American Hartford Gold states that it is the country's largest retailer of IRA-approved gold and silver, which can be acquired by investors to help increase their portfolio's security due to the counteractive nature they tend to have to falling stock market prices.
Clients can choose from a gold IRA or a silver IRA, and they can both be funded using the savings from a current retirement plan, also known as a rollover.
Or, if you are looking to invest in precious metals outside of an IRA, you could simply opt to have your gold and silver coins and bars discreetly delivered to your residence.
Our audit of American Hartford Gold in a few words
Company name: American Hartford Gold
BBB grade: A+
Summary: Do we recommend American Hartford Gold as one of the best precious metals companies to work with? We do, for their hundreds of positive customer reviews, access to the company's top executives for the most experienced advice, and they offer to acquire back your gold and silver.
However, be sure to speak with their different specialists to find the best one for you, double check the amount you are being charged for and if you already know what precious metals you want, then stick to it.
Our score: 4.5/5
Should you work with American Hartford Gold in 2023?
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Commitment to Quality Service and Fair Pricing
The company also promises to help each individual customize their acquisitions based on their unique situation for the best outcome. They state that, in addition, each member can also expect quality service and reasonable markups on their products.
Educational Resources On-Site
Investors can also get a head start on their gold and silver knowledge to accompany the professional insight provided by their team of experts by visiting the company's site, where they will find the latest news on the gold market and more.
You can also sign up to receive a 25-page Gold and Silver Guide to further help you make the wisest precious metal choices.
Buyback Program With No Additional Liquidation Fees
American Hartford Gold also has a program, which allows members to sell their gold and silver back to the company. Therefore, they state that they encourage their users to consider them first when they are ready to get rid of their assets.
Their clients are also not charged added liquidation costs when they exchange back their precious metals to the company, which they boast can be done quickly using their simple 3-step process.
Ranked #1 on Inc. 5000's List of America's Fastest-Growing Private Companies
This company is also proud to have been nominated Inc.5000's #1 Best Gold Company rating for 2019 and 2021.
They are also ranked as America's 140th fastest-growing company in its financial division.
Other Pros about American Hartford Gold:
100% Customer Satisfaction Guarantee
As a member of American Hartford Gold, the company promises that you will receive nothing but the best silver and gold coins. They also state that you will receive them at the best costs for a value acquisition.
If for some reason, you are unsatisfied with your acquisition, they state that it is also backed by a 100% customer satisfaction guarantee.
No Minimum Gold IRA Contribution Amount
Many gold and silver IRA companies require a minimum investment to open an account with them and begin making acquisitions with your IRA.
However, the firm does not set a specific minimum order size for their Gold IRA. Hence, we take it this means you can transfer some or all of the funds from your previous plan to their Gold IRA. It's all up to you.
Clients Benefit From The Company's Executive Leadership
As if having their knowledgeable IRA specialists at your disposal wasn't enough to help ensure you learn all there is to know about investing in precious metals, the company boasts that their members also have access to the industry expertise of their top executives for making even smarter purchases like a pro.
An unmatched expertise in the field
In fact, together, their executives have over 10 years of experience working with both individuals and corporations in this industry, so they are more than equipped to provide you with the latest market occurrences and historical data on gold and silver for the most dependable advice.
They also add that their Chief Executive Officer, Sanford Mann, is known for his high ethical standards and commitment to member satisfaction, which is responsible for the company's impressive growth in the industry.
Meanwhile, the President, founder, and coin collector himself, Scott Gerlis, is also known for his love of community, which they boast also contributes to his strong work principles, while his love of history and economics is what drives his mission to help people understand how precious metals can help protect their retirement savings.
You Are Partnered With Equity Trust As Your Custodian
IRS rules state that as an owner of a self-directed IRA, you must have a custodian to oversee your account and make your precious metal investments on your behalf in order for you to benefit from any tax benefits associated with your retirement account.
Therefore, once you sign up for a gold IRA account with them, you will be partnered with their preferred custodian, which is Equity Trust.
Equity Trust is a leader in the self-directed IRA industry, with over 30 years of administration and management experience and over $25 billion in assets under its belt.
Your Choice of Secure IRS-Approved Depositories
As per IRS rules for a self-directed IRA, your rare goods must also be stored in a secure, third-party depository for safekeeping until you reach age 59 1/2 to qualify for tax deferment. Hence, you will also have to choose a secure depository to store your gold and silver.
The IRS-approved depositories this organization works with include:
- Brink's
- Delaware Depository
- International Depository Services Group
Each depository charges differently based on the size of your account. However, in some situations, gratuitous storage may also be available.
You may also be charged more to store silver coins and bullion because they take up more space in the depository than gold.
Some depositories also provide segregated storage, which allows you to have your precious metals stored separately from all other customers' gold and silver. However, this will also result in higher fees.
Use Their Charts to Analyze Gold and Silver Values
Their website also features interactive gold charts, silver charts, and platinum charts to track their market trends and performance over time compared to stocks and other assets.
This way, you can see for yourself if diversifying your portfolio with gold, silver, platinum and palladium is right for you.
They also have a live precious metals value ticker on their site to keep track of their current prices throughout the day to determine the most beneficial time to invest for you.
Their Cons:
No List of Service Rates On Their Site
When a precious metals company omits its rates on its site, it can leave you wondering if maybe it is because they are so high that they are out of the average person's budget.
Or you may wonder if their fare are trustworthy compared to a companies like Goldco or American Bullion that list their costs, which makes you feel like everyone at least receives the same base value for their services.
It also means you have to contact the company directly to get them, which can make you dread doing so because it may simply be that they want to pressure you to buy when you are not yet feeling confident enough to.
