Home Gold IRA company reviews

    Summary: NOT RECOMMENDED – due to a large number of customer complaints filed with both Better Business Bureau and Business Consumer Alliance. Does not offer bullion.

    Overview

     
    Lear Capital
    Official Websitewww.LearCapital.com
    Phone Support1-800-576-9355
    BBB Accredited RatingA+
    BCA Accredited RatingAAA
    BBB Complaints23
    BCA Complaints39
    Total Complaints62
    TrustLink Reviews
    based on 209 reviews
    IRA Transfer Process5-30 Business Days
    401(K) Rollover Process30+ Business Days
    Metals Delivery14 days
    Setup Fees$275
    Annual Admin Fees$100
    Annual Storage Fees$150
    Preferred CustodianSelf-Directed IRA Services
    Preferred DepositoryDelaware Depository
    Min Purchase Amount$10,000
    Physical IRA Application
    Digital IRA Application
    U.S. Mint Listed Dealer
    ICTA Membership
    Norton Secured
    PromotionsNone

    Lear Capital About & Background

    Lear Capital, Inc. is based in Los Angeles, CA and was founded in 1997. Lear Capital sells precious metals including gold, silver, palladium and platinum.  They also offer IRA rollover services. Lear Capital offers several different coins, including American Eagle and Canadian Maple Leaf.

    Lear Capital TrustLink reviews

    Rated 4/5 on TrustLink with a total of 200+ reviews. What’s TrustLink? Founded by the Better Business Bureau in 2008, TrustLink is a forum for consumer compliments and complaints. They uses redundant fact-checking systems so that consumers can depend on the quality of posted ratings and reviews. Consumer reviews are posted without editing and consumers can see exactly what other consumers think about companies. Unlike other online review portals no business can pay for a rating or post their own reviews.Using these practices, TrustLink has quickly become one of the most trusted sites on the web.

    Lear Capital BBB (Better Business Bureau) review

    No longer accredited by the Better Business .

    When Lear Capital, Inc. were accredited by the Better Business Bureau there were a total of 12 complaints filed in 2013. 3 complaints were related to their products & services while 6 were related to issues with sales or advertising. What’s BBB rating? For more than 100 years, BBB has helped consumers find businesses they can trust. Companies are graded from A+ to F through 16 different variables such as “time in business”, “competence”, “complaints” and “background information”.

    GoldWiki.org advice that investors carry out their due diligence to assure the company they choose to do business with will offer them what is actually being promised.

    Lear Capital BCA (Business Consumer Alliance) review

    Lear Capital holds a BB rating by the Business Consumer Alliance (BCA). A BB rating implies the company has demonstrated good relations with their customers and that the complaints made against Lear Capital are expected not to be of a serious nature. What’s BCA rating? The Business Consumer Alliance, Inc. is a non-profit organization founded in 1936. The Business Consumer Alliance provides free services to consumers to learn everything they need to know about a business before engaging with them. The purpose of BCA is to promote business self-regulation. Through a sophisticated algorithm that evaluates several different aspects of businesses, BCA is able to assign letter grades, ranging from AAA to F which assists the public in identifying reputable or disreputable companies.

    Lear Capital Complaints

    60 complaints in total with BBB and BCA. Complaints mention higher fees for its coins than competitors, delivery times and prices.5 unresolved complaints with the BCA filed under  “Refuse to adjust, relying on terms of agreement”.

    Pricing and storage fees

    $275 setup fee, $100 annual admin fee and $150 storage fee. Their minimum purchase amount is $10,000. 4% restocking fees on canceled orders.

    Delivery, 401K Rollover & IRA Transfer process

    5-30 business days IRA transfer process and 30+ business days 401(K) Rollover Process time.

    Services offered

    Lear Capital offers gold and silver numismatics. Online orders are limited to $5,000.  Important notice: You may not pay the amount stated on their website when purchasing coins as gold pricing are quoted in real time and that the price that you will pay is set the instant your purchase is completed. Lear Capital does not offer bullion. 

    Lear Capital Coins

    Lear Capital offers the following gold coins: American Buffalo, American Eagles, Austrian 4 Ducats, Austrian Philharmonics, Swiss 20 Francs, Canadian Maple Leafs, South African Kruggerands and British Sovereigns. They also sell the silver American Eagle. Lear Capital doesn’t offer gold bars, bullion, palladium or platinum.

