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Pick up a personal finance book, and you'll likely read about the importance of diversification. If your plan is to move a percentage of your nest egg into physical precious metals, you'll likely end up working with a gold IRA company that specializes in these types of accounts.
Augusta Precious Metals is one of these companies. But how does their offering compare with other precious metals IRA dealers? In this review, we take a look at the companies background, fees, promotional offers, and more.
Summary
Augusta Precious Metal is highly rated on all of the top consumer review sites..
Their pricing on metals are competitive. They offer prospects a unique one-on-one educational webinar, and zero IRA fees for up to 10 years.
Reputation
pricing
service
fees
Storage
Services
Augusta Precious Metals helps customers across the U.S. buy physical gold and silver. The company is able to facilitate both cash purchases for home delivery, or the set up of precious metals IRAs.
The gold IRA is gaining momentum in the U.S. as inflation, federal spending, and geopolitical turmoil has Americans seeking safe-haven assets.
Since most of Augusta Precious Metals' customers are opening IRAs, this is the primary focus of our review.
Company Background
Isaac Nuriani founded Augusta Precious Metals in 2012 with the vision to make it simple and easy for Americans to diversify into physical precious metals.
Today, Augusta Precious Metals is one of the most recognized names in the precious metals IRA industry. Much of their success is due to the leadership team's focus on personalized service and customer education.
Isaac Nuriani, CEO
Devlyn Steele, Director of Education
Howard Smith, CFO
What's unique about Augusta Precious Metals is their personalized attention to each prospect. Nuriani and his team have developed a unique one-on-one educational webinar that they offer for each potential customer.
This is free of charge and the company will mail you a free gold coin just for taking the time to learn more about gold IRAs and their company.
At the end of their presentation, they answer all of your questions and address any concerns. This individualized attention just isn't found with any of their competitors.
If you contact a few dealers, you'll find that most of the gold IRA companies operate with a one-fits-all template. They have hundreds of employees, focused on churning as many new accounts through their sales system as fast as possible.
These larger operations sometimes sacrifice quality of service in order to sell more metals..
Augusta's approach is less of a volume game, and more like a boutique shop. The company has under fifty employees.
Their minimum account size is $50,000. This may translate into a lower number of customers in the long run, but allows them to give more personalized attention to each customer.
In the long-term, this translates into a higher level of service, more referrals from current customers, repeat customers, and more five star reviews.
Looking in from the outside, it appears they chose this business model to distinguish themselves from others offering similar gold IRA services.
There's a good chance you'll connect with Isaac Nuriani or Devlyn Steele directly at some point in your dealings with the company. This personable approach has helped the company attract celebrities and high net worth individuals.
Joe Montana and Augusta Precious Metals
Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Montana for example, started his relationship with Augusta Precious metals as a customer. Today, Joe Montana has joined the team as their paid ambassador. You'll see his face on much of their advertisements and other promotional material.
Gold IRA Bars and Coins
Augusta Precious Metals can source just about any physical precious metals that you want to purchase. Your account representative can hold your hand through the process of selecting your IRA-eligible precious metals.
Note: The IRS does not allow any and all precious metals in an IRA. Fortunately, there's a wide range of bullion bars and coins that meet the IRS requirements for IRA holdings.
Whether you end up working with Augusta Precious Metals or another top gold IRA company, you'll have access to an account rep that can help navigate your options.
Augusta Precious Metals' customers tend to lean towards the more popular gold and silver bars and coins that you typically find in precious metals IRAs.
The company can source platinum and palladium products also, but gold and silver is the bulk of their products. Examples of popular IRA-eligible coins include:
- American Eagles
- American Eagle Proofs
- Canadian Maple Leafs
- American Buffalos
- Gold Canadian Eagles
- Canadian Silver Soaring Eagles
This is not a full list. If you choose to buy physical gold and silver with Augusta Precious Metals, they will walk you through your options.
