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Best Gold IRA Companies 2020

Posted By Ziga Breznik, Last updated: April 28, 2020

In our Gold IRA guide you will learn about Precious Metals IRAs, examine our list of the top 10 Gold IRA providers and discover tips on how to make the best possible gold IRA investment.

10 Best Gold IRA Companies 2020

1. GoldCo

Best Of The Best

  • White Glove Customer Service from Start to Finish
  • Safe Custodians & Depositories
  • Specializes in Precious Metals IRAs
  • Rated A+ by BBB
  • AAA Rating from BCA

GoldCo is a privately held firm specializing in wealth and asset protection. Assured by More Independent 3rd Party Consumer Protection Agencies Than Any Other Precious Metals IRA Company. Many positive reviews for their customer service. Charges $175 annual fee for investments up to $100,000. They also offer direct sales of precious metals bullion.

2. Advantage Gold

Great Service

  • Founded 2009
  • A+ Rating by BBB
  • Trustlink – 10/10 based on 352 reviews
  • Great Customer Service and Positive Reviews

Founded in 2014, Advantage Gold has won the best of Trustlink award 3 years in a row (2016, 2017, 2018) for their stellar Gold IRA services. They have 1000’s of positive reviews and definitely worth considering.

3. Regal Assets

Best Overall Offering

  • Ranked #20 by INC. 500 
  • Positive Reviews
  • 7 Day Guarantee on Shipping (Direct Purchases)
  • 24-hour Buyback Program (24/7/365)

Founded in 2009, the company is now an official Forbes Finance Council member and an official member of the INC. 500. With millions of dollars in processed gold IRA transactions, great customer service and reviews, they’re great choice for investors.

4. Birch Gold Group

Great in Educating Clients

  • Founded in 2003
  • Experienced specialists

Well known throughout the industry and defined by their 3 core values: trust, 1 on 1 customer service and knowledge.

5. JM Bullion

Competitive Fees

  • Shipping over 30,000 orders/month
  • Competitive Prices

Backed by many positive ratings from review organizations proves their stellar customer service. The company sells precious metals to collectors or non-retirement investors.

6. Rosland Capital

Great BCA Rating

  • Professional Service
  • Founded in 2008

Specialists are able to assist clients choose fully compliant IRS approved metals and ease the process. They also offer metals outside precious metals IRAs.

7. Patriot Gold Group

Lifetime Fees Waived

  • Straightforward Process
  • Good Reviews on 3rd Party Websites

Patriot Gold Group makes investing in precious metals very affordable and seamless. There are no annual fees for lifetime of your precious metals IRA, rather the fee is tied to the purchase of metals.

8. American Hartford Gold Group

No Minimum Investment For IRAs

  • Lots of Information on Their Website
  • Transparent Pricing

American Hartford Gold Group is always on hand to answer your calls and make acquiring gold and silver as easy as possible. No guarantee to repurchase precious metals from investors.

9. APMEX

One Of The Largest Companies

  • Founded in 2000
  • One of The Top Precious Metals Retailers

Since opening their doors in 2000, APMEX has grown to over 200 people and sold over 130 million ounces of gold and silver to investors.

10. Orion Metal Exchange

Competitive Pricing

  • 50 years of experience
  • Very Knowledgeable

With over 50 years in precious metals business, Orion Metal Exchange offers their services to investors in all 50 states. Whether you are looking to acquire, liquidate or just receive financial updates, get in touch with them.

BEST OF THE BEST GREAT SERVICE WELL ROUNDED

goldco logo

advantage logo white background

regal

  • Yearly Fees: $175 - $225
  • BBB Rating: A+
  • Trustlink Rating: 5-stars
  • Yearly Fees: Waived 1st Year
  • Trustlink Rating: 5-stars
  • BBB Rating: A+
  • Yearly Fees: $150 (flat)
  • Trustlink Rating: 5-stars

Here is a recap of some of the best gold IRA companies:

  • GoldCo – Best Of The Best for Gold IRAs (trusted by more 3rd party consumer protection agencies than any other company)
  • Advantage Gold – Great Gold IRA Service, but fairly new
  • Regal Assets – Well Rounded and Ranked #20 by Inc. 500 for their Gold IRA service
  • Birch Gold Group – Best Education For Clients
  • JM Bullion – Best and most competitive fees
  • Rosland Capital – best BCA Rating, founded in 2008
  • Patriot Gold Group – good reviews on 3rd party websites, lifetime fees waived
  • American Hartford Gold Group – Transparent pricing and no minimum investment for precious metals IRA
  • APMEX – one of the largest companies, founded in 2000
  • Orion Metal Exchange – PCGS (Professional Coin Grading Service) Authorized Dealer

After hours of research and careful evaluation we came up with a list of the top 10 companies for 2020. While there are a couple of “household” names in the industry, there are a few that deserve special mentions: GoldCo (Best Of The Best for Gold IRAs), Advantage Gold (Great Service), Regal Assets (Good Overall Offering), Birch Gold Group (Best Client Education).

