How Much Gold Should First‑Time Buyers in Their 50s and 60s Consider?
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How Much Gold Should First‑Time Buyers in Their 50s and 60s Consider? By: Marc Guberti Marc Guberti Marc Guberti is a personal finance writer who hosts Breakthrough Success, a podcast where he teaches listeners how to grow their businesses and achieve personal transformations. Has also written: 5 Warning Signs You May Be Buying an Overhyped Stock How to Insure Physical Gold Why a $100-a-Month Gold Plan Could Make Sense Right Now Gold Price Outlook 2026 How Do Republican Presidents Affect the Price of Gold? See full bio Published: Feb 27, 2026 4 min read Money is not a client of any investment adviser featured on this page. The information provided on this page is for educational purposes only and is not intended as investment advice. Money does not offer advisory services.
Getty Images If you’re looking to diversify your investment portfolio in your pre-retirement years, you may be considering allocating some of your money to gold. First-time buyers in their 50s and 60s should invest only a small portion of their portfolio toward gold. Here are some simple allocation guardrails for beginners who want to benefit from the protection aspects of gold and price rallies without putting too much money into the alternative asset. Must ReadExperts are Bullish on Gold — Here's How to Get In3 Ways You Can Make Cash on Your CouchThese Are the Best High-Yield Savings Accounts Right Now Pros and cons of investing in gold The precious metal can act as a hedge against inflation and safe haven during economic uncertainty. It can also diversify your portfolio, which may be a good idea if you only invest in stocks and bonds. But there are also downsides. Gold can underperform assets with more growth potential, like stocks, which means investing too much in the alternative asset could mean limiting your long-term growth. Investing in gold can also come with some complications you don’t have to consider when buying stocks or bonds, like storage costs if you’re buying tangible assets, as well as complex financial instruments such as futures and swaps. And overall, investing in too much of any asset can lead to significant risks in an investment portfolio, so it’s important to build your gold position responsibly. Gold Offer: Sign up with American Hartford Gold today and get a free investor kit, plus receive up to $20,000 in free silver on qualifying purchases How much to invest in gold The amount of your money that should go towards gold should you choose to buy the precious metal will depend on your unique financial situation, including your goals and risk tolerance. But a common approach experts recommend is allocating just 5-10% of your portfolio to gold. This gives you upside and inflation hedging while allowing you to spread your capital across other investments. People who have higher risk tolerances and fewer immediate income needs can get closer to the 10% threshold. It may also make more sense to make gold a larger percentage of your total assets if you have a lengthy time horizon and receive income from sources like Social Security and pensions. Investment research firm Morningstar defines limited exposure, which is what the firm suggests for gold, as 15% of assets or less. Free Silver: See how you can get up to $25,000 in free silver with American Gold & Silver Group Adjusting over time as you age Investment strategies aren’t meant to be set in stone. They are fluid and subject to change, especially as you get older and your risk tolerance changes. Investors may put more into gold if their income increases and they have more cash on the sidelines. However, people who want seek volatility in their portfolio may gradually sell off gold and equities. New investors may want to start at the low end of the range and gradually build their position if it makes sense to do so. Volatility Shield: Learn about Newport Gold Group's precious metals price matching Must ReadExperts are Bullish on Gold — Here's How to Get In3 Ways You Can Make Cash on Your CouchThese Are the Best High-Yield Savings Accounts Right Now