Goldco vs. Birch Gold Group: Which One is Best For Your Investment?

Diversifying your investment with stable assets that are less prone to market fluctuations in your investment portfolio is essential for a secure future. Investing in a gold IRA account is one of the best ways to guarantee a solid retirement portfolio. However, this requires knowing the best gold IRA company.

Failing to distinguish a reputable company from a dubious one may lead to wasting your retirement savings. Therefore, comparing and contrasting different gold IRA providers makes logical sense before working with one.

Fortunately, we’ve made decision-making easier for you with this comparison between Goldco and Birch Gold Group. Read on to know which will work better to secure your financial future.

Goldco Overview

GoldCo

This reputable gold IRA company was founded in 2006. It deals in precious metal assets such as gold coins, silver, platinum, and palladium. Goldco Precious Metals is well-known for its exceptional customer service while opening precious metal IRAs.

Funding, purchasing, and delivering your physical precious metals IRA to a secure depository is simple. The gold IRA company has a good rating from industry regulatory bodies, including:
  • A+ on the Better Business Bureau (BBB)
  • AAA on the Business Consumer Alliance (BCA)
  • INC recognition for six years
  • 2022 company of the year from the Stevie Awards
The top gold IRA company mainly focuses on providing retirement services despite having a wide range of products. Rare collectibles are available, although you can’t add them to a traditional IRA. You can purchase them in cash to build your collection of precious metal coins.

Birch Gold Company

Birch Gold

Established in 2003, the Birch Gold Company is among the oldest gold IRA companies. The company deals in gold coins, silver, platinum, and palladium. A team of highly experienced financial advisors, managers, and brokers is dedicated to offering world-class services.

Birch Group helps retirement investors grow, diversify, and secure their wealth and retirement portfolio. Aspiring investors can purchase or sell bullion, plan for retirement contributions, and securely store Augusta precious metals. The company helps precious metals investors set up self-directed gold IRAs. A high rating on the BBB makes it one of the best gold IRA companies. Customers rated it 4.69 out of 5 stars. The company is rated 4.8 stars by 110 customers on Consumer Affairs with 4,8 stars from 140 customers on Trust Pilot.

Why Goldco?

Let’s see why you may choose to work with Goldco.

Long-standing Industry Reputation

Goldco Precious Metals has a long-standing reputation in the industry for giving customers exceptional customer service. The company’s high ethical standard puts it among the best gold IRA companies to secure your financial future. You also receive precious metal resources and education from this company, making it a great precious metals provider.

Gold IRA Recommended by Media Leaders

One way to choose between gold IRA companies is to understand what others say about their services. Fortunately, Goldco is the company of choice for media leaders such as Chuck Norris, Stew Peters, Sean Hannity, and Ben Stein. All of them have recommend this company to be the only precious metals company of their family, friends, and fans.

Industry Experience With Precious Metals

Goldco is a leader in the precious metals industry with more than a decade of experience helping customers protect their precious metal investments. A Goldco precious metals specialist is ready to help you protect your assets with a precious metals IRA whether you have a traditional IRA, 401(k), 403(b), or other retirement accounts with tax benefits.

Direct Sales of Gold and Silver

Goldco directly sells gold bullion and silver to investors. A Goldco specialist can assist you in diversifying retirement funds from a savings account with Augusta Precious Metals. The specialist will walk you through rolling your retirement assets into a precious metal IRA or directly buying a gold or silver IRA. The process is seamless from beginning to end.

Industry Recognition

The company has received various awards, honors, and accolades from different industry publications for its successful expansion. Goldco has been featured on Inc 5000’s Fastest Growing Private Companies for the last six years.

It has received the “Company of The Year” for two straight years from the American Business Awards. The Los Angeles Business Journal ranked Goldco among the 25 fastest-growing companies in Los Angeles.

Why Choose Birch Gold Group for Precious Metals IRA

Let’s review what makes Birch Gold Group a good choice when selecting a gold IRA investment company.

Educating Customers

Birch Gold educates customers on the benefits of precious metals investment. The company will hold your hand and walk you through acquiring precious metals that match your retirement investment goals. This will enable you to understand the potential benefits and associated risks.

This company also offers guides to help investors identify common scams and investment schemes and how to avoid them. It works hard to empower investors to make the best decisions for their future financial security.

One-on-one Care

The Patriot Gold Group cares more about every customer than the sales numbers. Its processes are built to put customers first, a feature that distinguishes them from other Gold IRA companies.

Gold IRA investors are matched up with a precious metals specialist from the beginning who will get to know you and your retirement goals and needs. Your precious metals specialist will work with you throughout your whole experience at Birch.

The company understands the importance of maintaining continuity and building a trusted relationship. Birch Group follows industry standards regarding data protection and never shares customer details with third parties.

Positive Reviews From Customers

Diversifying your retirement investment portfolio is wonderful, especially in the volatile market environment. However, the company you choose to work with is crucial. Birch Group has earned the trust of many IRA gold investors who gave them positive feedback.

You can bank on this to allow them to diversify your investment while looking forward to a positive experience. The company’s security is trustable, including guides to help investors avoid scams. With Birch Gold, customers know their financial assets are in good hands.

Company Products

Gold Products

The company’s products make a big difference when selecting one to work with. You need genuine products that are easy to liquidate when investing in bullion. Investing in individual retirement accounts requires adhering to stringent requirements.

