If you are seeking to diversify your retirement portfolio, you may want to consider Gold
Investment Retirement Accounts or gold IRAs.
A gold IRA is a self-directed retirement vehicle that invests in physical gold—along with precious metals such as silver, platinum, and palladium.
Considered a hedge against inflation by some investors, precious metals offer intrinsic value that is independent of actions of the Federal Reserve, central banks, the general health of the economy, and financial and political turmoil.
Summary Table
| Gold IRA company | Gold IRA management in-house? | IRS-compliant coins/bullion? | Crypto IRA options? | Flat IRA storage & management fee? |
#1 Regal Assets ‘Regal Assets Logo from regalassets.com’ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
#2 JM Bullion ‘JM Bullion Logo from jmbullion.com’ | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
#3 Kitco ‘Kitco Logo from online.kitco.com’ | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
#4 Goldsilver.com ‘GoldSilver Logo from .goldsilver.com’ | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
#5 APMEX ‘Apmex Logo from apmex.com’ | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
| BEST GOLD IRA PROVIDER OVERALL: | REGAL ASSETS www.regalassets.com |
| BEST FOR CHOICE OF COINS/BULLION: | JM BULLION: www.jmbulion.com |
| BEST FOR MARKET INFO: | KITCO: www.kitco.com |
| BEST FOR CHOICE OF CRYPTO: | REGAL ASSETS: www.regalassets.com |
| BEST FOR ALL-IN-ONE FLAT FEE: | REGAL ASSETS: www.regalassets.com |
| BEST FOR IRA ROLLOVERS: | REGAL ASSETS: www.regalassets.com |
| MOST USER-FRIENDLY WEBSITES: | www.apmex.com, www.regalassets.com, www.goldsilver.com |
An initial primer for those interested in gold IRAs:
- Get the Gold Standard: Use a specialized broker. Many conventional brokerage firms don’t offer gold IRAs. The gold transactions must be administered by a reputable, specialized trustee or custodian that can manage the paperwork and tax reporting to meet Internal Revenue Service (IRS) requirements for retirement planning. Additionally, all precious metals purchased for IRAs must meet requirements set by the IRS: Gold must be .995 fine (except for American Gold Eagle coins, which must be at least 0.9167 fine).
- You Don’t Hold the Gold: The gold must be stored in a vault or depository under the direction of your chosen custodian. Physical possession of the gold is a taxable event for the owner: You can’t bring it home until you start taking IRA distributions at age 59 and a half.
- Get a Gold Star: Take the time to educate yourself. Ask questions and choose brokers and custodians willing to answer with full disclosure so you understand all costs associated with your gold IRA. Reputable brokers and custodians can supply a schedule of estimated annual costs and fees and can help determine depository fees for storage along with any other fees or premiums.
This list of five of the top gold IRA companies should help as you begin your research:
#1 Regal Assets —The Regal IRA Offers Gold Plus Much More For Maximum Convenience and Top-Notch Customer Service
- Founded: 2009
- URL: https://www.regalassets.com/
- Office Location(s): Los Angeles (CA), Waco (TX), Toronto (Canada), and Dubai (UAE)
- Telephone: 1-877-205-1104
‘Regal Assets Logo from regalassets.com’
- Assets Available: IRA-approved Gold, Silver, Platinum, Palladium, Bullion Coins, and Bars
- Storage Types: Segregated, and Nonsegregated
- Gold IRA Annual Fees: $250 per year
Regal Assets has positioned itself as the all-in-one, go-to company for gold and other precious metals and cryptocurrencies in IRA and 401K accounts. The company is distinguished by its namesake, the Regal IRA, which allows investors to consolidate all alternative assets under one convenient retirement account, alleviating the need for you to open different IRAs in separate asset classes.
This ease and convenience are accompanied by lower fees than many competitors. Regal Assets offers a flat-fee structure for services and does not charge a fee when clients sell, whereas many companies charge separate fees for each transaction including buys, swaps, trades, and sales.
Gold IRA Rollover Specialists
Founded in 2009 by Tyler Gallagher, a member of the Forbes Finance Council, and Rolling Stones Culture Council. Regal Assets has garnered more than 1,500 five-star online reviews on Birdeye. Unlike traditional precious metals dealers, Regal Assets specializes in IRA and 401K accounts and the company offers an experienced team that handles the entire process of establishing your gold IRA to ensure compliance with the IRS.
