Many or all companies we feature compensate us. Compensation and editorial
research influence how products appear on a page.
Personal Finance Gold

Red Rock Secured Gold Review

Important note: The SEC charged Red Rock Secured for a fraud scheme targeting retirement accounts in March 2023.

Red Rock Secured logo
Editorial Rating

Editorial Rating

What we like:

Price protection for specific gold and silver purchases.

What’s offeredGold and silver IRAs with bullion and coins, along with platinum and palladium offerings.
Annual feesNot disclosed online, although Red Rock Secured says 90% of clients qualify for “zero fees for life.”
BBB ratingA+
Trustpilot rating4.8/5
See how Red Rock Secured compares to other gold IRA companies.

Founded in 2010, Red Rock Secured is a private company based in Southern California. Last year, it ranked among the top 4% of the nation’s fastest-growing private companies, taking the top spot for gold IRA companies, according to the annual Inc. 5000 list.

The company specializes in gold and silver IRAs, allowing Americans to diversify their retirement savings with tangible assets. Red Rock Secured says it is committed to client care.

In this review:

What does Red Rock Secured offer?

Whether you want to save for retirement or diversify your investments with a precious metals purchase outside of a retirement account, Red Rock Secured offers products to meet your needs. 

Here’s a closer look at what the company offers.

Precious metal IRAs

This is the core of Red Rock Secured’s business. The company offers gold and silver IRAs that allow Americans to diversify their retirement savings. You can speak with a representative from Red Rock to explain your goals and determine your options for opening an account.

You must set up a self-directed IRA to hold precious metals in your retirement account, but Red Rock Secured offers one-on-one consultations to walk customers through the process. Its team of educators can also help you evaluate your precious metal choices, which include:

  • Gold
  • Silver
  • Platinum
  •  Palladium

Gold and silver coins

Both investors and collectors can purchase gold and silver coins from Red Rock Secured. The inventory can vary, but you can expect to find popular options such as the following:

  • Gold American Eagle Coin
  • Gold Canadian Arctic Fox
  • Gold American Buffalo
  • Silver Canadian Red-Tailed Hawk
  • Silver America the Beautiful
  • Silver Canadian Polar Bear

Bullion

Red Rock Secured offers bullion coins and bars for investors. These include options in a variety of metals and sizes, such as the following:

  • 1-ounce Gold American Eagle
  • 1-ounce silver bar
  • 100-gram silver Valcambi bar
  • 1-kilo gold bar 
  • 1-ounce platinum bar 
  • 1-ounce palladium bar 

How much does Red Rock Secured cost?

Red Rock Secured doesn’t provide specific fee information on its website. However, it notes that the vast majority of its clients—almost 90%—qualify for “zero fees for life.” The company also says it will cover the shipping and insurance costs to send your gold or precious metals to a secure storage facility.

You must spend at least $1,500 for cash purchases and $10,000 to open an IRA. You can transfer money from an IRA or 401(k) to meet that minimum requirement.

What do Red Rock Secured customers say?

Customer reviews are an excellent way to understand how a company operates. It helps to look for reviews in places such as Google and the Better Business Bureau. 

Since these sites attract many reviewers, you can look for patterns in customer comments.

SourceRatingNumber of reviews
Better Business BureauA+90
Google4.8/5.0125
Trustpilot4.8/5.0160

Ratings collected on January 31, 2023.

Red Rock Secured ratings are positive, with most customers praising company representatives for their willingness to answer questions. Many echo the sentiments of this recent reviewer:

Everyone I talk(ed) to was very friendly and helpful. All my questions were answered and there was no high pressure sales tactics.

The Better Business Bureau lists three complaints recorded for Red Rock Secured during the past year, which appear to have been due to misunderstandings or miscommunication. After follow-up by company representatives, all three complaints were marked as resolved.

Where does Red Rock Secured store my precious metals?

With Red Rock Secured, depending on the type of transaction, you can have your gold and precious metals sent to a depository of your choice or delivered to your home.

If you are opening a gold or silver IRA, be aware the IRS has specific rules about where and how precious metals must be stored. If you create a limited liability company (LLC) in your name, home delivery may be possible if you meet specific other requirements.

