Lear Capital is a notable company in the investment industry, known primarily for dealing with precious metals. It functions as a retailer of precious metals and a platform for precious metal investments for both new and experienced investors.
Lear Capital provides a range of financial services focusing on precious metals like gold, silver, platinum, and palladium. It offers the sale of precious metal coins and bullion, arranges storage for the metal, and educates investors about the metals market.
In the investment industry, Lear Capital is crucial as it contributes to the diversification of investment portfolios towards assets traditionally seen as ‘safe havens’ during economic uncertainty.
Company Background
Established in 1997, Lear Capital is one of the most respected players in the precious metals investment industry. The company is headquartered in Los Angeles, California, and over the past two-plus decades, it has managed to carve out a robust reputation as a reliable source for precious metals investment.
Lear Capital specializes in selling gold, silver, and other precious metals as part of a diverse investment portfolio. The company’s goal has always been to educate investors about the benefits of investing in precious metals as a hedge against inflation and to provide stability in times of financial uncertainty.
The company’s wide range of offerings includes gold and silver in the form of coins and bars. Besides, it also provides precious metal IRAs (Individual Retirement Accounts) to investors who wish to incorporate physical gold and silver into their retirement plans.
Notably, Lear Capital takes pride in its strong commitment to customer education. Its philosophy is to equip investors with all the information they need to make informed decisions. This approach is seen in the numerous resources available on the company’s website, including a real-time precious metals price tracker, a wealth of informative articles, and even a free precious metals guide.
Leadership
Lear Capital’s leadership team brings a wealth of experience to the table. The company’s CEO, John Ohanesian, who has been at the helm since 2014, has a solid background in financial services and investment.
His experience has been crucial in steering the company through different market phases, helping it to maintain its standing as a trustworthy player in the industry.
Lear Capital’s Product Offerings
Lear Capital provides a diverse range of products for those interested in investing in precious metals. This diversity allows investors to choose the products that align best with their specific investment goals, whether it be portfolio diversification, a hedge against inflation, or securing wealth for retirement.
1. Gold Products: Lear Capital offers gold in various forms, which include:
- Bullion Coins: These are coins made from precious metals, valued primarily based on their weight. Examples include the American Gold Eagle and the Canadian Gold Maple Leaf.
- Bullion Bars: For larger investments, bullion bars may be an ideal choice. They come in a variety of sizes, up to 400 ounces.
- Numismatic Coins: These are rare or specially minted coins, often prized by collectors. Their value is determined by factors like rarity, condition, and age, in addition to their metal content.
- Pre-1933 Gold: These are gold coins minted before 1933, sought after for their rarity and historical significance.
2. Silver Products: Silver is another major offering from Lear Capital. The options available include:
- Bullion Coins: Similar to gold, these are coins valued based on the weight of silver in them. Examples include the American Silver Eagle and the Canadian Silver Maple Leaf.
- Bullion Bars: For those who prefer silver, bullion bars are also available in various sizes.
- Numismatic Coins: As with gold, these are specially minted or rare silver coins collected for their numismatic value.
3. Platinum and Palladium Products: These are rarer precious metals that are also offered by Lear Capital. They can be a good choice for investors looking to diversify their portfolio further.
4. Precious Metals IRAs: This is a unique product that allows investors to hold physical gold, silver, platinum, or palladium in a self-directed Individual Retirement Account (IRA). It can be a valuable tool for retirement planning and wealth preservation.
5. Storage Options: Along with the sale of precious metals, Lear Capital also provides secure storage options. These storage services ensure the safety of the precious metals purchased, reducing the risk of theft or damage.
Additional Features of Lear Capital
Lear Capital offers a wide range of unique and convenient features for investors, making it easier for individuals to navigate the complex world of precious metals investment. These features are designed to help you make informed decisions, ensure your portfolio is diversified, and allow you to monitor market trends. Here is an overview of these additional features:
- Purchasing Bullion: Lear Capital’s “Purchase Bullion” page is a comprehensive resource for investors looking to diversify their portfolios with precious metals. The page features real-time pricing and a variety of bullion coins, allowing for purchases any time, day or night.
- Premium Rare Coins: The company offers a range of premium coins, an inflation-resistant asset with a strong track record of profitability. Particularly useful during periods of uncertainty, these coins can potentially offset losses in your paper portfolio. Explore this opportunity further in the Premium Rare Coins section.
- The Retirement Center: This resource is dedicated to informing you about the role of gold and other precious metals in retirement accounts. It offers a wealth of information and simple online forms to answer any questions about incorporating gold into your retirement plan.