      Overview

       
      Merit Gold
      Official Websitewww.MeritGold.com
      Phone Support800-515-5019
      BBB Accredited RatingNo Rating (Being Updated)
      BCA Accredited RatingAA
      BBB ComplaintsN/A
      BCA Complaints59
      Total Complaints59
      TrustLink Reviews
      based on 676 reviews
      IRA Transfer Process7-21 Business Days
      401(K) Rollover ProcessUnknown
      Metals Delivery10 days
      Setup Fees$145
      Annual Admin Fees$150
      Annual Storage Fees$100
      Preferred CustodianEntrust
      Preferred DepositoryDelaware Depository
      Min Purchase Amount$5,000
      Physical IRA Application
      Digital IRA Application
      U.S. Mint Listed Dealer
      ICTA Membership
      Norton Secured
      PromotionsWaives 1st year fees.

      Merit Gold And Silver About & Background

      Merit Gold was founded in 1986 by Peter Epstein. Since its start Merit Gold claim to have worked with 250,000 clients.

       

      Merit Gold And Silver TrustLink reviews

      5 star rating
      Merit Gold & Silver are rated 5 stars on TrustLink, based on 673 reviews (June 2014).
      What’s TrustLink?
      Founded by the Better Business Bureau in 2008, TrustLink is a forum for consumer compliments and complaints. They uses redundant fact-checking systems so that consumers can depend on the quality of posted ratings and reviews. Consumer reviews are posted without editing and consumers can see exactly what other consumers think about companies. Unlike other online review portals no business can pay for a rating or post their own reviews.Using these practices, TrustLink has quickly become one of the most trusted sites on the web.

      Merit Gold And Silver BBB (Better Business Bureau) review

      N/A. Merit Gold & Silver is under review by the Better Business Bureau for its practices and complaints. There are, however, 50+ complaints filed with BCA (see below).

      What’s BBB rating?
      For more than 100 years, BBB has helped consumers find businesses they can trust. Companies are graded from A+ to F through 16 different variables such as “time in business”, “competence”, “complaints” and “background information”.

       

      Merit Gold And Silver BCA (Business Consumer Alliance) review

      50+ complaints. Rated AA.

      Complaint Closing Statistics (last 3 years)

      No. of Cmpl Type of Response
      14 Making a full refund, as the consumer requested
      0 Making a partial refund
      27 Agreed to make an adjustment
      0 Refusing to make an adjustment
      12 Refuse to adjust, relying on terms of agreement
      0 Unanswered
      0 Unassigned


      What’s BCA rating?

      The Business Consumer Alliance, Inc. is a non-profit organization founded in 1936. The Business Consumer Alliance provides free services to consumers to learn everything they need to know about a business before engaging with them. The purpose of BCA is to promote business self-regulation. Through a sophisticated algorithm that evaluates several different aspects of businesses, BCA is able to assign letter grades, ranging from AAA to F which assists the public in identifying reputable or disreputable companies.

      Merit Gold And Silver Complaints

      There are 50+ complaints filed with The Business Consumer Alliance. There are also several reports on The Rip Off Report and Complaints Board. One customer says that he had to wait 123 days for delivery and that the Merit Gold sales representative hung up on him repeatedly. Other complaints range from bait and switch sales tactics and even elder abuse. There’s also been complaints from customer who have placed orders and later found that the prices of silver coins have increased significantly.

      Bait and switch fraud scheme lawsuit

      On February 13, 2014, a consumer protection lawsuit was filed by the Santa Monica Attorney’s office against Merit Gold and Silver. The complaint was filed with the Superior Court of the State of California in Los Angeles County and alleges that Merit Gold and Silver has been involved in an aggressive fraud scheme across the nation that has taken consumers for tens of millions of dollars.

      Pricing and storage fees

      Setup Fees $145
      Annual Admin Fees $150
      Annual Storage Fees $100

      Delivery, 401K Rollover & IRA Transfer process

      If you transfer your existing IRA to Merit (and setup a gold IRA) the process will take approximately 7-21 business days.
      We have not been able to find any information about 401(K) rollover process and recommend that you contact Merit to learn more. Metal Delivery takes 10 business days.

