One of the most important parts of retirement planning is diversification. Without a diverse array of assets in your portfolio, you will end up missing out on opportunities for strong returns and will be exposed to sudden market changes, which is why investing in physical precious metals through a Gold IRA is a crucial part in your investing and retirement strategy.
In this guide I ranked the 7 top Gold IRA companies according to various factors depending on your general situation and needs, so that you can choose the best gold IRA company without any confusion.
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Augusta’s team of experts provide tailored advice and guidance on how best to diversify their portfolios with gold, helping customers feel secure in their investments for the future.
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Goldco offers a wide range of options for diversifying and growing your retirement portfolio. From Precious Metal IRAs to direct purchases of precious metal coins and bars.
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American Hartford Gold is a leading provider of precious metals and gold IRA investments. They offer a wide selection of products, including gold, silver and IRA options to meet the needs of investors.
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With Birch Gold, you can trust their shipping practices that will ensure your investment arrives safely and securely to your home so you don’t have to worry about any potential damage or theft on its journey.
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Lear Capital’s gold IRA is an excellent way to both fight inflation and secure your assets. It provides a simple, safe, and secure process for investing in gold or silver IRAs that can protect your money from the volatility of other markets.
Want to get straight to the punch? The #1 best precious metals IRA company is Augusta Precious Metals – followed by Goldco and American Hartford Gold. These are the three best and most trusted gold IRA companies when it comes to a precious metal IRA.
There are many ways that you can potentially diversify your retirement portfolio. Recently—especially in an era of high volatility—many people have begun investing in silver bullion, gold coins, gold bars, and in other precious metals.
Contrary to what you might assume, investing in gold doesn’t require you to actually hold any physical gold like for example, gold coins, in your possession, which may not necessarily be the best, nor safest option anyway.
One of the best ways to indirectly become an investor in the gold market is through the use of a Gold IRA, or a precious metals IRA account, which holds physical gold in your retirement account by a professional gold investment company.
As I will further explain in this guide, Gold IRA’s enable investors to quickly access the gold market and enjoy the market’s general growth. Additionally, because it is an IRA, there are some added tax benefits you might want to consider.
Let’s take a look at the Gold IRA industry, including reviews of some of the most important gold IRA accounts you might consider investing in.
The Best Gold IRA Options
Here are some of our picks for the best Gold IRA platforms available.
1. Augusta
Generally speaking, Augusta Precious Metals is one of the most respected firms within the broader Gold IRA industry. The company’s stellar reputation is a result of its reliable customer service and commitment to providing educational resources to its clients.
Customer support at Augusta Precious Metals does not work on commission, which some people feel removes the pressure to invest more in gold than they can reasonably afford. The company also offers silver investments, which can help you diversify your holdings even further.
Augusta has a clear commitment to making sure that each of its clients truly understands their investment options. The widespread availability of educational guides and the company’s commitment to transparency have both helped it gain the lasting trust of clients.
At the same time, there are two main criticisms of Augusta Precious Metals. The company has a very high minimum order, at $50,000. Additionally, Augusta does not offer online orders and requires its users to place orders directly through an agent and to properly set up a Gold IRA.
Still, it is clear why Augusta has gained respect within the industry. In addition to the benefits mentioned above, new customers will also have their first year’s fee waived and will have the chance to work directly with a Harvard economist.
Overall, it is an excellent platform for investors who want to learn more about the gold market and get personal support, when needed.
2. Goldco
Originally established in 2006 (what we might now consider the “early days of the internet”), Goldco is a Gold IRA platform with more than 15 years of experience. This experience, ultimately, has helped distinguish Goldco from many of its competitors.
There are three main products offered by Goldco: gold IRAs, silver IRAs, and direct ownership of gold bullion. The company also offers direct guidance and plenty of accessible educational resources.
If you are interested in investing with Goldco, you should start by requesting their free kit. From there, you will be able to learn more about the gold investment process and develop a strategy that meets your needs and risk tolerance.
Even if you don’t end up setting up a Gold IRA and investing, the Goldco kit can still be very informative. Another reason why Goldco is a popular option is that the company offers no penalties or investments beyond the original quote.
However, some users comment that the Goldco platform itself leaves something to be desired. Contrary to some other platforms, the Goldco platform does not give you the option to make direct sales. If you do want to reach the company, you will need to call or email.
