Augusta Precious Metals esteems itself as a premier gold IRA company for its quality service that centers more around individual retirement investors and its high-standard gold and silver products to match. Here’s everything you need to know about this company.
What we think of Augusta Precious Metals in a few words
Company name: Augusta Precious Metals
BBB grade: A+
Summary: At first glance, Augusta Precious Metals (APM) seems a bit intimidating with its high $50,000 initial minimum investment and Ivy league education leader, which makes you think it is more for those with larger pockets and some professional schooling.
However, nowhere in their customer reviews did we read that a user was ever uncomfortable or felt out of place when working with them, which makes it worth it for the average person to give them a try.
Their guide, made by a Harvard-trained economic analyst, Devyln Steele, is very informative and will help you to avoid high-pressure tactics used by other companies in the industry.
Our score: 5/5
About Augusta Precious Metals
The founder, CEO, and Ethics.net member launched the company with the main goal of empowering IRA savers with inside knowledge about the effects of economic policies on their retirement savings and how a gold IRA can help protect against them.
Hence, when you partner with them, one of the first steps the company will take is to arm you with valuable information provided by their team of gold and silver IRA professionals.
This way, it can help you make an informed choice concerning adding precious metals to your IRA for increased diversity and peace of mind.
Valuable Information Provided by Experienced Education Leaders With Industry Insights
The leadership team at APM includes a Harvard-trained economic analyst who is also the director of education at the company.
His role is to pass on industry updates to the dedicated education team concerning speculation about the direction of the economy. This insight is then passed onto IRA savers to help them understand how they can counteract any negative shifts in the market using alternative assets, such as gold.
They also have an experienced risk management education leader on their team whose over 15 years of work with local and federal governments and banks enables him to also share valuable insights to help applicants hedge against possible risks to their retirement savings.
Third-Party Compliance Counsel
Augusta Precious Metals is also overseen by a third-party compliance team, which includes an attorney, to ensure their systems and activities adhere to state and federal laws.
Hence, investors can feel more confident when making their acquisitions, knowing they are working with a company whose actions comply with government regulations, which is especially important for managing your IRA.
Easy Account Setup
The company also promises to help make the account setup process easier with simple IRA processing and by providing you with a personal gold and silver industry expert to help with your portfolio building.
You also have access to their entire team of gold and silver professionals for as long as you own your account.
There are also only three steps to set up your gold IRA account and a no-stress confirmation to complete your order.
Paperwork Assistance
When you open your account, if you choose one of their recommend custodian (Equity Trust) for your self-directed IRA, they will also help you with 95 percent of the paperwork for speedy processing.
It also gives you peace of mind knowing it is done correctly, as well as helps prevent you from becoming overwhelmed doing it on your own.
Like Noble Gold Investments, the company also only works with vetted custodians from Equity Trust, which is the nation's leading self-directed IRA provider with more than 30 years of experience and satisfied members.
Delaware Depository
Once you acquire your precious metals for your gold IRA, they will be stored in the Delaware Depository, which is one of the most secured private depositories in the U.S.
And because it is private, it also means your gold is safe from prying financial and political entities and more.
It is also an IRS-compliant depository for IRA assets and insured through London Underwriters up to $1 billion for added protection.
Additional Resources and Tools
The company also provides plenty of resources to help educate yourself and become empowered before and after investing in a gold IRA, including a video library, FAQs page, and a Market News blog to help you stay up to date with the industry.
You can also request an informational kit, which includes a gold IRA guide to help you get started.
They also provide you with various financial tools, such as an inflation and retirement calculator to help you calculate how much you need for your IRA and a chart to take advantage of the best gold and silver prices.
Get Gold and Silver Outside of an Individual Retirement Account
You also have the option to acquire such assets outside an IRA to still enjoy its benefits, including hedging against inflation and diversifying your retirement savings.
The company also promises a high level of customer service and complimentary, secure, private shipping for added convenience.
This way, you can control your own physical gold and silver and avoid banking financial records and more.
Award-Winning Company
APM is also an award-winning company. In fact, it has some of the most prestigious awards under its belt, including the Stevie Awards, which the company was awarded twice for its stellar customer service and success in sales distinction.
It was also named the number one most trusted gold IRA company in the U.S for its excellent testimonies across various websites. The organization also made the Trustlink best-of list for 6 years.
Our score: 5/5
Augusta's Ratings and Testimonies
Like its most famous competitor, Goldco, Augusta has also racked up its share of high rankings over the years, including an A+ with the Better Business Bureau.
It also holds a 5.0 with Trustlink, which is the consumer and business trust-building company's highest rating, and 5-star with Consumer Affairs.
Meanwhile, Consumer Alliance rates Augusta with an AAA, and the company also has high scores with Google My Business and Facebook.
Member Testimonies
APM also has numerous favorable feedback from satisfied members.
In fact, their site links to various trusted sites where users left their feedback, and this is what some of them had to share about their experience with the firm.
One satisfied user on Google My Business credits Augusta's professionalism and ability to clearly explain information about precious metals for a pleasant investing experience, even though they had lots of questions.
They add that the company was also quick with its responses, which further made them comfortable choosing them over other companies they had spoken with.
Another person shared their feedback with the Better Business Bureau about how updated the company kept them throughout the entire gold IRA setup process. They also boasted about how knowledgeable the specialists were, which they also found helpful. We checked their BBB profile ourselves and this is what we found: 0 complaints and an average of 4,97 out of 5 stars based on 115 reviews.
We also found a couple of testimonies on Trustlink, with one person sharing how impressed they were with how thorough APM specialists were in explaining economics and its relationship to precious metals prices, which really helped increase their understanding.
