Gold IRA Comparison

Last Updated on March 17, 2024 by Ben

Everyone wants financial security, especially for retirement. It all boils down to how much money you can make, grow, and protect. If you are thinking of adding gold as part of your retirement portfolio, here are gold IRA comparisons to help you in choosing the best fit. After all, this will affect the kind of life you are having when you can no longer work as hard as before.

RANK

COMPANY

TRUSTLINK

MIN. INVESTMENT

PRICING

1

Augusta Precious Metals

4.9 Star Rating

$50,000

Excellent – and up to 10 years fees paid

2

American Hartford Gold Group

4.8 Star Rating

No minimum

Great Price

3

Goldco

4.6 Star Rating

$25,000

Great – 10K Free Silver*

4

Birch Gold Group

4.5 Star Rating

$10,000

Good

Augusta Precious Metals

Rank #1

4.9 Star Rating

$50,000 Minimum Investment

Excellent – and up to 10 years fees paid

American Hartford Gold

Rank #2

4.8 Star Rating

No Minimum Investment

Great Price

Goldco

Rank #3

4.6 Star Rating

$25,000 Minimum Investment

Great – 10K Free Silver*

Birch Gold Group

Rank #4

4.5 Star Rating

$10,000 Minimum Investment

Good

Reviews of Some of the Most Known Gold IRA Firms

Augusta Precious Metals: Editor’s Choice – Great Buyback Program (4.9/5)

www.augustapreciousmetals.com

Star Rating

Augusta Precious Metals is a company that sells gold and silver. The company has been around for 50 years, and they specialize in helping people with their retirement. They help you build wealth and help you feel secure. Augusta Precious Metals helps people to open a precious metals IRA, which is an account where they can buy gold and silver with their own money.

The United States Securities and Exchange Commission says that people who are saving for retirement should invest in many different things so they can manage their risk. A representative from Augusta Precious Metals will work with you to open a retirement account. This type of account is for people who want to save money on gold and other precious metals. These accounts offer the same tax-deferred status as other (self-directed) IRAs.

Working with Augusta Precious Metals

If you buy premium metals, Augusta’s 7-Day Price Protection Program locks in the price as soon as you confirm your order by phone. If you are buying gold bars, then the price is locked in once the company gets your money. Augusta sometimes gives discounts if you buy lots of gold bars.

Open a gold IRA, and you can get up to a $2,000 bonus. To get the bonus, make an initial investment of at least $1,000.If you buy gold or silver that is not premium, you can cancel the order within seven days without any questions. If you buy gold or silver that is premium, then when your order is confirmed, it will be final.

Augusta Precious Metals Costs

When you invest in gold, the price may vary. This is because there are many different factors that can change the price. You will need to contact Augusta Precious Metals to find out more information about this investment. You must invest at least $5,000 to get started with buying gold or silver from Augusta Precious Metals. The most you can invest is not as much as the most you can spend.

Pros

  • Offer lifetime customer support.
  • Simple setup
  • Streamlined approach & competitive pricing

Cons

  • Must have at least $50,000 in savings
  • Takes two weeks for order to reach IRA

American Hartford Gold: Runner up – Best Price for Bullion (4.8/5)

www.americanhartfordgold.com

Star Rating

The American Hartford Gold Group is a leading precious metal company that provides gold and silver investment options for all people. Its wide range of services includes storage and insurance. The company gives its customers peace of mind when it comes to protecting their assets.Its commitment to customer satisfaction has made it one of the most well-known precious metal companies in the industry. Their reputation is built upon the principles of honesty, integrity, and loyalty. Their experienced staff provides a wide array of seminars and classes that provide helpful information on topics such as investment strategies, retirement planning, and estate conservation.Offering a complete range of services to the general public and financial and legal professionals, the company has become a leader in the industry. All of their products come fully insured, so you can make secure investments with peace of mind.

Pros

  • A family-owned business with more than 40 years in the industry.
  • They offer many precious metal options, including silver, gold, platinum, and palladium.
  • They provide storage for your precious metals holdings at Brinks-insured facilities.
  • Provides quick deliveries and custom-designed business gift programs that are ideal for marketing products and services.
  • Has the ability to ship internationally to most countries worldwide.
  • Excellent reputation and has earned several awards in the precious metal industry.