      Merit Gold And Silver Coins

      Featured products on Meritgold.com include 1 oz Gold Bars, BU 1/4 OZ Gold Britannia, American Eagle 1/2 OZ, Gold American Eagle and French 20 Franc. See a full list here.

       

        Summary – Strongly recommended!  If you’re looking for a Gold IRA company look no further. With excellent customer service, a wide variety of financial services, low fees, A+ BBB rating and 470+ positive customer reviews on impartial 3rd party websites we strongly recommend Regal Assets.  Visit Regal Assets online to learn more about their services (click here.)

         

        Overview

         
        Regal Assets
        Official Websitewww.RegalAssets.com
        Phone Support1-855-353-3915
        BBB Accredited RatingA+
        BCA Accredited RatingAAA
        BBB Complaints0
        BCA Complaints0
        Total Complaints0
        TrustLink Reviews
        Based on 470 reviews
        IRA Transfer Process2 business days
        401(K) Rollover Process15-30 days
        Metals Delivery7 days
        Setup Fees$0
        Annual Admin Fees$100
        Annual Storage Fees$150
        Preferred CustodianNew Direction IRA
        Preferred DepositoryBrinks, Salt Lake City
        Min Purchase Amount$10,000
        Physical IRA Application
        Digital IRA Application
        U.S. Mint Listed Dealer
        ICTA Membership
        Norton Secured
        PromotionsWaives first year fees.
        7-Day delivery guarantee.

        Regal Assets About & Background

        Founded in 2003 and with offices in Burbank, Los Angeles, Waco (TX) and London, Regal Assets help people and investors acquire and sell precious metals as well as open Individual Retirement Accounts (Gold IRAs). Regal Assets are specialized in Gold & Silver IRA’s.

        Inc 500 Magazine recently ranked Regal Assets number 20 out of 6 million Financial Service Providers.

        Regal Assets TrustLink reviews

        TrustLink shows a 5-star rating with 400+ endorsements from their existing customers.

        What’s TrustLink?
        Founded by the Better Business Bureau in 2008, TrustLink is a forum for consumer compliments and complaints. They uses redundant fact-checking systems so that consumers can depend on the quality of posted ratings and reviews. Consumer reviews are posted without editing and consumers can see exactly what other consumers think about companies. Unlike other online review portals no business can pay for a rating or post their own reviews.Using these practices, TrustLink has quickly become one of the most trusted sites on the web.

        Regal Assets BBB (Better Business Bureau) review

        The BBB lists Regal Assets with an A+ rating.
        0 complaints in the last 12 months. Factors that raised Regal Assets, LLC’s rating include:

        • Length of time business has been operating.
        • No complaints filed with BBB.
        • BBB has sufficient background information on this business.

        What’s BBB rating?

        For more than 100 years, BBB has helped consumers find businesses they can trust. Companies are graded from A+ to F through 16 different variables such as “time in business”, “competence”, “complaints” and “background information”.

        Regal Assets BCA (Business Consumer Alliance) review

        0 open complaints with Business Consumer Alliance. Regal Assets are rated AAA with BCA.

        What’s BCA rating?
        The Business Consumer Alliance, Inc. is a non-profit organization founded in 1936. The Business Consumer Alliance provides free services to consumers to learn everything they need to know about a business before engaging with them. The purpose of BCA is to promote business self-regulation. Through a sophisticated algorithm that evaluates several different aspects of businesses, BCA is able to assign letter grades, ranging from AAA to F which assists the public in identifying reputable or disreputable companies.

        Regal Assets Complaints

        1 (resolved) complaint with BBB in last 3 years | 0 in last 12 months. Receiving just 1 complaint over the course of 3 years is very impressive given the large number of customers that are working with Regal Assets. 0 complaints with Business Consumer Alliance. 5 star rating (by 400+ reviewers) on TrustLink. 

        Pricing and storage fees

        Flat fee. Waives first year fees. 7-Day delivery guaranteed. $100 annual admin fees. $150 annual storage fees.

        Delivery, 401(K) Rollover & IRA Transfer process

        Regal Assets’ IRA transfer process is just 2 business days. 15-30 days 401(K) Rollover process.