Failing to meet those requirements could result in a significant tax penalty. You can use a depository to avoid running afoul of IRS rules. These are secured facilities that specialize in storing precious metals.

Gold and silver held in a depository are 100% owned by you, with clear documentation provided for all items in your account. Your metals are 100% insured through Lloyd’s of London.

Can I see how my precious metals investments are performing?

Red Rock Secured makes it easy to check the value of gold and silver. Its website has real-time gold and silver charts for review at any time.

For those who want to go more in-depth, the World Gold Council offers a variety of gold pricing data. Among its offerings is a portfolio simulator that lets you see how your investments might perform with various levels of gold included.  

Pros and cons of Red Rock Secured

As you can see from the Red Rock Secured ratings on Google and the Better Business Bureau, the company earns high marks from most customers. 

Still, there is always room for improvement, and here are what we see as the company’s pros and cons.

Pros

  • Most clients don’t have to pay fees for their precious metal IRA.

  • Each order receives free shipping and insurance.

  • Price Protection Plan available for qualified gold and silver purchases.

  • Buy-Back Program available.

  • 7-day cancellation period provided after date of first transaction.

Cons

  • Pricing information is not available online.

  • No details online regarding eligibility for zero fees and Red Rock Secured price protection.

  • Online purchases are not available. You must speak with a representative to make a purchase.

  • You must invest at least $10,000 to open an IRA with Red Rock Secured.

How to open an account

Companies such as Red Rock Secured have made it easy to open gold IRAs. If you want to invest in precious metals, here’s the process.

Step 1: Schedule your one-on-one consultation with Red Rock Secured

If you’re considering purchasing precious metals through Red Rock Secured, contact the company to schedule a one-on-one consultation. Its educated staff can answer questions and help you determine the next steps.

Step 2: Choose your IRA

You’ll need a self-directed IRA to hold gold, silver, or other precious metals in your retirement account. 

You can also choose from a Roth or traditional account. Each has tax advantages, so talk to a finance professional to determine which is right for you based on how you’ll be funding the account.

Step 3: Determine your funding source

Many investors choose to use funds from existing retirement or savings accounts such as IRAs, 401(k)s, and 403(s)s. A rollover specialist can walk you through the process of transferring your funds and establishing a new account.

Step 4: Decide which precious metals to buy

This is the fun part: Take time to explore your options and decide what appeals to you most.

Do you want gold, silver, or another precious metal in your IRA? How about coins or bars?

Remember that not all gold and silver are eligible for a gold IRA. For example, silver coins and bars must be 99.9% pure. A Red Rock Secured consultant can guide you through all your IRA-eligible items and determine the most ideal options that match your goals.

Step 5: Select a depository

If you’re setting up a gold IRA, Red Rock Secured can connect you with a custodian such as Choice (formerly known as Kingdom Trust). This company will ensure that your metals are appropriately stored in a depository, such as Delaware Depository or Brinks Global Service.

Red Rock Secured can also help you create an LLC and deliver your precious metals to your home. However, the IRS has specific rules about IRA asset storage, so be sure you understand the requirements before taking this route.

How can I withdraw from my account?

One perk of Red Rock Secured is its Buy-Back Program, which allows you to sell back your gold, silver, or precious metals to the company.

If you have a precious metals IRA, be aware of IRS withdrawal restrictions. In most cases, you must be 59½ to withdraw from an IRA or risk paying a tax penalty.

Then, once you reach age 73, you must take the required minimum distributions if you have a traditional IRA. Failing to do so could also result in tax penalties.

Where to find Red Rock Secured alternatives

As with any significant financial decision, it’s important to compare your options. There are many personal finance companies that can help you improve your finances.

Be sure to review those to find options with low fees, the best selection, and a quality reputation. If you want to compare options, check out our picks for the best gold IRA companies.


Ready to learn more about Red Rock Secured? Visit its website.

  • What’s offered: Gold & silver IRAs and coins
  • Free consultation: Yes
  • Benefits: Clients may be eligible for “zero fees for life,” though what’s required to be eligible is not clear & it offers price protection on qualified gold and silver