Montana Gold IRA: State Tax Rules and 2026 Considerations

Updated: July 30, 2026

OPRS may receive compensation when readers open an account through partner links on this page. Our analysis is based on independent research, BBB data, and IRS publications.

A Montana resident who funds a self-directed gold IRA from a rolled balance and then takes a distribution faces a moderate state-tax exposure that the partial pension and annuity subtraction under MCA 15-30-2110 can compress. The Montana Department of Revenue administers the state income tax through Form 2 (Montana Individual Income Tax Return) and its accompanying schedules.

The federal Form 1099-R flows to the IRS and to Montana through the Form 2 starting figure of federal taxable income. Form 2 schedules then apply Montana additions and subtractions before the two-bracket rate schedule under MCA 15-30-2103 is applied to Montana taxable income.

Element I is the Montana pension and annuity subtraction. Federal taxable income from Form 1040 is the starting point for Montana taxable income after SB 399. The federally taxable IRA distribution is then partially subtracted on the Form 2 schedule, subject to the AGI ceiling. See the dealers OPRS clears and the ones we warn against before any distribution call. The custodian’s depository, shipping arrangement, and Form 1099-R coding control whether the filing is clean.

Element II is the structural surprise. Montana taxes IRA dollars where Alaska, Florida, and Tennessee do not. The bill is smaller than a comparable California, Oregon, or New York exposure because the top rate caps at 5.9 percent. The estate side is clean: no Montana state estate tax and no inheritance tax, so a large IRA balance held until death does not generate a state-level wealth-transfer charge.

Element III is the federal mechanic stack: IRC Section 72(t), the SECURE 2.0 RMD age, IRC Section 408(m) IRS-approved metals rules, and IRC Section 3405 withholding default. These federal layers apply regardless of state of residency.

Element IV is Montana’s geographic position. No IRS-approved depository operates in Montana. The closest standard options on the default custodian roster are Brink’s Salt Lake City and IDS Dallas. The Montana sales tax position is the strongest in the country: no state sales tax at all, putting Montana ahead of even the bullion-exemption states such as Texas, Florida, Tennessee, and Idaho on the retail dimension.

How Montana taxes traditional IRA distributions: the two-bracket framework

The Montana Income Tax Law is codified at Title 15, Chapter 30 of the Montana Code Annotated. The individual income tax is imposed under MCA 15-30-2103 using a two-bracket schedule. The lower bracket rate is 4.7 percent. The upper bracket rate is 5.9 percent.

The bracket dollar thresholds are indexed annually and published by the Montana Department of Revenue in the Form 2 instructions. For tax year 2024, the upper bracket starts around 20,500 dollars of Montana taxable income for single filers and around 41,000 dollars for joint filers. The Form 2 instructions remain the authoritative reference for the filing year.

The Montana Department of Revenue administers the tax through Form 2 and its accompanying schedules. A traditional IRA distribution from a self-directed gold IRA is reported on federal Form 1099-R. The federally taxable amount flows into federal taxable income on the federal Form 1040, which is the starting figure on Form 2 under the post-SB 399 framework.

The partial pension and annuity subtraction under MCA 15-30-2110 then removes a portion of federally taxable private retirement income, indexed annually and subject to the AGI phase-out. The residual taxable retirement income is taxed at the two-bracket schedule that tops out at 5.9 percent.

A 50,000 dollar IRA distribution to a Montana single filer age 65 with federal AGI of 75,000 dollars flows to the federal Form 1040, then to Montana taxable income. After the partial pension subtraction the residual is bracketed: roughly 4.7 percent on the first 20,500 dollars and 5.9 percent on the slice above. The Montana state tax on a 50,000 dollar distribution lands near 2,400 to 2,700 dollars depending on the operative subtraction amount.

The same distribution to a California resident generates approximately 4,650 dollars at the 9.3 percent bracket. A Montana resident above the AGI phase-out threshold loses the partial pension subtraction, raising the Montana exposure on the distribution.

