5 Best Gold Backed IRA Companies Reviewed for 2024
As economic uncertainty and volatility in financial markets has continued to increase amidst growing geopolitical instability around the world, more Americans have been looking for alternative investment options to help hedge against the dollar and protect their investments from volatile traditional financial markets. Many have turned to precious metals such as gold and silver to try and diversify their investment portfolios and retirement accounts.
Selecting the right Gold IRA and precious metal sales provider is crucial. It's essential to conduct thorough research on available providers, weighing their pros and cons to make an informed decision. Look for a provider offering top-notch customer service, competitive pricing, and a wide range of metals for investment.
In this article we will cover the 5 leading providers of precious metal investments and Gold IRAs in the United States, listing the pros and cons of each. We’ll cover the price competitiveness of each provider, storage options, buyback options and educational resources to try and help you decide which provider is best suited to your requirements.
1. Augusta Precious Metals - Best for Investments Over $50,000
Since being founded in 2012, Augusta Precious Metals has become one of the leading Gold IRA providers. Augusta has a dedicated team who have plenty of experience helping people diversify their retirement savings with precious metals. Augusta Precious Metals’ commitment to maintaining transparency, simplicity and offering exceptional service make it the best all-round provider of Gold IRAs. New IRA accounts can also get fees waived for up to 10 years
Led by a Harvard-trained economist who provides detailed market insights, Augusta offers plenty of options when it comes to investing in precious metals. Their dedicated team will even handle 95% of the paperwork to help set up your IRA. There is a wide selection of precious metals to invest in, including gold, silver, platinum and palladium which can come in the form of coins or bars. Augusta Precious Metals has been crowned Money Magazine’s “Best Overall Gold IRA Company” for three years running in 2022, 2023 and 2024.
Pros:
Wide selection of gold, silver, platinum, and palladium coins and bars
✅ Competitive pricing with reasonable, transparent fees
✅ Comprehensive library of educational resources available
✅ Segregated & non-segregated storage options offered
✅ A+ BBB rating and AAA rating from the Business Consumer Alliance
✅ Detailed market insights provided by a Harvard economist
Cons:
❌ $50,000 minimum investment required
❌ Limited platinum and palladium options
Augusta Precious Metals Ratings
Better Business Bureau Rating: A+
BBB Customer Reviews: 4.95 / 5 (Average of 122 Customer Reviews)
Business Consumer Alliance Rating: AAA
Trustlink Rating: 5 star
Augusta Precious Metals is best suited for investors who want an exceptional customer experience, transparent pricing, and access to educational resources. New IRA accounts can potentially have fees waived for up to 10 years.
2. Goldco - Best for Investments Over $25,000
Goldco, founded in 2006, is one of the longest standing Gold IRA providers. Goldco lets individuals diversify their retirement accounts with IRAs backed by physical gold, silver, platinum and palladium. An industry leader when it comes to precious metal investments, Goldco has helped Americans invest over $2 billion in direct sales of gold and silver as well as Precious Metal IRAs. Goldco handles the completed 401(k) to Gold IRA rollover for you and if you ever need to sell some of your precious metals, Goldco offers a buy back program that guarantees the highest prices.
Goldco offers guidance and support to clients interested in utilizing precious metals to hedge against economic volatility and inflation. Goldco helps setup and manage Precious Metal IRAs as well as providing plenty of educational resources to help investors make informed decisions regarding their retirement savings.
Pros:
✅ Wide selection of precious metals to invest in
✅ Buy back program with guaranteed prices
✅ Comprehensive library of educational resources available
✅ Segregated & non-segregated storage options offered
Cons:
❌ $25,000 minimum investment required
❌ No online account opening
Goldco Ratings
Better Business Bureau Rating: A+
BBB Customer Reviews: 4.79 / 5 (Average of 858 Customer Reviews)
Business Consumer Alliance Rating: AAA
Trustlink Rating: 5 star
3. American Hartford Gold - Best for Investments Over $10,000
American Hartford Gold, a family-owned specialist in precious metal investments, has delivered over $2 billion in precious metals. Founded with the goal of securing financial futures through gold and silver investments, they offer charts, news updates, and price data to track investments, a unique feature among gold IRA providers. Plus, they charge zero liquidation fees when you sell precious metals back to them.
American Hartford Gold lets clients rollover several different account types into Gold IRAs including 401(k), IRAs, TSPs, 403(b)s and several more. American Hartford Gold is ideal for investors who are looking to seamlessly transfer over their existing accounts into Gold IRAs. The low minimum investment amounts make precious metal investing accessible to everyone and is an ideal option for investors who are new to investing in precious metals.
