(This review page was updated in December 2024)
Choosing the right gold IRA company is just as important as choosing the right elements to include in this retirement vehicle. An appropriate gold IRA company will provide free printed material regarding a gold IRA rollover that can be examined and digested. They will also provide a representative who can answer all questions you might have after having reviewed the requested materials. When considering a gold IRA company, it is strongly suggested that it:
- Have a verifiable track record of customer satisfaction, by way of third party reviews, but it is important to make sure that those offering an opinion are verifiable customers and not just paid shills. (Trust Link and TrustPilot are examples of reputable third party industry reviewers).
- Is registered with Professional Coin Grading Services & Numismatic Guaranty Corporation
- Is a member in good standing with industry watchdogs like the American Numismatic Association (ANA) and the Industry Council of Tangible Assets (ICTA).
- Is a members in good standing with general business reviewers/reporters like the Better Business Bureau (BBB).
An appropriate Gold IRA company will have been in business for a number of years and will have assembled a network that includes a custodian, who is responsible for reporting both to the account holder and the government, as well as a depository, capable of holding the precious metal products in a safe, secure, and insured facility. An appropriate Gold IRA company should be a one-stop shop, capable of making all of the necessary arrangements, in order to facilitate a quick, tax-free, and hassle-free account opening.
Gold IRA Rollover from 401K 403B, 457B
A Gold IRA can be created from scratch, by utilizing funds, up to the annual maximum contribution of $5,500 for investors under 50 years of age, or $6,500 for investors over the age of 50. Otherwise, it can be funded by transfer or rollover from a typical and qualified 401(k), 403(b), 457(b), traditional IRA, SIMPLE IRA, SEP IRA, TSP, Roth IRA, or any other qualified deferred compensation or pension plan. In addition, an appropriate Gold IRA company will be able to initiate transfers or rollovers with more uncommon IRA’s, like Spousal and Beneficiary IRA’s.
Benefits of a Gold IRA Account
The reason for creating a Gold IRA account is three-fold. First of all, gold and other precious metals have a history of long-term appreciation. Secondly, gold and other precious metals are universally accepted “money” that has never become worthless, unlike every fiat currency throughout history. And finally, gold and other physical precious metals are the ultimate hedge against potential losses by other popular investments like stocks, bonds, and currencies, because historically speaking, when most other investment vehicles collapse or flounder, precious metals appreciate and excel.
Another tremendous advantage of a Gold backed IRA is the ability to convert principal and profit from investments on a tax-free basis. When a raging bull market runs out of gas and begins to sputter, physical gold and other precious metals increase in value, while equities and other investments falter. Investors have the opportunity to capture principal and profit from high priced equity investments and acquire precious metals at bargain prices. When a major correction occurs, investors have the inverse opportunity, to capture principal and profit from their precious metal investments and reacquire stocks, bonds, and currencies at bargain prices. And all of this occurs on a tax-free basis, until it is needed for retirement, when investors are in a lower income tax bracket.
Gold Backed IRA Portfolio Allocation
Financial advisors typically recommend that 5% to 15% of a retirement portfolio be invested in physical precious metals, but an over-valued stock market, increasing global tensions, and Fed monetary policies that have taken the potential profit out of a variety of common and popular investments are good reasons to consider a higher than normal allocation to the precious metals portion.
An appropriate Gold IRA rollover provider will not only have the network in place to facilitate the complete initiation, transportation, and operation required, but they will have the knowledge and experience necessary to do it in a timely, seamless, and simple fashion. Online applications and information should be readily available. It is typically a great benefit if the company you select specializes in Gold IRA’s rather than just provides (dabbles in) the service.
Physical Gold – Paper Gold Comparison
Gold IRA’s are not offered by brokerage firms, so frequently their brokers will try to convince investors that are interested in precious metals diversification, that Exchange Traded Funds (ETF’s) offer similar returns, but don’t require assistance by a self-directed IRA custodian, metals broker, or storage facility, so they’re a much better way to go. But the reality is that a precious metals ETF does not offer any of the true benefits of physical precious metals ownership. An ETF is a “paper” asset, it’s a “portion” of a pie, no different than a stock or mutual fund, such that when there’s a run on the market, the market closes and your ability to see the gains of physical precious metals closes with it.
