Best Gold IRA Companies

A gold IRA (individual retirement account) is a tax-advantaged retirement account and an investment vehicle. There are many benefits of having a gold IRA and we will go over the best gold IRA companies so you can decide which company is the best for you.

Our process for rating these companies are customer reviews, fees, price of gold, and customer service experience.

At a Glance Rating:

Top 5 Gold IRA Comparison Chart

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Best Gold IRA Companies Reviews

There are many precious metals IRA companies out there to invest with, so to narrow down your search a little bit, here are the top 5 best gold IRA companies:

Augusta Precious Metals: Editor’s Choice – Great gold IRA Company Overall (4.9/5)

Star Rating

Augusta Precious Metals is the winner of our top spot because it has the best record with customers (zero complaints with the BBB and BCA since the company opened & high satisfaction) and they offer the most transparent, most competitive pricing in the industry (includes free transit insurance and shipping on qualified orders).

Augusta is a trusted online gold IRA dealer who has a lot of experience in the industry.

For example, the company is trusted by football star Joe Montana, whose personal advisors independently identified Augusta as the best gold IRA company in the U.S. for him (he is now not only a customer but an “ambassador”).

Their special tailored web conference is another reason we chose them as our top choice: it was designed by their on-staff Harvard-trained economist to help people understand the economy and gold and silver.

As an online-only dealer, they are able to keep their overhead costs low and can pass the savings on to you. They pay as many as 10-years’ worth of fees for qualified customers.

Augusta offers a range of gold and silver products for your precious metal IRA. To make the account-opening process even easier, Augusta pre-selects the most common gold and silver products and offers them at very competitive prices.

Augusta also maintains a partnership with the Royal Canadian Mint, which enables the company to introduce Americans to purer coins at lower prices than those available at other mints.

Augusta Precious Metals was founded with the goal of making investments in gold and silver as easy as possible for the average person.

Personally assigned customer success agents assist you every step of the way with the account-opening process and answer all of your questions.

And once your account is open, you can easily monitor it from the intuitive and user-friendly dashboard available through your IRA custodian.

Pros:

• Most transparent, most competitive pricing in the industry
• Complete lack of complaints at the BBB (Better Business Bureau) and BCA (Business Consumer Alliance
• Thousands of 5-star reviews at the most popular consumer ratings sites such as trustpilot, Google reviews
• Voted one of the most trusted & reputable ira gold companies in the U.S.
• Endorsed by hall of fame quarterback Joe Montana – an actual Augusta customer (found for him by his personal advisors)
• Customer education avaialble via free one-on-one educational web conference designed and led by Augusta’s on-staff Harvard-trained economist
• Wide range of popular products
• Simple Account setup with educational videos
• Simple gold ira rollover program and very low cost and storage fees
• Great buyback program
• Great for beginners
• Great Team
• Leader in the country as gold suppliers

Cons:

• No online orders
• Mostly limited to gold and silver (they do offer platinum and palladium coins if asked for)

Red Rock Secured: Runner up – Best at Home Gold IRA (4.8/5)

Star Rating

For over ten years, Red Rock Secured has focused on specializing its precious metal offerings around gold and silver. However, they also provide a wide range of options by adding platinum and palladium, which can help clients diversify their portfolios.

This gold IRA company also aims to deliver a unique educational approach that assists clients with their needs and inquiries. When we tried to invest in this firm, we found that their representatives would contact you to give you a free consultation after you sign up for their application form. They would discuss some information about gold or precious metals and guide you through the three-step process of investing.

After your purchase, Red Rock Secured will offer a Price Protection Plan. For instance, if the prices of precious metals decline within seven days of your investment, the company will cover the difference to let you recover from the loss.

Our analysis of this company revealed that Red Rock Secured dedicates itself to lending a hand to its clients for protecting, controlling, and letting their wealth grow without worries. They allow tax-free and penalty-free transactions with no management fees, shipping and insurance costs, and hidden charges.

As a result of its values, integrity, and legitimacy, Red Rock Secured has received A+ ratings from various customer review websites, including Better Business Bureau, Customer Affairs, Google Reviews, and Trustpilot. Moreover, they are currently the highest-ranking gold IRA company on the INC. 5000 List.