In general, Goldco is a platform that is ideal for those who are trying to minimize the cost of investing in a Gold IRA.
3. Noble
Most Gold IRA companies offer plenty of educational resources for their clients. However, it appears that Noble Gold Investments might be among the best. In fact, the company was recently named the Best Customer Education resource for gold investors.
Noble customers can also enjoy excellent types of customer support. For example, unlike many competitors, Noble actually offers a buyback program that can be accessed by customers in the event their life circumstances change. This helps reduce the overall risk of investing in gold.
Noble has acquired excellent reviews from the Better Business Bureau (BBB), the Business Consumer Alliance (BCA), and other well-respected firms. Notably, the customer service experience has received exceptionally high praise.
One of the best components of this experience is the fact that setting up an account is incredibly easy. In fact, with Noble, most people can establish an account in less than five minutes. The simplified IRA rollover process has also received high levels of praise.
Of course, like all platforms, Noble has received some criticisms. Limited contact options, combined with the company’s very limited experience, might cause some customers to look elsewhere.
Nevertheless, Noble is an excellent platform for people who want to balance the competing needs of maximizing education, minimizing costs, and easily establishing an account.
4. Birch
The Birch Gold Group offers its customers the ability to invest in several different types of precious metals, including gold, silver, and platinum. While access to Birch’s resources is only available to those living in the United States, it is consistently among the best-rated platforms.
A major focus of the Birch Gold Group is “customer empowerment.” In general, this means providing the resources needed for customers to be confident in their investment choices, rather than simply asking for advice.
Through the Birch platform, users will have the ability to have a direct one-on-one engagement with a gold investment specialist. During these sessions, investors will have the ability to ask questions, get answers, and develop a personal strategy of their own.
Additionally, Birch is widely praised due to its very useful market updates. In addition to general advice, the Birch team also helps explain how the market has been actively changing. This can be extremely useful during periods of relatively high market volatility.
Originally established in 2003, the Birch Gold Group is one of the more seasoned platforms on this list. The California-based company is also approved by the BBB and other notable organizations.
The only common complaint about Birch is that the company is somewhat non-transparent with its fee structure. However, with the ability to access supporting customer resources, users can easily have the fee structure explained to them and have other important questions answered.
5. American Hartford
American Hartford Gold is a great jumping-off point for anyone interested in investing in gold and interested in the possibility of creating a gold IRA. The company has received prominent features on platforms including Forbes and The Wall Street Journal, along with consistent praise from the BBB, BCA, and other respected evaluators.
In general, the most common reason for American Hartford’s stellar reputation is its commitment to its clients. In addition to receiving five-star certification from the BBB three years in a row, the platform was also awarded “Best Client Satisfaction.”
Perhaps the main reason clients are so satisfied is that access to the American Hartford Gold is relatively affordable. For example, American Hartford does not impose any storage fees on its users, which immediately lowers the total cost of investing in gold.
Additionally, annual fees for using American Hartford are on the lower end of the industry scale. Even more importantly, the company’s “buyback guarantee” means that your exposure to risk and volatility will be structurally limited.
As a client-focused platform, there are very few complaints about American Hartford Gold. Some customers have noted that the info the company offers about gold prices is limited. This might be a deterrent to exceptionally active traders.
In the end, if customer satisfaction is what is most important to you as a gold IRA investor, you might want to consider American Hartford.
6. Advantage Gold
There are many things to consider when comparing different options for investing in a Gold IRA. But one of the most important things to keep in mind is how easy it is to roll over your existing IRA account (if you have one) into a new gold-centric account.
One of the reasons Advantage Gold has been able to thrive within this industry is that the platform makes it extremely easy to move your wealth from one location to another. There are considerable customer support resources available that will help answer any of your questions.
Your ability to roll over from one account to another should not be taken for granted. If you fail to create an efficient rollover, you might be subject to additional taxes and certain fees.
But beyond the standard rollover features, Advantage Gold also offers its clients excellent customer service. This is likely why it has received positive reviews from both TrustLink and TrustPilot.
Unlike some of its competitors, Advantage Gold includes a buyback process that incorporates current market prices. This helps reduce the investors’ exposure to risk even further.
But like many of the other platforms, one common complaint about Advantage Gold is that it does not offer direct online purchases. This is partially due to how the gold exchange market is regulated but also largely due to lagging platform innovation.
