- A+ BBB rating
- U.S. Mint-listed dealer
- 3,000+ 5-star reviews
- Excellent customer service
- Limited to U.S. investors
- No international storage
Advantage Gold has been voted one of the top gold IRA providers in the United States. An Advantage Gold IRA is best for investors looking to protect the value of their savings with gold.
Their website lacks transparent information on current prices and product availability. Investors are encouraged to work with an account manager to set up an account.
This Advantage Gold review will dive into everything you need to know before investing in gold for retirement.
The Verdict for Advantage Gold
I’ve given them a rating of 8.5 out of 10.
Category | Rating (out of 10) |
---|---|
Product & Service Offerings | 7 |
Pricing & Fees | 7 |
Guarantees | 8 |
Customer Experience | 9 |
Storage & Security | 9 |
Account Setup & Maintenance | 9 |
Reputation & Reviews | 10 |
Overall Rating | 8.5 |
In this review of Advantage Gold, I’ve followed GIC’s detailed criteria for evaluating the precious metals IRA company.
About Advantage Gold
Located in Austin, TX, Advantage Gold is a trusted provider of gold and precious metals for clients across the United States.
The company focuses on helping investors convert their 401(k)s and existing IRAs into gold for retirement.
Advantage Gold’s mission is to help investors diversify their retirement portfolios by investing in precious metals.
The company offers a wealth of educational resources to its customers to help them make better investing decisions.
Advantage Gold was founded in Los Angeles in 2014 by Kirill Zagalsky and Adam Baratta.
Zagalsky became interested in precious metals as a retirement alternative while working as a licensed commodities broker working in the precious metals market.
He co-founded the company to make it one of the most comprehensive and trusted gold IRA companies.
From the founder
Real peace of mind comes from knowing your retirement savings is stored in physical gold and silver that you control and will not lose value due to inflation or government manipulation.
If you are at all concerned about the direction the economy is headed I urge you to take action now and not wait until it is too late.
Kirill Zagalsky
Co-founder of Advantage Gold
Advantage Gold adheres to strict regulatory standards and strives to provide its customers with the best service possible.
The company holds an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau and is highly rated on Trustpilot and Consumer Affairs.
It’s recognized as the #1 Trusted Gold IRA Company by TrustLink and has done over $1 billion in sales.
Product & Service Offerings
Advantage Gold specializes in helping clients save for retirement with precious metals. The company offers three main retirement accounts:
- Gold IRA
- Silver IRA
- Precious Metals IRA including platinum and palladium
These accounts include IRA-eligible coins and bars approved by the IRS including:
- Moose Gold Bullion Coins
- Great-Horned Owl Gold Bullion Coins
- Woodland Caribou Bullion Coins
- Canadian Wild Horse Bullion Coins
- Wolverine Gold Bullion Coins
- Bighorn Sheep Gold Bullion Coins
- American Gold Eagle Bullion Coins
- American Gold Eagle Proof Coins
- Canadian $10 Gold Polar Bear and Cub
- American Buffalo Coins
- American Buffalo Proof Coins
- Austrian Gold Philharmonic Coins
- Canadian Gold Maple Leaf Coins
These coins have a minimum purity of 99.5% and are uncirculated. They are minted according to the country’s production standards and are supplied by approved sources.
Advantage Gold works with IRA custodians to ensure investors’ savings are properly stored and compliant with all regulations.
All gold IRA investors physically own their gold coins or bars. Investors can diversify with other precious metals and have the option to liquidate when they need access to their cash.
Rolling over an eligible IRA or 401(k) into a gold IRA is a seamless process. Investors work with an Advantage Gold account manager to facilitate the application process.
A custodian will manage all the reports required to keep your account in compliance.
Once all of the forms are signed to open your gold IRA you can complete your rollover. You’ll need to submit a statement from your existing retirement account to your Advantage Gold account manager.
They will work with your custodian to manage the rollover. After the rollover is complete and your account is funded, you can purchase eligible gold coins and bars for your account.
Your account manager will help you navigate IRS guidelines to ensure your account is compliant.
Advantage Gold will ship your purchases to a depository of your choice. You can keep your gold at the depository for safekeeping or have it shipped to you.
Pricing & Fees
Setup fee for IRA | $50 |
Wire transfer fee | $30 |
Custodian administration fee | $80 to $100 annually (depending on the custodian) |
Storage fees | $95 to $250 annually (depending on the depository) |
Advantage Gold charges an initial set-up fee of $50. The annual custodian fee is $80 to $100, and the annual storage fee ranges from $95 to $250.
These fees vary based on the custodian and depository you choose and cover things like reporting and insurance to store your precious metals.
Advantage Gold works with STRATA Trust and Equity Trust Company to provide custodian services. These companies may charge separate account administration fees.
The minimum cash purchase for new accounts is $10,000. The minimum for IRA transfers is $25,000. For investors with $50,000 or more to invest, Advantage Gold will waive all first-year fees.
Advantage Gold offers a fee-free buy back program. When you decide to sell some of your gold you will get spot pricing at no cost.
Like most gold dealers, Advantage Gold does not publish a price list for its coins and bars. You will need to call and speak to a customer service representative to learn more about current prices and product availability.
Guarantees
To ensure maximum satisfaction, Advantage Gold promises to never turn a customer away with its buyback program.