In our article you will learn all about gold IRAs and how to make wise investment choices. We also cover common questions about investing in gold and silver, palladium and platinum through an IRA.

After going through our gold IRA guide, you should have a clear understanding about the common pitfalls and how to avoid them.

Here are some of the key factors we considered when compiling our list of top Gold IRAs:

  • Company Reputation
  • Setup Fees
  • Storage Options
  • Storage Fees
  • Company Policies
  • Client Reviews
  • History & Safety

 

Gold IRA – Summary

 

 

Is Gold IRA a Wise Decision?

After years of smart decisions and saving, it is painful to watch your retirement funds wash away with the price fluctuations of real estate, stocks and bonds. Thousands people have lost the majority of their retirement funds to bursting asset bubbles. These risks can be mitigated with a diverse retirement portfolio, but the fear of losing years of hard-earned money due to factors beyond your control still looms overhead.

Market uncertainty and everlasting fluctuations might have you thinking about investing in precious metals. But is this a viable option for you? Is it a smart move? There are IRS approved ways to invest through a gold individual retirement account. A common message we all heard at least once is: “gold is a safe haven in economic turmoil – invest in gold!”

When rolling over, there are many options and even more companies. It is important to do your due diligence and find the best precious metals IRA provider and investment structure.

The IRS has a set of very strict regulations and rules that you must follow. Whether you decide to invest in gold bullion alone, or mix it up with other precious metals – is up to you. It is best to consult with an expert who will help you make a wise decision.

There are many companies – but not all of them are credible. We go over the top ones, based on verified reviews and our own in-house research.

What Are IRS-Approved Precious Metals for Gold IRA?

You can hold your Gold IRA metals in bars or coins. However, not all bars and coins are acceptable for your precious metals IRA investment. Make sure you know what you are buying and all the precious metals are IRS Approved. You can read more about it here: Denominations, specifications, and design of coins.

GOLD BARS & COINS SILVER BARS & COINS PALLADIUM BARS & COINS PLATINUM BARS & COINS
Purity: .995%+
Purity: .999%+
Purity: .9995%+
Purity: .9995%+
Valcambi Gold Combi Bar
Johnson Matthey Silver Bar
Baird Bars
Baird Bars
Australian Gold Kangaroo/Nugget
American Silver Eagle
Russian Ballerina
Canadian Maple Leaf
Johnson Matthey Gold Bar
Mexican Silver Libertad
Credit Suisse Bars
Australian Koala Platinum
American Gold Eagle
Royal Canadian Mint Silver Bar
Canadian Palladium Maple Leaf
American Eagle Platinum bullion
Austrian Gold Philharmonic coins
Australian Kookaburra Silver coins
American Gold Buffalo coins
Canadian Silver Maple Leaf coins
Canadian Gold Maple Leaf
Austrian Philharmonic Silver
Credit Suisse Gold Bars

PRO TIP: Request multiple FREE investor kits from top rated companies and make a spreadsheet noting down the following: fees, storage options, buyback policy and company policies.

Here are our top rated companies that have been rated highly by 3rd party consumer protection agencies, customers and both online and offline publications. It is best to call more than one company and request free gold IRA investor kit from all of them.

GoldCo Review

Best of The Best

GoldCo (also knogoldco website screenshotwn as GoldCo Precious Metals) was founded in 2006. Based in Woodland Hills, California the company provides excellent gold IRA services. They offer gold and silver, palladium and platinum or a combination of these. The company works with reputable IRA custodians and clients to provide smooth rollovers. Investing through them can be an attractive option for those wishing to transfer IRAs from institutions or other companies into a gold and silver backed IRA.