        Services offered by Regal Assets

        Regal Assets will help you rollover a portion of your existing IRA or 401(K). Regal can also help you setting up your IRA (Individual retirement account). They also act as a trading platform, where clients can buy and sell precious metals. Request their free gold kit with information on how the process works.

        Regal Assets also offer their clients assistance in opening new accounts, buying gold or other precious metals at minimal commissions, and storing it at depositories approved by the IRS.

        Regal Assets Coins

        Gold British Sovereign, Gold Swiss 20 Franc, Gold French 20 Franc Angel, Gold French 20 Franc Rooster, Gold French 20 Franc Napolean, Liberty Head, St Gaudens and Indian Head coins.

        Ranked #1 By GoldWiki

        Regal Assets is currently ranked #1 Gold IRA Company by GoldWiki.org. They have positive reviews from hundreds of clients and are rated AAA and A+ by BBB/BCA — with ZERO complaints in the last 12 months. Request their free gold kit and speak with them to learn more (click here).

          Summary:
          BE CAREFUL! Rated A+ by the Better Business Bureau, Blanchard is a seasoned player expert professionals across rarities, market analysis and precious metals. They do – however – have several negative comments which should force investors to think twice before proceeding with their investments. A search on Ripoffreport.com for their company name returns approximately 68 reports. The most recent report reads “Do not deal with this company. Check around. Their commissions are outrageous. Be careful of the sales pitch to purchase rare coins [...] They offer no services other than constant sales pitches Absolutely not worth their huge commission charges. “. With that said we think you should be careful!

           

          Overview

           
          Blanchard
          Official Websitewww.BlanchardOnline.com
          Phone Support1-800-880-4653
          BBB Accredited RatingA+
          BCA Accredited RatingBBB
          BBB Complaints14
          BCA Complaints0
          Total Complaints0
          TrustLink ReviewsNone
          IRA Transfer Process14-21 Business Days
          401(K) Rollover Process10-24 Business Days
          Metals DeliveryUnknown
          Setup Fees$25
          Annual Admin Fees$60 - $250 (Scaled)
          Annual Storage Fees$100+ (Scaled)
          Preferred CustodianGoldStar Trust
          Preferred DepositoryHSVC Bank NYC
          Min Purchase Amount$10,000
          Physical IRA Application
          Digital IRA Application
          U.S. Mint Listed Dealer
          ICTA Membership
          Norton Secured
          PromotionsNone

          Blanchard & Company About & Background

          Founded in 1975,  by Jim Blanchard and Donald Doyle, Blanchard is a seasoned player expert professionals across rarities, market analysis and precious metals and claim to have provided consultation for hundreds of thousands of clients.  They have 85 employees and are headquartered in downtown New Orleans, with offices in Dallas.

          Blanchard & Company TrustLink reviews

          There are no reviews on TrustLink.

          What’s TrustLink?
          Founded by the Better Business Bureau in 2008, TrustLink is a forum for consumer compliments and complaints. They uses redundant fact-checking systems so that consumers can depend on the quality of posted ratings and reviews. Consumer reviews are posted without editing and consumers can see exactly what other consumers think about companies. Unlike other online review portals no business can pay for a rating or post their own reviews.Using these practices, TrustLink has quickly become one of the most trusted sites on the web.

          Blanchard & Company BBB (Better Business Bureau) review

          Blanchard Gold are rated A+ (On a scale of A+ to F).

          Customer Complaints Summary
          14 complaints closed with BBB in last 3 years | 1 closed in last 12 months

          Complaint Type Total Closed Complaints
          Advertising/Sales Issues 3
          Billing/Collection Issues 3
          Delivery Issues 3
          Guarantee/Warranty Issues 1
          Problems with Product/Service 4
          Total Closed Complaints 14

           

          BBB rating explained
          For more than 100 years, BBB has helped consumers find businesses they can trust. Companies are graded from A+ to F through 16 different variables such as “time in business”, “competence”, “complaints” and “background information”.

          Blanchard & Company BCA (Business Consumer Alliance) review

          Currently rated BBB (from AAA to F). This business is not a member of Business Consumer Alliance.

          BCA rating explained
          The Business Consumer Alliance, Inc. is a non-profit organization founded in 1936. The Business Consumer Alliance provides free services to consumers to learn everything they need to know about a business before engaging with them. The purpose of BCA is to promote business self-regulation. Through a sophisticated algorithm that evaluates several different aspects of businesses, BCA is able to assign letter grades, ranging from AAA to F which assists the public in identifying reputable or disreputable companies.