Gold IRA Custodian
You can open a self-directed IRA with any self-directed IRA (SDIRA) custodian that works with precious metals. Augusta has done the research and developed relationships with Equity Trust, Kingdom Trust, and GoldStar Trust Company.
Augusta Precious Metals' team can get your new self-directed gold IRA set up quickly and easily with any of these custodians. Expect to pay $100 annually in custodial fees for the admin and maintenance of your gold IRA.
Augusta's Gold IRA Storage
Regardless of what some fly-by-night gold dealers are promoting on radio ads, you cannot store your gold IRA metals at home. You need both a custodian and also a gold IRA depository to hold your precious metals. See our warning on home storage gold IRAs here.
Rest easy knowing that companies like Augusta Precious Metals open gold IRAs every day. They've built relationships with the top storage partners and can recommend vault depository locations across the US at low reasonable fees.
For example, Delaware Depository is Augusta's preferred storage company. At the time of this writing, Delaware Depository offers two pricing options to store your precious metals:
- non-segregated storage: $100 annually
- segregated storage: $150 annually
If you choose to work with Augusta Precious Metals, discuss these two options with your account rep. Of course, also confirm any fees before buying. You may find that the extra costs for segregated storage are not necessary.
Ratings, Complaints, & Reviews
An Augusta Precious Metals review would be incomplete without curating online reviews, complaints, and criticism of the company.
Researching a gold company's online reputation is an important step in choosing a gold IRA company.
Isaac Nuriani's Augusta Precious Metals is listed on the following verified review sites:
- A+ with the Better Business Bureau (BBB)
- AAA with the Business Consumer Alliance (BCA)
- 5 star (out of 5) average rating on TrustLink.org
- 4.9 (out of 5) star rating with Consumer Affairs
- 5 (out of 5) star rating on facebook
- 4.8 stars (out of 5 stars) average rating on Google My Business
- Augusta Precious Metals is a member of Ethics.net
- Featured as a 'best gold IRA company' by Forbes and Investopedia
Important note: In our research, Augusta Precious Metals has one of the best review profiles online. Almost all 4 and 5-star reviews on the web make it easy to recommend them to our readers.
Make sure to visit sites like BBB, BCA, and TrustLink to read both positive and negative reviews of any gold IRA company before deciding to open your IRA.
Promotions
Companies often run limited promotions or offers to help attract new customers. Augusta Precious Metals is no different. At the time of this writing, customers can qualify for:
- free gold coin for participating in a web conference
- zero IRA fees for up to 10 years
These are both great as you can earn a gold coin just for learning about gold IRAs, and keep your account for a decade without worrying about the annual fees that come with a precious metals IRA.
Augusta Precious Metals Review
What we like about the company:
This is a smaller company that prioritizes customer education and nurturing long-term relationships above everything else.
Their no-pressure process of educating through personalized webinar presentations is (in my opinion) how they've managed to build such an impressive 5-star reputation across watchdog and customer review websites online.
It seems like gold IRA companies are popping up left and right. A company always wins points on our ratings if they've been in business for 10+ years.
Established in 2012, Augusta has been around for a while and will likely still be here in 10+ years if and when you want to make another purchase or sell any of your metals.
What we don't like about the company:
Our only complaint is that their account minimum is $50,000. If this is too high for your retirement savings goals, know there are other highly rated gold IRA companies that will facilitate your gold IRA for much lower.
Alternatives
What other gold and silver IRA dealers should you review before opening your gold IRA?
- Goldco: Also highly rated and in business for 10+ years. Account minimums: $25,000.
- Noble Gold: Highly rated with excellent pricing on bullion bars and coins. Account minimums: $20,000
- Birch Gold: Established in 2003, Birch Gold is also highly rated and customers can open an IRA with as little as $10,000.
If you're interested in buying $50,000+ in precious metals, you should definitely consider Augusta Precious Metals for your gold IRA.
Request more information and be sure to ask about their free webinar. Always reach out to at least 2-3 companies. Compare fees, pricing on metals, and overall customer service.