Pros:
✅ Lowest minimum of $5,000 for cash purchases & $10,000 for IRA investments
✅ Comprehensive library of educational resources available
✅ Endorsed by television personalities like Bill O'Reilly and Lou Dobbs
✅ Competitive pricing with lowest price guarantees
✅ Buyback program with no additional costs when repurchasing from customers
Cons:
❌ Prices are not clearly listed online
❌ Delayed fulfillment during high-demand periods
American Hartford Gold Ratings
Better Business Bureau Rating: A+
BBB Customer Reviews: 4.87 / 5 (Average of 541 Customer Reviews)
Business Consumer Alliance Rating: AAA
Trustlink Rating: 5 stars
American Hartford Gold is perfect for investors looking for a straightforward rollover process, direct purchasing options, and excellent customer support. Its lower investment minimums also make it accessible to a wider range of investors.
Visit American Hartford Gold's website for more information how to get started.
4. Birch Gold Group - Longest Standing & Most Experienced with Minimum $10,000
Founded in 2003, Birch Gold Group is one of the most established names on this list. Birch Gold Group allows clients to acquire and store physical gold, silver, platinum and palladium whilst also specializing in helping clients diversify their investment portfolios and retirement accounts with precious metals. Birch Gold Group also ships precious metals directly to your doorstep with full insurance against loss or theft, giving you complete control and peace of mind about how and where you store your precious metals. Birch Gold Group also offers rollover IRAs in addition to 401(k) & 403(b) into a Gold IRA, with specialists to help make the IRA transfer process as seamless as possible.
Birch Gold Group places emphasis on consumer education to help clients realize the potential of precious metals to hedge against the dollar and protect from economic volatility and geopolitical instability. Unlike many of its competitors, Birch Gold Group maintains a low barrier to entry when it comes to investing in precious metals thanks to a $10,000 minimum investment amount which is up to 5x lower than some of its competitors.
Birch Gold Group has earned endorsements from industry experts and customers alike, including financial commentator Ben Shapiro and former Congressman Ron Paul, for its commitment to customer service and expertise in precious metal investments.
Pros:
✅ Low minimum investment amount of $10,000 is ideal for beginners
✅ Comprehensive library of educational resources available
✅ One-to-One support from dedicated metal specialists
✅ Segregated & non-segregated storage options
✅ Buyback program with no additional costs when repurchasing from customers
Cons:
❌ Fees are not clearly listed online
❌ No online purchases or account opening
Birch Gold Group Ratings
Better Business Bureau Rating: A+
BBB Customer Reviews: 4.47 / 5 (Average of 130 Customer Reviews)
Business Consumer Alliance Rating: AAA
Trustlink Rating: 5 star
Birch Gold Group distinguishes itself with industry expertise, exceptional customer support, and educational resources for investors. Its lower IRA investment minimum makes it accessible to a broader audience.
Learn more about Birch Gold Group's gold IRA options on their website.
5. Noble Gold Investments - Best Selection of Precious Metals
One of the newest names in the industry, founded in 2017, Noble Gold Investments offers a range of services including precious metal IRAs as well as the sale and storage of precious metals such as gold, silver, platinum and palladium. Noble Gold Investments prides itself on transparency, consumer education and its dedicated team that guides clients through the purchase and setup of precious metal IRAs.
Despite being a new player in a market full of established names, the commitment to integrity and reliability has quickly earned Noble Gold Investments a solid reputation as a trusted provider of precious metal investments and retirement accounts.
Pros:
✅ Wide selection of precious metals & rare coins to invest in
✅ Comprehensive library of educational resources available
✅ Segregated & non-segregated storage options offered in both the US & Canada
✅ No-questions-asked buyback program
✅ Best in class customer service & 24/7 access to account information
✅ No fees for account setup or asset transfers
Cons:
❌ $20,000 minimum IRA investment required
❌ Annual fees not readily apparent on website
Noble Gold Ratings
Better Business Bureau Rating: A+
BBB Customer Reviews: 4.98 / 5 (Average of 160 Customer Reviews)
Business Consumer Alliance Rating: AA
Trustlink Rating: 5 stars
Noble Gold Investments is recognized for its emphasis on investor education, robust customer support, and wide range of precious metals offerings. Its $20,000 minimum IRA investment is more accessible compared to other leading gold IRA companies.
Visit the Noble Gold Investments website to request your free gold IRA guide.
Why Open a Gold IRA?
There are many reasons why you should consider diversifying your retirement savings by using a gold IRA including:
Hedge Against Inflation: gold has historically been seen as one of the best hedges against inflation and the declining value of the dollar, helping maintain purchasing power.
Diversity Portfolio: unlike stocks and bonds which can trade in correlation, investments in gold are uncorrelated to traditional investments and reduces the risk of declining portfolio value.
