There are two reasons most people who want to own gold never buy it. The first is that they're afraid they won't be able to get their money back out of it when they need it. And the second is that they simply don't have the cash. But there's an easy way to overcome both of these problems -- and it can even help your retirement.

While extra cash is a problem for a lot of people, many have cash sitting in their retirement accounts. It could be an IRA, a Roth IRA, 401(k), or something else. Regardless, many of us have money there that we can't touch until we're 59 1/2 years old.

Well, what if I told you there's an easy way to buy gold using the funds in your retirement account? You can, with a precious metals IRA or Roth IRA. If you already have a retirement account, you can easily roll it over into a precious metals IRA, just like you would with any other retirement account. You don't need to use any of your cash on hand to get into the product.

There are several other things that I really like about the precious metals IRA. First, gold always has value, so your risk is limited. Though you can lose money, you can't go bust. Many other investments can potentially lose every cent of their value. The saying, "no one ever went broke owning gold," is just as true for a precious metals IRA.

Second, the precious metals IRAs use a system of growth called "compounding ounces." This system is much like a dividend reinvestment program. As the portfolio becomes overweighted in certain areas (say silver), the money is reallocated into other areas, such as gold bullion or platinum. The ounces you gain will never be lost. They're in your account until they're liquidated. And remember, "ounces are king."

Third, you don't have to store a lot of coins. Because this is an IRA, the custodian has to hold the ounces on hand. You can't take possession of them until you reach retirement age (if you do, you'll have to pay the 10% penalty and the taxes). So storage and shipment is a non-factor.

And, finally, when the time comes to retire, it's as simple to get your money out as any other retirement account. All you have to do is call the broker and he'll set everything up for you. It's that simple. And if you open a precious-metals Roth IRA, you don't have to pay any taxes when you retire. It's a great way to own gold with almost none of the negatives.

If you're interested in a precious-metals IRA, please contact my friends at International Collectors Associates (800-525-9556). They have more funds under IRAs than any other precious-metals company. They know what they're doing, they have 30+ years of experience, they're Christians, and they're rated AA with the Better Business Bureau. They can help you with all the details.

Don't try to go through a regular broker to set up a precious-metals IRA. All they typically offer is gold stocks and mutual funds, which are usually more speculative and risky.