A Roth IRA qualified distribution (five-year period satisfied and the participant age 59 and a half or older) is federally tax-free and Montana tax-free. A non-qualified Roth distribution is subject to federal income tax on the earnings portion only under the basis-ordering rules of IRC Section 408A(d). That taxable earnings portion is also a candidate for the Montana partial pension subtraction if the AGI condition is met.

The MCA 15-30-2110 partial pension subtraction: scope and AGI phase-out

The partial pension and annuity income subtraction under MCA 15-30-2110 is the structural feature that distinguishes Montana from other states on the retirement-income dimension. The subtraction allows a Montana filer to remove a portion of federally taxable pension, annuity, and traditional IRA income on the Form 2 schedule. The base amount is indexed annually under the Montana Department of Revenue rate schedules.

The AGI phase-out is the key constraint. A retiree with combined Social Security, pension income, IRA distributions, brokerage interest and dividends, and any part-time wages can push federal AGI above the operative threshold. The subtraction phases down on a sliding scale documented in the Form 2 instructions for the filing year.

• Partial pension and annuity subtraction (MCA 15-30-2110): a base amount of federally taxable private pension, traditional IRA, SEP IRA, SIMPLE IRA, and self-directed gold IRA distributions, indexed annually. AGI phase-out applies above a documented federal AGI ceiling. The exact base amount and phase-out thresholds are published in the Form 2 instructions.
• Covered: traditional IRA, SEP IRA, SIMPLE IRA, self-directed gold IRA, 401(k), 403(b), 457(b), federal Thrift Savings Plan, military retired pay, federal Civil Service Retirement System, and the non-qualified Roth earnings slice that is federally taxable.
• Not covered: federally taxable amounts that are NOT retirement income (W-2 wages, business income, rental income, capital gains on a non-IRA brokerage account).
• Social Security treatment: Montana taxes federally taxable Social Security benefits via the federal taxable income starting point, with a Form 2 subtraction tracked to the federal IRC Section 86 worksheet. Montana does not provide a 100 percent exemption like Missouri, Mississippi, or Pennsylvania.

A retiree above the AGI phase-out loses the partial pension subtraction. The full federally taxable distribution amount is then included in Montana taxable income at the two-bracket rate. A 50,000 dollar IRA distribution at the 5.9 percent top rate without any subtraction generates roughly 2,700 to 2,950 dollars in Montana state tax, depending on the bracket position of the residual.

A distribution coded with a Box 7 distribution code consistent with a retirement plan (codes 1, 2, 4, 7, G, H) flows cleanly into the Montana subtraction line. A non-retirement distribution code triggers a Montana Department of Revenue review.

Montana has no state sales tax: implications for bullion buyers

Montana imposes no general statewide sales tax. It is one of five no-sales-tax states (alongside Alaska, Delaware, New Hampshire, and Oregon). The state revenue mix relies on individual income tax, corporate income tax, property tax, and a set of resort-area local-option sales taxes in specific tourist communities.

The retail bullion implication is direct. A Montana resident who buys investment-grade gold, silver, platinum, or palladium bullion or coins at a Montana coin dealer pays no state sales tax on the transaction. There is no Montana statute to consult because the underlying sales tax does not exist. The retail position is stronger than the bullion-exemption states such as Texas, Florida, Tennessee, Georgia, Kentucky, and Missouri because those states still tax other consumer goods at the state level.

Local-option resort sales taxes in Whitefish, Big Sky, West Yellowstone, Red Lodge, and a handful of other resort communities apply to a narrow set of taxable goods and services (lodging, prepared food, alcohol). They do not apply to investment-grade bullion and coins. A Montana resident anywhere in the state can buy bullion without sales tax of any kind.

The IRA channel is distinct from the retail channel. Metals purchased inside a self-directed gold IRA never trigger state sales tax in any state because the purchase is by the IRA, not the participant. The Montana no-sales-tax position is most relevant to a Montana resident who buys outside-IRA bullion as part of a broader asset diversification strategy.