Hence, though it makes sense that their fees will vary by situation, which makes it difficult to provide you with an exact price for their services on their site, it would still be nice to at least have a general idea so that you can feel more confident when contacting them knowing it is not because they want to pressure you to act.
Is American Hartford Gold a Scam?
This business holds a BBB accreditation as well as their highest A+ business rating, which is typically a sign that it is a real company that offers real services and cares about its reputation.
In fact, the BBB is a reputable organization that many people turn to, to check a company's standing when determining whether to do business with them or not. Hence, any business worth its weight in gold holds accreditation with the BBB.
The company also has over 350 opinions shared on the site, with an overall grade of 4.95/5. Thus, it's another good sign the company is thriving and real.
According to Consumer Affairs
We also checked thir webpage and found that they have more than 50 positive comments on their site and an overall score of 4.8/5, which shows that many people there have also used their services and they are most likely not a scam.
What about the feedback on TrustPilot, Google, Facebook and Yelp?
The company also has over 1,000 user feedback on the Trustpilot site. However, again, none of the testimonies stated that they felt wronged by the company. In fact, they also have a 5.0 overall trust score on the site, which shows that, if anything, many people were satisfied with their business.
We also found no mentions of A.H Gold being unreliable on Facebook, Yelp, and Google.
Hence, given all the positive user feedback on various reputable sites, we conclude that American Hartford Gold has plenty of sound proof to support that it is not untrustworthy.
How is Their Support?
American Hartford Gold promises that they provide unmatched customer service centered on trust, integrity, and transparency, with the overall goal of ensuring their applicants are completely satisfied.
After sifting through their many member testimonies on various reputable sites, we found that many individuals agreed that that's exactly what they experienced when working with the company.
What BBB Users Have to Say About Hartford Gold's Customer Support?
One person on BBB shared how they felt their agent was knowledgeable, professional, and helpful even when faced with difficulties during their rollover from a previous plan.
Another person, who was referred to the company by another user, also stated how patient their specialist was and how everything was explained to them in a way that, even they, as a new investor of precious metals, easily understood.
They also hailed their professionalism, concluding that they would also happily recommend this firm to others.
What Trustpilot users Have to Say About American Hartford Gold's phone and live chat Support?
A person on Trustpilot shared how great their support was throughout the entire account setup process and how confident they felt as a result, which left them looking forward to continuing to work with the company in the future.
What Consumer Affairs users Have to Say About American Hartford Gold's Support?
A few members on this site also shared their positive experiences with the company, including how they had the best fare and a helpful, knowledgeable, and professional staff.
What Yelp Users Have to Say About American Hartford Gold's Member Support?
On Yelp, several persons stated how hassle-free their account setup process was, which helped take the fear out of investing in precious metals. Some members also ended by saying that they would also recommend the company to their loved ones who are looking to increase their portfolio's diversification.
Meanwhile, someone also stated how considerate their IRA department was and that they were even able to speak with the company's CEO directly.
What Facebook Users Have to Say About American Hartford Gold's Support?
We also found one comment on Facebook that shared that they were able to get started with just $500 but still felt they received a comparable experience to investors with a larger initial investment, thus also supporting the company's claims that each of their users is treated fairly.
Therefore, with hundreds of members across various consumer feedback sites convinced that they received nothing but the best treatment from them, how could we not conclude that their support must be good?
Has There Been Any Complaints About American Hartford Gold?
As we explored the web for positive comments about this company, we couldn't help but notice that the company does also have a few complaints.
In fact, the company's BBB profile shows that of their 361 testimonies, 22 of them were complaints that were filed within the last 3 years.
However, 10 of them were closed in the last 12 months, and the company also has a 100% Business Response grade with the site, which means they are highly responsive to resolving their clients' issues.
Of the complaints filed with the BBB, the main issues seemed to involve individuals feeling they were charged more than the amount listed on the company's site.
Are their silver products more expensive than other precious metals dealer?
Meanwhile, another person on Yelp stated that they were okay with the company's gold costs but felt the markup on their silver products was seriously inflated.
They also said they felt pressured to acquire more precious metals than they wanted during their call with the company. And at least one other member on a different site stated how they felt pressured to get different products than they wanted.
Finally, there was also one person on Consumer Affairs who shared that the service they received from their representative was less than stellar. However, they also stated that, after contacting the company concerning their treatment, the complaint department was so skilled at handling the issue that they increased their evaluation of the company by one star.
What about American Hartford Gold's current lawsuit?
We also looked for complaints on Facebook, Trustlink, and Trustpilot and found none. No complaints or lawsuits also came up concerning this entity on the attorney general's site or other .gov websites.
To sum up our assessment of American Hartford Gold
Hundreds of Positive Testimonies
We end our audit with the overall opinion that AHG is a reputable company to work with based on its impressive array of positive feedback.
However, because there were also several complaints concerning their charges, you may want to consider speaking with a representative to ensure the current precious metals cost listed on the company's site is the amount you will be charged.
Double-check it again before actually making your acquisition to avoid surprises.
Some complaints also came up about different representatives, so you may also consider speaking with more than one specialist to find the best one for you.
Members Benefit From the Expertise of Their Top Executives
There were also a few complaints from people who felt pressured to get precious metals different than what they wanted or in amounts more than they wanted. Hence, if you already know what precious metals you want to put in your IRA, be ready to stand firm in your choices.
Otherwise, if you are new to investing in this kind of rare resources, you may benefit from the skilled recommendations and advice of their IRA specialists and company executives to help you make the best investments for you.
They Offer a Buyback Program
We also like that, in most cases, the company offers to get back your precious metals, which helps take the stress out of finding someone when you are ready to receive cash for your investments.
Would you rather invest in silver?
>> Click here to take a look at our curated list of the most reputable silver IRA companies. <<
4.5/5