  • Specialize in gold IRAs
  • Over a decade of experience
  • BBB: A+ – 0 Closed complaints
  • TRUSTLINK: 242 Reviews (5/5)
  • Business Consumer Alliance: AAA Rating – 1 Complaint (100% complaint resolution)
  • TRUSTPILOT: 4.8 (Rated Excellent – 482 Reviews)
  • #16 on INC. 500 (2015)
  • Named #3 fastest growing financial services company by INC magazine
  • Fully Insured Storage

When it comes to 401k IRA rollovers, GoldCo comes up high on the list. They are well known for being safe, secure, dependable, fair, and trustworthy. If you want a quick snapshot of the reliability of a company you can always turn to the Better Business Bureau(verify). You can also go to Trustpilot (verify) and see they have a excellent score. There you can see a list of open and closed complaints against a company. GoldCo had none since they were founded. They are one of the few companies that received many 5 star ratings on the site without any negative comments. People who are GoldCo clients are always happy they chose them.

NOTE: Right now, you can get up to 10% back in FREE SILVER by opening a gold IRA account with them (terms apply).

Get in touch with GoldCo experts by calling them at (877) 385-0495 or request a free invetors kit.

Advantage Gold Review

Great Service

Advantage GoldAdvantage Gold Screencapture is known for offering great gold IRA services to anyone looking to roll over their 401(k). Their experts specialize in converting existing IRAs or 401(k) into IRS approved precious metals such as gold, silver, platinum or palladium. Their main focus is to give the most comprehensive information in order to make an educated decision about retirement accounts.

Education, understanding and comfort is the most important factor of wise investment decisions and that is what Advantage Gold stands by.

Their dedicated IRA department will assist you with:

  • IRA Account Setup
  • Process the Rollover on Your Behalf
  • Pledge to Assist You For the Lifetime Of Your Account
  • Offers Buyback

Get in touch with Advantage Gold experts by calling them at (866) 436-1322 or request a free invetors kit.

Regal Assets Review

Great Overall Offering

regal assets website screencaptureFounded by a young entrepreneur and investor Tyler Gallagher, the company core vision is: to innovate, rejuvenate and simplify the gold IRA alternative investment industry. Today, this company is one of the highest rated alternative assets companies in the United States. They’ve been featured on Forbes, the Huffington Post, Smart Money among many others. INC 500 ranked them #20 in the financial services category. For this, they’ve been featured on the Reuters sign on Times Sqaure, NYC.

The company aims to be a one stop shop and specializes in adding precious metals to their portfolios or retirement accounts. Over the years, they’ve help thousands of Americans transfer SEP, 401(k), 403(b), TSP or existing IRA accounts.

Get in touch with their experts by calling them at (844) 334-0018 or request a free investors guide.

Birch Gold Group

Great Education for Clients

Birch ScreencaptureOne of the leading dealers in the precious metals industry, founded in 2003. Birch Gold Group has a dynamic team of former wealth managers, brokers and advisors that help smart investors diversify portfolios with gold IRAs or physical precious metals. Based in California they serve all 50 states.

They are regularly featured on media outlets like the Ben Shapiro Show – discussing various topics that lead to market growth and instability. Their dedicated team has decades of combined experience, making your gold IRA setup or precious metals purchase as smooth and simple as possible.

Get in touch with Birch Gold Group experts by calling them at (800) 355-2116

JM Bullion

Competitive Fees

JM Bullion Website ScreencaptureJM Bullion has earned a place in the top 500 online businesses in 2019 (#96). They offer wide variety of precious metals, focusing on the most important products. Their Texas based support is available Monday through Friday from 8:00am to 6:00pm. You can contact them via email, phone or live chat. They’ve partnered with New Direction IRA to offer their clients competitive pricing for gold IRAs.

 

Get in touch with JM Bullion experts by calling them at 800-276-6508

Best Gold IRA Companies for 2020

  1. GoldCo – Best Overall (support,fees and setup) – 4.9
  2. Advantage Gold – Best Service for Gold IRA Newbies – 4.8
  3. Regal Assets – Best Overall Gold IRA Offering – 4.6
  4. Birch Gold Group – Best known for trust, 1 on 1 service and knowledge – 4.5
  5. JM Bullion – Best for physical bullion purchase outside IRAs – 4.5
  6. Rosland Capital – 4.4
  7. Patriot Gold Group – Lifetime fees waived for IRA accounts – 4.4
  8. American Hartford Gold Group – Best for very transparent pricing – 4.4
  9. APMEX – One of the biggest gold retailers – 4.4
  10. Orion Metal Exchange – Competitive Pricing – 4.3

How We Searched For the Best Gold IRA Accounts?

