Despite 401(k) gains, economic fears like the war in Iran and inflation are driving interest in gold IRAs. A gold IRA rollover lets workers move 401(k)s into physical gold, to avoid taxes and penalties. Rolling a 401(k) to gold SDIRA needs a firm, a custodian and a depository. Traditional 401(k)s have done well over the last eighteen months. According to Fidelity , the average annual 401(k) account balance increased by double digits again in 2025 for the third year in a row. But if you read the news you have seen storm clouds gathering on the horizon of the economy. Surging energy prices due to the war in Iran, a recent 3.3% annual inflation print eroding consumer purchasing power and a slowing labor market are piling on top of longer-term economic headwinds including continuing tariffs on imports and a sluggish job market. Economic uncertainty has many investors looking for alternatives to help them lock in their stock gains of the last few years and rebalance to more durable assets.…