American Hartford Gold Review

American Hartford Gold offers fee waiver programs (listed here as up to three years), regular free silver promotions, a price match guarantee and fast shipping, with a $10,000 minimum. Cost-conscious investors can compare its $0 setup fee against the $50 to $80 setup fees of the other four companies on this site.

American Hartford Gold advertises free silver, fee waivers of up to three years and a price match guarantee. Promotions reduce cost only when you meet their terms, and the site notes that some promotions have specific requirements. Before you agree, ask for each term in writing.

• What minimum purchase triggers the free silver, and how is the silver priced?
• Which fees are waived, for how many years, and what happens if you sell early?
• Does the price match require a competitor's written quote, and from which dates?
• Does the $0 setup fee in the table carry the asterisk shown there, and what does that asterisk mean?

The fee table lists a $0 setup fee (with an asterisk), a $75 annual fee, $100 per year for storage and a $30 wire fee. If the setup fee is waived, the first-year account cost is about $175 ($75 plus $100), the lowest among the five companies on this site. Augusta and Goldco come to about $230, Birch to about $225 and Noble Gold to about $310 under the same math.

Waivers end, and a waived fee returns as a normal one. Plan around the ongoing figure, not the promotional one.

The site cites 3-5 day funding. Funding depends on your old plan too, so the realistic order of events is as follows.

1. Call or submit the form and speak with a specialist.
2. Complete the paperwork for the self-directed IRA.
3. Your 401(k) administrator releases the funds by direct rollover.
4. You choose gold and silver products with your representative.
5. The custodian pays the dealer and ships the metals to the depository.

Overall, the whole process commonly takes a few weeks. Ask what part is outside American Hartford Gold's control.

The company is rated best for beginners and lists a $10,000 minimum. It suits first-time buyers who value a dedicated representative, fast setup and a promotional offer, and who plan to hold for years. The listed cons are limited educational content and fewer storage options, so a reader who wants a large learning library or a choice of depositories should compare Augusta or Birch.

Confirm the A+ BBB rating on the BBB website and read recent complaints. Be cautious if a representative describes the silver offer as a guaranteed return, because metals prices rise and fall. Do not accept any suggestion to keep IRA metals at home. Keep a copy of every agreement and make sure the product list contains only IRS-eligible bullion.

American Hartford Gold lists a $10,000 minimum, above Birch's $5,000, and shares Birch's $75 annual fee, has the lowest listed setup fee and holds a 4.8/5 rating on this site, level with Goldco and Birch. Augusta has a higher rating (4.9/5) and a higher minimum. Founded in 2015, American Hartford Gold is newer than Birch and Goldco and one year older than Noble Gold.

Is the free silver part of my IRA?

Ask. Metals delivered to you personally are not IRA holdings, and IRA metals must go to an approved depository.

Do all fees get waived?

The site says fees can be waived for a period; the schedule decides which fees and for how long.

Can I switch companies later?

You can generally transfer an IRA between custodians, but ask about any fees and about how metals are moved.