  1. We searched for different companies and came up with a base list of Gold IRA providers
  2. Based on our own methodology we then evaluated Gold IRAs
  3. We wrote this article on the top gold IRA accounts to bring you only the best

Choosing between companies that will reliably protect your retirement savings should be of utmost importance. Whether you are savvy investor or brand new to precious metals investments, our recommendations are based on: Reviews, Transparency, Storage fees and safety, History, Support Offered.

Now, more than any other time in history, it’s critical to protect your retirement savings. The government can tap into you retirement account at any time and wipe it out, in order to help in paying back some of the U.S. debt deficit. This is important to know if your 401(k) or Individual Retirement Account (IRA) is backed by fiat currencies like funds or paper money. This type of investment can place you at serious risk of losing everything you’ve worked and saved for. With the current government shutdown freezing the national budget, it’s only a matter of time before inflation hits and starts impacting your retirement accounts because of their vulnerability to certain economic conditions.

FAQ – Gold IRAs

For your convenience here are commonly-asked questions about gold, silver, platinum and palladium IRAs. These will give you a better understanding about gold IRA account and how you can build your wealth.

What is a Gold IRA?

If you want to fully understand what a gold investment company is, you first have to be specific about the type of investment you are looking for. A lot of the times precious metals ira companies is a generic term used by many companies. That is why it is critical to make sure which type of investment you are interested in and then chose the appropriate company. A gold IRA is known as a self-directed retirement account, is very similar to a traditional IRA. The main  difference being, that unlike traditional IRA, where you gold paper assets, it holds IRA approved physical bullion bars or coins. Precious metals are held in custody for the IRA account owner by their gold IRA custodian (Trustees) – either in their own storage or third party metal depositories. Most of the time the dominant metal held in an account is gold, hence the name. Precious Metals must be stored in the possession of a certified custodian or trustee. They are never kept in the possession of the IRA owner. It may be stored by a bank, a loan association, or a certified company. It is up to the account owner to choose where it is purchased from and where it is stored. When talking about the Gold IRAs, this can refer to a company that sells the bullion or the company where it is stored. For the sake of clarity, all of the companies mentioned in this review sell bars and bullion, some also store them as well.

What do Gold IRA companies provide?

A gold IRA company is a financial firm that guides you through opening a retirement account according to all the regulations. Here is a list of things to consider when choosing a reputable company to invest with:

  • Reputation – The companies you are considering, must be able to deliver good results despite market volatility. The situation in the market should not determine your investment outcome. Customer care must be a primary concern since you want the company to guide you when taking your existing 401K and making any decisions. Moreover, you should determine if other people are satisfied with the company’s assistance. The company should also be established and accredited by various market watchdogs like Business Consumer Alliance (BCA), Trustlink and Better Business Bureau (BBB).
  • Fees and Policies – Before you choose a company, you should be aware of any policies and fees that will be applied to your account. You must understand what you are being offered. Does the investment strategy suit your specific needs? Does the company charge any unnecessary fees? In the beginning, this may seem a bit confusing. The company you choose to work with should make the investment process easier by having people available to lead you through the rollover process.
  • Flexibility and History – The IRA custodian should provide you with various investment options and their policies must suit your specific needs and situation. You want to work with a company with market experience that is known for their steady and smart investments that grow. This is especially important if you are not an savvy investor. Opening a gold retirement plan is a good investment strategy as gold offers long-term stability and it serves as a hedge against inflation for your retirement savings.
  • Buyback Program – When you’re ready to liquidate your gold bullion or other precious metals, you must have someone available to buy them back fast and easy. You don’t want to miss out on potential gains. These gains can be lost if you have to wait several days to liquidate your assets. The company should offer a buyback program allowing you to resell metals at the current metal spot price.
  • Storage Fees and Safety – One important factory to consider, that is mostly overlooked, when choosing a gold investment company, is storage options and safety. You want to be sure that the company offers several storage locations, nationally and overseas. The company of your choice should offer segregated storage options. Segregated storage means you get a section in the vault for your precious metals. That means your metals will not be combined with other people’s metals. That means you can get easy access when you need to liquidate your precious metals quickly. Don’t overlook storage safety and quick access, when choosing a company for gold investments.

How Safe are Gold IRAs?

