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We’ve seen a lot of economic variability in the last two years. COVID, Cryptocurrencies, and Inflation have all thrown uncertainty into our financial planning.
I’ve invested hundreds of hours in researching the very best investment options, and I’ve found some overlooked things you need to know before choosing a company. In the world of Gold IRAs, I look beyond the basics, and find not only the best companies, but what really sets them apart. Below are the absolute 5 Best Gold IRA companies, in order.
Best Gold IRA Companies
☑️ A+ BBB Rating, AAA Rating from Business Consumers Alliance, 5-Star Review on Trustpilot, Trustlink, Google Reviews, Consumer Affairs
☑️ Highest Price Buy Back Guarantee
☑️ All customers qualify for up to 10% in FREE silver
☑️ 1000s of 5-star ratings. Plus 100s of reviews with the BBB, BCA, TrustLink and other consumer watchdog websites.
☑️ Endorsement by Joe Montana & his financial team.
☑️ Unique, free one-on-one educational web conference designed by Augusta’s on-staff, Harvard-trained economist.
☑️ Best Choice for Converting IRAs, 401(K)s, or Cash to Gold & Silver
☑️ Qualified accounts eligible for up to $5,000 in free silver + 100% Free shipping & Insurance
☑️ Highest Ranked Precious Metals Company on 2022 INC 5000 List
☑️ Exclusively Recommended by Bill O'Reilly, Rick Harrison, Mayor Giuliani and Others
☑️ Over $1 Billion in Precious Metals Delivered with Thousand of Satisfied Clients
☑️ Offers up to $10,000 in FREE Silver
☑️ Solid reputation with Trust Pilot and A+ rating with BBB
☑️ Served over 7,000 customers since 2003
☑️ Free shipping on any order over $10,000
Best Gold IRA Companies in 2022
1. Goldco: Best Overall
My biggest reason for putting Goldco in first spot is their reputation and outstanding costumer service. Customer service matters in every industry, but it’s vital in a retirement company.
That’s because we’ve worked hard for our savings, and we deserve to know that when we invest that savings, the company will work just as hard to keep our money working. I’ve dug deep on Goldco’s reputation, and what I found earns them one of my top spots.
Goldco has earned an A+ from the Better Business Bureau, and a Triple A rating from the highly respected Business Consumer Alliance. But it’s not just their good reviews that got them on this list. They also have incredible responses to customer complaints–almost every complaint I researched on the BBB website was marked “resolved to customer satisfaction.”
When you have entrusted a company with your retirement savings, you need to know that your concerns will be heard, and your issues addressed. Goldco has devoted themselves, above and beyond any other company I’ve researched, to making sure your Gold investments and your IRA are safe, and managed to your satisfaction.
In addition to their endorsed articles, they have a full library of Gold IRA, Investing, and Central Bank articles, plus a reviews section that shows some real people and their real experiences with Goldco.
One last note on Goldco’s customer service: there is a mechanism in precious metals IRA programs called buy-back. It refers to the idea that if you want to quickly unload your assets (gold or silver), and don’t have time to put the assets on the market, you can sell them directly to your Gold IRA company. In the case of Goldco, they tout the highest offered prices on buy-backs.
Pros
Cons
My bottom line on Goldco is their devotion to Customer Satisfaction. A lot of Gold IRA companies offer the same basic services, but Goldco dedicates the time and energy it takes to assure you that your hard-earned savings are well-managed. That dedication makes them second on my list.
If you want to read more about Goldco, check out our full review here.
2. Augusta Precious Metals: Best Education
Augusta has stood out to me as a good option for investing in a Gold IRA company. The reason is very simple: Their education services for new consumers. They will work with you, in one-on-one webinars with Ive-League graduates, to make sure you know as much as possible about Precious Metals investing–before they ever ask for a dime.
This focus on education gives you the peace-of-mind that you’re working with an upfront company that wants to make sure your investments work for you, not the other way around. They don’t use high-pressure sales tactics. Instead, they want you to know upfront that Gold isn’t right for everyone, and they want to make sure it’s right for you.
They were founded by Isaac Nuriani, who has a wealth of experience in helping seniors with financial planning, and he’s a member of financial ethics organization Ethics.net. This foundation in ethics-based practices lets you know that they aren’t out to sign up as many people as possible. They will work with you personally to see if Gold IRAs are right for your goals.
In addition to that, they have a full time senior leadership position called Director of Education, and it’s currently held by Devlyn Steele. His passion is reflected in a portion of their website devoted to education resources, including how to avoid scams, and how to determine how much to invest.
To show you how important ethics and education are, they have on their main menu sections about how to avoid high-pressure sales tactics, and they even list their risk disclosure on this menu. Most companies bury their disclosures in the fine print; not Augusta.
