Birch Gold Review: Pros, Cons & Current Promotions

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The Bottom Line: Birch Gold Group offers precious metal IRAs and precious metal sales with an emphasis on customer education and all-in-one service.

Pros & Cons

Here’s a quick look at what’s great about Birch and where the company could improve:

In today’s uncertain times, you want to diversify your portfolio to help protect your assets both now and into the future.

Precious metals are an increasingly popular method of portfolio diversification, how do you know the difference between a good and bad precious metal IRA company?

After all, you can’t entrust your retirement portfolio to just anyone.

Today, we’re taking a complete look at the Birch Gold Group.

They’re a gold IRA company with an impressive employee pedigree and well-established reputation, although there are a few potential issues you should know about, too.

Is Birch the right option for you?

Whether you’re new to the world of precious metal IRAs or are already an experienced investor, the following Birch Gold Group review highlights everything you need to know to make an informed and profitable decision.

About Birch Gold Group?

The Birch Gold Group is a precious metal firm that markets gold, silver, platinum, and palladium. 

You can buy precious metals for both physical position or placement in an IRA. Founded in 2003, and located in California, they’re a full-service, online-based firm.

The company focuses on protecting your portfolio against inflation.

Precious metals historically move in the opposite direction of the stock market, which helps balance against unpredictable market situations that leave traditional investments vulnerable.  

Additionally, Birch is committed to excellent customer service with an emphasis on education. They offer many personalized options to help determine the best investment for your specific needs.

Even better, they’ll explain those options in clear English.

Birch Gold Group Services

You can choose from a wide range of investment products, including both IRA rollover services and physical metals.

On the physical side, you can invest in gold, silver, platinum, and palladium. Bullion and coins are available, including gold and silver coins from the US and Canada. 

You’ll find a variety of popular favorites such as the American Eagle, Canadian Maple Leaf, and Indian Head Eagle.  

All coin authentication is handled by the Numismatic Guarantee Corporation and Professional Coin Grading Service.

They authenticate every aspect of the coin, including its weight, precious metal content, and other factors.

With their IRA rollover services, you can use your 401K to fund your IRA. 

In line with their philosophy of always keeping their clients informed, Birch offers an expansive variety of education and assistance programs for all of their rollover services.

They offer multiple options for custodian and depository. As a gold investor, you’ll need a custodian to administrate the investment account.

Sometimes, finding a reputable custodian is tricky, but Birch works closely with Equity Trust and others.

Precious metals require storage in strict accordance with IRS standards.

Birch works with Brink’s, International Depository Services, and Delaware Depository.

All depositories are US-based (the highest recommended option) in cities such as Los Angeles, New York, Delaware, and Dallas.

Minimum Investment & Fees

All types of IRAs and investment products have associated fees – of course, that’s nothing new.

But a gold IRA can have extra fees, based on the increased complexity of the process. Generally, the custodians that Birch Gold partners with keeps their fees low or at least relatively similar to other mainstream custodians.

Account Setup

The setup fee from Equity Trust Company, Birch Gold's primary partner custodian, is $50.

That might seem slightly steep if you’re accustomed to the standard setup fees associated with a conventional IRA, but it’s fairly standard for a precious metal IRA.

Equity Trust also charges a $30 wire transfer fee.

Storage Fees

As touched on above, gold within an IRA is stored in secure, IRS-approved depositories. When you invest in precious metals, through an IRA you’ll need to pay some related storage fees.

The standard for most Birch Gold customers fee is $100 annually, with an additional $80 for maintenance. These fees can vary based on your desired storage type.

Who is Birch Gold Group Best for?

You’re interested in precious metal investing, but how do you know if the Birch Gold Group is the right choice?

If any of the following scenarios apply to you, Birch is definitely worth consideration:

They purposefully try to reach a wide customer base.

What Makes Birch Gold Group Unique?

While Birch Gold Group does cover the basics well, they also offer a rich selection of unique features you won’t find in the competition:

FAQ's

Birch Gold vs. Competitors

Birch Gold Group Reviews & 3rd Party Ratings

You can find lots of favorable information from third-party sources on Birch Gold.

While the Better Business Bureau doesn’t list too many reviews, they’re all positive. TrustLink has over 100 reviews, and almost all of them are positive.

Birch Gold Group Promotions

Currently, Birch Gold Group offers the following special deals:

Promotions can change at any time, so check the site for the most up-to-date information.

How to Get Started with Birch Gold Group

You’ve decided this type of investment is for you, and you want to begin the process of rolling over your retirement account.

Here’s how that process works:

Step 1: You’ll meet with a Birch Precious Metal Specialist to discuss your specific goals and motivation.

Step 2: An IRA Specialist will then determine the rollover eligibility of your retirement account.

Step 3: You’ll create an account with a custodian. Birch offers recommendations and will help with paperwork.

Step 4: Funds from your existing retirement account will roll over into your new self-directed IRA. Birch will help you navigate the details.

Step 5: Using funds from the new IRA, Birch specialists will purchase the desired precious metals and arrange for storage at an approved depository.

If making a cash purchase, the process follows these steps:

Step 1: You’ll speak with a Precious Metals Specialist to discuss your specific goals.

Step 2: Next, you’ll send funds to Birch Gold Group by bank wire or check.

Step 3: Birch will purchase the designated precious metals.

Step 4: The metals are shipped to your designed storage facility.

Birch will be available to assist you for every step.

Final Verdict

Creating a precious metal IRA, and maintaining precious metal investments, requires a partnership with the right company.

They must excel in both general IRA operation plus all factors related to precious metals, such as custodianship and storage.

However, the right investments can help diversify your portfolio, protect against inflation, and secure your financial future.