Goldco sends first-time investors a starter kit to help them get started. It includes educational material regarding the market, products available, and IRS regulations regarding your investment for retirement. The selection of gold and silver bullion is more extensive than that at Birch Gold.

Besides regular bullion investments such as American Eagle coins and Canadian Maple Leaf, they have sovereign mints and niche bullion coins from US Mint. Goldco is known for gold IRA services, but its inventory includes commemorative and collectible coins that don’t meet IRA regulations. Purchasing these requires going out of the retirement plan.

Birch Gold has various investment-grade bullion with its inventory listed on its website. Most products are IRS-approved coins from sovereign mints from across the world. Besides traditional gold IRA-approved coins and silver bars, its inventory includes platinum and palladium coins. Other coins available include:

  • Canadian Maple Leafs

  • South African Krugerrands

  • American Buffalos

  • Australian Kangaroos

All these coins are available for holding in an IRA. Other options include gold IRA, bars, and rounds from various refineries. If you’re not investing in an IRA, the company has options such as silver rounds and silver dollars that adhere to IRS requirements for a retirement account.

The company’s palladium options include physical gold bars, rounds, and Canadian Maple Leaf coins. Platinum includes Australian Kangaroos, American Eagles, bars, and rounds. Birch’s inventory grows daily, and it’s best to check the company website for what’s available.

Gold IRA Rollover Services

Most gold IRA companies offer IRA rollovers despite offering regular precious metal purchases. You can use your funds to create a new IRA and buy physical precious metals.

Goldco has the most competitive set-up backed an exceptional customer service and a streamlined approach. You get a dedicated precious metals specialist who coordinates with a reliable custodian throughout the experience.

Other companies don’t coordinate with the custodian on your behalf. These usually give you a custodial application before putting you in touch with a gold IRA custodian. This involves talking to multiple people while tracking all challenging paperwork.

Birch Gold Group also connects you to a noble gold custodian on opening an IRA. A precious metals specialist will walk you through the necessary paperwork for filing and the application process. After creating your account, the specialist will roll over your funds from your current retirement account. There are no charges for transferring funds from an account into a self-directed IRA.

Minimum Investment

You incur charges when purchasing precious metals IRAs. According to IRS rules, keep physical gold or other precious metals for a retirement account in an approved depository. The depositories are secure security and provide insurance. You also need a custodian to manage your account.

Both companies need a flat set-up fee without taking a percentage from your holdings. The companies charge annual maintenance fees. This makes financial planning easier.

Apart from offering transparent pricing, these companies don’t have hidden costs such as markups for buying and selling precious metal IRAs. However, these companies require a minimum investment.

Goldco has a setup fee of $50 to cover opening your IRA account, communicating with a custodian, rolling over your funds, making your purchase, and delivering your assets to a depository of your choice.

After setting up your account and paying for your purchase, you must pay $30 for a bank transfer. The custodian fee for maintaining your account is $80 annually. The storage fees vary by type.

Non-aggregated storage costs $100 to make a total of $180, including the custodial fee. This amount is the same as that of the Birch Group. Segregated storage costs $150 annually, exclusive of the custodian fee.

Segregated and non-segregated storage are insured and undergo third-party audits to ensure that your holdings are reflected accurately in your account statement. The minimum investment amount for Goldco is $25,000.

Birch Gold Group requires a minimum investment of $10,000 which is lower than Goldco. The company regularly runs promotions for new clients who may be eligible for a bonus on their first investment.

You can talk to the company’s customer service to know the current promotions and thresholds where you’re eligible. Opening an account costs $50 while maintaining the account and that of the custodian is $180.

Storage Options

There are various depositories that IRS standards operated through large security firms. The choice of storage company is a personal choice. You can choose one in your local area or a tax-advantaged state. Goldco and Birch Group have partnerships with various depositories they recommend to their customers.

Goldco allows customers to keep their assets in Delaware Depository vaults or Brink’s – Salt Lake City, Utah. However, you can use a facility in another location. Another storage location is the International Depository Services in Texas, which has tax advantages. It also has segregated vaults that cost $150 annually for storing precious metal assets.

Texas excludes precious metals such as gold IRA, collectible coins, and silver coins from sales tax. This state is home to some of the leading people in the industry.

Birch Gold Group recommends the Delaware Depository and Brink’s Global Services in multiple locations. The Delaware Depository also maintains vaults in Nevada. Brinks is a famous security firm that offers secure depositories for IRA investors.

You can find a Brinks depository in various locations across the US, but Birch Gold recommends those in Los Angeles, Utah, and New York. This allows customers to choose a location that suits them, and Brinks will transfer your assets in a secure armored vehicle.

Ownership of the Gold IRA Companies

Trevor Gerzstm, a highly respected Los Angeles precious metals dealer, founded Goldco in 2006. He has over 20 years of experience in the asset and wealth protection industry. Trevor is among the Board Directors of Better Business Bureau Los Angeles and Silicon Valley.

Laith Alsarraf is the current CEO of Birch Gold Group, founded in 2003. The company joined forces with Ben Shapiro, the chief editor of The Daily Wire. Birch Gold has also done some work with Dr. Ron Paul, who advocates for sound money.

Conclusion

Birch Gold Group has more years in the industry than its counterpart. So, Goldco is better suited for small and medium investors to secure their financial future. However, its minimum investment of $25,000 is prohibitive compared to Birch Gold’s $10,000. Birch Gold is ideal for all kinds of investors for its low minimum investment requirement.