You essentially own a position that you trade into and out of based on extraneous factors, which may or may not have an effect on the underlying price. When it comes time to sell, take a number. Meanwhile, large hedge funds and the like are out of the market in nanoseconds and their effect on the market can be devastating. In addition, heaven forbid that circumstances get as grim as existed in the Weimar Republic during the 1930’s, but in times of economic turmoil precious metals are a universally accepted currency, whereas the dollar, or other paper assets may only be worth the paper their printed on.
The Company’s Product Range
An appropriate Gold IRA provider will have access to the full range of IRS-approved precious metal products for IRA inclusion. Gold, silver, palladium and platinum bars and rounds produced by a NYMEX or COMEX-approved refinery or national government mint, qualify as long as they meet minimum coin fineness requirements.
Choosing a Gold IRA Company Checklist
In summary, an appropriate Gold IRA company will be able to display proof of experience, knowledge, and high customer satisfaction. Representatives of the company should be willing to provide printed information, as well as answer any questions having to do with their network, IRA requirements, and their complete product line. However, due to the nature of the precious metals market, pricing will vary on a daily basis, due to changes in the spot price of metals, but commissions should not change.
And finally, be sure to verify the reputation of any Gold IRA company’s you may be considering, with third party testimonials and reviews, as well as through consumer review sites such as the BBB and industry related watchdogs like the American Numismatic Association and the Industry Council for Tangible Assets.
Top Gold IRA Companies (2024 Comparison)
| COMPANY | BBB RATING | TRUSTLINK | MIN. INVESTMENT | PRICING | MORE INFO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Hartford Gold | A+ | 5 Star Rating | $5,000 | Winner* Price Match Guarantee | American Hartford Gold Review |
| Augusta Precious Metals | A+ | 5 Star Rating | $50,000 | Great - Up to 10 Years’ Fees Paid | Augusta Precious Metals Review |
| Goldco | A+ | 5 Star Rating | $25,000 | Great - $10K in Free Silver* | Goldco Review |
| Birch Gold Group | A+ | 5 Star Rating | $10,000 | Great - 10K Free Precious Metals* | Birch Gold Group Review |
| American Bullion | A+ | 5 Star Rating | $10,000 | Great | American Bullion Review |
| Swiss America | A+ | 0 Stars (no reviews) | $5,000 | Average | Swiss America Review |
| Noble Gold | A+ | 5 Star Rating | $5,000 | Good | Noble Gold Review |
| Rosland Capital | A+ | 4 Star Rating | $1,500 | Average | Rosland Capital Review |
| US Gold Bureau | A+ | 4.5 Star Rating | Unlisted | Good | US Gold Bureau Review |
| Lear Capital | A+ | 4.5 Star Rating | $5,000 | Good | Lear Capital Review |
Gold IRA FAQ:
When wars were won, the first stop of the conquering nation was always the loser’s treasury, because that’s where the gold and silver booty could be found. In today’s world, precious metals are an important part of any retirement plan, due mainly to the protection they provide for other assets, particularly “paper” assets, like stocks, bonds, and fiat currencies. Historically speaking, during times of economic uncertainty, panic, or devaluation, precious metals prices move in the opposite direction, thereby offsetting losses of those other assets. Additionally, precious metals tend to deliver a long-term increase in value regardless, which makes them perfect components for the long-term investment strategy of a retirement portfolio. Gold, silver, palladium and platinum bars and rounds produced by a NYMEX or COMEX-approved refinery or national government mint, as long as they meet minimum coin fineness requirements. The same reporting and distribution requirements apply to a Gold based IRA account, as to a regular traditional IRA. However, the metals must be in the possession of a trustee or custodian. Specifically, “the trustee or custodian must be a bank, federally insured credit union, saving and loan association, or an entity approved by the IRS to act as a trustee or custodian.” A Gold IRA can be started from scratch, with contributions up to the annual limit, which is $5,500 or $6,500 for those over 50 years of age. Or they can be initiated with funds rolled over from an old (or possibly still in-service) : The IRA account itself is capable of holding any IRA-approved precious metals and products. The metals include; gold, silver, platinum and palladium and the products include the following: Gold (Minimum fineness: .995%) • American Gold Eagle bullion coins Silver (Minimum fineness: .9999%) • American Silver Eagle bullion coins Platinum (Minimum fineness: .9995%) • American Platinum Eagle bullion coins Palladium (Minimum fineness: .9995%) • Canadian Platinum Maple Leaf coins If you are looking for possible retirement investment opportunities, you may be wondering whether a gold IRA is a safe investment or at least a good long term