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Have you been searching for the best opportunity to help you maximize your retirement savings? Are you growing concerned watching the downward trend that the stock market has been following? If so, now may be the perfect time to set up a Gold IRA.
Gold IRAs allow you to diversify your retirement savings by investing a portion of your money in precious metals, such as gold and silver. Gold and other precious metals are highly coveted across the globe. They offer a unique opportunity to hold a physical investment and, due to the demand for these metals, they will be easy to liquidate when you are ready to retire.
If you've started looking around for a company to help you open a Gold IRA, you may be feeling overwhelmed. There are dozens of companies that offer IRA services, and trying to figure out which ones are the most trustworthy and reputable can be a real challenge. We're here to help you sift through the numerous options out there and select the best Gold IRA company to work with.
Gold IRA Company Reviews
#1. Goldco
If you're searching for the best Gold IRA company out there, you must take a look at Goldco. It is our absolute favorite Gold IRA company, and we think you'll see why when you read a little bit more about it.
Trevor Gerszt founded Goldco in 2006. Since its founding, Goldco has impressed its customers and others in the industry with its exceptional customer service, product selection, and attention to detail. In addition to earning the highest reviews possible from the Better Business Bureau and Business Consumer Alliance, Goldco has also earned high praise from past customers. In their glowing reviews about the company, customers pointed to the excellent service and respect they received from the team at Goldco.
Opening a Gold IRA
Do you think you want to open a Gold IRA with Goldco? If so, you may be surprised to hear how simple the process is. Your representative at Goldco will work with you during each step in the process. They'll be beside you to answer any questions that come up, address your concerns, and help you make the right investment decisions according to your specific needs and goals. They'll also work with you and a Gold IRA custodian to make sure that the funds from your existing account make it over to Goldco smoothly.
Gold and Silver for IRAs
Due to IRS regulations, only coins and bars that meet minimum purity requirements can be held in an IRA. Goldco offers a large assortment of IRA-qualified coins that meet these requirements (99.5% pure for gold and 99.9% pure for silver). Below are some of the different options that you can choose from:
Gold
Silver
Special Promotion for New Customers
As if everything we've already shared about Goldco isn't reason enough to contact them today, there is one more special promotion that the company is currently running. When you open a qualified Gold IRA, you'll be eligible to earn up to 10% back in free silver. This is just the icing on the cake for all the reasons to consider working with Goldco.
Pros & Cons of Goldco
Pros
Cons
When you're hunting for the right Gold IRA company to work with, we also think you'll want to take a close look at Augusta precious Metals. Visit Augusta Precious Metals' website, and you'll see a list of their top three priorities. These priorities, which include transparency, simplicity, and service, can really help you understand Augusta Precious Metals' approach to working with their customers.
When you take a look at the reviews from past customers, it is evident that the company really strives to live up to these priorities. Past customers of Augusta Precious Metals have shared a lot of praise about their interactions with the company, as well as the level of service they received.
Setting Up a Gold IRA
As shared above, Augusta Precious Metals values simplicity. One way they work to simplify things for their customers is through the IRA set-up process. Rather than stressing out about all the different forms you need to fill out or contacts you need to make, your account representative will be there with you through each step in the process. They'll off support with completing the paperwork, help you work with an IRA custodian to transfer the funds for your new account, and provide suggestions for which coins and bars will best help you achieve your investment goals.
Adding Gold and Silver Coins and Bars to an IRA
While Augusta Precious Metals offers a mix of common and premium gold and silver coins and bars, only some of these coins and bars meet the minimum purity requirements laid out by the IRS. Look through the lists below to see some of the different options you can choose from.
Gold
Silver
Secure Storage for IRAs
Ensuring your precious metals are stored in a secure location is so important. When you work with Augusta Precious Metals, you won't need to worry about this step at all. They work with the Delaware Depository, one of the top names in the industry. With a full-coverage insurance policy, highly secure vaults, and multiple security measures in place, there will be no question that your metals are secure.
Pros & Cons of Augusta Precious Metals
Pros
Cons
Founded by Sanford Mann in 2015, American Hartford Gold is another one of the most-trusted names in the precious metals industry. Despite having been in business for fewer years than several other companies, American Hartford Gold has really worked hard to prove that they are among the best of the best. In fact, the company's practices and customer service has earned their endorsements from Bill O'Reilly, Lou Dobbs, Rudy Giuliani, Rick Harrison, and several other well-known media personnel and celebrities.
Past customers also have a lot of glowing things to say about their experience working with American Hartford Gold. Moreover, the Better Business Bureau has awarded American Hartford Gold their highest rating of an A+ and the Business Consumer Alliance has given the company an AA rating, the second highest they offer.
