Urgent Questions for Your Financial Advisor About Gold and Silver

In today’s environment of persistent inflation, currency uncertainty, and elevated market volatility, leaving your portfolio anchored solely to paper assets is a risk you do not have to take.

Yet many investors hesitate to bring this topic to the one person who most directly influences their financial future—their financial advisor or broker.

Most financial advisors and brokers operate within a system that rewards them for managing assets that remain within the financial institution they represent… that is to say, paper assets. So, when it comes to actual, physical gold, most advisors remain silent.

However, thoughtful exposure to physical precious metals can help you stabilize your long‑term plan, protect your purchasing power, and add a layer of resilience that traditional stocks and bonds alone may not provide.

At ASI, we have spent decades helping clients integrate gold, silver, platinum, and palladium into their portfolios and retirement accounts, in coordination with their existing advisory relationships.

This article will equip you with clear, professional talking points, practical questions, and data‑driven arguments so you can confidently advocate for precious metals as a strategic component of your portfolio.

Why This Conversation Matters Now
The last several years have underscored how quickly market conditions can change. Gold and silver are at all-time highs, continuing to surge in early 2026 after finishing 2025 with the largest single-year gains in both metals since 1979.

Meanwhile, mounting fears over high U.S. debt and deficits, and threats to the Fed’s independence have shaken investors’ confidence in the dollar. This is leading to global de-dollarization, with central banks rapidly increasing their gold holdings and liquidating U.S. currency reserves in recent years.

Investors have grown increasingly concerned over the growth and inflation outlook, both at the U.S. and global levels, from the fallout of the ongoing trade war. Until calm is restored on the political and economic policy fronts, which seems unlikely under President Trump, volatility is likely to stay elevated across financial markets.

In times like these, precious metals act as a hedge and portfolio stabilizer, which is why you must proactively raise the topic with your advisor or broker. Financial advisors and brokers are tasked with managing these risks for you.

Bringing a thoughtful conversation to your advisor is not about second‑guessing their expertise. It is about collaborating to ensure your plan includes proven tools for wealth preservation, especially in challenging monetary and market environments like what we face today.

Understanding Precious Metals as an Asset Class
When we refer to precious metals in a strategic context, we are primarily discussing gold and silver. Gold and silver are stores of value, while other key metals like platinum and palladium can assist in more specialized diversification.

Gold and silver have acted as stores of value for millennia, across empires, currencies, and political regimes. They are not dependent on the creditworthiness of any single institution.

Historically, precious metals have often:

• Preserved purchasing power during periods of currency debasement or aggressive monetary expansion
• Responded positively when real interest rates are low or negative
• Helped offset the loss of confidence in paper assets during periods of financial and geopolitical stress

This is why investors should view gold and silver as wealth insurance for their portfolio.

When we talk about the role of precious metals in a portfolio, it is also important to understand that this store of value comes from their classification as a commodity, meaning that physical bullion (such as gold bars and coins) cannot be replaced with ETFs, mining stocks, or futures. These financial instruments add additional layers of market, counterparty, and operational risk, and should be viewed as distinct exposures rather than substitutes for physical metal.

Physical gold and silver often behave differently from equities, particularly during stress events, historically showing low or changing correlation with equities and bonds. In certain periods, they can help reduce overall portfolio volatility and limit the depth of drawdowns.

This does not mean metals always move up when other assets move down. It does mean they provide exposure to different drivers of return and risk—an essential ingredient in true diversification.

It helps to think of precious metals like wealth insurance for your portfolio; designed to protect, not replace, growth assets. And, when you frame metals as a diversification tool rather than a speculative bet, advisors can more easily integrate them into conventional risk‑management frameworks.

Clarify Your Financial Objectives Before Meeting
Your financial advisor is there to help you grow and manage your wealth. So, when you broach this topic, you want to do more than say, “I’m interested in gold and silver.” You want to present a clear, rational case that fits within sound portfolio‑management principles.

Start by framing why you are considering precious metals in terms your advisor uses every day:

• Risk management: “I would like to reduce my exposure to market shocks and systemic risk.”
• Inflation and currency protection: “I want part of my portfolio positioned to protect my purchasing power if inflation or currency weakness persists.”
• Diversification and stability: “I’m looking for assets that don’t move in lockstep with my equities and bonds, particularly during periods of stress.”
• Retirement and legacy planning: “I want a component of my wealth that can help preserve value for retirement and the next generation, independent of any single currency or financial institution.”

Be prepared to talk about time horizon, risk tolerance, and liquidity needs, as well as how much of an allocation you’re considering.

The goal is not to argue with your advisor, but to invite a professional discussion grounded in evidence, risk management, and your long‑term objectives. By leading with objectives, you show your advisor that your interest in metals is strategic, not speculative.

Questions to Ask Your Financial Advisor or Broker
As an informed client, you will likely have your own questions and should feel comfortable asking them to your advisor.

Strategic questions

• “How do you view the role of physical gold and silver in a long‑term, risk‑managed portfolio?”
• “In your experience, what range of allocation to metals has been appropriate for clients with objectives similar to mine?”
• “How would you expect metals to behave relative to my equity and bond holdings during different market scenarios?”