A Montana resident who takes in-kind distribution of physical metal from a self-directed gold IRA at retirement is not making a retail purchase. The in-kind distribution is the federal taxable event under IRC Section 408. The Montana no-sales-tax position does not change the federal or Montana income tax treatment of the distribution itself.

The federally taxable amount on Form 1099-R Box 1 flows to federal taxable income on Form 1040. It is then included in Montana taxable income on Form 2, subject to the MCA 15-30-2110 partial pension subtraction.

Federal mechanics that still apply: 72(t), RMDs, withholding

Montana state law does not reach the federal mechanics on a gold IRA. The IRC Section 72(t) 10 percent additional tax on pre-59-and-a-half distributions applies in full. The exceptions are the same federal exceptions that apply in every state. They include medical expenses above 7.5 percent of AGI, qualified higher education expenses, first-time homebuyer (10,000 dollars lifetime), substantially equal periodic payments under Section 72(t)(2)(A)(iv), and the public safety officer age-50 exception under Section 72(t)(10).

The SECURE Act 2.0 amended IRC Section 401(a)(9). The required minimum distribution age is 73 for participants born between 1951 and 1959. It is 75 for participants born in 1960 and after. The RMD calculation uses the Uniform Lifetime Table in IRS Publication 590-B Appendix B.

Montana does not impose a parallel state-level RMD. The federal RMD triggers Montana income inclusion through the Form 2 starting figure of federal taxable income. The retiree can then apply the MCA 15-30-2110 partial pension subtraction if the AGI condition is met.

The withholding default on a traditional IRA distribution to a Montana resident is 10 percent federal withholding under IRC Section 3405(b)(1) unless the participant elects out on Form W-4R. Montana state withholding on retirement distributions is administered through Form MW-4P (Withholding Certificate for Pensions and Annuities). The participant elects a Montana withholding percentage or a no-withholding option.

An indirect rollover (60-day rollover under IRC Section 408(d)(3)) subjects the participant to a mandatory 20 percent federal withholding on a distribution from an employer plan to the participant before re-deposit. The 20 percent is held against federal tax. The redeposited amount is not Montana taxable. A direct trustee-to-trustee transfer avoids the federal withholding entirely.

The IRS Publication 590-B treatment of an in-kind distribution from a self-directed gold IRA is the same in Montana as in every other state. The fair market value of the physical metal on the distribution date is the federally taxable amount.

The custodian reports the FMV on Form 1099-R Box 1. Montana then includes the FMV in Montana taxable income, subject to the MCA 15-30-2110 partial pension subtraction. The federal tax remains owed under the participant’s marginal federal bracket, plus the 72(t) 10 percent if applicable.

Montana has no state estate tax and no inheritance tax

Montana imposes no state estate tax and no inheritance tax. The Montana estate tax was structured as a “pickup” tax tied to the federal state death tax credit under former IRC Section 2011. The Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 phased out the federal credit. The Montana pickup tax went to zero by 2005 and has not been reinstated.

The Montana inheritance tax under former Title 72, Chapter 16 of the Montana Code Annotated was repealed in 2000. There is no Montana state-level inheritance tax on a beneficiary today. The federal estate tax under Form 706 still applies on estates above the federal exclusion.

A Montana retiree with a multimillion-dollar estate concentrated in IRA balances, a paid-off home in Bozeman or Whitefish, and a brokerage account faces no Montana wealth-transfer charge at death. The federal Form 706 estate tax still applies above the federal exclusion. The current federal exclusion is 13.99 million dollars per individual in 2025. The post-sunset projection is near 7 million dollars per individual if the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act sunset takes effect on January 1, 2026.