Gold is rather speculative and volatile during times of economic expansion, but it is often viewed as a source of safety during recessions and times of uncertainty. Because of this, the law of demand causes the value of gold to rise during economic downturns. You may be wondering why you should put a volatile asset in your IRA. This is a valid concern, but gold’s tendency to rise during recessions is a great reason to store it in a retirement account through gold IRAs. As long as you do not sell gold assets when the price of gold is undervalued during an economic expansion, rolling a portion of your funds over to gold is a safe practice and a great way to protect your wealth.

How Can I Invest in Gold?

There are numerous ways to invest in gold, but the most popular methods are through a mutual fund or an ETF. Some people prefer these methods over physical gold bullion because it is easier to transfer the investments to cash, but they are quite risky during economic swings. Mutual funds and exchange-traded funds that track gold can easily be added to both Roth and  traditional IRA, and they have fewer transaction fees and insurance requirements than physical gold. To further diversify your gold portfolio, you can branch out to stocks of mining companies and other firms related to the precious metal industry. This can be a great way to bolster your IRA with gold investments that offer dividends. You should keep in mind that gold IRAs can only contain actual gold, so gold-based stocks must go into a normal IRA. These options also do not offer adequate protection against inflation and volatility during recessions.

  • Bullion and Gold Coins – This is the most simple and “direct” method of buying gold where the investor purchases physical gold. Usually in the form of bullion or gold coins. Precious metals can either be self-stored (deposit safe box) or purchased inside a self-directed IRA also known as a “gold IRA” or precious metals IRA. If bought inside a self-directed IRA the purchase is funded with a “rollover” from retirement accounts, such as a 401(k)s, TSPs or other IRAs. Due to IRS regulations, the investor is the owner of the metals, however can not physically hold the purchase. The purchase is done through a custodian and dealer and then stored with the custodian. The minimum purity of the precious metals purchase must be at least 99.5% (24 karats). By purchasing from reputable companies, your investment will be safe and the metals of high quality.
  • Gold Exchange Traded Notes (“ETNs”) – ETNs are considered a somewhat complex investment. Unlike ETFs, ETNs don’t own any physical gold. It is issued by institutions and the base of its return is a market index. Although they are a type of bond, they do not pay interest like a bond. Once the ETN matures, fees are the deducted and the investor is paid based on the performance of the underlying index. ETNs are traded on major exchanges just like stocks, so in theory an investor can buy and sell them and make money with the difference in price, minus possible fees. It is worth noting that since there is no physical metals involved in the process, you might risk being exposed to the counterparty risk of the ETN issuer.
  • Exchange Traded Funds (“ETFs”) – When purchasing gold through a ETF it is owned by the ETF and not the investor. Instead, shares of the fund are purchased and are traded in accordance to the price of gold on the markets. Usually 1 share is the equivalent of 1/10 of an ounce of gold. The shares can be purchased either directly from the ETF or through a IRA. Some of the well-known ETFs include: iShares Gold Trust and SPDR Gold Trust.
  • Gold Miner Stocks – With gold miner stocks, you are investing in the equity issuances of gold miners. When investing, comprehensive due diligence is advised on each mining company. Future planned projects, production costs and levels should all be considered. Compared to physical precious metals, gold miner stocks are more volatile and represent a leveraged investment.

Which Metals are gold IRA Eligible?

IRS only approves selected metals and some forms of bullion that can be stored with gold IRAs which include:

  • Gold
  • Silver
  • Palladium
  • Platinum

Metals must be IRS approved bars or bullion.

What is the Minimum Investment for Gold IRAs?

Depends. It varies, but it is advised to not invest anything less than $10,000.

How Can I Open a Gold IRA Account?

  1. Decide which company suits you best
  2. Visit their website or call them and request a free gold IRA guide
  3. Let a professional advise and guide you through the process

Conclusion on Gold IRAs

Bottom Line:

Gold IRAs can be a great investment, but make sure you pick a reputable company

If you choose to invest in a gold IRA, make sure you do it wisely. Among the companies outlined, there is likely one that represents your values. Here are the companies that earned top spots:

The Best Gold IRA Companies

Rank Best For Gold IRA Company Phone #
1
Best Of The Best
(877) 358-0495
2
Best Service
(866) 436-1322
3
Best Overall Offering
(844) 334-0018
4
Best Education for Clients
(800) 355-2116
5
Competitive Fees
(800) 276-6508
6
Best BCA Rating
(888) 844-7662
7
Lifetime Fees Waived
(800) 974-4653
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