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If you want to invest in precious metals or open a gold investment retirement account, then you need a reputable retirement company. Two of the top companies in the industry are Goldco and American Hartford Gold, both of which provide top-notch precious metal investment services.
Goldco is one of the top gold IRA companies in the industry, as it offers a large selection of gold and silver coins which are approved by the IRS. The company also offers a very high price buyback guarantee and tons of 5-star reviews that you can take advantage of. You can get started with $25,000.
On the other hand, is American Hartford Gold, which allows you to open an IRA with only $5,000. This makes it a great choice for investors with a tight budget. The company is known for offering fair pricing, 100% customer satisfaction, and unlimited education. There is also a buyback commitment with no fees.
In this guide, we cover all you need to know about Goldco and American Hartford Gold. Let’s take a closer look below.
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About Goldco
Goldco is a reputable precious metals brokerage company that was founded in 2006. It is one of the oldest companies out there that specializes in helping customers invest in precious metals and open a self-directed precious metals IRA accounts. You can open a new gold IRA or roll over an existing one. It also offers gold, silver, platinum and palladium.
Goldco has received great reviews from customers online and from major third-party organizations. It has been accredited by Better Business Bureau and has top marks from the Business Consumer Alliance. When you open an account with Goldco, you get access to a specialist that offers one-on-one support.
Cons
About American Hartford Gold
American Hartford Gold is a relatively new company in the industry that allows investors to buy gold, silver and platinum in coins and bullion. It was founded in 2016 and also focused on precious metals IRAs. Their inventory changes depending on the day.
The company also offers different kinds of promotions and advertisement campaigns that reward you with free coins and bullion, or you can get a reduction in your fees. American Hartford Gold also provides top-notch customer service and education.
Pros
Cons
Comparing Goldco and American Hartford Gold
If you’re trying to decide between Goldco and American Hartford Gold, it’s best to compare them based on different factors. Both companies provide direct purchase of precious metals, and you can open or roll over your investment retirement account with them. They also come with transparent fee structures, diverse promotions and a great reputation online. Let’s take a closer look.
Available Products and Investment Services
You get a wide range of precious metals products and investment services that are approved and non-approved by the IRA. You can save some in your retirement account or hold them for cash. Goldco allows you to hold precious metals like gold, silver, platinum and palladium. The two latter metals are usually rarer than gold and silver, but you can always inquire about when they would be available again.
Goldco features gold and silver coins and bullion from sovereign mints, so you can find coins from the US, Canada, the UK, Australia, Austria and South Africa. Goldco also features different collectible coins, so you cannot hold them in an IRA, but you can keep these numismatic or collectible coins in your personal portfolio.
American Hartford Gold mostly offers gold and silver products, so you cannot invest in platinum or palladium when using this company. If you need these rare metals, then you should consider using Goldco instead. American Hartford Gold also features precious metal products that are approved by the IRA and some non-approved products.
On the company website, you can browse through products in categories like Gold, Silver, and IRA-Approved. You can also get products from international sovereign mints and American coins. The inventory is changing often, but there is no list of prices on the website, so you need to contact the company representative to know more.
Minimum Amount and Fees
Goldco and American Hartford Gold offer transparent fee structures, although some depend on the custodian and storage that you choose. Goldco has a higher minimum purchase of $25,000 than American Hartford Gold. It also has a one-time setup fee of $50 if you’re opening an IRA and a $30 wire fee. The maintenance fee is $100 paid annually, and the storage fees are $100 for non-segregated and $150 for segregated.
The storage and custodianship fees depend on the company that you work with. Goldco usually works with Equity Trust Company as its custodian. For your IRA, storage fees can go up to $60 or as a percentage of your assets. If you invest over $25,000, you don’t have to pay storage fees.
American Hartford Gold features a minimum investment amount of $10,000, which is way lower than the minimum amount for Goldco. The company doesn’t require any setup fees, and you can open your account free of charge. If you’re buying precious metals in cash, the minimum amount is $2,500.
The annual custodian maintenance fee is $75 for an investment of less than $100,000, but for more than this, you will pay $125. Also, there is usually an annual flat fee of $100 for storage, but this can change depending on the custodian.
Storage and Custodian Options
When purchasing precious metals, you can decide to hold them in reputable storage or keep them at home. But for an IRA, you must comply with the IRS regulations on storage and maintenance. That is why you need to work with a company that offers this.
Goldco works with the best custodial partners, which include Equity Trust and Self Directed IRA. These are two well-reviewed custodians. Both offer transparent information and will give you access to a dashboard which gives you updates on your investment.
