Birch Gold Review: Is This the Gold IRA Provider for You?

4.4 _/5

LendEDU Rating

Visit Site

Gold & Other Precious Metals

• Specialist guidance
• Storage options
• Transparent fees

• Must contact a specialist for accurate account valuation
• No online account opening

Founded in 2003, Birch Gold Group helps individuals diversify their wealth with precious metals, including gold, silver, platinum, and palladium. Known for its transparent services and educational resources, Birch Gold has built a reputation as a trustworthy partner, offering reliable support to investors looking to roll over their retirement accounts into a gold IRA or purchase metals directly.

With an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau, stellar TrustLink scores, and excellent ratings on Trustpilot and Google, Birch Gold earns praise for customer service and diverse investment options. The company os a solid choice for those who value expertise and trustworthiness in their financial decisions.

Is Birch Gold legit?

Yes, Birch Gold is a legitimate option for those who want to open open a gold IRA or purchase precious metals.

Birch Gold Group customer reviews and complaints

Source	Customer rating	Number of reviews
Trustpilot	4.2/5	179
TrustLink	5/5	135
Better Business Bureau (BBB)	4.31/5	102
Google	4.7/5	322

With a five-star TrustLink score and high ratings on our other trusted customer review sources, many users are confident that this is a trustworthy business.

However, a few detractors mention high-pressure sales tactics and unfriendly customer service, showing room for improvement. If you’re cautious about sales pressure, consider these factors.

Our take on Birch Gold’s gold IRA

If you value a well-rounded, high-quality gold IRA, Birch Gold could be a solid choice.

How do you open a Birch Gold IRA?

Before diving in, Birch Gold’s quick guide helps you understand the IRA landscape. This guide touches on eligibility, types of precious metals, and more. 

You can also request an information kit to understand what Birch Gold offers.

To open an account, you must:

1. Contact a Birch Gold specialist: A personal touch is essential here. Birch Gold requires a conversation to kick-start the account opening process.
2. Fund your account: You can either fund your account out-of-pocket with a minimum of $10,000 or roll over funds from another retirement account.

Metals and purchases

Once your account is up and running, you have decisions to make about metals and quantities. Here’s how:

1. Choose your metals and quantities: Birch Gold will guide you in selecting the types of metals and the quantities you want.
2. Make your purchase: A precious metals specialist will assist you in finalizing your selections.
3. Select a depository: Choose where your metals will be stored.
4. Periodic check-ins: After the initial setup, you’ll follow up with a precious metals Specialist to review the value of your IRA and make any necessary adjustments.

This step-by-step approach aims to demystify the process and guide you through each critical decision. Overall, Birch Gold offers a hands-on process, ensuring you’re not navigating these significant financial decisions alone.

What is the minimum investment required to open a Birch Gold Group IRA?

Birch Gold Group’s minimum investment requirement to open an account is $10,000.

How much does a Birch Gold IRA cost?

Opening and maintaining an account with Birch comes with several gold IRA fees.

Birch Gold IRA fees 

Birch Gold doesn’t charge a fee based on the percentage of assets you invest with it as long as you use the custodian most customers use. (So no matter the size of your account, you’ll pay the same $200 annual fee.) 

Cost	Details
Account setup	$50 one-time fee
Wire transfer	$30 one-time fee
Storage and insurance	$100 annual fee
Management fee	$100 annual fee
First-year fees	Waived for transactions over $50,000

The table lays out the costs you need to be aware of when considering a Birch Gold IRA. Any fees you pay to invest cut into your profits, so it’s critical to factor them into your investment strategy.

---

Tip

Custodians are not people. In this context, a custodian is a financial institution responsible for managing the storage assets in your account. It helps complete transactions, execute withdrawals, and handle the paperwork. 

---

Our take on Birch Gold’s precious metals inventory

Birch Gold’s inventory spans a variety of precious metals, from gold and silver to platinum and palladium. The company’s selection meets high industry standards and offers a chance to hedge against inflation and economic uncertainty.

In our view, Birch Gold’s inventory provides a solid all-around option.

How do you purchase metals through Birch Gold?

You can purchase metals through Birch Gold in four steps:

1. Browse the inventory

You can browse available coins and bars on Birch Gold’s website. The list is easy to navigate and provides a snapshot of what’s available. However, the website is just the starting point.

2. Contact a specialist

You can’t make a purchase directly through the website. The next step is to reach out to a Birch Gold specialist. They’ll walk you through the finer details, help you finalize your selection, and discuss payment options.