- Market Charts: Lear Capital provides real-time market charts for gold, silver, platinum, and palladium, giving investors a clear view of market trends 24/7. This feature allows you to determine the optimal time to enter the precious metals market.
- Price Notifications: Registered members of Lear Capital can receive price alerts for any precious metal of their choosing. Whenever the price hits your specified target, you’ll receive an email notification, ensuring you never miss a significant market move.
- Sell Your Coins: Lear Capital also offers services to those wishing to sell their gold coin portfolios. They provide accurate assessments of your gold assets’ worth and offer various options to ensure you get the best price when you decide to sell.
- Coin Encyclopedia: This feature offers investors an in-depth look at various American coins, including descriptions and historical context. This tool is a great resource for understanding the different coins you may consider investing in.
- Free Information: Lear Capital is committed to keeping its investors informed. By requesting free information, you’ll receive a complimentary copy of their newsletter, Insight, and up-to-date printed material on precious metals, investment rare coins, and gold-funded retirement accounts.
These features demonstrate Lear Capital’s commitment to making precious metals investment as straightforward, informative, and convenient as possible for its clients.
Lear Capital’s IRA Services
Lear Capital offers an extensive range of Individual Retirement Account (IRA) services tailored to investors seeking to include precious metals in their retirement portfolios. The company’s process and offerings are both comprehensive and transparent, allowing clients to benefit from the asset protection and potential growth that precious metals can offer.
Setting up a Precious Metals IRA: The process of establishing a Precious Metals IRA with Lear Capital is straightforward and efficient. A dedicated Account team member guides you through the application, which only takes about 10 minutes to complete.
After submitting your application, Lear Capital aims to have your new IRA account set up within 24 hours. The company then liaises with your current IRA custodian to arrange a tax-free rollover of your retirement funds, which usually takes up to five business days. Once the funds have been transferred to your Precious Metals IRA, you’re ready to invest.
Free IRA Set-Up and Storage Offer: Lear Capital provides a tiered coverage for the setup and storage account fees based on the invoice purchase amount. For an investment between $25,000 and $50,000, the first year’s fees are free. Investments ranging from $50,000 to $75,000 get the first and second year’s fees covered.
For investments exceeding $75,000, the first three years’ fees are waived. For investments over $10,000, the $50 set-up fee is covered.
Price Match Guarantee: To ensure you’re getting the best price, Lear Capital offers a Price Match Guarantee. If within 24 hours you find a better price for the metals purchased, Lear Capital promises to match or beat that price. If they can’t match the price, you’re free to cancel the transaction at no cost.
24-Hour Risk-Free Purchase Guarantee: Lear Capital’s customer-centric approach extends to their 24-Hour Risk-Free Purchase Guarantee. After making a purchase, customers have 24 hours to review the order and can cancel the transaction within that time frame if they change their mind, free of charge.
Free Price Evaluation: Lear Capital also offers a Free Price Evaluation service. If you have a list of metals that you’ve purchased from other dealers or inherited, Lear will conduct a free pricing evaluation for each unique metal you own. They also offer free portfolio tracking, even if you didn’t purchase from Lear.
Ownership and Storage of Precious Metals: With a Precious Metals IRA from Lear Capital, you physically own the precious metals you purchase. Your assets are securely stored at an IRS-approved, state-of-the-art, insured private storage facility— the Delaware Depository. The facility has been an industry-leading, IRS-approved depository since 1999 and backs its storage services with a comprehensive insurance policy. When you reach the age of mandatory distribution, you can choose to take physical possession of your metals or liquidate your assets, as per IRS rules.
These features and services make Lear Capital an appealing choice for those looking to diversify their retirement portfolio with precious metals. The company’s transparency, customer-focused guarantees, and free additional services offer assurance and convenience to potential investors. As always, it’s advisable to conduct thorough research and due diligence before making significant investment decisions.
Lear Capital Customer Reviews
Lear Capital has been serving as a leader in gold, silver, and precious metals investment in America since 1997. The company’s commitment to excellent customer service and maintaining a positive reputation is reflected in its high ratings from various consumer authority bureaus and customers alike.
According to Trustpilot, Lear Capital enjoys an “Excellent” rating based on over 1,200 reviews. The company is also a charter member of the Business Consumer Alliance, with an exceptional AAA rating. On Consumer Affairs, Lear Capital has a 4.7 out of 5 rating with over 1,100 reviews, while on Google, the company is rated 4.8 out of 5 stars with more than 300 reviews as of May 2023.