Setting Up a Gold IRA with American Hartford Gold
American Hartford Gold understands how overwhelming it can be trying to set up a Gold IRA. They also know that some other companies don't do a lot to keep the process as simple as possible. For these reasons, they have broken down the account set-up process into just three steps: confirming that your current account is eligible for a rollover, transferring the funds to your new account with a Gold IRA custodian, and choosing which precious metals you want to hold in your account.
Selecting the IRA-Approved Precious Metals for Your Account
After your account is set up, and you're ready to choose the precious metals you want to invest in, feel free to ask for suggestions from your account representative. They are there to help and can have some valuable insight to share. Some of the different coins and bars that American Hartford Gold customers can choose from include:
Gold
Silver
Free Silver Promotion
Did you know that there is an even better reason to consider working with American Hartford Gold? Right now, the company is offering an incredible promotion for new IRA customers. When you open a qualified IRA, you will be eligible to receive as much as $5,000 in free silver. In addition to the free silver, your account may qualify you to receive up to three years without IRA fees. This is a pretty impressive promo, and one that you should definitely consider before making a final decision about which company to work with.
Pros & Cons of American Hartford Gold
Pros
Cons
#4. Birch Gold Group
With its founding in 2003, Birch Gold Group is one of the more experienced companies in the industry. However, they're more than simply experienced; Birch Gold Group is also a trusted name as well, having earned an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau and an AAA rating from the Business Consumer Alliance.
Past clients of Birch Gold Group also speak very highly of their experiences working with the company to purchase precious metals or open a Gold IRA. You can read some of these positive reviews through websites such as Google, Trustpilot, and Facebook.
If you've ever listened to the Ben Shapiro show, you may have heard a Birch Gold Group team member sharing insights and advice related to investing in precious metals. They are a frequent contributor and a trusted source on the show.
Gold IRAs with Birch Gold Group
When you open a Gold IRA with Birch Gold Group, you'll be able to start enjoying the benefits of a diversified investment portfolio. Another advantage of working with Birch Gold Group is that you can further diversify your portfolio by adding platinum and palladium, rather than the standard gold and silver that many other companies offer.
If you think you want to learn more about setting up a Gold IRA with Birch Gold Group, reach out to a team member. They can share more about how easy it is to set up an account.
Below are several of the gold, silver, platinum, and palladium coins and bars that investors can add to their portfolio.
Gold
Silver
Platinum
Palladium
Precious Metals IRA Storage Options
As you probably already know, the IRS does not allow individuals to take possession of the precious metals in their IRA until they are old enough to retire. Birch Gold Group offers two highly secure depositories for their customers to choose from: The Delaware Depository and Brink's Global Services. Both of these are names you've probably heard before because they are well-trusted and known for their high-tech security protocols.
Regardless of which depository you choose, you'll be able to rest easy knowing that your precious metals will be ready and waiting for you when you retire.
Pros & Cons of Birch Gold Group
Pros
Cons
#5. Noble Gold
Don't stop reading just yet! You don't want to miss out hearing about Noble Gold. The company was founded by Charles Thorngren and Collin Plume in 2016 to help investors like you prepare for a secure financial future by investing in precious metals. Despite the shorter time that the company has been in business, Noble Gold has shown that it deserves to be in the industry.
They have earned high ratings from past customers on various review sites, such as Google and Facebook. The Better Business Bureau has also provided Noble Gold with their highest rating of an A+, and the Business Consumer Alliance has given them their second-highest rating of AA.
Precious Metals IRAs with Noble Gold
Ready to jump in with a Gold IRA through Noble Gold? If so, you'll be impressed with how straightforward the set-up procedures are. You can get the process started on the website by filling in an Account Setup Form with your information. Then, after this form is submitted, a team member from Noble Gold will contact you to move on to the next step of the process.
This next step involves working with a Gold IRA custodian to initiate the transfer of funds from your current retirement account to your new Noble Gold IRA. This process will take a little bit of time, but once the funds arrive, you can start choosing which coins and bars you want to invest in. Your Noble Gold representative will be available to address any questions or concerns that you may have or to offer advice if you are unsure which pieces you wish to hold in your portfolio.
IRA-Approved Precious Metals
Noble Gold investors can add more than the standard gold and silver to their Precious Metals IRA. They can also choose from a few platinum and palladium coins and bars. With these additional options available through Noble Gold, you'll be able to expand your portfolio and give yourself additional protection against volatility.
Each of the coins and bars listed below satisfy the purity requirements that the IRS has developed for Precious Metals IRAs. Gold coins and bars must be at least 99.5% pure, silver pieces need to be at least 99.9% pure, and platinum and palladium coins and bars are required to be 99.95% pure.
