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Let's face it, the recent economic downturns and the results of the global pandemic have taken their toll on investors' confidence. That's not just the case in the US but all over the world. People fear the unknown, which is maybe why the stock market is so volatile, and many people are looking for alternatives to all the traditional "paper-based" assets.
It's amazing that even some of the so-called safest intangible investment categories are also seeing widespread doubt, like government bonds, index funds, and blue chip shares of giant corporations. What are cautious people doing?
They're exploring solid asset categories, particularly when hunting for a place to park their retirement savings. For more than 50 centuries, gold has offered folks the chance to protect their wealth and sleep peacefully. One of the top-rated companies that cater to the current public desire to put gold and other precious metals into IRAs is the Birch Gold Group (BGG), sometimes just called "Birch."
Use Our Review to Learn All the Facts
The following review is the result of our team's extensive research into the company's background, history, consumer ratings, and literally every aspect of its operations. If you want to know how Birch stacks up against your expectations or how it ranks in the competitive marketplace of precious metals companies, take time to read every word of our review.
One-Minute Overview
Here's a quick look at the pertinent facts about BGG:
What Investors Get
Whenever the economy starts to weaken, millions of people start exploring the benefits of owning an asset that is never valued at zero, can't "go bankrupt," and nearly always outperforms the stock market in volatile financial environments. That's why the early 2020s have already become a busy time for companies like Birch.
Rampant inflation, a global supply-chain crisis, war in Eastern Europe, major political transitions in several nations, and a lethargic stock market all work together to make the current environment an ideal one for safe, tangible assets like gold, silver, and other precious metals.
Birch Gold Group has stepped up to assist concerned investors by offering a wide array of bullion, coins, storage options, IRA account setup, retirement planning advice, and educational resources for anyone who wishes to join the ranks of its customers.
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Details about this same company:
- 1,000+ 5 star ratings
- Protects over $1 BILLION dollars in retirement savings
- AAA customer rated
- A+ BBB Rating
- 5x Inc 500 winner
- 2021 company of the year
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Company History & Basic Facts
The Burbank, California-based company consists of a group of experts who assist their investors/customers with every aspect of precious metals retirement accounts. That includes new IRAs and rollovers from existing retirement plans into gold and PM-backed IRAs.
Birch's professional advisors, wealth experts, licensed brokers, and other team members work to educate people about how to use precious metals, particularly gold and silver, to form the basis of a solid retirement portfolio. Their customer service consultants gear their advice to every client's unique needs.
BGG has slowly and meticulously built up a stellar reputation not only among current and former customers but within the industry and among its competitors. Birch has 20 years of experience as a fully trusted member of the investing community and is looked upon as an expert in the precious metals market.
It's essential for people who are interested in gold and other metals to know the importance of dealing with a reputable, reliable company. There have been many fraudsters and counterfeiters in recent years who attempted, sometimes successfully, to trick retirees out of their life savings. Unfortunately, most of those victims worked with unknown firms that weren't in existence for more than a year or two.
That's just one of the many reasons it's imperative to work only with a company like Birch, which currently holds top ratings from both the BBB (Better Business Bureau) and the BCA (Business Consumers Alliance), earning a 5-star and triple-A mark, respectively, from those industry watchdog organizations. Plus, BGG's rating from consumer evaluation company TrustLink is also a 5-star mark.
Precious Metals IRAs From Birch Gold Group
Birch is a company that focuses on SDIRAs, self-directed IRAs. The accounts are special and allowed by the IRS as the only retirement accounts that can hold tangible assets like gold and other metals. You'll sometimes hear of them as "gold IRAs" or "precious metals IRAs."
Regardless of the terminology, the accounts let investors legally set up retirement accounts that hold IRS-approved precious metals that mostly consist of various gold, silver, platinum, and palladium bars and coins.
Note that many precious metals investing companies only offer silver and gold products. Birch includes all four of the PMs on their menu. Few of their competitors sell palladium or platinum. Also, keep in mind that traditional IRAs, 401(k)'s, SEPs, and similar retirement-based accounts are not legally allowed to hold precious metals.
That's what makes SDIRAs so special. Investors can put metals into SDIRAs, which is the whole point of BGG's services in the first place. But, you can't go to any bank or IRA custodian to set up a gold IRA because many simply will not deal with any tangible assets.
That means you must find a company, like BGG, that is willing to sell, store, and help you legally set up an SDIRA that holds metals. Plus, the professional team at Birch assists investors who want to either create new IRAs or rollover an existing IRA, SEP, or 401(k) into a gold IRA.