With Augusta's preferred self-directed IRA custodian
With dollars from your existing retirement account
You choose and order with Augusta's order desk
When you work with Augusta you’ll have ongoing access to one-on-one webinars, helping you understand the market, its risks, and its rewards. This dedication to values has attracted noted football legend Joe Montana, known as an athlete who respects a culture of hard work and education.
Augusta doesn’t charge management fees, but you will pay to set up your account, and like with all precious metals IRAs, you will pay for your own deposit and security fees with the gold custodian.
Pros
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Overall, I absolutely recommend Augusta as the best Gold IRA company out there. They have over ten years in the industry, and their leadership has a combined experience of decades. You can be sure that when you go with Augusta, you’re getting the best in the industry.
If you want to read more about Augusta Precious Metals, check out our full review here.
3. Red Rock Secured: Most Experienced
Red Rock Secured, a highly reputable and well-established company in the precious metals industry, has secured the third position on our list of best gold IRA companies. The company's commitment to client satisfaction, coupled with its variety of investment options and industry expertise, has set it apart from the competition.
Red Rock Secured deserves this spot on our list due to its strong emphasis on customer service and education. The company is dedicated to ensuring that each investor is well-informed about the advantages and risks of investing in precious metals. This is especially important when it comes to individual retirement accounts (IRAs), where investors need to make sound decisions to secure their financial future.
In addition to its educational resources, Red Rock Secured offers a variety of investment options, including gold, silver, platinum, and palladium. These options allow clients to diversify their portfolios and protect their wealth against economic uncertainties. The company also prides itself on its transparent pricing and secure storage solutions.
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In conclusion, Red Rock Secured's commitment to customer satisfaction, its diverse range of investment options, and its secure storage solutions make it a top choice for those looking to invest in a gold IRA. While its online presence and international storage options could be improved, the company's overall performance and reputation more than justify its second-place ranking on our list of best gold IRA companies.
4. American Hartford Gold: Best Family-Owned IRA Company
American Hartford has made my list at number four because the more I researched them, the more I found to like. In fact, they’ve moved right into the number three spot, bumping everyone else down. The biggest reason they have moved into the top 5 are their company values.
When I first began researching Gold IRAs, American Hartford kept coming up, but they don’t spend the money on flashy advertising, instead focusing on down-to-earth customer relationships, and family values. Working with American Hartford you know that you can speak to them as you would anyone else you know in your community. They will listen to your concerns, help guide you through the processes with patience and understanding.
Another way their values impact your experience: no minimums. American Hartford knows that not every person has tens of thousands of dollars, and they don't believe that should keep you from investing. They have no minimum investment amounts. And American Hartford won’t ever pressure you, and will work to earn your trust. In fact, they have a complete 100% money back guarantee, which I have personally looked into: they have zero unresolved complaints and zero unanswered questions on TrustPilot and on the BBB.
American Hartford is still headed by their founder, Sanford Mann, who grew up on a working farm, learning how to treat people and conduct business from his father. This might seem quaint, or even outdated, but Sanford and his family have built American Hartford into a leader in Gold and Silver IRAs by relying on these values.
Beyond their dedication to Values in Business, American Hartford also works with a half-dozen local and national charities, including Wounded Warrior, the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank, and The Midnight Mission, one of LA’s largest homeless outreach programs.
I’ve never seen such a large company with such a huge impact on giving back to their community. If you want to work with a company that takes their role as custodians of your money as seriously as they take their own family duties, look no further than American Hartford.
Pros
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If you want to read more about American Hartford Gold, check out our full review here.
5. Birch Gold Group: Most Expertise
Knowledge is power, and Birch Gold Group has been gathering information and knowledge for nearly twenty years. Of all the companies I’ve researched, they may have the most expertise at their disposal. They’ve been in the Precious Metals IRA game since 2003, and they’ve got their finger on the pulse of the entire market of Gold, Silver, Platinum, and Palladium.
Birch’s pursuit of expert analysis is on full display from the start. The way they present their expertise allows you to digest it easily, make sense of a complex market, and make the decisions that will work best for you and your retirement goals.
Their website features real-time interactive and historical graphs on the prices of gold, silver, palladium, and platinum. In addition to that, they have an entire library of step-by-step guides for 401(k) Rollovers, investing in gold, and detailed articles explaining the different ways to invest in gold.
Birch also gathers advice from noted Harvard grad Ben Shapiro, and even posts videos where they interview none other than Steve Forbes. That’s right, the same Forbes as the venerable financial publication Forbes magazine.
In addition, Birch is transparent and upfront about their pricing, which is based on flat fees, regardless of transaction amounts.
One-Time Fees:
Account Set Up Fee: $50
Wire Transfer Fee: $30
Annual Fees:
Storage/Insurance: $100
Management Fees: $100
They also promote a free first year of fees if you transfer over $50,000 into your new Precious Metals IRA.