          Blanchard & Company Complaints

          BBB
          14 complaints closed with BBB in last 3 years. BBB lists a total of 14 complaints in the last 3 years. 11 of these complaints have been resolved with the assistance of BBB, but 3 complaints have resulted in the customer not being satisfied with the business response. These issues include problems with their product/service, advertising and billing issues.

          BCA
          No complaints filed with BCA.

          Rip Off Report
          A search on Ripoffreport.com for their company name returns approximately 68 reports. The most recent report reads “Do not deal with this company. Check around. Their commissions are outrageous. Be careful of the sales pitch to purchase rare coins [...] They offer no services other than constant sales pitches Absolutely not worth their huge commission charges. “. With that said we think you should be careful!

           

          Pricing and storage fees

          Blanchard Gold charges a $25 setup fee and an annual admin + storage fee ranging from $160-$350+. Please note that Blanchard annual fees are scaled with your investment. Learn why we think this is a bad thing (click here.).

          Setup Fees $25
          Annual Admin Fees $60 – $250 (Scaled)
          Annual Storage Fees $100+ (Scaled)

           

          Delivery, 401K Rollover & IRA Transfer process

          If you want to “rollover” your 401(k) to a gold IRA (or transfer your existing IRA), the IRA transfer process takes 14-21 business days. A 401(K) rollover process takes 10-24 business days.

          Services offered

          Blanchard & Company offer services to roll over 401(k) funds into an Individual Retirement Account(IRA) to help fund gold investment. They also offer to purchase bullion, coins, or other gold products for the owner of the IRA.  Blanchard’s Buyback Guarantee states that they will buy back anything they sell to you, at any time.

             

            Overview

             
            American Bullion
            Official Websitewww.AmericanBullion.com
            Phone Support1-800-326-9598
            BBB Accredited RatingA
            BCA Accredited RatingA
            BBB Complaints4
            BCA Complaints15
            Total Complaints19
            TrustLink Reviews
            Based on 27 reviews
            IRA Transfer Process5-7 Business Days
            401(K) Rollover Process20-30 Business Days
            Metals Delivery7-14 days
            Setup FeesUnknown
            Annual Admin Fees-
            Annual Storage FeesUnknown
            Preferred CustodianSelf-Directed IRA Services
            Preferred DepositoryDelaware Depository
            Min Purchase AmountUnknown
            Physical IRA Application
            Digital IRA Application
            U.S. Mint Listed Dealer
            ICTA Membership
            Norton Secured
            PromotionsNone

            American Bullion About & Background

            Founded in 2009 American Bullion is a gold, silver & platinum dealer based in Los Angeles. American Bullion is a listed dealer by The United States Mint and members of ANA, ICTA and PCGS.

            American bullion TrustLink reviews


            Based on 35 reviews

            What’s TrustLink?
            Founded by the Better Business Bureau in 2008, TrustLink is a forum for consumer compliments and complaints. They uses redundant fact-checking systems so that consumers can depend on the quality of posted ratings and reviews. Consumer reviews are posted without editing and consumers can see exactly what other consumers think about companies. Unlike other online review portals no business can pay for a rating or post their own reviews.Using these practices, TrustLink has quickly become one of the most trusted sites on the web.

            American Bullion BBB (Better Business Bureau) review

            American Bullion are rated A (Scale A+ to F) by the Better Business Bureau. BBB rating is based on 16 factors.

            BBB rating
            For more than 100 years, BBB has helped consumers find businesses they can trust. Companies are graded from A+ to F through 16 different variables such as “time in business”, “competence”, “complaints” and “background information”.

            American Bullion BCA (Business Consumer Alliance) review

            BCA rating
            The Business Consumer Alliance, Inc. is a non-profit organization founded in 1936. The Business Consumer Alliance provides free services to consumers to learn everything they need to know about a business before engaging with them. The purpose of BCA is to promote business self-regulation. Through a sophisticated algorithm that evaluates several different aspects of businesses, BCA is able to assign letter grades, ranging from AAA to F which assists the public in identifying reputable or disreputable companies.