investment. In order to properly address this question, it is important that we define what “safe” means in the context of investing. For the purposes of answering this question, we will assume that “safe” means that the investment has a high probability of making a positive return and that capital is preserved. With this in mind, can investing in gold via an IRA be considered a safe investment? A gold IRA is similar to a regular IRA except that the underlying asset is gold, or other precious metals rather than stocks or other traditional types of investment assets. This means that the returns on these types of investment are linked to the returns on gold (precious metals). Since all investments have some level of risk involved, we need to determine how the risk of investing in gold compares to the corresponding rewards, and how those rewards compare to the returns on traditional IRAs. Investment risk is closely linked to market volatility and how that volatility affects investing activities. Stocks are one of the most volatile types of investment assets and are therefore considered to be highly risky. While gold also has a level of volatility, it is considered to be a relatively safe investment haven because it is an effective hedge against inflation. In fact, whenever the stock market gets extremely volatile, many investors allocate a larger portion of their investment portfolios to gold. Gold tends to hold its value during periods of high volatility as happened during the 2008/2009 market crash. This is one reason why many investors believe that a gold IRA rollover is a safe investment. The following chart shows how gold performed relative to the stock market between 1970 and 2015. Source: Longterm Trends This data demonstrates that gold outperformed the stock market during this period. There are several other valid reasons for considering gold IRAs as safe investments. To begin with, gold is considered as an effective hedge against inflation especially during times of financial or political crisis. This is because the value of gold cannot be manipulated by monetary policies or other government regulations. Other fiat currencies upon which paper investments are based, can and usually are manipulated by the government in order to achieve certain economic objectives. The fact that gold tends to preserve wealth or to hedge against the loss of value, makes it an attractive retirement asset option. The whole goal of retirement investing is to not only maximize investment returns, but also to preserve the invested capital. As a retirement investment option, a gold IRA rollover is therefore an excellent choice. While it will not necessarily give the highest rate of return, it is one of the best ways to preserve the value of your retirement investments. Yes, you can. You can achieve this through either a gold IRA transfer or a gold IRA rollover from an existing retirement plan such as a 401k or Roth IRA. In the process of a gold IRA transfer, a direct transaction occurs from your current IRA custodian to your new custodian. The entire process is handled by both custodians, and you never come into contact with the money. On the other hand, the process of gold IRA rollover involves you withdrawing the funds from your current IRA custodian and you depositing them into the account of the gold IRA company you have chosen. By law, you have only 60 days to complete this transaction after which the funds become taxable on withdrawal. Also, the law allows only a single tax-free rollover of IRA funds per year. A gold IRA plan starts with the interested individual opening a self-directed IRA with a gold IRA Company. It is crucial to take into consideration the reviews and compare fees of various companies before settling on where to invest. Once the account is set up, the owner is then expected to finance it, and the funds can be obtained from contributions, transfers or 401K rollovers. The owner will then be required to choose the dealer they prefer their gold to be bought from by filling out a metals-direction from. The gold IRA custodian will send your purchase order to the gold bullion dealer and have them ship the gold coins or bars to an approved depository. On receiving the gold assets, the depository will inform your gold IRA custodian after which he/she will document the purchase of the gold and pay the dealer. And that is how you become the owner of a gold IRA account. A gold IRA custodian refers to the financial institution responsible for managing your gold IRA account and the assets held by it. In this case, the assets include gold bullion coins or gold bars. This custodian is responsible for executing all transactions for your account from administrative responsibilities such as tax reporting to ensuring the actual gold is held on your behalf by an approved depository. Choosing the best gold IRA company is a personal choice that should be based on several factors such as the company’s reputation, expertise, metal prices, fees etc. However, in our research we found this company to be the best.What is a gold IRA account?
