The stock market is a volatile system, and in times of high inflation, geopolitical uncertainty, and economic concern, stocks and bonds have fallen in the past, which has resulted in a loss of purchasing power. That’s why so many investors look to precious metals like gold for a portion of their retirement funds.
Precious metals IRAs, or individual retirement accounts, give retirement investors a way to shield themselves from volatility and inflation while enjoying the same perks they would with a traditional IRA.
These IRAs focus on gold investments and investments in other precious metals, giving the investor exposure to the movement in the price of gold. But the IRA company you choose is a crucial decision. That’s why it’s best to stick with the top gold IRA companies.
The Best Gold IRA Companies
Our pick for the overall best gold IRA company to work with is Augusta Precious Metals because the company does several things exceptionally well.
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With several years of quality service, it’s earned an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau and a AAA rating with the Business Consumer Alliance alongside thousands of customer ratings. The company also features IRA rollovers and access to other precious metals.
Other options on this list made the cut by shining in at least one area, from seamless rollovers to providing access to those with small accounts.
Best Overall: Augusta Precious Metals
Founded in 2012, Augusta Precious Metals quickly grew to become one of the world’s top precious metals and gold investment companies. The company focuses specifically on self-directed IRAs in both traditional and Roth IRAs, and with that laser focus, it has built a strong reputation as the go-to source.
That reputation is illustrated by their top ratings from consumers and hundreds of exceptional reviews — almost all the highest ratings you can get. They also get excellent ratings on consumer watchdog websites: an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau and an AAA rating with the Business Consumer Alliance.
But the company has investment opportunities other than gold. Investors can purchase both gold and silver coins and bullion as they pad their IRA accounts. Moreover, with a relatively low minimum deposit, the services are highly accessible, even to those with smaller investment accounts.
All in all, if you’re looking to add precious metals to your retirement portfolio, Augusta Precious Metals is a great name to work with. Its key features include:
- Minimum Investment: $50,000
- Fees: $50 account setup; custodian and storage fees work out to about $200 per year with no shipping costs; up to 10 years of fees reimbursed to your IRA in premium Augusta silver coins
- Available Precious Metals: IRA-eligible and other silver and gold coins and bars.
- BBB Rating: BBB-accredited with an A+ rating plus an AAA rating with the Business Consumer Alliance (BCA)
- Customer Support: 6am to 5pm Pacific time Monday through Friday; account-lifetime support lasts long after the initial purchase; hundreds of positive customer ratings verify the quality of this company’s support and service to consumers
- Storage Options: Delaware Depository and others
Sign Up for Augusta Precious Metals
Best for Smaller Accounts: JM Bullion
The vast majority of precious metals IRAs require minimum deposits of $10,000 or more. That’s a major turnoff to investors with a smaller portfolio to work with.
That’s where JM Bullion comes in.
The company has no minimum investment requirement, but all purchases must be at least $100.
The company offers multiple investment options, including traditional IRAs and Roth IRAs. When funding accounts, investors can choose from physical gold coins and gold bars, with smaller-weight coins offering low-cost access to the market.
JM Bullion’s key features include:
- Minimum Investment: None, but the minimum purchase to start your account or for additional investments is $100
- Fees: Annual fees range from $75 to “a few hundred dollars” (per the website), depending on the custodian’s fees
- Available Precious Metals: Gold, silver, platinum, and palladium
- BBB Rating: BBB-accredited with an A+ rating
- Customer Support: 8am to 6pm Monday through Friday
- Storage Options: A-M Global Logistics
Best for Customer Support: Birch Gold Group
When you need to call a financial service provider, it’s important that they’re ready and willing to answer your questions. Unfortunately, many precious metals IRA providers are only open during business hours.
But Birch Gold Group is different.
The company’s open from 6am to 5:30pm Monday through Friday, offering some of the most extensive hours available when compared to its competitors. The team is exceptionally friendly and goes above and beyond to help its customers.
It offers tax-deferred and Roth IRA options, helping ensure your retirement fund meets your needs.
Key features of Birch Gold Group’s offerings include:
- Minimum Investment: $10,000
- Fees: $75 to $100 per year, depending on the custodian you choose
- Available Precious Metals: Gold, silver, platinum, and palladium
- BBB Rating: BBB-accredited with an A+ rating
- Customer Support: 6am to 5:30pm Monday through Friday
- Storage Options: Brinks Global Services and Delaware Depository
Best for Dealer Direct Purchases: Patriot Gold Group
Most precious metals IRA companies sell precious metals obtained from a miner. The company charges a fee for their brokerage services, which is how they make money.
But Patriot Gold Group offers dealer-direct pricing, meaning you won’t pay brokerage fees that could cut into your returns. The company also provides access to gold bullion alongside silver, platinum, and palladium, offering all popular precious metals for adequate diversification.
Moreover, IRS rules stipulate that you can’t store IRA precious metals in your home. While the company must follow these rules for IRA accounts, it does offer at-home storage for taxable investment accounts, which can save on fees.