The IRA-balance step-up rules under IRC Section 1014 do not apply to traditional IRA balances. Inherited traditional IRA distributions are income in respect of decedent under IRC Section 691. They remain federally taxable to the beneficiary. The Montana Form 2 subtractions still apply to a Montana-resident beneficiary if the AGI condition is met on the beneficiary’s own return.

The clean estate-side picture pushes the planning weight to the income side. The MCA 15-30-2110 subtraction, the AGI thresholds, and the timing of distributions across multiple tax years carry the Montana-specific planning load. The estate plan focuses on the federal Form 706 question for estates above the federal exclusion and on the beneficiary-side IRD treatment under IRC Section 691.

Geographic position: Montana has no in-state IRS-approved depository

Montana does not host an IRS-approved precious metals depository on the standard custodian roster. A Montana-resident self-directed gold IRA participant stores physical metal at an out-of-state facility. The standard depository roster used by self-directed IRA custodians includes Delaware Depository in Wilmington, IDS Dallas, IDS Delaware, HSBC New York, CNT Bridgewater (Massachusetts), Brink’s Salt Lake City, and Brink’s Los Angeles.

Brink’s Salt Lake City is the closest standard option for a Bozeman, Missoula, Helena, Great Falls, Kalispell, or Billings participant on a Montana-to-Utah shipping corridor. IDS Dallas offers the next-shortest southern route. Delaware Depository in Wilmington is the default for many custodians and the standard eastern option. The Montana state-tax mechanics on a distribution are identical regardless of depository location.

The depository choice is set by the custodian, not the participant. A self-directed IRA custodian such as Equity Trust, STRATA Trust Company, Kingdom Trust, or Madison Trust has standing relationships with specific depositories. A Montana-resident participant who prefers Brink’s Salt Lake City for the shorter regional shipping path should confirm the custodian’s depository roster at account opening rather than at distribution.

An in-kind distribution to a Montana-resident participant ships from the chosen depository to a Montana address via insured carrier. The carrier is typically Brink’s, Loomis, or a similar armored-transport firm. Insured shipping fees for high-value precious metal shipments to a Montana address commonly run from 150 to 600 dollars per shipment depending on insured value and carrier.

An in-cash distribution avoids the shipping question entirely. The depository sells the metal at the spot price on the distribution date. The cash proceeds are wired to the participant’s Montana bank or sent by ACH. The federally taxable amount is the cash distribution amount on Form 1099-R Box 1. Montana taxable income picks up the same amount, subject to the MCA 15-30-2110 partial pension subtraction.

The Montana tax rate trajectory: SB 399 of 2021 and the move to two brackets

The Montana individual income tax structure shifted under SB 399 of 2021, effective for tax year 2024. The pre-reform Montana tax used a seven-bracket schedule with a top marginal rate of 6.75 percent on income above a relatively low threshold. The reform collapsed the structure into two brackets: 4.7 percent below the bracket threshold and 5.9 percent above.

The reform also realigned the Montana tax base. The pre-reform Form 2 used Montana adjusted gross income with a large schedule of Montana-specific adjustments. The post-reform Form 2 starts from federal taxable income with a smaller schedule of Montana-specific additions and subtractions, including the MCA 15-30-2110 retirement income subtraction.

A retiree planning a large rollover and a multi-year withdrawal schedule should review the bracket thresholds each filing year. The bracket dollar thresholds are indexed annually. A distribution taken in 2024 was bracketed at 5.9 percent at the top above the threshold. The same distribution in 2025 is bracketed at the same 5.9 percent, but the bracket threshold has shifted upward with annual inflation indexing.

The Montana rollover decision flow for a gold IRA participant

A Montana resident considering a self-directed gold IRA rollover from a 401(k), 403(b), 457(b), TSP, or other employer plan walks through a multi-step decision flow before any custodian conversation. The federal mechanics drive most of the flow. Montana state mechanics layer at specific decision points, primarily on the partial pension subtraction side rather than the rate side.