Investors can sell their gold back to the company and expect to receive fair market value for it.
Advantage Gold is a U.S. Mint-listed dealer and works with trusted industry partners. Their gold IRAs are in compliance with U.S. regulations and are stored at facilities with top notch security standards.
Customer Experience
Advantage Gold offers customer support by phone or electronic message. Customers can call (888) 501-9001 to speak to a representative.
Alternatively, they can fill out the website contact form or email Advantage Gold at [email protected].
Existing customers share that Advantage Gold’s customer service representatives are experienced and knowledgeable to provide assistance with issues that arise.
Advantage Gold also provides a library of educational resources to help investors learn more about the value of investing in gold.
This includes charts, graphs, blog posts, and a free gold IRA guide.
Storage & Security
Advantage Gold provides custodian services in partnership with Equity Trust and STRATA Trust.
Once you make a purchase, your precious metals are shipped to either Delaware Depository in Delaware or Brink’s Global Services USA, Inc. located in Los Angeles or Salt Lake City and are held in your custodian’s vault on your behalf.
Both Brinks and Delaware Depository have strict access measures in place to prevent theft while maintaining the safety of your gold.
Delaware Depository offers 24/7 surveillance, advanced alarm systems, and armed guards. This deters threats, keeping your assets safe.
The company is also a member of the American Numismatic Association, ensuring adherence to industry standards. Advantage Gold complies with routine auditing to ensure all purchases are properly stored and insured.
Advantage Gold offers both segregated and non-segregated storage. Segregated storage guarantees your gold is held separate from other investors but that service does come with a higher storage cost.
Account Setup & Maintenance
Setting up an account with Advantage Gold is an easy process.
When you know how much you’d like to invest and determine that a gold IRA is right for you, you’ll work with one of Advantage Gold’s trained experts.
Your account manager will work with you to set up a relationship with your custodian and complete all paperwork that’s required including documentation from your existing retirement account and documentation to validate your identity.
There is a one-time account setup fee of $50. After your account is opened, you can fund your account and begin making purchases.
Advantage Gold offers IRA and 401(k) rollovers. An account manager will facilitate this process to fund your account with your existing retirement savings and avoid penalties and fees.
Reviews & Reputation
Advantage Gold has overwhelmingly positive reviews on TrustPilot with 4.9 stars from 1,662 reviews.
For the last seven years it’s been ranked the #1 gold dealer by TrustLink. It also has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau.
The main complaint is a lack of purchase options, especially from mints outside of the United States.
Some customers report losing value from their accounts due to undisclosed commission fees and difficulty liquidating their accounts at fair market value.
Advantage Gold can be found on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
Advantage Gold Alternatives & Competitors
Advantage Gold is a highly respected gold IRA provider. That being said, there are other options you can consider.
Our Rating:
4.5
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Our Rating:
4.2
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Our Rating:
4.5
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Minimum for IRA transfers:
$2,000
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Minimum for IRA transfers:
$10,000
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Minimum for IRA transfers:
$10,000
|
Noble Gold Investments
Noble Gold Investments is best for individuals who want to have an inflation-protected store of wealth in times of emergency. They offer gold IRAs as well as Royal Survival Packs that can be shipped straight to your door.
Noble Gold Investments charges an $80 annual account maintenance fee and $150 for storage. There is a $20,000 minimum to open a gold IRA.
Request Noble’s free gold guide
American Hartford Gold
American Hartford Gold is an LA-based precious metals retailer that helps investors diversify their holdings against inflation. In addition to offering retirement savings accounts, American Hartford Gold also offers cash accounts.
A $230 account setup fee and a $200 annual fee cover custodian and storage costs. Cash account holders will need to invest a minimum of $5,000, while gold IRA accounts can be opened with a minimum of $10,000.
Request AHG’s free gold investors guide
Birch Gold Group
Birch Gold Group is best for individuals who want to roll over existing retirement accounts beyond traditional IRAs and 401(k)s.
These accounts include: Roth IRAs, SEP IRAs, SIMPLE IRAs, 401(k)s, 403(b)s, and 457(b)s. Birch Gold Group charges $225 per year, no matter your account size. This includes the account setup fee, storage fees, and an annual account management fee.
Request Birch’s free gold info kit
Is Advantage Gold a legit company?
Advantage Gold is a legitimate company that helps investors diversify their retirement savings by investing in gold and precious metals.
With overwhelming positive customer reviews and a high rating on TrustLink, Advantage Gold is a solid gold provider.
Before investing in precious metals, you can download the company’s free gold investing guide to learn more.
FAQs
Who owns Advantage Gold?
Advantage Gold is a private company founded in 2014 by Adam Baratta and Kirill Zagalsky.
Does Advantage Gold have any pending lawsuits or complaints?
A class action lawsuit was filed against Advantage Gold by Richard Dashbach in July 2022. The lawsuit claims that Advantage Gold made unsolicited phone calls to numbers registered with the National Do Not Call Registry.
Where is Advantage Gold located?
Advantage Gold is located at 7600 Burnet Rd # 560, Austin, TX 78757.
Our experts specialize in converting your existing IRA or eligible 401(K) into gold or other precious metals.
Advantage Gold
Advantage Gold's main focus is to provide you with the most comprehensive information so that you can make an educated and informed decision about your retirement options.
Product Brand: Advantage Gold
4.3