[quote author="graphrix" date=1233017373]I have a tax question about gold and the ETF GLD from an article I read in the WSJ yesterday. I will cite it if you want, but I don't have the time to look it up at the moment. Anyway, it said the IRS treats gold as a collectible, including the ETF GLD since they actually own physical gold, and that you are taxed at the collectible long term cap gains rate of 28% rather than the normal long term cap gains rate. Awgee, what's up with that?
FYI, I am looking at the puts on GLD, but they haven't come down that much in price yet. I don't take morekaos' words lightly, and when he speaks, I try to follow what he says.</blockquote>
First of all, you are correct. GLD is considered a collectible. But unless you are looking at leaps instead of puts, why does the long term capital gains rate even matter?
There are reasons to hold real gold, and there are reasons to hold paper gold. From my perspective, you own paper gold for trades and real gold for security. Of course physical gold can not be shorted, so if you are interested in the downside, paper gold is the only way to go.