The first decision point is the choice between direct trustee-to-trustee transfer and 60-day indirect rollover under IRC Section 408(d)(3). The direct transfer avoids the federal mandatory 20 percent withholding and the one-rollover-per-year limit. The indirect rollover has narrow legitimate use cases (short-term cash flow gap of less than 60 days).

The second decision point is the depository selection. A Montana participant should confirm the custodian’s depository roster at account opening. Brink’s Salt Lake City is the closest standard option on a Montana-to-Utah shipping corridor. IDS Dallas is the next-shortest southern option. Delaware Depository in Wilmington is the default eastern option.

The third decision point is the distribution timing across tax years to keep federal AGI under the threshold for the MCA 15-30-2110 partial pension subtraction. A retiree with multiple income sources can stage IRA distributions across two or three tax years to preserve the subtraction in each year.

The fourth decision point is the dealer vetting layer that sits in front of all the above. The custodian’s depository roster, fee schedule, in-kind distribution shipping arrangement, and buyback policy determine the quality of the account through retirement and at distribution. Check this dealer against the 2026 OPRS list before any custodian conversation.

Common mistakes Montana retirees make on a gold IRA

1. Skipping the Form 2 partial pension subtraction. The most common mistake. A Montana filer with AGI under the operative threshold who skips the subtraction pays Montana state tax at the two-bracket schedule on the full retirement income amount. The missed subtraction can cost a few hundred dollars per year of excess Montana tax. Many off-the-shelf tax preparation packages require an explicit Form 2 schedule entry; verify the retirement-subtraction line against the federal Form 1099-R Box 2a amount before submission.
2. Crossing the federal AGI phase-out without realizing it. A retiree with Social Security, a public or private pension, an IRA distribution, brokerage interest and dividends, and any part-time wages can quietly cross the operative AGI ceiling. The partial pension subtraction phases out on a sliding scale. A distribution staged in December that crosses the line costs more than the same distribution staged in January of the next tax year if the next year’s AGI projection sits under the ceiling.
3. Assuming the partial Social Security treatment is fixed at zero. Montana does not provide a 100 percent Social Security exemption like Missouri, Mississippi, or Pennsylvania. The Montana Form 2 worksheet allows a subtraction for federally taxable Social Security benefits, but the amount tracks the federal IRC Section 86 computation. A retiree with significant other income may see a larger federally taxable Social Security slice flow into Montana taxable income than expected.
4. Missing the federal IRC Section 72(t) 10 percent additional tax under age 59 and a half. The Montana MCA 15-30-2110 subtraction does not change the federal early-distribution rule. A 50-year-old Montana participant who takes an early distribution receives no federal exception by default and owes federal income tax plus the federal 72(t) 10 percent additional tax. A 50,000 dollar early distribution to a 50-year-old Montana filer in the 22 percent federal bracket costs roughly 16,000 dollars in combined federal income tax and additional tax plus the full Montana two-bracket exposure.
5. Confusing the Montana no-sales-tax position with an income tax exemption. Montana imposes no state sales tax on bullion or on most other consumer goods. This does not change the income tax treatment of a self-directed gold IRA distribution. The federally taxable FMV of an in-kind distribution flows to federal taxable income on Form 1040 and is then included in Montana taxable income on Form 2.
6. Treating the absence of a Montana estate tax as license to skip estate planning. Montana imposes no state estate tax and no inheritance tax. The federal Form 706 still applies on estates above the federal exclusion. The IRC Section 691 income in respect of decedent treatment on inherited IRA balances still passes the federal income tax burden to the beneficiary. A Montana-resident heir of an inherited traditional IRA still pays federal income tax on each distribution and can apply the MCA 15-30-2110 subtraction on the heir’s own Montana return.
7. Missing the SECURE 2.0 RMD age update. A 73-year-old Montana participant born in 1953 is under the age-73 rule. A 71-year-old participant born in 1955 is also under the age-73 rule (RMD starts at age 73). A 65-year-old participant born in 1961 is under the age-75 rule. The custodian’s automated RMD calculation should reflect the birth-year cohort.
8. Skipping dealer vetting because the Montana sales-tax position looks favorable. The Montana no-sales-tax position and the two-bracket rate make the state-side cost feel modest. The custodian’s depository roster, fee schedule, in-kind distribution shipping arrangement, and buyback policy still matter at the federal and operational level. The dealer choice carries the long-run quality of the account through retirement and at distribution.