Pros

• Offers Price Protection Plan and Transferable Buyback Program
• No costs for shipping, insurance, and management
• A+ ratings from leading consumer review websites, such as Consumer Affairs, Better Business Bureau, Trustpilot, and Google Reviews
• Tax-free and penalty-free purchase
• Provides a free consultation for guiding clients’ individual needs and questions

Cons

• You may not find the specific prices and fees on their website
• No online purchases; you must speak with a representative to purchase precious metals

Goldco: Great Buyback Program (4.6/5)

Star Rating

Goldco is one of the largest precious metals dealers in the United States. They offer a range of choices for your ira accounts. They offer services not just for gold, but also for silver.

They have been in business for over a decade, so they are a well-established company with a lot of experience.

Pros:

• Convenient option to buy gold and other precious metals
• Experienced company; Professional IRA experts ready to help
• Has options for silver, platinum, and palladium
• Smooth 401k & gold ira rollovers
• One of the lowest transaction fees and storage fee

Cons:

• Doesn’t accept credit or debit cards

American Hartford Gold: Best Prices on Bullions (4.5/5)

Star Rating

The company offers both immediate and scheduled deliveries for all its products with no additional charges. Also, the company provides accessible storage facilities to all its clients. The main office of this company is located in Los Angeles.

The company currently sell American Gold and Silver Eagles, American Buffalo 1 oz gold coins, Canadian Maple Leaf 1 oz gold coins, Australian Kangaroo 1 oz gold coins, Britannia 1 oz gold coins, Chinese Panda 1 oz gold coins, Engelhard 1 oz silver bars, Johnson Matthey 1 oz silver bars and many other products.

Pros:

•  Firm Edorsed By Bill O’Reilly
• The company has a BBB rating of A+.
• It offers quality customer support services.
• You can easily track your package once it has been shipped.
• It provides accessible storage facilities for all buyers.
• buyback commitment
• over a decade in the metals industry

Cons:

• It offers only a few payment methods.

Birch Gold Group: Great Staff Overall (4.2/5)

Star Rating

Birch Gold Group is a precious metals dealer with over 20 years of experience in aiding investors with precious metals and gold IRAs custodians. They trade physical gold, silver, palladium, and platinum for IRA investments or personal ownership. The company’s in-house IRA department specializes in simplifying the process of opening a precious metals IRA and creating a fully self-directed precious metals retirement account.

Birch Gold has a strong focus on educating clients. They take the time to ensure that every client understands the benefits and risks of investing in precious metals while also considering each investor’s goals.

The Birch Gold Group offers you the opportunity to invest in a self-directed IRA with gold, silver, platinum, or palladium. The company makes sure that all of these investments are IRS-acceptable so they will qualify for placement inside an IRA. In addition to being able to purchase precious metals in a self-directed IRA, there is also access available to stocks and bonds, among other assets like real estate and mortgages (among others).

Pros:

• Education and communication are their priorities
• Customer reviews mention a high service level
• First-year on transfers over $50,000 no fees

Cons:

•  Payments are limited to credit cards and bank wire transfers only.

What is a Gold IRA?

The individual retirement account, or IRA, is a way to save money for your retirement. This account has been around for a long time, and it holds different types of assets, like cash, stocks, or bonds.

In the late 1990s, people could start investing in gold individual retirement accounts. These self-directed IRAs let people invest in gold or other precious metals, like silver, platinum, and palladium. Other self-directed IRAs have options like real estate, cryptocurrency, or art.

You can give to a gold IRA on a pre-tax basis, and the value of your investment will grow tax-deferred. The traditional and alternative precious metal IRAs have the same maximum contribution limit, income limits, and liquidation regulations.

There are different ways to be financially secure when you’re a senior citizen. These methods are a bit more complex than traditional IRAs. The gold and other precious metals you choose need to meet the Internal Revenue Service’s standards for quality. The IRS has rules about what gold products are allowed. Only definite coins, bars, and bullion meet the IRS requirements. The IRS does not allow jewelry to be counted as gold, even if it is valuable for your retirement goals.

