Birch Gold Group Review

You can rely on Birch Gold Group for a Gold IRA, but is it worth it? This review breaks down the pros and cons to help you decide.

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	Overall Score	4.5
	Fees	4.0
	Minimum Investment	4.5
	Gold IRA	4.0
	Customer Service	5.0
	Safety	5.0

5-point scale (the higher, the better)

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Pros and Cons

• Dedicated specialist
• Low minimum
• Slightly lower fees

• Pricing not transparent
• No buyback guarantee

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Bottom Line

Precious metals IRA with lower minimum than competitors

Buying gold is one of the oldest ways investors have stored value over time.

This is why some analysts suggest investing a small part of your portfolio in gold to diversify.

And if you're ready to invest, Birch Gold Group is a trustworthy option.

In this review, find out everything you need to know about its fees, customer reviews, and services.

What is Birch Gold Group?

Birch Gold Group is a precious metals dealer that can help you with physical gold investing, whether it's for a Gold IRA or personal collection.

Although it is more known as a Gold IRA provider, it also offers other precious metals such as silver, platinum, and palladium.

At Birch Gold Group, investors can buy two types of precious metals: those that are IRA-approved and those that aren't. The latter is typically meant for collection purposes.

The minimum investment for Gold IRAs here is only $10,000, which is among the lowest requirements in the industry.

Founded in 2003, it now serves over 31,000 customers in all 50 states.

Who Is It Best For?

Birch Gold Group is best if you:

• Prefer a low minimum requirement for an IRA
  
• Are a long-term investor
  
• Are looking to diversify your portfolio
  
• Want to invest in gold with tax advantages
  
• Want to invest in other precious metals like platinum and palladium

Who Should Skip It?

This may not be for you if you:

• Are looking to withdraw early
  
• Want dividends or cash yields (gold is not income-generating)
  
• Are not interested in physical gold and only want gold price exposure (Gold ETFs might be a better option)

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Excellent customer service
  
• Lower fees
  
• Lower minimum investment
  
• Offers other precious metals like platinum and palladium
  
• Dedicated sales specialist to assist you
  
• A+ BBB Rating
  
• No first-year fee (for IRAs with deposits over $50k)

Cons

• Pricing is not transparent
  
• IRAs have a 10% early withdrawal penalty
  
• Gold as an underlying asset does not generate income

No First Year Fees

Click Here to Get Deal

Transfer over $50,000 to a new gold IRA and get your first year fees paid

Why Birch Gold Group?

There are many other gold IRA providers out there, but here are three reasons why you should consider Birch Gold Group:^[1]

• Knowledge
  There are online guides available so you can learn more about its offerings. You can also get a walkthrough on the risks and rewards of investing in precious metals to help you decide.

• 1-on-1 Care
  You will be assigned a Precious Metals Specialist to assess your investment needs and goals. They will also be your main contact for any queries.

• Trust
  Birch Gold Group offers peace of mind given the complexity of gold IRA. They take pride in the positive feedback they receive and strive to demonstrate its rock-solid integrity.

Another important factor to consider when choosing your gold IRA provider is the fees they charge. Continue reading.

Minimum, Pricing, and Fees

Birch Gold Group has a $10,000 account minimum. This is one of the lowest compared to other gold IRA competitors.

Birch Gold Group's account fees are:^[2]

• One-time account setup fee: $50
  
• One-time wire transfer fee: $30
  
• Annual storage and insurance: $100
  
• Annual management fees: $125

In total, you're paying $305 in the first year and $225 each year after. If you invest $50,000 or more, the first-year fee is free.

Watch Out: In addition to these account fees, you will also pay a spread every time you buy or sell precious metals. This spread fluctuates with the market, so before you finalize the transaction, make sure you clarify how much markup you will pay.

Products and Services

Now that you know a little about Birch Gold Group and what they do, let's look at their products and services in detail

Protect Your IRA or 401k with Precious Metals

Click Here to Learn More

Learn how to protect and diversify your retirement savings with a gold IRA.

Precious Metals IRA

A Gold IRA has the same tax advantages as other IRAs. However, precious metals cannot be held in the same retirement account as your securities.

You need a self-directed IRA for them, and Birch Gold Group can help you set that up.

They can also assist with the transfer if you're planning to fund your gold IRA through a rollover from your existing retirement accounts, such as a 401(k).

Since not all types of gold are accepted in a gold IRA, Birch Gold Group makes sure that you will only buy IRA-approved gold thanks to their readily available list.

