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

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• Offers a gold IRA and sale of precious metals
• Editorial rating: 4.5 out of 5

Founded in 2003, Birch Gold Group aims to empower individuals to diversify their wealth with precious metals. With a mission to provide reliable education and transparent services, it’s gained a reputation as a trustworthy partner in precious metal IRAs and the direct purchases of metals including gold, silver, platinum, and palladium.

Birch Gold is for those looking to diversify their investment portfolio or retirement accounts by including precious metals. It caters to investors who want to roll over their IRA into a gold IRA and those interested in purchasing metals directly for personal custody. With a team of specialists to guide each customer through the intricacies of investing in metals, Birch Gold is well-suited for those who value personalized service. 

Read on to find out more about Birch Gold’s tailored approach to investing in precious metals and whether it’s the right fit for your financial goals.

Our take on Birch Gold’s gold IRA

Birch Gold offers a robust gold IRA that earned an editorial rating of 4.5 out of 5 from our team. It excels in several areas, but it doesn’t stand out in any one aspect enough to warrant a best-for designation. 

If you value a well-rounded, high-quality gold IRA, Birch Gold could be a solid choice. It doesn’t specialize in catering to a particular need or type of investor, but it offers a reliable and strong product that can suit a wide range of needs.

Birch Gold is a strong contender in the gold IRA space. If you’re not looking for any specific features but want a solid, dependable option, Birch Gold could be the gold IRA for you.

How do you open a Birch Gold IRA?

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

You can also request an information kit for a comprehensive understanding of what Birch Gold offers.

Source: Birch Gold Group

To open an account, you’ll need to:

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.

How much does a Birch Gold IRA cost?

Opening and maintaining an account with Birch comes with several 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.) 

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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. 

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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.

Our take on Birch Gold’s precious metals inventory

Birch Gold scores an impressive 4.5 out of 5 in our editorial rating, but it doesn’t secure a best-for designation. The company offers a high-quality range of precious metals but doesn’t specialize or stand out in one particular aspect. Other gold dealers in our evaluation offer specialized services or niche products that set them apart.

Investors looking for a well-rounded portfolio of precious metals should consider Birch Gold. You won’t find an ultra-specialized product or service, but you will find a dependable, high-quality range of options. It’s an excellent fit for those who want to diversify and are comfortable with Birch’s hands-on approach.

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. You’re investing in quality and reliability, even if you’re not getting a product that stands out in one particular niche.

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 doesn’t readily disclose costs, fees, or delivery charges for transactions outside of an IRA on its website. You’ll need to reach out to 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.

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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.

Is Birch Gold a reputable company?

Before you commit to a gold IRA or buying precious metals, customer reviews can offer valuable insights. They can shed light on how well the company treats its customers, fulfills its promises, and executes its services. We looked into how Birch Gold fares on three review platforms.

Source	Customer rating	Number of reviews
Trustpilot	4.2 out of 5	138
Better Business Bureau	4.59 out of 5	134
Google	4.7 out of 5	260

Collected on October 19, 2023.

We consider all three of these sources trustworthy. Trustpilot is a well-known platform where people leave uncensored reviews, and the Better Business Bureau (BBB) is reputable for its rigorous accreditation process and consumer advocacy. Google reviews, being public and visible, add another layer of credibility.

Birch Gold has strong reviews across the board. It holds an A+ accreditation with the BBB, and many reviews praise the company’s customer service and wealth of options for investing in precious metals. 

However, a few detractors mention high-pressure sales tactics and unfriendly customer service, showing room for improvement. If you’re looking for a company with an overall positive reputation but are cautious about sales pressure, consider these factors.

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 consumers identify companies that offer the best financial products. Our experts spend hours researching these companies each year to ensure our ratings are fresh and accurate.

Our most recent evaluation compared Birch Gold to several gold companies across a number of factors, including types of metals, costs, company history, and customer experience. We weighted, scored, and combined these factors to produce a final editorial rating. This rating is expressed on a scale from 1 to 5, with 5 being the highest possible score. We round all ratings to the nearest tenth decimal place.