You must store the gold that backs your IRA in a special depository, so it’s like buying gold without possessing it. These depositories must have IRS approval. Using a storage facility that does not hold IRS approval may result in your gold IRA becoming disqualified.

If your investment portfolio is in a gold IRA, there are higher fees than with traditional IRAs. Make sure to choose a firm that is able to handle these unique investments. These gold IRA providers typically charge you for setup, administrative tasks, and storage, as well as commissions.

Gold IRAs are a good way to protect your retirement savings from inflation. They can also help you to diversify your retirement portfolio. To get the most out of gold IRAs, working with a qualified company and specialist you trust is important as they will help create the plans, decisions and approach to long-lasting wealth through their knowledge and consultation.

How We Ranked the Top Gold IRA Companies

They looked at a variety of factors to choose the best gold IRA companies on this list. There are many gold IRA investment companies out there, but some are better than others. These companies have a good reputation, experience in the market, and positive reviews from clients.

Reputation and Reviews

Some companies that offer gold IRAs have endorsements from celebrities or big names in finance. But you may want to know what regular people think about these companies.

Do the real estate agents seem like they are trying to make a quick sale? Do they use a hard-sell technique? Do they care about what you want? Do they help you understand the paperwork or do what they want? If there is a problem, do they fix it?

Each of the gold IRA companies on the list has ratings from actual users, plus glowing customer testimonials. Every one of the firms obtained an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau.

If you were drawn to a company because of its big-name or media mentions, that’s great. These companies have a good prestige and are worth considering.

Ease of Setup

Having a good retirement fund is important for your future. You desire to be able to live comfortably after you stop working. A solid retirement fund gives you peace of mind and helps with your financial future. However, that doesn’t mean you require a lot of time planning.

All of the companies in the catalog make it easy for you to set up a gold IRA. Representatives from each company will help guide you through the process, whether you start online or over the phone. You’ll get expert advice and assistance every step of the way, so you can feel confident that your investment is in good hands.

There is no simple way to do this. Each of these companies protects itself, your interests, and your gold IRA with strict adherence to IRS standards.

Costs and Fees

Costs and fees can be tough to understand when it comes to gold IRA companies. But these companies aren’t hiding anything. They are just very clear about what the costs and fees are. The prices of precious metals change quickly, so the companies don’t want you to look at old gold prices on their website or any other website. They would rather give you up-to-date information when you talk to one of their representatives.

Even though they did a lot of research, they found it hard to get information on how much different gold IRA companies charge. But here are some general prices you can expect to pay:

Setup Fees

When you start a new gold IRA account, the firm will usually assess a one-time setup fee. This means that your fee will most probably be less than $200.

Storage Fees

The depository that safeguards your precious metals charges an annual fee. You will pay this fee through your gold IRA company. The charge is about $300 each year.

Maintenance Fees

You may have to pay around $300 every year for account maintenance.

Even though most companies do not have an easy-to-find fee structure on their website, it is important that your account representative tells you all of the fees upfront. The companies they chose for this list are known for being very transparent. If you come over a firm that doesn’t want to share how much they will charge, run.

Remember, these prices may vary depending on how much you invest. Some companies offer promotions where you don’t have to pay any setup fees, or you get free storage for the first year.

Should You Buy Gold Bullion or Gold Coins?

The Internal Revenue Service has rules about the kind of gold you can put in your IRA. The gold must be 99.5% pure to stay within IRS regulations. Silver, platinum, and palladium must be 99.9% pure to meet government requirements.

When you pick a firm that provides gold IRA services, your account representative will help you choose the right purchase for you. They will use their understanding and experience to assist you in making the best decision.

Many investors choose American Eagle bullion coins from the U.S. Mint. Other popular choices that are approved by the IRS include Australian Koala bullion coins and Canadian Maple Leaf coins. The IRS will not allow you to use German Marks, British Sovereigns, Swiss Francs, rare coins, or collectibles to fund your precious metals IRA.