They might be known for their Gold IRA, but you can also invest in others such as silver, platinum, and palladium. Here's a quick look at what Birch Gold Group offers for its IRAs:

• IRA-Eligible Gold
  • American Eagle Gold Proof Coin
    
  • American Gold Eagle Bullion Coins
    
  • Australian ¼ oz Gold Florin Coin
    
  • Britannia Gold Coins
    
  • Canadian Maple Leaf Gold Coin
    
  • Gold Buffalo Coin
    
  • Gold Canadian Pola Bear and Cub Coin
    
  • Gold Gyrfalcon Coin
    
  • Gold Rose Crown Guinea ¼ oz
    
  • Gold Twin Maples Coin
    
  • Goldbacks
    
  • Laurel Gold Coin
    
  • Liberty and Britannia ¼ oz Gold Coin
    
  • Valcambi CombiBars
    
  • Gold Bars and Rounds (with minimum fineness of 99.5%)

• IRA-Eligible Silver
  • 2 oz Australian Silver Florin
    
  • 2 oz Silver Twin Maples
    
  • America the Beautiful Silver Coins
    
  • American Silver Eagle Coins
    
  • American Silver Eagle Proof
    
  • Britannia and Liberty Silver Coins
    
  • Britannia Silver Coins
    
  • Canadian Silver Maple Leaf
    
  • Queen Elizabeth Silver Laurel Coin
    
  • Saint Helena Silver Napoleon Bee Coin
    
  • Silver Bars and Rounds
    
  • Silver Gyrfalcon Coin
    
  • Silver Polar Bear Coin
    
  • Silver Rose Crown Guinea
    
  • Silver Saint Helena 250g East India Company Coin Bar
    
  • Silver St. Helena Standing Lion Guinea 1.25 oz Coin

• IRA-Eligible Platinum
  • American Platinum Eagle Coin
    
  • Australian ¼ oz. Platinum Florin
    
  • Platinum Bars and Round

• IRA-Eligible Palladium
  • American Palladium Eagle Coin
    
  • Canadian Palladium Maple Leaf Coin
    
  • Palladium Bars and Rounds

Buy Collectibles

Numismatic coins, also known as collectible coins, are also offered by Birch Gold Group. These do not meet the standard set by the IRS, so they cannot be included in your IRA.

However, their price is mainly derived from the rarity and cultural value of the coin, so these are more appealing to collectors.

Here is the list of collectible coins offered:

• Numismatic Gold
  • Indian Head Gold Coin
    
  • Liberty Head (Coronet Head) collection
    
  • Liberty Head Double Eagle ($20)
    
  • Saint Gaudens Double Eagle Gold Coin ($20)

• Numismatic Silver
  • Morgan Silver Dollar
    
  • Silver Peace Dollar Coin
    
  • Walking Liberty Silver Half Dollar

Storage

If you decide to invest in a Gold IRA, you are expected to store them in an IRA-approved depository to avoid penalties.

At Birch Gold Group, you have the choice among these 4 trusted depositories to store your gold:^[3]

• Delaware Depository
  
• Brink's Global Services
  
• International Depository Services (IDS)
  
• Texas Precious Metals Depository (TPMD)

These depositories will hold your assets until distribution at age 59 1/2 or until you withdraw them.

Additionally, if you choose Delaware Depository, IDS, and TPMD, you can set an appointment to visit your assets in person.^[4]

Buy-Back Program

While Birch Gold Group can't offer a guarantee to buy back your precious metals if and when you decide to sell, they request that you give them the "right of first refusal."

The rep we spoke to also claims they've always decided to buy back the precious metals from the customer.

That suggests that there's a good chance you'll have a ready buyer when it comes time to withdraw from your precious metals IRA.

Shipping

The secure transfer of your precious metals purchases is vital if you're purchasing for use outside an IRA.

Birch Gold Group offers insured shipping options in discreet packaging, so no one will know what is inside until you've got it in your hands.

Steps to Open A Gold-IRA Account

Investing in IRA-approved gold is not as straightforward as physical gold investing.

Here's what you need to do:

1. Open a self-directed IRA with a Gold IRA provider
   Create your Gold IRA account with a licensed provider such as Birch Gold Group.

   Your Gold IRA provider will do everything for you, including purchasing, managing, and storing your assets with their trusted custodians and depositories.

   

   Free Information Kit

   • Free "insider" info on gold & silver
   • 1-on-1 care with a dedicated specialist
   • Endorsed by Ben Shapiro and Ron Paul

   Click Here to Get Free Information Kit

2. Fund your account
   If you have an existing 401(k), IRA, or other retirement account, you can rollover funds to your new Gold IRA without penalty. Birch Gold Group can even help with the rollover paperwork.

   Or you can make new contributions by directly transferring funds to your provider.

3. Select your gold
   Select which bullion gold coin or bar you want to invest in. Birch Gold Group has a list of IRA-eligible gold for you to choose from.

4. Hold until distribution
   To avoid penalties, your assets must be stored in an IRA-approved depository until distribution.

   In general, you cannot withdraw before age 59-1/2 or there will be a 10% penalty (unless you have a valid exception).