Additionally, Regal Assets is a 401K Rollover Specialist: About 95 percent of Regal Assets business is in IRA rollovers or transfers, a process that involves converting paper assets in stocks and bonds from an existing IRA or 401K into gold bullion and coins. The fact that Regal Assets charges zero fees for IRA rollovers and flat annual service and storage fees is a bonus.
Regal Assets prides itself on helping clients to avoid pitfalls and IRS penalties by handling the entire rollover and account set-up process, including funding the account, buying metals and/or cryptos, working with a custodian, setting up storage, and other details.
More Metal for Your Money with Top-Notch Customer Service
“At Regal Assets, our mission is to offer the best possible experience for our clients. It can be confusing to navigate all the IRS rules and regulations when it comes to owning alternative assets as part of a retirement account. We developed a process involving multiple accredited partners in which we handle everything on behalf of the client, from working with their existing IRA or 401k custodian to the storage of their assets at a secure and accredited depository,” said Tyler Gallagher, founder, and CEO of Regal Assets LLC.
#2 JM Bullion — Fastest-Growing Precious Metals Company in America
- Founded: 2000
- URL: https://www.jmbullion.com/
- Office Location(s): Oklahoma City (OK)
- Telephone: 1-800-276-6508
‘JM Bullion Logo from jmbullion.com’
- Assets Available: Gold, Silver, Platinum, Paladium, and Copper Metals. Numismatic (Collectibles), and Bullion Available (Coins, and Bars)
- Storage Types: Depends on the custodian
- Gold IRA Annual Fees: Depends on the custodian
Founded in September of 2011 by Michael Wittmeyer and Jonathan Wanchalk, JM Bullion was recently named the #1 Fastest-Growing Precious Metals Company in the Nation by Inc. 500.
Shining Selection
JM Bullion prides itself on its extensive inventory, including “in-stock” merchandise of gold,, silver and platinum that is ready to ship, making it easier for customers to lock in prices that can change by the minute. The company also features a weekly sale page. In addition, JM Bullion offers both real-time and historic charts highlighting precious metal prices to help you make an informed decision when purchasing. It also provides user-friendly online listings of popular IRA-approved gold, silver, platinum, and palladium to make shopping easy when you are ready to purchase precious metals for your IRA. Choices include nearly 100 gold selections, such as gold bars from Credit Suisse, Perth, Royal Canadian, and Valcambi and coins featuring American Gold Buffalo, Chinese Gold Panda, and more. IRA choices also include more than 75 options for silver, 25 options for platinum, and several for palladium.
“We try to help investors get the best bang for their buck whether they want gold or silver or a combination of precious metals,” said one IRA Specialist.
#3 Kitco – Best Gold News Information
- Founded: 1977
- URL: https://www.kitco.com/
- Office Location(s): Montreal (CAN)
- Telephone: 1-877-775-4826
‘Kitco Logo from online.kitco.com’
- Assets Available: Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Palladium Coins and Bars
- Storage Types: Segregated, and Nonsegregated
- Gold IRA Annual Fees: Variable
Kitco boasts a 45-year history serving the precious metals and refinery industry and is the home of the Number One Gold News Website.
Kitco’s media division is recognized as a leading voice in commodities information that offers an online hub of data including the “Latest in Gold News” along with “Market News” and “Street Talk,” utilizing media and news outlets such as Reuters, Kitco News, FXStreet, and more. Additionally, it provides real-time pricing for Live Spot Gold and Silver Prices and PGMs as well as the equities markets; it also features Live Interactive Charts on precious metals, Precious Metals Quotes, and a wealth of other data for investor research and education.
Gold Information On Demand
“We want to provide the best price and are very transparent in our pricing. We want to show customers exactly what they are paying for, so on our website, we provide information services and live market prices. Customers can always see exactly how much they are paying to get hold of any particular product—coins or bars or rounds—in the precious metals world,” said Tabet.