They also explained that at no time during their encounter did they ever feel pressured to act.
And another satisfied user shared their opinion with Business Consumer Alliance, in which they credit the company's tolerance with them in answering their many questions for why they knew a gold IRA was for them.
You can also check out many of their feedback on Facebook before you invest.
Costs and Minimum Investment
Unfortunately, a list of APM service costs cannot be found on the company's website. However, a simple call to one of their friendly representatives will enable you to get all of your questions answered.
In general, there are no investment management fees because gold IRA accounts are self-directed IRAS, which means you are the one managing the account.
However, you will get charged an account setup and an annual custodial and storage fee.
The account set-up fee is $50, and there is also a yearly one of $100 for your custodian to maintain your account.
Applicants can also expect a $100 cost for secure storage of their investments, which is usually charged by the depository.
As for the amount you'll pay for your gold or silver, it can change from day to day, depending on various factors. Hence, you will also need to contact the company to get a current value on their assets before you invest.
Minimum Investment
The minimum amount you need to invest in a gold IRA with the firm is $50,000.
However, there is no limit as to how much you can invest after that, provided it doesn't exceed the yearly contribution limit for your IRA.
If this is too much for you, read on how Augusta Precious Metals and Goldco differ on this page.
Customer Perks
According to one user on the Better Business Bureau, you can receive a complimentary silver coin when you share you opinion about them. This has yet to be confirmed.
Many members liked the one-on-one webinar the company provides to educate them. Apparently, some of the meetings are also conducted by Devlyn Steele, who is the Harvard-trained director of education.
However, if you are making a direct purchase, it must be at least $50,000 to be considered for the conference.
The company also provides you with reliable, account lifetime support. You can also subscribe to their mailing list to receive special information and more.
How to Get In Touch With Them?
There are various ways to get in touch with the company, including their 1-800 number, which is located at the top of the page on their website.
They also have a live chat feature on their site, which you can use to ask questions and begin the account setup process.
Or you could fill out the form located on their contact us page to have an agent get back to you.
You can also connect with them on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
In the meantime, you can also fill out the contact form on their site to receive a Gold and Guide to learn more about what precious metals can be added to your retirement account, and more, before signing up.
Augusta's business hours are from 6 am to 5 pm Pacific Standard Time.
The Account Setup process
To set up an Augusta gold IRA, you will first need to contact the company, and they will pair you with a highly-trained specialist to assist you through the process.
If you are doing an IRA rollover to a gold IRA, they will also help you complete the majority of the paperwork so that it is done fast and correctly to help avoid delays in your funds' transfer.
The is also true for a 401k rollover to a gold IRA.
Hence, you will also need to provide them with both your personal information and the details of your current retirement account, so they can initiate the process of transferring your funds.
Once your gold IRA account is funded, your custodian will assist you with selecting IRA-approved precious metals from their list of reputable gold and silver dealers.
Your custodian will also have the newly acquired holdings shipped to the depository of your choice. And you may even be able to track their performance online via your account.
You will also have access to customer support for the life of your account, so you can ask questions and receive as much help as needed.
Opening an Account With Cash
Otherwise, if you are making a cash investment, you simply contact the company and sign up for an account.
You then fund your account with a transfer, after which time you will be able to get gold and silver from their list of options.
Your assets will then be delivered to the location of your choice, where you will be able to store them wherever you want.
Pros about Augusta Precious Metals:
- The organization has many years of experience in gold IRAs with many high scores to match, which makes it a reputable company to work with.
- It is also a member of ethics.net, which helps ensure that individuals who work with them receive the highest standard of professionalism and ethics.
- They work with carefully vetted gold and silver IRA custodians from Equity Trust, which is the nation's leader in self-directed IRA providers.
- They work with an outside compliance team to ensure gold IRA rules and regulations are met.
- They work with a private, IRS-approved depository.
- They have an easy account setup and acquiring process.
- Their education is provided by industry-leading professionals in the field.
- They provide you with plenty of resources and tools to educate yourself on precious metals before investing.
- They are an award-winning company that is also endorsed by Money Magazine and more.
5/5
Cons:
- It doesn't say if they also offer a silver IRA, which is also growing in growing in demand for hedging your retirement savings.
- Their site doesn't mention a buyback program.
- They don't say which mints they work with, but they do offer IRA-approved coins.
- They have a high minimum investment requirement of $50,000.
Conclusion
A Prestigious Gold IRA Company With Ivy League Connections
Augusta Precious Metals only source custodians from Equity Trust, which is the leading company in self-directed IRA providers, so you feel confident you will be working with the best account administrators in the business for maximum results.
Great Support
One of the main things that stuck out in their many feedback and high company ratings is their excellent service, which even those who were new to gold IRA investing seem to also agree with.
Their helpful educational assistance also seemed to be a common thread, which you also need to make your investments with confidence.
IRA-Approved Gold and Silver
Though the company does not state the exact dealers they work with, they do list which of their gold and silver products are IRA-approved, so you can ensure you invest in the right silver or gold for your account.
Private Depository
We also think it's great how the firm provides plenty of information on which depository they use.
However, because they only work with the Delaware depository, it may present an issue for some to easily visit the facility if they choose, which some storage companies allow you to do.
But it is a private facility; hence, it may be worth it for the added protection against creditors and more.
Could Have More Customer Perks
For such a high initial investment requirement, we felt the company could have provided more perks. For instance, some gold IRA companies waive the first year's account fees for new members, and they have a lower minimum investment requirement.
We also think it's a good perk that some gold IRA companies offer complimentary storage when you get their gold and silver directly (meaning outside of an IRA account) because it is just not as safe to store your holdings elsewhere.