Coins have a few welfares over bars. They are easier to sell and deliver. Coins are inexpensive to deliver since they’re lighter and don’t call for as much security. They’re also tougher to counterfeit because they have more detail.

One advantage of bullion is that it reflects the market’s price for precious metals more accurately than other types of investments.

When you are choosing a gold IRA company, it is important to remember that some companies earn more money from selling bullion than coins. However, reputable gold IRA companies will not push customers into making an unwanted purchase in order to make more money. If you perceive like you are being pressured to make a decision, it might be a good idea to rethink your agent or firm.

You need to choose bullion or coins for your gold IRA based on what suits you best. Make sure to take advantage of the materials and user education offered by the gold IRA firms. Talk to your representative, and ask them about their experience working with other clients. Once you have the information, you need to make a decision, decide if gold coins or bullion are right for you.

Where are the Precious Metals Inside Your Gold IRA Stored?

Gold investments need to be stored in a particular way. You will not be able to keep them in a regular safe.

The IRS has specific regulations about how you must store any physical gold, silver, platinum, or palladium that backs an IRA.

The IRS says that you can keep your precious metals safe by storing them in a federally insured bank, credit union, savings, loan, or other pre-approved facilities. These entities can treat the metals as a single, shared fund or detailed individual assets.

A custodian may pick a private depository that is endorsed by a commodities exchange. If the administrator is not a bank, it must prove to the IRS that it will follow all the accounting, security, and auditing rules.

To be an acceptable storage entity, the facility must have high-level security features. This includes devices that pick up sound, movement, and even slight vibrations. The facility should also have high-tech timed locks that automatically relock. These features often provide 24/7 monitoring.

In addition to top-level security, these storage facilities have insurance policies of up to $1 billion.

Any company recommended for a gold IRA has a great reputation. If a company suggests storing your metals in an alternative way that seems shady, like keeping them yourself, it’s a huge red flag. If you store physical gold without getting approval from the IRS, your IRA will be disqualified.

Goldco provides storage options for gold IRA investors in Delaware, Utah, and Texas. These locations have cutting-edge security features to protect your investment.

Augusta Precious Metals has depository locations in many states, from the West Coast to the East Coast. The company also has locations in major cities, such as Los Angeles, Salt Lake City, Las Vegas, New York, Wilmington, and Birch Gold Group utilizes the Delaware Depository, which has two locations: Seal Beach, California, and Wilmington, Delaware. It also uses Brinks Global Services, which is a very popular company with many locations, including Los Angeles, Salt Lake City, and New York.

Regal Assets wealth partners now offers storage for people’s IRA precious metals in North America and Singapore. It also works with Brinks, which gives people a lot of options for storing their gold investments in different parts of the world.

The best gold investment companies use approved storage locations that have security features to protect your precious metal investment. These locations also have insurance in case something unexpected happens.

If you have any inquiries about storage, you should ask your gold IRA representative. But in the end, you will make the final decision.

Which IRS-Approved Coins Can You Hold in a Gold IRA?

Before, the Internal Revenue Service only permitted American Eagle gold coins to be held in IRAs.

The IRS added U.S. Treasury gold coins of 1/10 ounce, 1/4 ounce, 1/2 ounce, and one ounce to its list of allowable precious metals in 1997 following the Taxpayer Relief Act.

There are other types of gold coins that you can use for your IRA:

• Philharmonic bullion coins from Austria
• Maple Leaf coins from Canada
• British Britannia coins (dated 2013 and later)
• U.S. Buffalo
• Panda coins from China
• Lunar Series and Kangaroo/Nugget bullion coins from Australia

You may also choose to buy Credit Suisse PAMP Suisse bars or other gold coins and products that encounter minimum fineness standards set by the IRS.

If you are interested in silver, American Eagle silver coins, one-ounce coins from the U.S. Treasury, and America, the Beautiful coins are all approved by the IRS.

Some other silver options include Maple Leaf coins (Canada), Libertad bullion coins (Mexico), Kookaburra coins (Australia), Vienna Philharmonic coins (Austria), Panda coins (China), and other products appropriate under fineness standards.