What changed in 2026 for a Montana gold IRA participant

The federal contribution and distribution rules continue to evolve. The IRA contribution limit for 2025 was 7,000 dollars (under age 50) and 8,000 dollars (age 50 and older catch-up) under IRC Section 219(b)(5). The 2026 figures are released by IRS Revenue Procedure in late 2025. The Montana state-level dimension does not change with the federal limit; Form 2 still uses federal taxable income as the starting point and the schedules still apply the MCA 15-30-2110 subtraction.

The SECURE 2.0 Roth catch-up rule under Section 603 takes effect for tax years beginning after December 31, 2025. Participants age 50 and older with prior-year wages above 145,000 dollars (indexed) must make catch-up contributions on a Roth basis only. The rule applies to 401(k), 403(b), and 457(b) plans. The IRA catch-up rule under Section 219(b)(5)(B) is not affected.

The Montana top individual income tax rate at 5.9 percent under MCA 15-30-2103 continues for tax year 2025 and into tax year 2026. Verify the current-year bracket thresholds and the Form 2 instructions on the Montana Department of Revenue forms page before completing the return.

The federal estate-tax exclusion is set to sunset from the doubled level on January 1, 2026 absent congressional action. The pre-sunset federal exclusion was 13.99 million dollars per individual in 2025. The post-sunset federal exclusion is projected at approximately 7 million dollars per individual after inflation adjustment. Montana has no state estate tax to layer on top, so the planning question for Montana residents focuses on the federal Form 706 exposure only.

A Montana-resident gold IRA participant in 2026 sits in a moderate state-tax position on the IRA-distribution dimension. The MCA 15-30-2110 partial pension subtraction can compress the Montana exposure when the AGI condition is met, and the two-bracket schedule under MCA 15-30-2103 caps the top rate at 5.9 percent. Montana’s Social Security treatment is partial, tied to the federal IRC Section 86 computation.

The clean side is the estate and sales tax dimension. Montana imposes no state estate tax, no inheritance tax, and no statewide sales tax. A Montana retiree with a sizable IRA balance, a paid-off home in Bozeman, Missoula, Billings, or Whitefish, and a brokerage account faces no Montana state-level wealth-transfer charge at death and no Montana retail tax on outside-IRA bullion purchases. The federal Form 706 question remains for estates above the federal exclusion.

The dealer-selection layer carries the same operational weight in Montana as in every other state. The custodian’s depository roster, fee schedule, in-kind shipping arrangement, and buyback policy determine the quality of the account through retirement and at distribution. The dealer-side trust signal stack that OPRS uses includes four markers that travel across all 50 states.

• Money Magazine Best Overall Gold IRA Company (2022 to 2026)
• Investopedia Most Transparent Gold IRA Company (2022 to 2026)
• BBB A+ Rating with Zero Complaints (accredited since 2014)
• Education-First Process with non-commissioned customer success agents

The industry-reported minimum sits around 50,000 dollars. That figure fits a Montana retiree with a rolled balance from a Montana Public Employees’ Retirement System (PERS) component, a Teachers’ Retirement System (TRS) account, a federal Thrift Savings Plan account, or a Bozeman, Missoula, or Billings-area corporate 401(k). A 403(b) from Montana State University, the University of Montana, or a major Montana hospital system fits the same range.

The published Learn-Talk-Decide process is run by salaried non-commissioned educators. The free company-comparison checklist walks through the custodian, depository, distribution mechanics, and shipping infrastructure that a Montana distribution coordinates with.