3. Payment and purchase

Birch Gold accepts wire transfers and personal checks for purchasing metals. You’ll need to discuss these options with your specialist to determine which is best for you. 

4. Store your metals

After your purchase, you’ll need to decide where to store your precious metals. The IRS has specific rules for storage in an IRA, so you must choose a depository in that case. But if you’re buying metals to store outside an IRA, the choice is yours. For instance, you might store them in your home or a bank safe-deposit box.

How much does it cost to purchase metals through Birch Gold?

We found that Birch Gold’s website doesn’t readily disclose costs, fees, or delivery charges for transactions outside of an IRA. You’ll need to contact a Birch Gold specialist to find out more about the costs.

Pros and cons of Birch Gold

Before diving into a gold IRA or purchasing precious metals, weighing the pros and cons is crucial. This balanced view helps you align your choice with your financial goals, risk tolerance, and investment style. 

Let’s delve into the pros and cons of Birch Gold to aid in your decision-making process. We’ve split them out by product:

Gold IRA pros and cons

Pros

• Specialist guidance

  Work with a specialist to open and fund your IRA, offering a tailored experience. This is especially helpful if this is your first time opening a gold IRA and you have questions.

• Storage options

  Choose which depository you’d like to store your precious metals in, adding flexibility to your investment.

• Transparent fees

  Know what you’re paying upfront, eliminating financial guesswork.

Cons

• Specialist dependency 

  You must contact a specialist for accurate account valuations, which may not suit everyone.

• No online account opening

  The lack of an online option may feel cumbersome for tech-savvy investors.

---

Metals inventory pros and cons

Pros

• Varied selection

  A broad range of metals, including numismatic coins and proofs, gives you more investment choices.

Cons

• Cost transparency

  The website lacks clear information on costs, making it hard to plan your budget.

• Specialist requirement

  You must speak to a Birch Gold specialist to make a purchase.

• No non-IRA storage

  You’re on your own for storage if you’re investing outside of an IRA.

Alternatives to Birch Gold Group

While Birch Gold Group offers a reliable option for investing in precious metals, exploring alternatives is important to find the best match for your financial objectives.

Birch Gold Group is a strong option in the precious metals market, but these alternatives each offer unique benefits that may align better with your specific investment needs. Exploring these companies can help you make a more informed decision about where to invest.

Read more about our top-rated gold IRA providers, and see our full list of reviewed personal finance companies.

Does Birch Gold have a customer service team?

Birch Gold has a customer service team that’s prepared to assist you. It’s available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Central time.

Whether you need information on setting up a gold IRA, buying metals, or handling a current investment, the team can help.

Here’s how you can contact Birch Gold:

• Email: [email protected] 
• Toll-free phone number: 800-355-2116
• Mailing address: 390 Court Avenue, Suite 809, Des Moines, IA 50309 (Note: Personal check payments and supporting documents go to addresses in California)
• Website contact form: Available for general inquiries
• Free information kit: Provided when you give your phone number and email address

Multiple channels to get your questions answered offer convenient ways to get the support you need.

Birch Gold FAQ

Does Birch Gold offer any storage options for your metals?

Birch Gold offers multiple storage solutions if you’re investing through a gold IRA. However, if you’re buying metals to keep personally, Birch Gold doesn’t provide storage options. You’ll need to arrange storage yourself in that case.

How can you liquidate your metals?

Liquidating your metals with Birch Gold will require contacting a specialist. If your metals are part of an IRA, the specialist will guide you through the selling process and IRS reporting. 

For metals held outside an IRA, Birch shows interest in buying back, but you must initiate the process by reaching out.

How can you track the value of your metals?

Tracking the value of your metals with Birch Gold is not as straightforward as some might prefer. You’ll need to consult a specialist to get the most accurate valuation of your investment. 

Birch doesn’t offer an online real-time tracking feature, so keep that in mind if constant updates are important to you.

How we rated Birch Gold

We designed LendEDU’s editorial rating system to help readers find companies that offer the best gold IRAs and precious metals. Our system awards higher ratings to companies with affordable solutions, positive customer reviews, and online transparency of benefits and terms.

We compared Birch Gold Group to several gold companies, using hundreds of data points from company websites, public disclosures, customer reviews, and direct communication with company representatives. We weighted, scored, and combined each factor to produce a final editorial rating. This rating is expressed on a scale from 1 to 5, with 5 being the highest possible score. Our take is represented in our rating, recapped below.

Product	Our rating
Birch Gold Group gold & other precious metals	4.4/5