If you are looking for platinum or palladium, you will not find as much variety. The options for platinum include maple Leaf coins from Canada, American Eagle coins, Australia’s Koala bullion coins, and. The Palladium Maple Leaf coin is approved by the government. The other more common gold and silver options, platinum and palladium choices, need to meet a minimum fineness requirement.

Your precious metals will require to meet other standards in addition to fineness percentages. For instance, proof coins must have a certificate of originality and full, original packaging. In addition, they require to be in excellent condition.

Bullion coins must not have any disfigurement, and they must look like they have never been used before.

Small bullion bars must have precise weight specifications.

The products need to be from a national government or other certified manufacturer or refiner in order to be considered a precious metal.

If you don’t know a lot about precious metal coins and other products, don’t worry. There are companies who can help you understand these things better. They have listed some of the most trusted and highly regarded companies on the list. All of the people who work at this company have expertise and experience in helping you choose coins that will help you reach your financial goals for retirement.

What is a Gold IRA Rollover?

A gold IRA rollover is when you convey money from a traditional retirement account to a gold IRA.

You can move money from a traditional or Roth IRA without penalty at any time.

When you choose a company to help you with your gold IRA, you will complete an application and a transfer request form. You will never own the funds, so the rollover will be a direct transfer from your existing IRA to your gold IRA account. The process of buying precious metals will usually take up to two weeks. After that, your representative will help you buy the metals.

Furthermore, you can also do a gold IRA rollover if you don’t work for the company that provided your 401(k), 403(b), 457(b), or Thrift Savings Plan account. If you are still employed, you may do a partial rollover if you meet certain age requirements.

When you use a direct transfer, the existing custodian will send a check to your gold IRA company. This will help the company buy the precious metals you want.

If you receive a check in your name from the transfer, you will need to deposit the funds and then send them to your gold IRA company within 60 days. If you don’t put the money in your account by the deadline, and you’re not 59.5 years old yet, you will have to pay a 10% tax on the money you take out.

Why You Should Invest in a Gold IRA Company?

1. This is the big one. By investing in a gold IRA, you are taking steps to protect your retirement savings and your future financial needs. Due to the nature of gold, it is often not affected by inflation or market loss in the same way other investments are. Gold helps you diversify, so you are safeguarded at some level against those things. Since gold tends to hold its value, you can rest easy.
2. The IRS allows you to contribute up to $6,000 per year into your IRA ($7,000 if you’re 50 or older). More significantly, there is no limit on the amount of money you can roll over into an IRA – including a gold IRA.
3. Gold is a physical item, so a lot of investors believe it’s safer than investments on paper or in computers. You can store it in a secure place that is set up especially to protect your investment. This not only provides an extra measure of confidence, but it’s fun to say you own gold—and you can pass it on to your family. Later, if you want to and as long as you follow IRS rules, you can even take possession of the gold yourself.

What is the Minimum Investment for a Gold IRA

Even though the IRS has regulations for gold IRA investments, there is no set minimum. However, many companies do have a minimum requirement.

You can open a gold IRA with an investment company as cheap as $10,000, though you should anticipate a minimum entry point of between $25,000 and $50,000.

If you are glancing into gold IRAs, you probably have some money and resources to invest and want to diversify your portfolio. The best gold IRA companies have investment minimums of $5,000-$25,000. This will help you make financial gains when you retire.

If you are a noobie investor or want to save more for retirement, you don’t have to give up on the idea of a gold IRA. You could choose to invest in other vehicles for a few years and then come back to gold later when you feel more comfortable with the investment.

Gold has been around for a long time, and it doesn’t look like it is going away anytime soon. So you can add saving money in a gold IRA account to your list of retirement planning goals.

Benefits of a Gold IRA Company

There are many benefits that come with a gold IRA. These include, but are not limited to:

The Rising Price of Gold

Because gold is viewed by many as a safe-haven asset and store of value, many people are taking advantage of it and using it as an investment opportunity. If you are looking to make wise investments with your money for retirement, then you should seriously consider a gold IRA if you don’t already have one. 