Tabet said that Kitco customer service agents are available via telephone from 8:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. EST Monday through Thursday to assist with understanding surcharges, premiums, and other fees and to garner the best prices for precious metals for personal use and IRS-approved products for precious metal IRAs. Kitco also maintains an online store that is available to customers 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
#4 GoldSilver.com – Living Up to Its Name with Investment-Grade Gold and Silver
- Founded: 2005
- URL: https://goldsilver.com/
- Office Location(s): Santa Monica (CA)
- Telephone: 1-888-319-8166
GoldSilver Logo from .goldsilver.com’
- Assets Available: Gold and Silver Bullion
- Storage Types: Depends on the custodian
- Gold IRA Annual Fees: Depends on the custodian
The name says it all for GoldSilver.com, which has dedicated itself to providing great value and customer service through investment-grade products for more than 15 years.
“At GoldSilver.com we deal only in the world’s most liquid gold and silver investments. We don’t carry collectibles and other high- or subjective-mark-up products. Instead, we focus on the highly-recognized, low premium, widely traded bullion coins and bars,” said Alex Daley, president of GoldSilver.com.
Daley emphasized that customer service specialists don’t work on commission, which eliminates pressure to buy “over-priced numismatic” collectibles. While numismatic gold and silver coins may have a higher value to collectors due to rarity or age as opposed to the value of the metal content, their usefulness to investors may be limited.
“We provide just investment-grade gold and silver—cheap and no hassle,” said Daley.
GoldSilver.com carries that hassle-free philosophy into gold IRAs, working with almost every major self-directed IRA custodian, so investors can shop around for the best provider. Recommendations include providers such as Equity Trust, which boasts custodianship of more than $25 billion in assets.
#5 APMEX – Largest Online Selection of IRA-Approved Precious Metal Products
- Founded in: 2000
- URL: https://www.apmex.com/
- Office Locations: Oklahoma City (OK)
- Telephone: 1-877-775-4826
‘Apmex Logo from apmex.com’
- Assets Available: Gold, Silver, Platinum, Paladium, and Copper Metals. Numismatic (Collectibles), and Bullion Available (Coins, and Bars)
- Storage Types: Depends on the custodian
- Gold IRA Annual Fees: Depends on the custodian
Investors who also enjoy collecting will find a wide array of IRA-approved gold, silver, platinum, and palladium products with which to fund their precious metal IRAs through the American Precious Metals Exchange (APMEX).
The company, which bills itself as the leading e-retailer of precious metals in the United States and worldwide, boasts a 17-year online presence and 20-plus years of providing precious metals to customers. It is an Authorized Purchaser of the United States Mint that partners with 18 mints worldwide.
APMEX also offers a wide range of rare and limited mintage coins; collectible coins, currency and rounds (Roaring 20s, Holiday, and more) and exclusive offerings such as PCGS (Professional Coin Grading Service) Black Label products and rounds featuring Peanuts, Dogecoin and other cryptocurrencies. The company offers weekly sales and rewards repeat customers with shortened shipping times, early access to flash sales, and other perks.
Building Your Golden Nest Egg
A few more considerations as you continue your research into Gold IRAs:
- Never Put All Your Eggs In One Basket: Remember that a diversified and balanced investment strategy is imperative for successful retirement planning. Opinions vary, but many experts recommend holding between 5 and 10 percent of your investment portfolio in gold or precious metals; some recommend more. Read up and consult with your advisor to ensure that your allocations align with your risk tolerance and financial plan.
- Look for Untarnished Credentials: Check the reputations of any brokers, custodians, and depositories that you are considering. Ensure that they hold required certifications and insurance (depositories must be insured) and meet all IRS requirements.
- Get Gold Guidance: Finally, consult your financial expert or tax advisor about possible tax implications regarding a gold IRA. After all, it’s your money and your retirement.
Top All-in-one Gold IRA Provider For Regal Assets Checks the Boxes for a Golden Retirement
In summary, remember to comparison shop for a gold IRA just as you would for any product or service. You want to find a company that checks all the boxes—and all of the IRS requirements. Regal Assets consistently tops that list for many investors with amenities including gold IRA management In-house, IRS-compliant coins and bullion, crypto IRA options, flat fees for IRA storage and management, a free investment kit, a five-star reputation, and more. Additionally, a commitment to first-rate customer service and expertise in IRA Rollovers makes Regal Assets the gold IRA company of choice for many investors.
‘Regal Assets Banner from birdeye.com’
Author: Loni Nannini
Loni has more than 25 years of experience writing for newspapers and magazines. She enjoys writing about nonprofit organizations, fitness and health, business and the arts. She graduated with a BA in Journalism from the University Nevada Reno.