            American Bullion Complaints

            [removed]

            American Bullion legal issues

            [removed]

            Pricing and storage fees

            Learn the difference between “Flat Fees vs Scaled Accounts” (read article here.)

            Setup Fees No information
            Annual Admin Fees No information
            Annual Storage Fees No information

            The minimum purchase amount is unknown.

            Delivery, 401K Rollover & IRA Transfer process

            If you’ve decided to rollover your existing 401(K) to a Gold IRA, the rollover process takes 20-30 Business Days with American Bullion.  Converting your Individual Retirement Account (IRA) to a Gold IRA takes 5-7 business days. Metal delivery takes 7-14 business days.

            Services offered

            American Bullion are specialized in converting your existing IRA or 401(K) into gold (or other precious metals.). American Bullion also offers physical products delivered to you.

            American Bullion Coins

            “American Bullion carries all U.S. and European pre-1933 coins, as well as modern gold and silver bullion in the full spectrum of currently available coin and bar products. We also carry a wide range of platinum and palladium bars and coins to match any need you may have.” – See more at: http://www.americanbullion.com/about/#sthash.FipOy3kQ.dpuf

              Summary: NOT recommended. Both fees and IRA Transfer process are ok. But their TrustLink rating is based on just one review – and when you dig deeper it turns out that APMEX has 60+ complaints with the BBB with many of them being from the last year. Many of the cases are closed and can’t be reviewed but several complaints around poor customer service show that APMEX doesn’t seem to care about keeping or caring enough about their existing customers — And with that said we can’t recommend this IRA company.

               

              APMEX About & Background

              In 1999, founder Scott Thomas created Edmond Coins in Edmond, Oklahoma and later that year the company was re-named American Precious Metals Exchange (APMEX).  APMEX sell both bullion and numismatics in Gold, Silver, Platinum and Palladium.

              APMEX Overview

               
              APMEX
              Official Websitewww.Apmex.com
              Phone Support800-375-9006
              BBB Accredited RatingA+
              BCA Accredited RatingN/A
              BBB Complaints54
              BCA ComplaintsN/A
              Total Complaints54
              TrustLink Reviews
              Based on 1 review
              IRA Transfer Process10 Days
              401(K) Rollover ProcessNot Disclosed
              Metals Delivery3-5 days
              Setup Fees$50
              Annual Admin Fees$75
              Annual Storage Fees$100+ (scaled)
              Preferred CustodianSelf-Directed IRA Services,
              Equity Institutional
              Preferred DepositoryDelaware Depository
              Min Purchase Amount$2,000
              Physical IRA Application
              Digital IRA Application
              U.S. Mint Listed Dealer
              ICTA Membership
              Norton Secured
              PromotionsNone

               

              APMEX TrustLink reviews


              Based on 1 review

              What’s TrustLink?
              Founded by the Better Business Bureau in 2008, TrustLink is a forum for consumer compliments and complaints. They uses redundant fact-checking systems so that consumers can depend on the quality of posted ratings and reviews. Consumer reviews are posted without editing and consumers can see exactly what other consumers think about companies. Unlike other online review portals no business can pay for a rating or post their own reviews.Using these practices, TrustLink has quickly become one of the most trusted sites on the web.

               

              APMEX BBB (Better Business Bureau) review

              Rated A+ with 50+ complaints closed with BBB in last 3 years | 20 closed in last 12 months

              http://www.bbb.org/oklahoma-city/business-reviews/investment-securities/american-precious-metals-exchange-in-oklahoma-city-ok-7002053

              APMEX has 50+ complaints filed in the last three years through the Better Business Bureau. Complaints range from issues with advertising and sales to problems with their products and services. Even though the complaints are listed as closed (which is why they are still rated A+),  the large number of complaints makes us think twice about using the company.

              Customer Complaints Summary 

              Complaint Type Total Complaints
              Advertising / Sales Issues 4
              Billing / Collection Issues 14
              Delivery Issues 11
              Problems with Product / Service 22
              Guarantee / Warranty Issues 0

               

              What’s BBB rating?
              For more than 100 years, BBB has helped consumers find businesses they can trust. Companies are graded from A+ to F through 16 different variables such as “time in business”, “competence”, “complaints” and “background information”.

