When it comes to diversifying portfolios and building long-term wealth, there is one precious metal in particular that investors turn to: gold. These and the other unique benefits that gold offers have made the previous metal a sought-after asset decade after decade, but gold’s remarkable price performance over the past year, in particular, has helped to boost the allure for both new and experienced investors. 

Starting the year at about $2,000 per ounce, gold prices spent much of 2024 on an upward trajectory, eventually landing at today’s price of about $2,650 per ounce — while hitting numerous new records along the way. That type of swift, short-term price growth is unusual for gold, as the precious metal has historically grown in value over the long term. As a result, investors have been flocking to a range of gold assets, from gold stocks and exchange-traded funds to gold bullion, to try and capitalize on the opportunity for quick returns.

But while the market offers various gold investment vehicles, 1-ounce gold bars, in particular, stand out as a particularly compelling option as we close in on 2025. Below, we’ll explain why.

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5 reasons to invest in 1-ounce gold bars before 2025

Adding these physical assets to your portfolio now could be a strategic move for both 2025 and beyond for the following reasons:

This is a strategic entry point after price corrections

After months of price increases, gold recently experienced a correction that caused the price of gold to fall from the late October high of $2,716.64 per ounce to where it sits today at $2,647.65 per ounce. While prices have shown signs of recovery in the time since, the price drop has created a rare opportunity for investors to acquire gold at a relative discount. After all, historical patterns suggest that such corrections are often followed by sustained periods of price appreciation, making this temporary dip an attractive opportunity for those looking to establish or increase their physical gold holdings.

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Gold offers an inflation hedge in today’s uncertain economic climate

Despite the recent moderation in inflation rates, a recent uptick in consumer prices has renewed some of the concerns about inflationary pressures. There’s no guarantee that the inflation uptick will continue, but it’s still important to be prepared in today’s uncertain economic climate, and that’s what 1-ounce gold bars can help with. 

Gold bars can serve as an effective hedge against inflation, as they have historically maintained their purchasing power even as fiat currencies depreciate. The standardized weight and purity of 1-ounce gold bars make them particularly effective for this purpose, as their value is easily calculated and universally recognized. So if you add them to your portfolio now, before 2025, while the price is down, you’ll get both the inflation-hedging properties and the opportunity to buy in while the price is dipping.

These bars offer unique flexibility within portfolios

Another benefit of adding 1-ounce gold bars to your portfolio before the new year is that they offer an ideal unit size for portfolio management and strategic investing. Unlike larger bars, 1-ounce gold bars provide greater flexibility in terms of buying, selling and portfolio rebalancing. This flexibility is particularly valuable in the current market environment, where being able to adjust positions quickly in response to market movements can be crucial. The standard size also makes them easier to store securely and transport if necessary.

Growing institutional adoption is driving more demand

Major financial institutions and central banks have significantly increased their gold holdings over the past year to diversify their reserves and reduce reliance on the U.S. dollar, a trend that’s expected to continue into 2025. This trend underscores the strategic importance of gold in a rapidly changing global financial landscape. 

When central banks increase their gold holdings, it typically signals long-term confidence in the precious metal. This trend also drives up demand, putting upward pressure on prices, and as institutional demand grows, the availability of physical gold could become more limited, potentially driving prices higher. By investing in 1-ounce gold bars now, you may be able to align your strategy with these institutional moves and benefit from the resulting market dynamics.

Gold’s role as a geopolitical hedge could come in handy

With ongoing global tensions and political uncertainties looming, gold bullion, including 1-ounce gold bars, offers a unique form of wealth insurance. As a universally accepted asset that operates independently of the traditional banking system, these standardized gold assets provide both portability and instant recognition — critical features during times of geopolitical instability when conventional financial markets may face disruption.

The bottom line

The combination of current market conditions, economic uncertainties and gold’s strong performance trajectory makes a compelling case for investing in 1-ounce gold bars before 2025. While all investments carry risk, the unique advantages of physical gold ownership, particularly in the standardized 1-ounce format, warrant serious consideration for investors looking to strengthen their portfolios against potential market volatility while positioning themselves for possible appreciation in the precious metals sector.

A certificate of deposit (CD) account has historically been a smart way to protect your money – both against economic headwinds and the personal temptation to overspend. In recent years, however, it’s also been a key way to protect against inflation and higher borrowing costs. With interest rates on these accounts exponentially higher than they were in 2020 and 2021, it made sense for savers to open an account to take advantage of the higher rate climate. And, if you opened a CD in 2023 or earlier in 2024, you may have earned hundreds or even thousands of dollars in interest, depending on the account interest rate and the opening deposit amount. 

But with the end of the year quickly approaching, and CD maturity dates in 2024 on the calendar for many savers, it helps to know which steps to take now to continue earning big returns. It can also help savers to know which mistakes to avoid if their CD is set to mature before January 1, 2025. Below, we’ll break down three to be aware of.

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3 mistakes to avoid if your CD matures in 2024

Here are three critical (and costly) mistakes to avoid if your CD account is set to mature in the final weeks of 2024:

Letting it automatically roll over

In some instances, particularly in recent years, an automatic rollover wouldn’t be much of a mistake. In today’s evolving interest rate climate, however, it could be a critical one. If you opened a 1-year CD last December, for example, you may have locked in a rate around 5.50%. But today’s high 1-year CD rates top out around 4.50% – a full percentage point lower than what was available in December 2023. So, letting it automatically roll over to a much lower rate could be a costly mistake, particularly if you need to pay an early withdrawal penalty to access your money again. Instead, start talking to your lender now to see which rate you would get if you let it roll over – and which ones are available if you withdraw your funds upon maturity.

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Assuming you’ll be able to lock in the same rate again

Even if you don’t let your account automatically roll over into another, it would be a mistake to assume that you’ll be able to lock in the same rate and term again. After all, inflation has been dropping for much of 2024. And two interest rate cuts have already been issued this year with a third likely for when the Federal Reserve meets again this month. So you’ll be hard-pressed to find the same high rate. That doesn’t mean that it’s worth withdrawing your money. Today’s CD rates are still high, historically speaking. But it may require a bit more work to find the highest rate and best terms than it would have, for example, at this time in 2023. 

Opening a short-term one to replace it

It can be tempting to open a short-term CD now to replace the one approaching maturity. But, for many savers, that would be a mistake. Short-term CDs only have slightly higher interest rates than their long-term counterparts right now. And with interest rate cuts becoming somewhat routine (if unpredictable), that higher rate may not be worth it for just a few months when you can lock in a similarly high one for a few years. So calculate your potential earnings tied to a few rates and terms. You may be surprised at how much more you can make by simply moving your funds into a long-term account instead.

The bottom line

While CD rates are still elevated, they aren’t quite as attractive as they were this time last year. So savers with accounts set to mature before 2025 should be strategic in their approach. By avoiding an automatic rollover and the assumption that the interest rate will remain the same, savers can better position their money for additional interest-earning success. And, for many, that may mean forgoing short-term CDs and their slightly higher interest rates for long-term ones and their slightly lower rates instead.

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