Does Montana tax traditional IRA distributions in 2026?

Yes. Montana taxes traditional IRA and self-directed gold IRA distributions through the two-bracket schedule under MCA 15-30-2103. The lower bracket rate is 4.7 percent and the upper bracket rate is 5.9 percent. The MCA 15-30-2110 partial pension subtraction may remove a portion of the federally taxable retirement income when the AGI condition is met.

A Montana filer under age 59 and a half receives no federal 72(t) exception by default. The full federally taxable distribution amount is included in Montana taxable income at the two-bracket schedule. The federal IRC Section 72(t) 10 percent additional tax applies separately at the federal level on pre-59-and-a-half distributions without an applicable exception.

Roth IRA qualified distributions (five-year period satisfied and the participant age 59 and a half or older, or another qualifying event) are federally tax-free and Montana tax-free. Federally taxable Social Security benefits are partially taxable in Montana, subject to the Form 2 worksheet that tracks the federal IRC Section 86 computation.

What is the Montana top individual income tax rate for 2025?

The Montana top individual income tax rate for tax year 2025 is 5.9 percent on Montana taxable income above the upper bracket threshold under MCA 15-30-2103. The lower bracket rate is 4.7 percent. The bracket dollar thresholds are indexed annually and published by the Montana Department of Revenue in the Form 2 instructions.

The two-bracket structure took effect for tax year 2024 under SB 399 of 2021. The pre-reform Montana tax used a seven-bracket schedule with a top rate of 6.75 percent. The reform also realigned the Montana tax base from Montana adjusted gross income to federal taxable income as the Form 2 starting figure.

Does Montana have a state sales tax on bullion?

No. Montana imposes no general statewide sales tax. It is one of five no-sales-tax states (alongside Alaska, Delaware, New Hampshire, and Oregon). A Montana resident who buys investment-grade gold, silver, platinum, or palladium bullion or coins at a Montana coin dealer pays no Montana sales tax on the transaction.

Local-option resort sales taxes in Whitefish, Big Sky, West Yellowstone, Red Lodge, and a few other resort communities apply to a narrow set of taxable goods and services (lodging, prepared food, alcohol). They do not apply to investment-grade bullion. The IRA channel is distinct from the retail channel: metals purchased inside a self-directed gold IRA never trigger state sales tax in any state because the purchase is by the IRA, not the participant.

Does Montana have a state estate tax in 2026?

No. Montana imposes no state estate tax and no inheritance tax. The Montana estate tax was structured as a pickup tax tied to the federal state death tax credit under former IRC Section 2011. The federal credit was phased out by the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001. The Montana pickup tax went to zero by 2005. The Montana inheritance tax under former Title 72, Chapter 16 of the Montana Code Annotated was repealed in 2000.

The federal Form 706 estate tax still applies on estates above the federal exclusion. The current federal exclusion is 13.99 million dollars per individual in 2025. The post-sunset federal exclusion is projected at approximately 7 million dollars per individual if the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act sunset takes effect on January 1, 2026.

Sources cited

1. Montana Code Annotated, Title 15, Chapter 30 (Individual Income Tax)
2. MCA 15-30-2103, Individual Income Tax Rate Schedule
3. MCA 15-30-2110, Additions and Subtractions From Federal Taxable Income (Partial Pension Subtraction)
4. Montana Department of Revenue
5. IRC Section 72, Annuities and Certain Distributions
6. IRC Section 408, Individual Retirement Accounts
7. IRC Section 408A, Roth IRA Distribution Rules
8. IRC Section 401(a)(9), Required Minimum Distribution Rules
9. IRC Section 3405, Withholding on Pension and Annuity Distributions
10. IRC Section 86, Social Security and Tier 1 Railroad Retirement Benefits
11. 4 U.S.C. Section 114, Pension Source Tax Act of 1996
12. IRS Publication 590-B, Distributions from Individual Retirement Arrangements

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