Swiss America Review

Swiss America was founded in 1982 and is a leading gold IRA company for investors seeking to protect their wealth.

While the company provides excellent personalized services, it lacks transparency in pricing and inventory.

Read this Swiss America review to learn more.

The Verdict for Swiss America

I’ve given them a rating of 6.3 out of 10.

Swiss America is ideal for investors who prefer working with industry experts.

The company excels in customer support and provides investors with market-based educational materials.

Pricing, product availability, and storage options aren’t disclosed unless you speak with a representative.

Swiss America is best for those looking to work with an industry leader who provides exemplary customer support.

Category	Rating (out of 10)
Product & Service Offerings	8
Pricing & Fees	2
Guarantees	6
Customer Experience	8
Storage & Security	4
Account Setup & Maintenance	7
Reputation & Reviews	9
Overall Rating	6.3

In this review of Swiss America, I’ve followed GIC’s detailed criteria for evaluating the precious metals IRA company.

About Swiss America

Swiss America was founded in 1982 by precious metals expert Craig Smith.

Based in Phoenix, Swiss America serves over 60,000 clients and is one of the largest – and oldest – precious metals dealers available.

The company is led by CEO Dean Heskin and committed to helping investors make informed investment decisions about protecting their wealth with precious metals.

It prides itself on integrity by offering personalized investing services and comprehensive educational resources. 

Swiss America holds an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau and is a member of respected precious metal organizations including the American Numismatic Association and the Industry Council for Tangible Assets.

Swiss America has been featured in several media outlets including Fox News, PBS, CNN, and ABC News.

Product & Service Offerings

Swiss America allows investors to purchase precious metals directly or set up a tax-advantaged gold IRA.

To set up an account, you’ll work with a dedicated account executive to guide you through the process of enrolling with a custodian and rolling over funds from existing retirement accounts.

The company offers different gold and silver products for purchase, including:

• American Gold and Silver Eagle Coins
• Canadian Gold and Silver Maple Leaf
• Rare Coins

In addition to coins, Swiss America offers bullion bars in gold, silver, and platinum.

All precious metals must meet strict IRS purity guidelines, with gold coins requiring a minimum purity of 99.5%.

Swiss America places a strong emphasis on providing investors with educational resources.

The company’s founder has written nine books and the website offers free reports, guides, and a podcast to help you understand the benefits of investing in gold.

You cannot purchase gold directly on the company’s website and Swiss America does not disclose availability of its existing inventory.

You will need to speak to an account executive to learn more about what is currently available.

Pricing & Fees

Swiss America prides itself on transparency, however, there is very little information available on its website about pricing. You’ll need to work with an account executive for exact costs.

Setup fee for IRA	$250
Wire transfer fee	$30
Custodian administration fee	Not listed
Storage fees	Not listed

There is a $250 fee to set up a new gold IRA, however there are no fees to rollover funds from an existing retirement savings account.

The minimum investment requirement for rollovers is $5,000. 

Swiss America does not disclose annual fees for maintaining an account or storage fees for gold held in partner depositories. 

The company does offer liquidation protection for its customers.

They promise to buy back your coins at the same grade they were originally purchased as long as they are kept in their original grading holders.

Guarantees

Swiss America guarantees the purity and authenticity of all precious metals offered, adhering to strict IRS guidelines.

Coins are graded and IRA-eligible coins must meet a minimum purity standard of 99.5%.

Swiss America prides itself on good customer support and satisfaction through personalized services and ongoing communication.

Customers report Swiss America representatives are knowledgeable and professional.

The company features a no-fee buyback policy to make it as easy as possible for you to sell your gold at your discretion.

Swiss America ships coins through insured mail, ensuring secure delivery. For items purchased for an IRA, Swiss America securely ships all assets to a secured storage facility.

Customer Experience

Swiss America can be reached by phone toll free at (800) 289-2646. You can also email their customer support team at [email protected]. 

Swiss America prioritizes exceptional customer service. When you’re ready to open an account you’ll be assigned a dedicated account executive who will provide you tailored advice to help you meet your investing goals.

Existing customers find Swiss America representatives to be accessible, professional, and knowledgeable. 

Aside from personalized investing services, Swiss America offers a range of educational resources to help investors to make informed decisions.

This includes comprehensive guides and market analysis. Swiss America offers investors access to their accounts through an online portal or mobile app.

It has a 3.3 star rating in the App Store and is currently unavailable on Google Play. Users report the company is slow to provide updates, including pricing information.

Storage & Security

Swiss America does not publicly disclose which depositories it specifically works with, but it does work with IRS-approved depositories including Brink’s, Delaware Depository, International Depository Services, and Dakota Depository Company. 

IRS-approved depositories adhere to stringent security protocols including 24/7 monitoring and restricted access controls.

Assets stored in these depositories are insured, but investors can choose to purchase supplemental insurance coverage.

Investors can choose between segregated and non-segregated storage. Depending on the depository, segregated storage may come with a higher fee.

Swiss America employs regular audits and assessments of storage facilities to ensure compliance with industry standards, maintaining high levels of transparency and trust.

Account Setup & Maintenance

To set up a gold IRA, set up a consultation with a Swiss America account executive. They’ll walk you through your options including which coins are eligible to include in your portfolio.

If you plan to rollover funds from an existing retirement plan, the account executive will help you process your rollover.

After you’ve selected your coins, you’ll work with Swiss America’s trading department to ensure coin availability and lock in a price.

Payments can be remitted via bank wire or a cashier’s check. There is a $30 fee for bank wires.

Gold that’s part of an IRA will be stored on your behalf at a depository. Otherwise gold not included in a gold IRA will be shipped to your home via USPS.

After you’ve received your inventory you can keep track of your portfolio’s performance through the Swiss America client portal.

Reviews & Reputation

Swiss America has an average rating of 4.98 out of 5 stars from 126 reviews on the BBB and 4.6 out of 5 stars from 60 reviews on Google.

Customers highlight the company’s professionalism and response to questions.

In the last 12 months the company has had one complaint from an elderly customer who believed they were overcharged for coins they did not originally intend to purchase.

The company offered a refund. Swiss America maintains social media profiles on X, Facebook, and YouTube.

Swiss America Alternatives & Competitors

While Swiss America has been in business for decades, there are other gold IRA companies you’ll want to consider before investing in gold.

Goldco

Goldco is a better option for investors with larger portfolios. It requires a minimum investment of $25,000 and charges a $50 setup fee.

The annual account administration fee is  $125 with storage ranging from $100 to $150 per year.

Request free gold and silver guide

Noble Gold Investments

Noble Gold Investments is best for investors who want to hedge their wealth against inflation. Noble Gold offers 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

Birch Gold Group

Birch Gold Group is good for new investors who want to rollover an existing retirement account. Birch Gold accepts rollovers from Roth IRAs, SEP IRAs, SIMPLE IRAs, 401(k)s, 403(b)s, and 457(b)s.

The company charges $225 per year which includes an account setup fee, storage fees, and an annual account management fee.

Request Birch’s free gold info kit

Is Swiss America a reputable company?

With more than 40 years of experience, Swiss America is one of the oldest gold IRA companies out there.

While customers report an overwhelmingly positive experience, the lack of pricing data or product availability on its website puts the company behind some of its competitors.

Request more information or speak with an account executive to learn more about whether or not Swiss America aligns with your long-term financial goals.

FAQs