Pros
Cons
If you want to read more about Birch Gold Group, check out our full review here.
6. Noble Gold Investments: Simplest to Use
Noble Gold finishes up my list, and they make it for a very straightforward reason: the absolute easiest website to use. Planning for retirement isn’t exactly fun. I can’t think of anyone who lists it as their favorite weekend activity. That’s why it was so nice to interact with the website for Noble Gold.
As soon as you land on their homepage, you’re greeted by two big yellow buttons: Download the Guide, and Get Started. Couldn’t be more simple.
If you ever get stuck on a page at Noble Gold, simply scroll to the bottom and find their very helpful FAQ button. Not only that, but if you click the “Call” option, you can make the direct phone call to an expert right from your computer.
When I clicked on their FAQs I was greeted by another pleasant surprise: they have a straightforward explanation of their management and set up fees. While the prices listed are only for Custodial Fees, it’s still more than some websites can list right upfront.
Noble Gold, like many other IRA companies, also offers physical gold purchasing options, and here their ease-of-use really shines. If you’re interested in owning physical gold, but aren’t sure which coins or bars to purchase, or in what amounts, you can purchase flat-rate, curated collections of gold and silver coins.
These investment packages are demarcated by “rank,” starting at Noble Knight for $10,000, and ranging all the way up to Duke, for $500,000. All of these packages are designed for actual use and a real emergency. Small coins are included should disaster strike and you need to use physical money, while large bars are offered for use with long-term planning.
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If you’re looking for a straightforward, get-it-done approach, I recommend Noble Gold. They have streamlined their gold and silver options to only the most popular and sought-after coins to make sure you never get bogged down in minutiae. To learn more about them, read the in-depth review I did on them here.
Top Factors to consider when choosing the best gold IRA company
Choosing the best gold IRA (Individual Retirement Account) company is an important decision that can significantly impact your retirement savings. Here are several factors to consider when evaluating gold IRA companies:
Reputation: Research the company's reputation in the industry, including online reviews, testimonials, and any complaints filed with organizations like the Better Business Bureau (BBB) or the Business Consumer Alliance (BCA).
Experience: Look for a company with a proven track record and years of experience in the precious metals and IRA industry.
Fees and costs: Understand the fee structure, which may include setup fees, storage fees, and annual maintenance fees. Compare different companies to find the most competitive pricing.
Storage options: Consider the company's storage options, including whether they offer segregated or commingled storage. Segregated storage ensures that your metals are stored separately from others, providing additional security.
Insurance: Make sure the company provides adequate insurance coverage for the stored precious metals. Verify the details of the insurance policy, such as coverage limits and exclusions.
Range of investment options: Choose a company that offers a wide variety of precious metal options, including gold, silver, platinum, and palladium.
Buyback policy: Understand the company's buyback policy, which outlines the process for liquidating your precious metals when you're ready to sell.
Customer service: Evaluate the company's customer service quality by contacting their support team with questions or concerns. A responsive and knowledgeable team is a good indicator of a reliable company.
Education and resources: A good gold IRA company should provide educational resources to help you make informed decisions about your investments.
Accreditation and affiliations: Check if the company is accredited by organizations such as the BBB and if they are members of reputable industry associations like the American Numismatic Association (ANA) or the Industry Council for Tangible Assets (ICTA).
Transparency: The company should be transparent about their policies, fees, and operations, making it easy for you to understand their services and make informed decisions.
Processing time: Inquire about the company's processing time for account setup, rollovers, and metal purchases to ensure they can meet your expectations and timelines.
By carefully considering these factors, you can choose the best gold IRA company to safeguard and grow your retirement savings.
Final Thoughts
In the end, only you can know what’s right for you and your family. I don’t recommend financial companies lightly, and I’ve looked into each of these firms extensively. Despite all the volatility in the markets and in the world, Gold and other precious metals have remained competitive, if not out performed other currencies.
If you’re looking to invest some of your retirement into precious metals, I highly suggest checking out the five companies I reviewed, based on which seems like the best fit for you. All of them have free information guides, and it wouldn’t hurt to reach out to a few of them to compare pricings.
No matter which you go with, pick the one that you know is taking care of you, and make your choice with confidence.
Related: Best Debit Cards that Build Credit, Best Silver IRA Companies, American Hartford Gold Review, Goldco Review, How to Start a Gold IRA
FAQs
Yes. You can set up either a Roth or Traditional Gold IRA, either avoiding taxation on the investment or the withdrawal.
Within five minutes of talking, you’ll know. They’re all excellent companies, and it will come down to which of them can answer your personal questions about your unique circumstances.
Absolutely. You can open as many IRAs as you like, with as many precious metals as you like. That could mean a Gold IRA and a Palladium IRA, each with a different company.