Mitigate Market Volatility: the stability of gold means your portfolio will remain stable when the market swings up and down.
Tangible Assets: unlike stocks and bonds, a Gold IRA gives you physical coins and bars that you can own.
Tax Benefits: like conventional IRAs, Gold IRAs allow for tax-deferred growth. You are only taxed when taking distributions
What to Look for in a Gold IRA Provider?
The main criteria to evaluate when assessing and shortlisting Gold IRA providers should be the following:
Reputation: you only want to trust your hard earned money with companies who are trusted by other investors and have consistent positive feedback and ratings.
Experience: whilst newer companies may offer attractive promotions, going with an established company with a proven track record will provide a stress-free experience.
Selection: choosing a provider with a large range of IRS-approved gold, silver, platinum and palladium will help you structure a balanced and diversified portfolio.
Storage: storage options can vary between providers with most offering secure storage at specialized depositories, but you may choose to store your metal yourself which may only be possible with certain companies.
Fees: fees for account opening, maintenance and storage can vary greatly amongst Gold IRA providers, so finding a company that suits your budget is key.
Transparency: you want to choose a IRA provider that is transparent with all their fees so you don’t get surprised with hidden charges or inflated rates of exchange.
Educational Resources: if you are new to precious metal investing, the availability of educational resources will help you better understand your investment and allow you to make informed decisions about where you put your money.
Augusta Precious Metals Review: A Comprehensive Review…
Gold IRA Investing - Frequently Asked Questions
What types of retirement accounts can I roll into a Gold IRA?
- 401(k), 403(b), 457(b) plans, IRAs, pensions, TSPs and several other account types can be rolled over into Gold IRAs without tax penalties. However certain Gold IRA companies will only support the rollover of certain account types.
What is the procedure for setting up a Gold IRA?
- You will need to open a self-directed IRA account with your Gold IRA provider, choose a custodian, rollover your funds and work with the Gold IRA company to invest in IRS-approved precious metals. Leading companies will handle most of the paperwork to make this process headache free for you.
What are the IRS rules for holding physical gold in my IRA?
- Precious metals must conform to strict purity standards, with gold needing to be 99.5% pure and silver 99.9% pure. The metals can also only be in certain forms such as coins or bars, and stored in specialized depositories.
How much does it cost to open and maintain a gold IRA?
- Account opening fees can range between $50-150 with annual maintenance fees of between $100-200 and annual storage fees of $100-150. Certain Gold IRA companies may waive fees for a certain period of time depending on your investment amount.
Can I take physical possession of the Gold in my IRA?
- No, you cannot take possession of the gold in your IRA. If you want to take possession of your gold you will need to arrange distribution with your custodian before you can receive your physical gold.
How much of my retirement portfolio should I invest in a Gold IRA?
- Financial advisors will often suggest only diversifying a small portion of your portfolio into precious metals. Some will say between 5-15% of your total portfolio is a good level of diversification when it comes to precious metals.
Gold Price Predictions
Experts' gold price predictions vary, but the overall sentiment leans towards a rise in 2024 and beyond. Here's a breakdown of some predictions:
Increase Expected: Most analysts predict a price increase. Factors like potential Federal Reserve rate cuts and a weaker dollar could create a tailwind for gold.
Specific Predictions:
Goldman Sachs & JPMorgan Chase & Co.: $2,133 and $2,175 per ounce for 2024 (already surpassed in April 2024).
ING: $2,031 per ounce in 2024, potentially reaching $2,100 by the fourth quarter.
World Bank: $1,950 per ounce on average in 2024.
Economy Forecast Agency: Above $2,300 by year-end 2024, potentially reaching $2,652.
Long-Term Outlook: Some analysts are bullish for the long term, with predictions exceeding $3,000 per ounce by 2025.
Final Thoughts
In a nutshell, Gold IRAs allow you to diversify your retirement portfolio to mitigate and hedge against the inherent volatility of stocks and progressive devaluation of the dollar. During periods of uncertainty, Gold IRAs and precious metals can help stabilize and protect your retirement portfolios.
Hopefully the points listed above will help you come to an informed decision about which Gold IRA provider is the best fit for you and your needs.
To recap, the top 5 gold IRA companies for 2024 are:
Augusta Precious Metals - Best Overall
Goldco - Best for Education
American Hartford Gold - Best for Service
Birch Gold Group - Most Experience
Noble Gold Investments - Best Selection
Helpful Links & Guides:
Whichever provider you pick, a gold IRA offers a way to gain exposure to precious metals while benefiting from tax-advantaged retirement accounts.
When economic uncertainty looms, gold has historically been a popular investment option for those looking to protect their assets
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes — not financial advice. Consult a financial advisor related to your personal situation.