Overall, this is a platform that is ideal for people wanting to successfully roll over their IRA funds from one account to another. If that describes you, then Advantage Gold is a platform you might want to consider using.
7. Regal Assets
Regal Assets is a well-developed, far-reaching Gold IRA platform that can be accessed by almost anyone in the world. Despite this global reach, all of its assets are fully insured and secured in highly diversified locations.
There are a few other reasons why Regal Asset’s users continue to give the platform high praises. The lifetime flat rate of $250 per year helps remove cost ambiguities and makes it easy for users to forecast their future account maintenance expenses.
Additionally, the Regal Assets platform makes it easy to transfer funds from a wide variety of origins. For example, Regal not only accepts transfers from traditional IRA accounts, but it also accepts transfers from 401k accounts, 403b accounts, SEP accounts, TSP plans, and more.
This means that no matter what your current retirement savings plan might be, you will likely be able to easily access the Regal Assets platform. The worldwide delivery system of physical gold, as needed, is also a nice touch.
Naturally, there are a few apparent drawbacks of Regal Assets, as well. One common complaint is that Regal tends to have slightly higher gold prices than many of its competitors. Additionally, the $5,000 minimum starting price might defer a few potential clients.
Ultimately, it seems that Regal Assets offers a good mix of platform benefits. The combination of straightforward pricing, customer education, and dynamic transfers has caused this platform to stand out in an otherwise competitive industry.
What is a Gold IRA?
A “Gold IRA” account is exactly what it sounds like: it is an individual retirement account that focuses specifically on investing in physical gold and enabling you to enjoy the general growth of the gold market, as a whole.
There are two main ways to establish a Gold IRA account. The first, and most common way, is to create a new account from scratch. After that, you will be able to continue making contributions and watching your wealth increase over time.
You can also establish a Gold IRA account by transferring your funds from one account to another. In many cases, this might require you to do a simple gold IRA rollover. In others, you might transfer from a different account, such as a 401k.
Most of today’s leading and best Gold IRA companies make it easy to transfer your funds from one account to another.
What are the Benefits of a Gold IRA?
One of the most obvious benefits of a Gold IRA—just like an ordinary IRA—is that you can use this account to minimize tax expenses. Contributions to a Gold IRA account are tax-deferred, meaning you will not need to pay any taxes on these contributions until further down the line.
If you’d rather pay taxes now—allowing your contributions to grow tax-free over time—then you might want to consider establishing a Roth IRA account. While it will vary by provider, most Gold IRA platforms are compatible with the typical Roth IRA structure.
Additionally, a Gold IRA can help you diversify your holdings. If the value of all of your assets are directly tied to the stock market, that means that when the stock market dips all of your assets will directly decrease in value.
Gold, on the other hand, is a great tool for diversification during periods of high volatility. Gold and stocks have a generally uncorrelated relationship, meaning that your portfolio will always be at least partially protected from volatility.
Furthermore, the value of gold has historically increased. In the year 2000, the price of gold hovered around $450 per ounce. Today (2023), the price of gold is around $1,800 per ounce. That’s an incredible rate of return, especially when compared to the stock market.
Things to Consider When Comparing Gold IRA Companies
If you are interested in investing in a Gold IRA stored account, you are far from alone—a growing number of people have begun exploring the benefits of a Gold IRA. However, among the many gold IRA providers, you’ll want to be sure to choose a gold IRA custodian that effectively meets your needs.
There are many things you’ll want to consider when comparing and choosing a premier Gold IRA company. Perhaps most importantly, you’ll want to confirm the cost of opening an account and making any future transactions.
You’ll also want to consider the customer services provided, access to educational resources, and the general usability of these platforms. If you are new to the Gold IRA market, I recommend taking some time to explore the various Gold IRA retirement account options.
The Bottom Line: Should You Invest in Precious Metals through a Gold IRA?
In general, an investment in a Gold IRA is ideal for people who are hoping to diversify their retirement holdings and also minimize their exposure to risk. Gold IRAs can be an effective retirement savings option that can be even better in volatile markets.
If you are looking to become a Gold IRA investor, you should have a moderate level of risk tolerance and should also be an active investor. But with a reputable Gold IRA company and resources in hand, investing in gold can be a very beneficial retirement savings strategy.