Many precious metals companies offer gold IRAs, so you will want to do your research before committing to one. Make sure the company is trusted, has a good reputation, great ethics, and offers a fair price when buying the gold back from you. You also want to make sure that the company you choose stores your gold at an IRS-approved depository. This will ensure your IRA is safe and sound. Some of companies allow cash purchases and also offer delivery.

Long-term Safeguard and Protection of Your Money

As you probably know, the value of paper money is constantly diminishing. This is because more and more of it is continually being circulated throughout the economy. The value of gold, on the other hand, tends to rise over time and it cannot just be created from thin air. In fact, many financial advisors are encouraging their clients to invest in gold as a safeguard for their future.

This is why you should seriously consider opening up an IRA with a gold account today. Even if the amount you put in is small, the benefits will still be there for you in the future and you also have time on your side.

Diversification

If you are investing in gold, consider also purchasing some mining stocks. Owning both gives you extra protection because if a few investment decisions falter, the other might pick up the slack. However, both of these investments have the same risk factor: they can be wiped out completely by a massive depression.

If you’re looking for something that has a little more safety, go with treasury bonds or government treasury bills. These are low-risk choices that tend to hold their value even during a depression.

Tax Benefits

Any gains you make from your gold IRA are either tax-deferred or tax-free, depending on the specific type of IRA (Traditional, Roth, etc.).

Be sure to follow all the rules of your IRA (just like any other IRA). Your gold provider will introduce you to a gold IRA custodian, who by law must administer your precious metals account to help you follow the rules.

Things to Be Aware of Before Opening a Gold IRA

If you want to start investing in gold, there are a few things you should be aware of before you make a decision.

Fees and Expenses

Understand what you are actually paying for with your gold IRA. Unnecessarily expensive fees can add up and eat into your profits if you’re not careful. The charges should be competitive in the industry. The lower the expenses, the more you will actually save.

The management fees associated with each company were taken into account when rating these companies, including customer reviews, fees, price of gold, and customer service experience.

Buyer’s Guide to Investing in a Gold IRA

Establish and Fund the IRA

You can convert some or all of the money that is in another type of retirement account to a precious metals IRA also known as gold retirement account or gold 401k rollover. You can also start with a lump sum payment or contribute on a regular basis, such as monthly. Some companies may even allow you to do a combination of both.

At this point, you should look into how your investment works so you can decide if it is right for your circumstances.

Investing in Precious Metals Via the IRA

At this point, you are ready to actually put money into the IRA. The process will be different depending on which company you are working with but they should all provide you with guidelines at this point detailing what to do next.

Most of the time, this involves putting an order in for a specific amount of precious metals with a specific purity from a list of approved dealers. This is then stored in your retirement account and it is up to you to keep track of any changes in value each year.

Other Alternative Investment Options Available

If you are looking for something a little simpler, there are other alternative investments such as mutual funds that you might want to consider. These are managed by professional fund managers who do all of the work for you. They research and buy small portions of many different gold stocks, futures, futures contracts, and assets so that your money is spread out over many different types of investments which lower your risk overall. Often with traditional traders or brokers of gold contracts and gold commodities deal in contract trading which is a high barrier of entry for most individuals looking to invest in gold.

The Stock market is another alternative to investment. However, anyone, which means retail consumers, should know stock portfolios are not immune to market volatility. 

Savings accounts are probably the worst ways to park your money. It is really low risk with low returns, much like the aaa plan of finance. 

Honaroble mentions

• Oxford Gold Group
• Noble Gold
• Patriot gold group

Conclusion

Opening a gold IRA can seem like an overwhelming process for a first-time investor, but the most important thing is to get the information you need, ask a lot of questions and stay confident in your decision. Think about why you’re investing and consider what you hope to accomplish. Are you doing this to make money, or do you want some extra security? You should have a goal in mind before starting.

After you’ve decided what type of metals you’re interested in, the next step is looking into potential companies. There are many dealers out there, but not all of them will be reliable. We hope this article helps you get started, but you’ll still have much more homework to do. If you would like to skip directly to the company we chose as our top choice, Augusta Precious Metals, click here.