With inflation on the rise and the economy uncertain, many retirement investors are looking for a way to safeguard their futures. Precious metal IRAs are a low-risk alternative to traditional stocks and bonds and are resistant to a turbulent economic situation.
Precious metals IRAs are a good choice to provide peace of mind, but new investors may not know where to begin. With dozens of precious metals brokerage companies to choose from, how can you know who to trust?
In this guide, we take a look at two of the best companies in the industry: Birch Gold Group and American Hartford Gold.
Overview: Birch Gold Group
Birch Gold is one of the longest-standing and most well-respected companies in the industry. Founded in 2003, Birch maintains excellent customer and industry reviews.
The Better Business Bureau rates it A+ and 5 out of 5 stars based on customer reviews. ConsumerAffairs.com rates Birch Gold 4.8 out of 5 stars and TrustLink rates it 5 out of 5 stars.
Birch Gold’s minimum investment for precious metals IRA accounts is $10,000. It offers promotions that provide up to an additional $10,000 in free precious metals to qualifying accounts. The higher the investment amount, the more free product that you qualify for.
Birch Gold is known for excellent customer service and it prides itself on helping its customers to make well-educated decisions that best suit their long-term goals.
Overview: American Hartford Gold
American Hartford Gold was founded in 2015. It is also a well-respected IRA brokerage company offering a large selection of gold, silver, platinum bouillon, coins, and bars. It offers price matching with most major competitors.
It also maintains excellent customer reviews. It has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau, and a AA rating with the Business Consumer Alliance. It also has a 4.9 out of 5 stars with both ConsumerAffairs.com and TrustLink.
One of its biggest selling points is its no-nonsense buy-back program for when you are ready to sell your precious metals when you reach retirement age.
Augusta Precious Metals & Goldco Comparison Chart
Header | Birch Gold Group | American Hartford Gold |
|---|---|---|
Company Founded | 2003 | 2015 |
Minimum Investment | $10,000 | None |
Avg Comprehensive Rating | 4.5 | 4.8 |
Precious Metals Available | Gold, silver, platinum, & palladium | Gold, silver, & palladium |
Is Price Matching Available? | Yes | Yes |
Assistance with Current IRA Rollover? | No | Yes |
Average Delivery Time | 2 weeks | Fast delivery |
Customer Support Level | Ongoing accessible customer support | Comprehensive, ongoing support |
Buy-Back Program? | No | Yes |
Rollover Opportunities: Birch Gold Group
Birch Gold Group’s customer service agents will provide assistance to customers who wish to roll over traditional IRA accounts. This includes IRAs, 401(k)s, Roth IRAs, 403(b), 457, Thrift Savings Plan (TSP), and other common retirement accounts.
Rolling over existing accounts is one of the easiest ways to fund a new precious metals IRA. With Birch Gold’s assistance, this potentially complex process is streamlined and simplified. Its customers praise Birch Gold for the way its knowledgeable experts make the process pain-free.
Rollover Opportunities: American Hartford Gold
American Hartford Gold offers the same rollover opportunities as Birch Gold and many of its other competitors. Its customer service professionals aid investors in completing the often complicated process of rolling over existing retirement accounts into a precious metals IRA account.
Their customer service experts assist in rolling over traditional IRAs, 401(k)s, Roth IRAs, and other types of retirement accounts. The process is taken care of as quickly as possible.
 | *No Minimum Investment *Buy-back program *Price-match guarantee |
Fees: Birch Gold Group
Birch Gold Group has a limited list of its fees published on its website. This list is non-exhaustive and additional variable fees will apply.
Header | Birch Gold Group |
|---|---|
Annual custodial fee | $75 - $100 |
Minimum investment | $10,000 |
Fees: American Hartford Gold
American Hartford Gold does not publish any of its fees on its website. It does mention special offers for customers that qualify without indicating what requirements must be met.
Header | Goldco |
|---|---|
Annual custodial fee | not listed |
Minimum investment | none |
Choosing Between Birch Gold Group & American Hartford Gold
Birch Gold and American Hartford Gold are two of the best precious metal brokerage companies in the industry. The two companies have many similarities. They are excellently reviewed by the BBB, BCA, TrustLink, and ConsumerAffairs.com. They both have excellent customer service, and educational opportunities, and offer assistance with rolling over existing IRA accounts. It’s the differences between the two companies that make them stand out.
Birch Gold has more than a decade more experience in the industry. In addition to gold, silver, and platinum products, Birch Gold also offers palladium. It also publishes a limited list of its fees on its website, including the minimum investment amount of $10,000 for precious metals IRAs and the $75-$100 dollar yearly custodial fee.
American Hartford Gold does not publish any of its fees on its website. It also does not indicate what its minimum investment amount is for IRA accounts. It does have promotions for up to $10,000 in free precious metals for qualifying accounts. American Hartford also offers a no-nonsense buy-back program and price matching for major competitors.
Both Birch Gold and American Hartford Gold are excellent companies with their own pros and cons. Either company would be an excellent choice for new or veteran investors alike
 | $50,000 Minimum Investment Free portfolio reviews for all clients | *Most Professional *Best Pricing |