As for storage, Goldco works with three companies which include International Depository Services, Delaware Depository and Brink’s Global Services. With these companies, you can store your gold and other precious metals in Texas, Delaware & Nevada, and globally, respectively. Storing in Texas also gives you access to tax advantages. With Brink’s, you can store your precious metals outside the US.
American Hartford Gold works with Equity Trust too, which has a good reputation and manages billions of assets. This is why many companies like Goldco and American Hartford Gold use them. The company also works with the same three depository companies as Goldco.
But, American Hartford Gold has different storage choices. With Brink’s and Delaware Depositories, you get segregated and non-segregated storage, but International Depository Services only allows you to stay in segregated storage.
Promotions and Offers
American Hartford Gold and Goldco are also known for their diverse rewards and promotions that you can take advantage of. Goldco changes its rewards monthly, but the standard is the free gold IRA kit. The kit would be physically shipped to your door and would include a gold IRA guide with different information about gold, silver and retirement accounts.
Even if you haven’t decided to invest with Goldco, you can request the kit, and it will be shipped to you. You won’t have to pay any shipping fees. One of their most popular promotions is the reward of $10,000 in free silver. This will be given to you if you make a qualifying purchase.
American Hartford Gold does not change its promotions and has two main rewards that you can enjoy. If you meet the requirements for your first investment, you will receive $5,000 of bonus silver that is sent to your home instead of your retirement account.
Another possible reward is having your fees waived for the first three years, so you won’t have to pay for fund transfers, maintenance, and storage.
Customer Service and Education
Goldco is a great option for customer service and education if this is what you’re looking for. The company offers a detailed privacy policy and ADA compliance that keeps your information safe. The company also has different support agents, so you can contact them through email and live chat.
American Hartford Gold is a reputable company with great customer service and education. You can set up your account in three days, and it is easy to track your investment. You can contact their customer service, and they will provide you with answers, but you don’t get a lot of information on the website.
Online Reputation
Both Goldco and American Hartford Gold are excellent companies that have received solid reputations online.
In terms of online reputation, Goldco features a great reputation out there. The reputable company has an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau, with 4.83 stars. It also has 4.8 stars from Consumer Affairs and 4.9 stars from Trustpilot.
American Hartford Gold has a lot of positive reviews online and has also been accredited by the BBB with an A+ rating. It also has 4.9 stars at Consumer Affairs and Trustpilot, and there are barely any negative reviews. The few negative reviews that they have are resolved quickly, so customers don’t have to worry.
Which Is A Better Option?
Both Goldco and American Hartford Gold provide excellent precious metals and gold IRA services. With both, you can open your retirement account and hold precious metals in it or start investing in physical metals. They serve people in the US and also offer cash purchase options. The companies are very similar because they both use the same custodians and depositories.
We recommend both companies so it depends on the one that you choose. Goldco has a couple of advantages over American Hartford Gold, including positive online feedback and resolving customer complaints, a wide range of precious metals including platinum and palladium, its long-lasting experience as the company has been around for a long time, and streamlined communication for a quick and easy account setup.
The main advantage of American Hartford Gold is the low minimum investment amount which is $10,000. The company has the same policies, partners and pricing; only it doesn’t have the same level of industry experience.
Alternative Gold Companies to Consider
Augusta Precious Metals (WINNER)
If you’re unsure about using either Goldco or American Hartford, there is another alternative that you can look at. We recommend that you consider Augusta Precious Metals as an alternative if you can afford the $50,000 minimum investment amount.
Augusta Precious Metals is a highly experienced precious metals investment company that was founded in 2012. It has received a lot of positive reviews as it provides account lifetime support, reliable customer service and an A+ rating from Better Business Bureau. The experts will help you with your paperwork too.
The company focuses on customer education as it provides one-on-one sessions, private video chats and guides that you can read. Thus, it’s a good choice for those that are new to gold IRAs and can afford the minimum amount, which is pretty high. It’s a great choice as an alternative to Goldco and American Hartford Gold.
Final Thoughts
Goldco and American Hartford Gold are top companies for anyone that wants to invest in precious metals or open a gold IRA. The companies feature some similarities as they both use the best custodians and depositories in the industry. You can make your choice based on your budget since American Hartford Gold has a lower minimum investment amount. Also, if you want to invest in more than just gold and silver, Goldco is a better choice. To know more, you should contact the representatives from the companies to learn more about what they offer.