Gold
Silver
Platinum
Palladium
Secure Texas IRA Storage
Noble Gold decided to work with International Depository Services in Dallas, Texas to offer their clients secure storage for the metals in their Gold IRA. They specifically chose this Dallas, Texas location out of all the other depositories across the country for a few reasons.
The main reason is that Texas is known for its unwavering support of state's rights. They wanted to ensure that their clients' precious metals were stored in a secure location where they are away from the federal government and other potential threats.
International Depository Services is a well-established company that is known for its superior security protocols. You should have no question that your precious metals will remain secure and safe when they are stored with International Depository Services in Dallas.
Pros & Cons of Noble Gold
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Cons
How to Choose the Best Gold IRA Company
We know how difficult it can be to make a decision about which Gold IRA company to work with. After all, you're looking to invest your hard-earned money, and want to make sure that you make the right decision. Use the considerations outlined below to help guide you to choosing the best Gold IRA company to match your needs, preferences, and goals.
Reputation and Experience
As you're beginning your search for the best Gold IRA company, one of the most important things to learn more about is the reputation of each company. Look for reviews from past customers, along with ratings from organizations like the Better Business Bureau and Business Consumer Alliance. These can help you learn more about how each company conducts business and how you can expect to be treated should you decide to work with the company.
Customer Service
If you're talking about setting up a Gold IRA, you're talking about making a large investment. You don't want to give your business to a company that won't treat you as an important and valued customer. Look for a Gold IRA company that is attentive, responsive, and considerate about the needs and goals of their customers. You want to feel confident that you'll be able to connect with a live agent and find the answers and support you need when you need them.
Selection
The selection of precious metals available through each company is also important to consider before choosing a company to work with. Look for a Gold IRA company that offers a wide assortment of gold and silver coins and bars. You may also want to consider choosing a provider that offers the opportunity to invest in platinum or palladium too. Adding these precious metals to your account, along with some gold and silver, can help you to further diversify your portfolio for greater stability.
Fees
Finally, don't forget to compare the fees charged by each company to help you make the best decision. All Gold IRA companies charge fees. However, some fees will be higher than others. You may also find that some companies run special promotions where you can earn a year or more of services with no fees. If you qualify for these promotions, they may be worth considering to help you save money.
Goldco: Our Favorite Gold IRA Company
You can't go wrong with any of the Gold IRA companies we highlighted above, however there is one that we feel stands out as the clear winner. Goldco has developed an exceptional reputation in the precious metals industry and boasts the highest reviews available from the Better Business Bureau and Business Consumer Alliance. When you check with what past customers have to say, you'll also find highly positive reviews citing the exceptional customer service and high-quality products available through Goldco.
If you're ready to open a Gold IRA, we'd strongly recommend giving your business to Goldco. You'll also find that they offer a wide assortment of gold and silver coins and bars to choose from. Plus, with their current promotion that allows you to earn free silver for opening an IRA account, there really should be no question as to whether Goldco is the right company for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Gold IRA?
A Gold IRA is one form of a Self-Directed IRA. Self-Directed IRAs provide individuals with more options and flexibility regarding how they invest their money. With a Gold IRA, individuals can add gold, silver, and other precious metals to their retirement account. As with other types of IRAs, individuals can contribute up to $6,000 per year (or $7,000 for those 50 and over).
Is opening a gold IRA a good idea?
No one can tell you how to invest your money. Ultimately, the decision about whether to set up a Gold IRA is one that you'll need to make on your own or with the help of a financial advisor. However, as you're making the decision, you may want to consider that several financial experts have recommended opening a Gold IRA to enjoy the benefits of a diversified portfolio. Gold, silver, and other precious metals also continue to be in high demand across the globe, helping to provide some confidence that they will remain valuable.
Can I rollover my existing retirement account into a Gold IRA?
Yes, many existing retirement accounts are eligible for a Gold IRA rollover. Consult with the Gold IRA company or Gold IRA custodian you're working with if you have specific questions regarding the eligibility of your account.
Can I keep the gold from my IRA at home?
No, with rare exceptions, the IRS prohibits individuals from storing the gold or other precious metals from an IRA in their own house. The regulations established by the IRS state that gold coins and bars for an IRA must be stored in an IRS-approved depository. Storing your precious metals in an approved location also offers several benefits to you, as well. These locations are extremely secure and feature top-notch security measures. Additionally, all of your investments will be protected by a full-coverage insurance policy. With the high-tech security and full-coverage policy, you won't need to worry about your precious metals getting lost, stolen, or damaged.
How much money can I add to my Gold IRA each year?
If you are under the age of 50, you can add up to $6,000 to an IRA each year. If you're over the age of 50, the maximum investment amount increases to $7,000 per year. These figures are the total amount that is allowed to be contributed to any IRA, so keep that in mind if you have other IRA accounts. You'll need to split your contributions between the two accounts in this case.