Cons

  • In most cases, higher prices than other competitors for Gold, silver, platinum, and palladium.
  • Doesn’t have a website. Information is provided via the yellow pages and directories.
  • Has had several complaints about charging hidden fees and price gouging in times of market fluctuation.
  • Has a history of being slightly less trustworthy than others in the industry.
  • Slightly low BBB rating compared to its competitors.

Goldco: Best and Most Trusted Gold IRA Company Overall (4.6/5)

www.goldco.com

Star Rating

Goldco is revolutionizing the way Americans safeguard their money. Many happy consumers have used valuable metals to expand their investment holdings, protect their retirement savings, and reduce risk over the past decade. With Goldco, individuals may preserve their retirement funds by turning cash into actual gold or silver, or by transferring or rolling over money from an existing IRA, or other eligible retirement funds to a Gold IRA.

Pros

  • Goldco is a highly rated Gold IRA firm.
  • People are knowledgeable and very professional; they respond to all inquiries timely.
  • The entire process is efficient.
  • They have low annual fees.
  • They have outstanding client reviews.
  • Upon opening an account that has at least $50k in it, they will waive all fees for the first year.
  • You will get 10% of your money back in free silver from them. This rule applies regardless of the size of the transaction. If you put $1 million into a Gold IRA, they will give you $100k in free silver.
  • When you spend $50k or more on a qualified order, you will get free metals that are equivalent to 5% of your order in return.

Cons

  • The minimum IRA contribution is $25k.
  • Investors are not allowed to create an account online.

To sum it up, Goldco is indeed one of the best Gold IRA firms with its excellent customer service.

Birch Gold Corporation: Great Staff Overall (4.5/5)

www.birchgold.com

Star Rating

Birch Gold Group deals in precious metals, including gold and silver. The company that started in 2003 and is based in California has the metal for you whether you want to physically hold it or put it into an IRA. They’re not only internet-based but also offer great customer service.

Keeping your portfolio safe from inflation is their main focus. Some investments can be hard when the market changes. Other investments, like gold, tend to increase in value when markets are bad.

Birch is a company that will go the extra mile to help their customers. They have many helpful learning resources for understanding what investments are best suited for your needs and can also take steps in order to fulfill any special requests or even address smaller problems with existing products.

Pros

  • Follows all IRS, state, and federal guidelines
  • Other advisements for custodian and depository services
  • Endorsed by professional organizations and customers who have reported good results

Cons

  • They don’t any options for non-American deposits
  • Some of the hidden costs for account setup
  • Minimum investment of $10,000 for non-IRA purchases, which is not ideal for smaller purchases.

Red Rock Secured: Best at Home Gold IRA (4.2/5)

red rock secured

www.redrocksecured.com

Star Rating

Red Rock Secured has spent over ten years helping numerous clients diversify their retirement portfolios. They offer gold, silver, palladium, and platinum IRAs, which is excellent because investors can have an extensive list of options for their purchase.

Aside from the wide range of selections, this gold IRA company also puts the customers first by delivering a free consultation and educational assistance to attend to their needs and questions. Drawing from our experience, the representatives will help you decide which precious metals to invest in and where to store them.

Our team further discovered through investing in this company that they would not charge you for the shipping, management, and insurance. Every transaction is also tax-free and penalty-free, so you no longer need to worry about paying additional costs.

Other than that, Red Rock Secured proffers a Price Protection Plan, in which the company will help you recover from the loss if the prices of the gold or silver plummet within seven days of your purchase. They also have a buyback program, enabling you to sell your precious metals again to the firm.

Thanks to their dedication to maintaining values and integrity, Red Rock Secured is currently the highest-ranking gold IRA company on the INC. 5000 List. They also received A+ ratings from Consumer Affairs, Better Business Bureau, Google Reviews, Trustpilot, and other leading customer review websites.

Pros

  • Every purchase is tax-free and penalty-free
  • No shipping, insurance, and management costs
  • Has a Price Protection Plan to safeguard clients from losses
  • Received A+ ratings from Better Business Bureau, Trustpilot, Consumer Affairs, Google
  • Reviews, and other leading consumer review sites
  • With free consultations and offers an educational approach to assist clients with their inquiries and needs.