              APMEX BCA (Business Consumer Alliance) review

              No Business Consumer Alliance review/rating.

              What’s BCA rating?
              The Business Consumer Alliance, Inc. is a non-profit organization founded in 1936. The Business Consumer Alliance provides free services to consumers to learn everything they need to know about a business before engaging with them. The purpose of BCA is to promote business self-regulation. Through a sophisticated algorithm that evaluates several different aspects of businesses, BCA is able to assign letter grades, ranging from AAA to F which assists the public in identifying reputable or disreputable companies.

              APMEX RipOffReport

              A search for APMEX show several reports on The Ripoff Report. One person comments:

              Please be warned about APMEX deceiving procedures, if it can happen to me, it will happen to you. They will probably respond back I should of read their agreement which is hidden in layers of thin small lines, but they don’t want to help you if you don’t see it, and they will find any means to take more money away from you.   

              Read the full review here:
              http://www.ripoffreport.com/r/APMEX/internet/APMEX-APMEXCOM-Cheating-Malicious-Abusive-Metal-trading-hides-the-truth-and-uses-down-747849

              What is The Ripoff Report?
              The Ripoff Report allows users over the age of 14 to post free, un-moderated and uncorroborated complaints known as ‘reports’ which contain details of the user’s experience with the company. Reports are published on ripoffreport.com. 

               

              Pricing and storage fees

              APMEX charges a $50 Setup Fee + $75/Annual Fee. Their Storage Fees are, however, scaled.

              Flat Fees vs Scaled Accounts

              Are you thinking about investing more than $250,000 to a gold Backed IRA? Read more about the difference between “Flat fees” vs “scaled accounts” to understand what it means for your investment. Picking the right Gold IRA Company could save you $1000s/year.

              Take a look at this table to understand what happens if you’re maintaining an IRA account with a scaled account fee (Assuming 0.1% account fee).

              Investment Amount Flat Annual Fees Scaled Account (*0.1%)
              $250,000 $250 $250
              $500,000 $250 $500
              $1,000,000 $250 $1000
              $10,000,000 $250 $10,000

              If you’re on a scaled account fee you’ll end up paying 2x to 40x more VS an account with a flat fee. Even if you’re thinking about investing less than $250,000 today your account value will naturally grow due to inflation and appreciation on precious metals.

              Delivery, 401K Rollover & IRA Transfer process

              APMEX claims to have a 10 business days IRA Transfer process. Their precious metals delivery time is 3-5 business days. There’s no information about 401(K) Rollover process.

              Services offered

              APMEX offer over 5,000 different types of Precious Metal products.You have the option to either have your purchases shipped safely to you or have them shipped for free to a high-security, private storage facility. APMEX offers a wide selection of products that are eligible for IRA accounts. Choose from IRA-acceptable bars, coins, and rounds.

              APMEX customer Service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

              APMEX Coins

              Pre-1933 US Gold, Silver Dollars, Jewelry, ELITE $2,500+, Perfect 70 Coins

                Summary: NOT recommended. With 10 years experience and very few number of consumer complaints - Birch Gold Group is definitely among the leaders of Gold IRA companies. There is, however, a few worrying signs on RipOffReport. Also, Laith Alsarraf, CEO & Owner of Birch Gold Group, made much of his income in pornography in the early days of the internet when he founded AdultCheck. This does not make Alsarraf a bad person. Neither does it make Birch Gold Group a bad company. But it doesn't sit well with investors and conservative christians & americans.

                Overview

                 
                Birch Gold
                Official Websitewww.BirchGold.com
                Phone Support800-355-2116
                BBB Accredited RatingA+
                BCA Accredited RatingAAA
                BBB Complaints0
                BCA Complaints0
                Total Complaints0
                TrustLink Reviews
                Based on 29 reviews
                IRA Transfer Process7 Days
                401(K) Rollover ProcessUnknown
                Metals DeliveryUnknown
                Setup Fees$90
                Annual Admin FeesNot Disclosed
                Annual Storage Fees$160
                Preferred CustodianSelf-Directed IRA Services
                Preferred DepositoryDelaware Depository
                Min Purchase Amount$10,000
                Physical IRA Application
                Digital IRA Application
                U.S. Mint Listed Dealer
                ICTA Membership
                Norton Secured
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                Birch Gold Group About & Background

                Birch Gold Group are based in Burbank, California and was founded in 2003.

