Precious metals have proven to be a store of wealth that has withstood the test of time. There is only one asset class that can be categorized as a “safe haven,” and that is gold and silver. Precious metals are finite resources that can’t be controlled by any government or financial institution and they have held their inherent value over millennia. Unlike paper-based assets, precious metals may perform well when the federal budget deficits are eventually addressed with painful spending cuts and tax increases.