Company Charges & Fees
The short version: Birch Gold Group's fees are on the lower end of the industry's typical fees and charges, which is an instant advantage for investors.
However, it's essential to evaluate any company's charges before making a decision. That's mainly because you don't want expenses to eat away at any profits and gains on your retirement portfolio. Over the many years you'll have money in such an account, the costs can add up.
Here's what the situation is with Birch:
Products & Services Offered
According to the IRS rules, which are based strictly on the US taxation code passed by Congress, only certain kinds of precious metals can be kept in SDIRAs. There are specific standards for the purity of bullion and which coins can go into an account.
Birch offers ONLY coins and bullion that are approved by the IRS, so you never have to wonder if your holdings meet the legal requirements for purity or for which coins are allowed. Birch takes care of that crucial detail for all its account holders.
Here are some of the products they offer at the present time. Occasionally, the company adds to the list as laws change and other products are permitted according to the IRS rules.
Gold
— Bullion
— Coins
Silver
— Bullion
— Coins
Platinum
Palladium
Storage
BGG clients can choose from two highly reputable storage firms: Delaware Depository and Brink's Global Services. Millions of individuals and institutions entrust their precious metals and other valuables to these two well-known storage firms.
Plus, there's no chance of any losses during transit since all your metals are shipped directly to the storage facility you select. Note that every shipment is fully covered for insurance purposes during the entire journey from its point of origin until it arrives and is safely stored in the facility.
There are always third-party agents who double-check the authenticity of your metals as to purity and type. For Brinks customers, there are annual audits of all holdings, which is an additional way to offer peace of mind to account holders. All BGG precious metals IRAs are 100% in accordance and compliance with IRS rules and the specifics of the United States tax code.
Non-IRA Products & Services
What's often lost in the discussion of IRAs is that Birch customers can make non-IRA purchases of any precious metals they choose and have the goods shipped directly to their homes. Many people want to acquire gold, silver, platinum, and palladium for personal investing purposes and thus are not concerned about IRS rules for IRAs.
That's just another way of leveraging the potential growth of the value of precious metals. Just ask a BGG advisor about non-IRA metals in the form of bullion or coins. Some of their current offerings include the following:
Gold
Silver
Platinum
Palladium
Customer Support
Birch has carved out a longstanding reputation as a customer service role model in the precious metals investment industry. Along with their high ratings, noted above, from the BBB and BCA, they have thousands of positive comments from verified customers on dozens of the internet's largest review websites.
In addition, BGG routinely gets the highest marks from consumer-based groups of all types. The Birch team members are the reason for the company's stellar reputation among customers. The knowledgeable Birch Gold Group specialists advise and guide every new and established client through paperwork and account setup, always offering comprehensive answers to any questions people have at any time.
Compared to Birch's competitors, the company is a standout in the area of customer service. This is a particularly crucial point because many first-time retirement investors have a limited understanding of the precious metals markets. With the BGG team's assistance, new account holders can learn all the essential facts before setting up a new IRA or rolling over one they already have.
Pros & Cons of Birch Gold Group
Pros
Cons
FAQs
Are there any legal penalties for customers who want to roll over an existing IRA or 401(k) into an SDIRA (precious metals IRA)?
No. As long as the retirement account you already have is eligible to be rolled over, you can easily roll it into a Birch gold IRA account. The specialist does all the paperwork and makes the process quick and simple.
Why can't customers store their IRA metals in their homes or bank safe deposit boxes?
The US tax code does not allow IRA precious metals to be kept anywhere except in an IRS-approved facility. That rules out home-based storage.
Why is the minimum investment amount so high?
Actually, BGG has the lowest minimum in the SDIRA industry among its competitors.
How long does it take to do a rollover?
It depends on who your current custodian is, but usually, the process takes between one business day and about two weeks.
For BGG customers, who is the legal custodian of the accounts?
Birch works with two custodians, and both have ratings of A from the BBB (Better Business Bureau). They are STRATA Trust Company and Equity Trust Company.
Summary & Final Rating
Our review team gives BGG a 5-star rating for the following reasons:
Birch Gold Group has excellent customer service and gets the highest consumer ratings from multiple sources. Their fees are on the low end of the industry, and their minimum investment requirement is also among the lowest of all precious metals firms.
People who want to build financial security for their retirement years would do well to explore what BGG has to offer. New customers can choose from gold, silver, platinum, and palladium bullion and coins, all IRS-approved for purity and addition to SDIRAs.
The best way for interested investors to get started is to visit their website at https://www.birchgold.com/.