There is no maximum amount for gold IRA rollovers. Additional contributions are based on IRS annual contribution limits, which is $7,000 in 2024 ($8,00 if you're 50 or older).^[7]

Is Birch Gold Group Safe/Legit?

Yes, Birch Gold Group is a legitimate precious metals provider. It is rated AAA by the Business Consumer Alliance (BCA) and A+ by the Better Business Bureau (BBB).^[8]

Just like other Gold IRA companies, they work with reliable custodians such as Equity Trust Company and Goldstar Trust Company to manage your assets.^[9]

They also work with known depositories such as Delaware Depository and Brink's to store your gold safely and securely. Aside from these two, they're also partners with the International Depository Services and Texas Precious Metals Depository.

There are no issues with Birch Gold Group's legitimacy, but whether it is worth it or not depends on many factors. Read on.

Is Birch Gold Group Worth It?

Birch Gold Group is worth it if you're investing in a Gold IRA for diversification. It can also be worth it if you're buying numismatic coins for collection purposes.

However, if your investment goal is growth or income generation, Birch Gold Group's precious metals offerings are not for you.

It's not that you shouldn't invest in a Gold IRA or precious metals at all. It's just that precious metals don't generate income such as cash yields or dividends, so they are not ideal for some investors.

Birch Gold Group has slightly lower account fees, which is a plus. However, don't forget to verify the spread before deciding.

Customer Reviews

Birch Gold Group is highly rated on BBB and BCA, but it still has its fair share of mixed reviews.^[10]

Here are some of the positive reviews for Birch Gold Group:

It's also worth noting that they have received a few negative comments as well:

Customer Support

Once you show an interest in investing at Birch Gold Group, a precious metals specialist will be assigned to you. That will also be your main contact for any queries that you have.

Nonetheless, here are the other channels that you can use to reach out to them:^[11]

Phone: (800) 355-2116
Fax: (800) 965-3620
Email: info@birchgold.com

To get started, request a free Gold IRA Kit here.

Free Information Kit

• Free "insider" info on gold & silver
• 1-on-1 care with a dedicated specialist
• Endorsed by Ben Shapiro and Ron Paul

Click Here to Get Free Information Kit

Birch Gold Group vs Competitors

Now that we know pretty much all there is to know about Birch Gold Group, let's see how it stands up in comparison to some of its most popular competitors.

Patriot Gold Group

		Patriot Gold GroupGoldco
	Visit Site	Learn More
	Birch Gold Group	Patriot Gold Group
	SPECIAL OFFER Free Information Kit - Learn More
Annual Fee	$225	$200
Minimum Investment	$10,000	$50,000
Gold IRA
Setup Fee	$50	5% on dealer-over-cost metal prices
Silver IRA
Platinum IRA
Palladium IRA
Buyback	Yes	Yes
	Visit Site	Learn More
	Free Information Kit No First Year Fees Protect Your IRA or 401k with Precious Metals

Patriot Gold Group is another precious metals IRA provider offering many of the same services as Birch Gold Group. They offer the same four metals (gold, silver, platinum, and palladium) and have comparable fees, though Birch Gold Group's are slightly lower.

Patriot Gold Group's minimum required investment is higher at $50,000.

You might consider Patriot Gold Group over Birch Gold Group if you have a large sum to invest. With a minimum deposit of $100,000 or more, you can take advantage of their No Fee for Life IRA.

Augusta Precious Metals

	Visit Site	Visit Site
	SPECIAL OFFER Free Information Kit - Learn More	SPECIAL OFFER Gold IRA Company Integrity Checklist - Learn More
Annual Fee	$225	$200 after first year
Minimum Investment	$10,000	$50,000
Gold IRA
Setup Fee	$50	$50
Silver IRA
Platinum IRA
Palladium IRA
Buyback	Yes	Yes
	Visit Site	Visit Site
	Free Information Kit No First Year Fees Protect Your IRA or 401k with Precious Metals	Gold IRA Company Integrity Checklist Silver IRA Retirement Diversification Free Gold IRA Web Conference

Augusta Precious Metals is a highly regarded precious metals IRA provider that offers gold and silver IRAs.

Both Augusta and Birch have great customer reviews. You will likely receive excellent customer service, whichever you choose.

However, Augusta Precious Metals is less accessible, with a minimum investment of $50,000.^[12]

Gold IRA Company Integrity Checklist

Click Here to Get Checklist

Free report and checklist that helps consumers compare and choose a reputable gold IRA company

Bottom Line

Birch Gold Group is a reliable precious metals provider.

Their offerings are a perfect fit for those looking to diversify their portfolio or buy numismatic coins for their collection.

However, if you are looking for high returns, income-generating assets, and growth, investing in precious metals through Birch Gold Group is not for you.

References