Implementation questions

• “What options do you offer for owning physical metals versus market‑based products like ETFs or mining stocks?”
• “How could precious metals be integrated into my existing retirement accounts—such as through a self‑directed IRA—where appropriate?”
• “What storage and custody solutions do you typically recommend, and how is my ownership documented?”

Risk and cost questions

• “What are the storage, insurance, and transaction fees associated with holding metals, and how do they compare to other parts of my portfolio?”
• “How do you evaluate counterparty and jurisdictional risk when selecting storage locations or metal programs?”

These questions signal that you are serious about both the benefits and the risks of metals.

If your advisor is unable to answer these questions on their own, it may be time to loop in a trusted precious metals dealer to assist. A three-way conversation with all parties involved will help inform you and your financial advisor or broker about the options available, so you can make strategic decisions together. At ASI, we’re here to help facilitate this in any way we can.

Overcoming Potential Objections from Advisors
Advisors may have legitimate concerns or simply limited familiarity with precious metals. Anticipating their objections will help you foster a constructive dialogue.

Objection 1: “Metals don’t generate income.”

• This is true: metals do not pay dividends or interest.
• Gold and silver should serve as insurance and diversification, not as an income‑producing replacement for equities or fixed income.

Objection 2: “You already have exposure through mining stocks or ETFs.”

• These instruments may play a strategic role in a portfolio, but they are not equivalent to direct ownership of metal.
• Bullion will help balance market‑based exposure with a core physical position that is not tied to corporate earnings or fund structures.

Objection 3: “It’s too complicated to hold physical metal.”

• Professional storage solutions exist with clear documentation of ownership, high‑security vaults, and 100% fully insured holdings.
• Work with reputable depositories with an advisor’s guidance on integrating these properly.

Objection 4: “The timing isn’t right.”

• The goal of owning gold and silver is not to attempt to trade short‑term price moves. Short‑term price swings for gold and silver are normal and acceptable if the primary objective is long‑term preservation rather than near‑term appreciation.
• Timing is not as important when the goal is to build a disciplined allocation over time, potentially using dollar cost‑averaging strategies, rather than making a one‑time speculative bet.

This dialogue will help you to establish whether their objections stem from healthy skepticism or a lack of knowledge. Not every advisor will welcome a conversation about precious metals. Some may lack knowledge of hard assets; others may prefer to stay within the financial model they understand.

If their resistance is strong and not well‑reasoned:

• Ask for documentation: Request that your advisor clearly document their rationale for rejecting metals, including how they plan to address the risks you are concerned about using other tools.
• Seek a second opinion: Consider consulting an additional professional (either another advisor or precious metals specialist) for additional perspective.
• Stay focused on your fiduciary interests: Remember that it is your wealth and your retirement. An advisor who refuses to engage seriously with your risk concerns may not be aligned with your long‑term priorities.

Your objective is not to force your advisor into a position they are uncomfortable managing. It is to ensure that your plan reflects a comprehensive, good‑faith consideration of all prudent tools available, including precious metals.

Practical Steps to Implement Gold and Silver in Your Plan
If you and your advisor agree that metals have a place in your portfolio, the next step is implementation.

1. Determine an appropriate allocation range
   • Work together to establish a target percentage based on your age, risk tolerance, time horizon, and existing holdings.
   • Depending on other asset allocations and time horizon, this may be between 5-15% allocation
2. Select the right vehicles
   • Decide on the mix of physical bullion, professionally stored metal, and any market‑based products (if appropriate).
   • Consider how much, if any, exposure you want in retirement accounts vs. taxable accounts.
3. Choose storage and custody solutions
   • Evaluate options for secure, insured storage with clear legal title to your holdings.
   • Discuss jurisdiction, reporting considerations, and how easily you can buy, sell, or transfer metal.
4. Agree on a review and rebalance framework
   • Determine how often your metals allocation will be reviewed alongside the rest of your portfolio.
   • Set guidelines for rebalancing when metals rise in value and when they underperform.

Precious metals can be integrated into your financial plan with the same discipline as any other asset class. Again, it may be helpful to have a well-established precious metals dealer on call to assist with implementation.

Becoming an Informed Advocate for Your Own Wealth
In an era of elevated uncertainty, precious metals can play a meaningful role in preserving purchasing power, managing risk, and diversifying your portfolio beyond traditional paper assets.

By understanding metals as an asset class, clarifying your objectives, preparing data‑backed talking points, and asking the right questions, you can turn a potentially uncomfortable topic into a constructive, advisor‑level discussion. The result is a more resilient, better‑balanced approach to safeguarding your long‑term wealth.

If you are ready to explore how precious metals could fit into your portfolio, but are unsure how to start the conversation with your advisor, our team can help.

• Request a complimentary, no‑obligation precious metals consultation
• Get a customized allocation discussion you can take directly to your advisor or broker
• Learn about secure storage options, IRA solutions, and competitive pricing tailored to your needs
• Maintain a dialogue with us throughout the implementation process to ensure a smooth transition into precious metals ownership

👉 Schedule your confidential call with Asset Strategies International today. Call 1-800-831-0007 or email infoasi@assetstrategies.com for your free, no-obligation consultation.