Cons

  • The specific fees and prices are not available on their website
  • You may need to transact with a representative because there are no online purchases available

What to Know About Gold IRAs

Individual Retirement Accounts are personal savings plans set aside for retirement. These allow individuals to save and invest money with tax-advantages. Contributions are tax-deductible for traditional IRAs while retirement distribution is tax-free for Roth IRAs.

Ordinarily, IRAs involve a wide range of financial products but are not limited to stocks, bonds, and cash equivalents. However, some companies offer investors to hold precious metals such as gold, silver, platinum, and/or palladium as part of an investment portfolio.

Some people prefer to invest in gold because of its inverse relation to the dollar value. When the dollar value is lower, more people buy gold which will drive its price to a higher amount. Moreover, it is less volatile than the stock market. It is less risky in comparison to other investments. Consequently, adding it to your portfolio will help in balancing the risks especially for long-term investments.

What is a Gold IRA Company?

As opposed to traditional IRAs that encompass a wide range of investments such as stocks, bonds, and mutual funds, this kind of investment allows investors to hold physical metals like bullions, coins, and other precious metal-related stocks.

If you are interested in investing in metal such as gold, you need a broker to buy the gold and a custodian to oversee your account. For it to be considered IRA, it must meet the IRS fineness standard and must be stored in an IRS-approved depository. It means that you cannot keep the gold in your home or personal safes.

5 Things to Look For When Choosing a Gold IRA Company

Ratings

One of the best ways to get to know a company is by reading the comments and reviews of the people who already experience what it is like to invest in that particular company. You must look for a company with a good reputation so that you can be certain that your investment is in good hands.

IRA Fee Structure

It is also important to know the exact fees you needed to pay to avoid nasty surprises like hidden fees. Take note that some companies charge more than others. Some of the costs involved: seller’s markup fee, retirement account set up, custodian fees, storage fees, and/or cash-out costs. Do some research for each company to be able to choose the best for yourself.

Efficiency & Delivery Time

Look for a company that will deliver the result with efficiency within the agreed time frame. You do not want to work with a company that keeps on extending the deadline. Look for someone professional who values your time as much as you do.

Customer Support

You have to understand that these people will hold and manage your account. Communicating with them is very important. When you have questions and problems regarding your investment, you must choose a company that is always ready to help.

Alternative Investment Options

More choices mean that you can choose which fits better for your risk tolerance in your allotted time frame. Or maybe you just need to look for another company that offers a better deal. Aside from that, if you feel like investing in gold does not fit your financial plan, other options are available that may be more suitable to your preference.

Buyer’s Guide to Investing in a Gold IRA

Speak with a Financial Advisor or Lawyer

You can never go wrong by asking a person with your best interest in mind regarding very important things such as investment. Someone who has extensive knowledge and experience in law and business will give you much-needed advice. Besides offering you a non-biased opinion, they can explain and offer you other options if need be.

Review Current News for Fraud Alerts

Do your research. Now that almost all information is available publicly, you are responsible for reading news and other information related to the company concerning the investment you wanted to make.

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Establish and Fund the IRA

After comparing different IRA options, choose the right one for you. Create an account and then you can start depositing money to fund your investment.

Find a Custodial Company and Establish the IRA

As mentioned, a broker that will help in buying the gold and a custodian that will oversee your account is necessary for gold IRAs. Custodians can be banks, brokerage firms, credit unions, trust companies, or savings or loan associations. As long as it has been approved by state agencies to provide these kinds of services to the clients.

Invest in Precious Metals Via the IRA

You can tell the custodian about the specific precious metal you wanted to invest in. Then he/she will withdraw money from your account to make the purchase. It will be stored in your chosen depository company. The periodic listings of your holdings will be sent to you regularly.

Conclusion

The companies mentioned above are top in the industry. Each has its pros and cons. However, based on the aforementioned criteria Regal Assets has the edge. It has the highest ratings with excellent customer reviews, they are transparent and very upfront with their fees, and their process is efficient. Besides, customers will not give this kind of rating if they are not satisfied with the kind of customer service they have received from this company.

Choosing the best is entirely up to you. You will have to manage each investment’s risks and make up for the weaknesses of the company you have chosen. Just make sure that the plan you have created and your investment decisions fit in your overall financial plan.

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