The government doesn’t require you to report the purchase of gold and silver. When a gold purchase must be reported, the trader is the one to report it. Form 8300 requires information about the gold buyer, including name, social security number, address, and license number. If any part of the form is left blank, the merchant must still mail the form to the IRS.
Most people own gold through a fund such as the Sprott Physical Gold Trust (PHYS) or the Central Fund of Canada (CEF). Gold has been an important part of nations’ financial reserves for centuries, and its appeal does not appear to be waning as central banks will once again be net buyers of gold this year. For those buying gold in the United States, there are a few federal laws to follow, in particular regulations that govern which gold purchases must be reported to the government. The amount of gold purchased, the way it was purchased, the time period within which it was purchased, and other legal points determine the reporting requirements for gold purchases.
In another example, someone goes to a local gold coin shop and pays for gold coins with cash (paper currency). But even though the four countries have bought significant amounts of gold in the last ten years, they still lag behind their western counterparts, with gold accounting for just 22 percent of Russia’s reserves, while China’s stocks of just under 2,000 tons account for just 3 percent. The gold that is purchased, the way it is purchased, and other legal issues will determine the reporting requirements for gold purchases.