                Birch Gold Group TrustLink reviews

                5 star rating 5 stars – based on 29 reviews. Be careful — 5/5 is a great rating, but 29 reviews in total for a company that has been around for 10+ years is quite few (for instance Capital Gold Group have a total of 140+ 5 star reviews and Regal Assets have 470+ 5 star reviews).What’s TrustLink?
                Founded by the Better Business Bureau in 2008, TrustLink is a forum for consumer compliments and complaints. They uses redundant fact-checking systems so that consumers can depend on the quality of posted ratings and reviews. Consumer reviews are posted without editing and consumers can see exactly what other consumers think about companies. Unlike other online review portals no business can pay for a rating or post their own reviews.Using these practices, TrustLink has quickly become one of the most trusted sites on the web.

                Birch Gold Group BBB (Better Business Bureau) review

                0 complaints closed with BBB since March 10, 2013.

                What’s BBB rating?
                For more than 100 years, BBB has helped consumers find businesses they can trust. Companies are graded from A+ to F through 16 different variables such as “time in business”, “competence”, “complaints” and “background information”.

                Birch Gold Group BCA (Business Consumer Alliance) review

                What’s BCA rating?
                The Business Consumer Alliance, Inc. is a non-profit organization founded in 1936. The Business Consumer Alliance provides free services to consumers to learn everything they need to know about a business before engaging with them. The purpose of BCA is to promote business self-regulation. Through a sophisticated algorithm that evaluates several different aspects of businesses, BCA is able to assign letter grades, ranging from AAA to F which assists the public in identifying reputable or disreputable companies.

                Birch Gold Group Complaints

                0 complaints found on BBB, BCA or TrustLink, but a search online reveal several complaints on RipOffReport.com. Anyone can post a review on RipOffReport so we advice you to do your own due diligence. The following quote is quite worrying, though:

                In a nutshell, their scam is to fast talk people into buying collectible coins or proofs for their IRA’s. They tack on a 30% or higher markup. If you put 100K of your IRA into gold with these scammers, they’ll take 30K of it.  How’s that for an investment. ? Take a pass on these guys. Scammers. And God knows how much they will buy it back for.

                Turns out the company is owned by an Iraqi, Laith P. Alsarraf, who made his money associating with porn internet sites. The manager, Vince Miller uses a phoney name and used to sell pots and pans at shopping malls. Jake Kennedy, the supposed broker who doesn’t know jack, is just a cold hearted con artist.

                Read the full review here (will open in a new window): http://www.ripoffreport.com/r/birch-gold-group/burbank-california-91505/birch-gold-group-laith-p-alsarraf-owner-vince-miller-phoney-name-jake-kennedy-h-1080915

                 

                Pricing and storage fees

                Birch Gold Group charges a $90 Setup Fee and a $160 Annual Storage Fee. We haven’t been able to find any information about their Annual Admin Fees (Be careful – learn more about the difference between Flat vs Scaled account fees here.)

                Delivery, 401K Rollover & IRA Transfer process

                7 days delivery. We haven’t been able to find any information about 401(k) rollover or IRA transfer process.

                Services offered

                Birch Gold Group offers services that range from investing in previous metals like gold, to being administrators over a 401k IRA rollover.

                Birch Gold Group Coins

                American Gold Eagle (bullion), American gold eagle bullion Gold, American Gold Eagle (proof), 2012 American eagle gold proof obverse Gold, Canadian Gold Maple Leaf, Canadian gold maple leaf coin obverse Gold, Indian Head Eagle ($10), indian head eagle 10 obverse Gold, Liberty Head (Coronet Head) collection, liberty head eagle 10 obverse Gold, Liberty Head Double Eagle, liberty head double eagle Gold, Saint-Gaudens double eagle ($20), St Gaudens double eagle 20 Gold, South African Krugerrand, south african krugerrand obverse Gold

                Ethical investing

                Laith Alsarraf, CEO & Owner of Birch Gold Group, made much of his income in pornography in the early days of the internet when he founded AdultCheck. This does not make Alsarraf a bad person. Neither does it make Birch Gold Group a bad company. But it doesn’t sit well with investors and conservative christians & americans.