Independent Research · Est. 2026
Gold IRA companies, scored the way a skeptic would score them.
Augusta, Goldco, Birch, American Hartford — the same six-axis rubric for every company, every claim cited to a primary source, and the sales tactics named out loud.
The current top three
All five, side by side →Augusta Precious Metals
Larger rollovers ($50K+)
- Minimum
- $50,000
- Annual cost
- $225/yr
Goldco
Mid-range starts ($25K–$50K)
- Minimum
- $25,000
- Annual cost
- ~$225/yr
Birch Gold Group
Smallest balances ($5K–$10K)
- Minimum
- $5,000–$10,000
- Annual cost
- $235/yr
Featured review
Augusta Precious Metals Review (2026)
Independent Augusta Precious Metals review: verified fees, the $50,000 minimum, buyback terms, BBB and TrustPilot records, and who should not use them.
Read the full reviewHow we score — six axes, same rubric for every company
- Account minimum. Does it fit a typical rollover?
- Phone-first service. A dedicated agent, or a call queue?
- Buyback program. What haircut when you sell back?
- Fee transparency. Published — or 'call for pricing'?
- RMD handling. Cash or in-kind, who does the paperwork?
- Sales pressure. How many calls after the kit request?
Latest research
20 published-
Guide
Free Gold IRA Kit: What Is Inside, Who Sends One, and the Gold-Bar Catch
What a free gold IRA kit contains, how to request one, which companies send them, and why the advertised free gold bar is almost always silver.
The Gold IRA Desk Editorial Team · July 27, 2026
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Review
Fidelity Precious Metals IRA Review: The Un-Dealer Option
Fidelity lets IRAs hold physical gold, silver, and platinum with published percentage fees — 0.99% to 2.90% by size. How it compares with gold IRA dealers.
The Gold IRA Desk Editorial Team · July 21, 2026
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Guide
Augusta Precious Metals Lawsuit: What the Records Actually Show
No court case or regulator action names Augusta Precious Metals as of July 2026. Here is what public records show — and why the lawsuit rumor will not die.
The Gold IRA Desk Editorial Team · July 15, 2026
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Review
Advantage Gold Complaints: A Search With a Clean File at the End
Advantage Gold's BBB file shows 0 complaints across 12 accredited years, with ~1,900 TrustPilot reviews near 5 stars. The record, and what to still verify.
The Gold IRA Desk Editorial Team · July 8, 2026
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Review
American Alternative Assets Review: The Record vs the Press Releases
American Alternative Assets holds an A+ BBB rating and 5/5 on TrustPilot, across 42 reviews, not the 'thousands' its marketing claims. The verified record.
The Gold IRA Desk Editorial Team · July 8, 2026
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Guide
Augusta Precious Metals Affiliate Program: What Is Public, What Is Not
Augusta's affiliate program is application-only and publishes no commission terms. What is verifiable, how to apply, and what its affiliates' behavior reveals.
The Gold IRA Desk Editorial Team · July 8, 2026
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Guide
Augusta Precious Metals Fees: Every Cost, Line by Line
Augusta Precious Metals charges $50 setup, $125 custodian, and $100 storage — about $225 a year. The fee nobody quotes you is the spread. Full breakdown.
The Gold IRA Desk Editorial Team · July 8, 2026
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Guide
Augusta Precious Metals Complaints: The BBB Record, the Ratings, and What Holds Up
BBB shows zero Augusta Precious Metals complaints in its 3-year window. The full record, the NR rating change, and the criticisms that hold up.
The Gold IRA Desk Editorial Team · July 8, 2026
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Comparison
Augusta Precious Metals vs Goldco: The Comparison Your Balance Decides
Augusta vs Goldco comes down to balance: $25k–$50k fits Goldco, $50k+ fits Augusta. Verified fees, buyback terms, and the ratings gap.
The Gold IRA Desk Editorial Team · July 8, 2026
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Review
Colonial Metals Group Review: An F Rating Is a Sentence, Not a Grade
Colonial Metals Group holds an F from the BBB (14 complaints, 12 unanswered) and customer reviews describing doubled coin prices. The record, cited.
The Gold IRA Desk Editorial Team · July 8, 2026
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Review
Beverly Hills Precious Metals Review: The Record Behind the Name
Beverly Hills Precious Metals Exchange holds an A+ BBB rating without accreditation, and its complaint file centers on coin premiums. The verified record.
The Gold IRA Desk Editorial Team · July 8, 2026
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Guide
Gold IRA Affiliate Programs: How They Work — and How They Shape What You Read
Every major gold IRA company runs an affiliate program. What Goldco, Augusta, Birch, and AHG offer publishers — and how the economics shape gold IRA reviews.
The Gold IRA Desk Editorial Team · July 8, 2026
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Review
Precious Metals IRA Reviews: What the Ratings Actually Show
Cross-platform review scores for the major precious metals IRA companies and custodians — verified against BBB, TrustPilot, and ConsumerAffairs, not marketing.
The Gold IRA Desk Editorial Team · July 8, 2026
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Review
United States Precious Metals Review: 24 Years, Read Closely
United States Precious Metals has an A+ BBB rating across 24 years, and 5 recent complaints that center on one issue: stale website pricing. The record.
The Gold IRA Desk Editorial Team · July 8, 2026
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Review
Sanctuary Metals Review: A Two-Year-Old Dealer, Read Fairly
Sanctuary Metals is BBB-accredited with an A rating and 4.1/5 on TrustPilot, and two years old. What the record shows and what it cannot show yet.
The Gold IRA Desk Editorial Team · July 8, 2026
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Review
Goldco Review (2026)
Independent Goldco review: A+ BBB, 4.4/5 TrustPilot (not the 4.8 its ads quote), the real $25,000 minimum, verified fees, and who should not use them.
The Gold IRA Desk Editorial Team · July 7, 2026
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Rules
Gold IRA Rollover Rules: Move a 401(k) or IRA Into Gold Without a Penalty
How to move a 401(k) or IRA into gold without penalty: the 60-day rule, once-per-year limit, 20% withholding trap, and the direct rollover that avoids them.
The Gold IRA Desk Editorial Team · July 6, 2026
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Comparison
Best Gold IRA Companies (2026 Review)
Independent 2026 comparison of the best Gold IRA companies — Augusta, Goldco, Birch, AHG — scored on fees, minimums, buyback, and IRS rules.
The Gold IRA Desk Editorial Team · June 29, 2026
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Review
Best Gold IRA for Seniors Planning Retirement (2026)
Independent 2026 review of Augusta, Goldco, Birch & American Hartford scored for senior-specific criteria: RMD support, fees, buyback liquidity, service.
The Gold IRA Desk Editorial Team · May 11, 2026
Who writes this
The Gold IRA Desk Editorial Team, reading the fine print so retirement savers don't have to.
Independent research on Gold IRA companies, custodians, and IRS rules. Not a licensed advisor, not paid for rankings — commissions are disclosed on every page, and the rubric never changes.