It’s a strong choice, especially for those with a sizable investment portfolio looking for competitive pricing on larger purchases. Its key features include:
- Minimum Investment: $15,000 with a $250 account setup fee or $30,000 with no fee
- Fees: $180 per year for investors with under $100,000 worth of precious metals or $0 with $100,000 or more
- Available Precious Metals: Gold, silver, platinum, and palladium
- BBB Rating: BBB-accredited with an A+ rating
- Customer Support: 7am to 5pm Monday through Thursday and 7am to 5pm on Fridays
- Storage Options: DDSC of Delaware, or Brink’s Global Services.
Sign Up for Patriot Gold Group
Best for Gold IRA Rollovers: Goldco Precious Metals
As tumultuous times hit the global stage, investor interest turns to rolling over existing IRAs into gold and silver IRAs. Goldco Precious Metals is a perfect option for doing just that.
Founded in 2006, the company has nearly two decades of experience providing quality services to customers.
Goldco has made the rollover process quick and painless. All it takes is a simple phone call and signature to start, though its high minimum investment may be a turnoff to small-account investors.
But its fees are offset by silver. Account holders receive a shipment of silver at the value of the annual fee each year. Since this silver isn’t in the IRA, investors can do what they want with it.
Its key features include:
- Minimum Investment: $25,000
- Fees: $175 per year for accounts with values under $100,000 and $225 per year for accounts with higher balances
- Available Precious Metals: Gold, platinum, palladium, and silver
- BBB Rating: BBB-accredited with an A+ rating
- Customer Support: 8am to 5pm Monday through Friday
- Storage Options: Brinks Global Services and Delaware Depository
Methodology: How We Select the Best Gold IRA Companies
We used five metrics when determining which IRA companies are best for those looking to add precious metals to their retirement savings.
Business Ratings & Reviews
Although the past isn’t always indicative of the future, if the overwhelming body of reviewers had something positive to say about the provider, chances are you will too. We combed through several consumer reviews and reviews written by each company’s affiliates to determine what the community thought about them.
We also took a close look at firms like the Business Consumer Alliance, TrustLink, and the Better Business Bureau to see how they scored. Only the most reputable gold IRA companies made the list.
Minimum Investment
The minimum investment shows consumers which companies are best-suited for their needs. Some companies list lower minimums, and these may be best for younger investors newer to precious metals and retirement saving in general. Companies with higher minimums may be best for those who have been saving for retirement for years and have more to lose in the event of global economic distress.
Fees
Each provider offers different custodian and storage options, which results in different fees from one to the other. In some cases, these fees can become exorbitantly high, eating away at any significant returns your account could net you.
These companies offer some of the most competitive custodian and storage fees available.
Available Precious Metals
The mix of precious metals in your portfolio makes a difference in returns. For example, gold traditionally increases in value at a faster rate than silver, but silver has more industrial uses that could offer support when gold prices are down. So it’s essential to be able to diversify rather than working with a provider that only offers gold.
All IRA providers on this list offer exposure to two or more different types of precious metals.
Customer Support
A custodian usually manages and stores the physical precious metals, so it’s crucial to trust your provider. A major part of that trust is the customer support offered.
You want to know that when you have questions about your hard-earned retirement account, you can get answers from a knowledgeable staff that’s available when you need them. So we took the quality and availability of customer service into consideration.
Gold IRA Company FAQS
Human beings are inquisitive. So, it makes sense that you would have questions about gold IRAs. These are the answers to some of the most common questions.
Should I Buy Gold Coins or Gold Bars for My IRA?
Coins like the American Eagle and Canadian Maple Leaf are a draw because they’re aesthetically pleasing in small, lower-cost quantities. However, as with most other products, it generally costs less on a per-ounce basis when you buy bulk gold and silver bullion.
As such, it’s best to purchase gold bars if you can afford to.
What Are IRS Fineness Standards?
Due to the tax benefits of retirement funds, the IRS has strict regulations for how you can use these funds. One rule sets a standard for the pureness of precious metals IRAs can hold.
The fineness standard stipulates that metals held in retirement accounts must be high-purity.
Can I Hold Paper Assets in My Gold IRA?
Precious metals IRAs are specifically designed for the use of precious metals as a retirement investment. You need to set up a separate IRA for paper assets like stocks and bonds.
Does Gold Protect Against Volatility?
Gold has long been an essential part of diversification for investors because of its volatility protection. When equities are down, gold tends to rise in value, offsetting losses.
How to Choose the Best Gold IRA Company
When choosing a gold IRA company, research the company and try to envision what it will be like to work with them. There are several questions you need to be able to answer about every company you look into:
- Does it provide solid customer service verified by positive customer reviews?
- Does it offer educational materials to turn you into an informed precious metals investor?
- Does it seem to have a smooth, quick process that will give you confidence in your investment?
Also ask a lot of questions about the cost of the metals as well as storage and management. Ensure their minimum investment works for your situation, and ask if they have the metals you’re interested in.
For retirement peace of mind, you want to work with a company that has a strong infrastructure and service to support you over the entire span of your account, not just during the time of your purchase.