• 401(k)
• 403(b)
• 457(b)
• Deferred Compensation Plan
• Non-Prototype IRA
• Pension Plan
• Roth IRA
• Thrift Savings Plan
• TIAA CREF
• Traditional IRA
• SEP IRA
• SIMPLE IRA
• Beneficiary IRA.What is IRA approved gold?
• American Gold Eagle proof coins
• American Gold Buffalo
• uncirculated coins (proofs not allowed)
• Australian Kangaroo/Nugget coins
• Austrian Gold Philharmonic coins
• Canadian Gold Maple Leaf coins
• Chinese Gold Panda coins
• American Silver Eagle proof coins
• Australian Silver Kookaburra coins
• Austrian Silver Philharmonic coins
• Canadian Silver Maple Leaf coins
• Chinese Silver Panda coins
• Mexican Silver Libertad coins
• American Platinum Eagle proof coins
• Australian Platinum Koala coins
• Canadian Platinum Maple Leaf coins
• Isle of Man Platinum Noble coinsIs a gold IRA a good investment?
Can I use my IRA to buy gold?
How does a gold IRA work?
What is a gold IRA custodian?
What is the best gold IRA?
Overall Best Gold IRA Company – and the Winner is…
Investing in gold requires the assistance and guidance of a great Gold IRA company and we won’t hesitate to say that American Hartford Gold is the best of the best! Here are some of the reasons why American Hartford Gold is such a great option.
▶ Experience And Legacy
There are a lot of intricacies associated with the world of gold, silver, and other precious metals.
Processes such as those involved in converting a regular IRA into a gold IRA can be really murky and that is where the experience and know-how of a firm like American Hartford Gold can come in very handy.
It is also confidence-inspiring as they know how to navigate the myriad laws governing precious metals which will ensure that you avoid penalties and other legal issues.
▶ Great Reviews
Just being a leading company in this space for so long is a huge achievement in itself but American Hartford Gold has taken it a step further by being one of the top-rated gold IRA companies as well.
An overwhelming number of their past customers have rated them really highly and that is the biggest compliment any company can earn. Their customer-centric nature puts more focus on providing concise and high-quality information and that is the most often-quoted plus point associated with this company.
Trust plays a big role when it comes to gold and other precious metals and such a great track record with its customers goes a long way in inspiring that trust. Their A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau and 5-star customer satisfaction rating on multiple review platforms like Trustpilot and Google are evidence of all of this.
▶ Lowest Prices in the Industry
Investing in gold and other precious metals is all about growing your wealth and the last thing anyone would want is to lose a part of that in the form of exorbitant fees and hidden charges.
American Hartford Gold has kept its charges very nominal and there are no hidden costs. They are very upfront with all their service charges and knowing exactly what you are getting yourself into makes the whole process smooth and positive.
▶ Extraordinary Customer Service
Many companies in this field can be a bit too persuasive and pushy. American Hartford Gold isn’t one of them. They follow a very great approach in which they inform the customer about their options and highlight the pros and cons of each option and then leave it up to the customer to decide what they want to do with their funds.
They are incredibly helpful and their level of customer service is a great assurance in itself and a great testament to how they operate.
▶ Unparalleled Commitment
A big motivation behind people choosing to invest in gold and other precious metals is to have funds they can fall back on in the event of an emergency.
One of the traditional issues associated with precious metals is that they can be difficult to liquidate. American Hartford Gold takes care of that with their buyback guarantee. Their 3-step liquidation process makes it very straightforward to get the funds when you need them with minimal hassles.
Conclusion
Finding a great gold IRA company is one of the most important steps in securing your financial future and American Hartford Gold is probably the first company you should consider.
Right now, you can take advantage of their price match guarantee and save up to 30% in December 2024 and get up to $10,000 in FREE silver on qualified purchases. Call 866-210-5136 today to find out if you qualify.
Website: www.hartford-gold-group.com
Click the image below to request the FREE IRA guide from American Hartford Gold ▼ ▼
