cheaper and historically less volatile for going long. Both are fine though.

Frozen_Shades

More bang for your buck if you long IAU.

HomeMadeToast

I have IAU leaps. Seems like an easy win

eyeap

I have a bunch of IAU, which I plan to sell all of as soon as adults are in charge again and foreign countries stop stockpiling the metal.

Frozen_Shades

WHOA!!!! You see that MEME candle on IAU and GLD DAMN!!!

geetarman84

The two I mentioned was to rotate more into growth SCHD to VTI and EPD(mainly to dump a MLP I didn’t need the income from) into VT. My portfolio is all boring ETF’s, VTI/VT/VXUS/SCHD, 6% BND, 6% IAU and maybe 1 or 2% stocks. My trading days are over.

TheLelouchLamperouge

I bought IAU calls Monday, sold Tuesday instead of riding it out. Profit but at what cost 😔

Unfair_Explanation53

Not really a death trap unless you bought at the top I suppose, I'm still up 18% on SLVP and 12% on IAU. Definitely should have taken some profit when it rocketed though

OutsideAd7986

I accepted my medicine on SLV and IAU, but didn’t expect for my “safe” position in QQQM to be in the middle of those two in short-term losses. Anyone relate?

soscribbly

What’s the point of buying PHYSICAL gold? If you try to sell it you’re not gonna get anywhere near full listed value. Just buy $IAU and realize 100% of its appreciation when you sell.. …if shit hits the fan you’re not gonna “barter” with your gold anyway, mf’s will just be shooting eachother

UnObtainium17

for me I did not have enough cash left so it was either buy gold or silver, I bought a little more silver. I might sell my stinkers today to add a few IAU.

Frozen_Shades

GLD & SLV <--- active trading IAU & SIVR <---- gone long Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Frozen_Shades

LoL SIVR and IAU are supposed to be the stable metal stonks for going long.

TheLelouchLamperouge

Calls on IAU

what_could_gowrong

Did you put in any leverage or options? If it's physical gold or just plain gold shares (IAU or GLD, etc.) Then you can wait it out. Time is on your side. Unless there's a major de-escalation in the world, which is very, very unlikely, gold will come back to your buy price and beyond. My whole account is down more than half because I'm in leaps, also bought at the top. But I also survived the October 2025 correction the same way. As long as your instrument/position can survive time, you can survive gold.

Carfar_Farcar

Threw a couple hundred at cheap IAU puts on Friday, that might have been a solid play.

iamatoad_ama

Are people buying IAU and SLV? Kinda new to stocks and thinking of buying the dip.

NukeGandhi

Nope, still up 12% on IAU since December. People on this sub are so reactionary. Not saying the recent liquidity event wasn’t totally unprecedented and OP is wild for asking for a 20% growth plan over two years.

darkslide3000

I own a share in a trust that is legally obligated by it's establishing agreement to back that share with gold. I fail to see how different that is from me just owning the gold and giving it to a bank to store tbh. In both cases they are fully liable to give it to me when asked (IAU does actually give you the right to redeem shares directly for gold, if you trade them in in large enough numbers, although of course in practice nobody ever does).

Ok_Dimension9898

You dont own the gold. IAU owns the gold and they sold you shares of their ETF that is backed by physical gold. These shares doesnt give you access or claim to physical gold and the gold is never moved, only ETF shares are bought and sold.

darkslide3000

Stupid question: when I have an ETF like IAU, my understanding is that it's essentially a pass-through entity directly owning bullion in some vault. Like, my share of the ETF literally translates into me owning a small amount of that bullion in that vault. How is that "paper"?