Lear Capital further emphasizes transparency through its three-step Price Advantage Guarantee. It promises no hidden fees and provides a fully disclosed acquisition process for gold and silver. Customers also benefit from a dedicated Account Representative to address any queries.
Here are some examples of customer experiences with Lear Capital:
- Judy T. had an exceptional experience with her representative Joanne. She found Joanne to be a reliable source of answers to all her queries and appreciated the ease of communication. Judy trusts Joanne entirely with her investments at Lear Capital.
- Pam Bents appreciated the informative and non-persuasive approach of the company on her first venture into buying precious metals. She felt confident and excited about her decision thanks to the detailed information provided by her Lear Capital representative.
- Patricia, a first-time, low-income investor, commended the respect and friendly manner she was treated with during her first gold purchasing experience. Maxwell, her representative, guided her through the process and addressed her concerns professionally. The promotional offer of an ounce of silver bonus was also a significant highlight of her experience.
- Another customer appreciated Lear Capital’s flexibility, openness to recommendations, and respect for the customer’s preferences in investment dispersal.
These positive reviews indicate that Lear Capital is not only fulfilling its commitment to superior customer service but is also a reliable and trustworthy partner for those looking to diversify their investment portfolios with precious metals.
The Benefits of Gold and Precious Metals Investments
Investing in gold and other precious metals offers several benefits that can provide a vital hedge in any diversified investment portfolio. These tangible assets have intrinsic value and offer a counterbalance to other types of investments, such as equities and bonds. Here are some of the key benefits:
- Protection Against Inflation and Deflation: Historically, gold and other precious metals have served as a reliable hedge against inflation. When the cost of living increases, the price of gold tends to rise as well. In times of deflation, when prices decrease across the board, the purchasing power of gold often increases.
- Portfolio Diversification: Precious metals can add diversification to your investment portfolio. Because the prices of precious metals often move independently of stocks and bonds, they can provide a measure of stability and reduce the overall risk of your portfolio.
- Tangible Asset: Unlike stocks and bonds, precious metals are tangible assets that you can hold in your hand. They do not rely on a third party’s ability to pay, such as a corporation’s earnings (stocks) or a government’s creditworthiness (bonds).
- High Demand: Gold, silver, platinum, and palladium are in high demand across various industries, including electronics, medicine, and jewelry. This consistent demand contributes to their value as an investment.
- Global Acceptance: Gold and other precious metals are universally accepted forms of currency, independent of any specific country’s political or economic situation. This makes them a particularly useful asset in times of geopolitical instability.
- Preservation of Wealth: Over thousands of years, gold has preserved wealth and is likely to continue doing so in the future. Gold is not subject to degradation or decay and can pass on from generation to generation while retaining its value.
- Limited Supply: The supply of precious metals is limited. It’s difficult, expensive, and time-consuming to discover and mine new deposits of gold and other precious metals. This scarcity supports their value over time.
Investing in precious metals, like all investments, involves some risk and isn’t suitable for everyone. However, the distinct benefits they offer make them an attractive option for many investors. As always, it’s essential to carefully consider your financial goals, risk tolerance, and investment timeline before making any investment decisions.
Final Thoughts
Navigating the investment landscape can be daunting, particularly when exploring less traditional avenues such as precious metals. However, with the right guidance and resources, investing in these tangible assets can potentially offer notable benefits, including diversification, protection against inflation, and preservation of wealth over time.
Lear Capital, with its comprehensive range of services and dedicated customer service, has distinguished itself as a reliable player in the precious metals market. Their offerings cater to both experienced investors and beginners alike, offering a well-rounded approach to precious metal investing. Their strong commitment to transparency and customer education sets them apart in an industry where trust and reliability are paramount.
The company’s extensive product offerings, ranging from bullion bars to premium rare coins, provide a wide array of choices for those looking to venture into gold, silver, platinum, or palladium investments. Lear Capital’s commitment to customer satisfaction is reflected in their Price Match Guarantee and their 24-Hour Risk-Free Purchase Guarantee, both of which demonstrate a business model that puts the customer’s interests first.
Additionally, Lear Capital’s seamless IRA setup and free price evaluation service further streamline the investment process, making it easier for individuals to diversify their portfolios and potentially enhance their long-term financial security.
Given its industry reputation and commitment to customer service, Lear Capital can serve as a valuable partner for those interested in exploring the potential benefits of precious metal investments. Click here to learn more.