Birch Gold Group Review: Pros, Cons, and Key Details You Need to Know
Introduction to Birch Gold Group
In our review of Birch Gold Group, we have placed the company in the lower portion of our scale. The reason for this is that Gold IRAs can be a volatile and unfamiliar investment for those who are accustomed to more traditional assets. It’s worth noting that this market carries inherent risks and may not be suitable for everyone.
While the company has received positive reviews for their exceptional customer service, it’s important to note that they do charge high fees and require a higher minimum investment. These factors may make it too expensive for some potential clients.
Today, we’ll take a closer look at Birch Gold Group’s products, services, customer care, and reliability. But before we dive in, let’s summarize the pros and cons we’ve discovered in our evaluation.
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Pros & Cons
- Key Summary
- The Bottom Line
- Product Range and Services
- Pricing
- Customer Care
- Company Reliability
- Customer Reviews
- Birch Gold Group vs the Competition
- Alternatives to Birch Gold Group
- How to Invest in Birch Gold Group
Pros & Cons of Birch Gold Group
Pros:
- Customers rate Birch Gold Group’s customer service as exceptional.
- The company has a good reputation with investment professionals as well as clients.
- Transfers over $50,000 are fee-free for the first year.
- Birch Gold Group provides numerous educational resources for clients, and values communication as a top priority.
Cons:
- There may be hidden fees, as the company’s website mentions annual and set-up fees without providing specific figures that are subject to change.
- High minimum investment amounts are required for both orders and IRAs.
Key Summary
| PRODUCTS & SERVICES | |
|---|---|
| YEAR OF ESTABLISHMENT | 2003 |
| ASSETS OFFERED | Gold coins, bars, and bullion Silver coins and bars Platinum coins Palladium coins and bars |
| PRODUCTS AND SERVICES OFFERED | Gold IRA, Silver IRA, 401(K) Rollover, Precious Metal Acquisition, Tradition and Roth Planning, SER and Simple IRA planning |
| ANNUAL FEES | $80 |
| STORAGE FEES | $100 |
| MINIMUM IRA INVESTMENT | $10,000 |
| MINIMUM NON-IRA INVESTMENT | $5,000 |
| PROMOTION | $10,000 |
| CUSTOMER SERVICE | Phone, Email |
| RATINGS | |
| BBB RATING (A+ TO F) | A+ |
| BBB COMPLAINTS | 8 |
| BCA RATING (AAA TO F) | AAA |
| BCA COMPLAINTS (LAST 3 YEARS) | 2 |
| TRUSTLINK RATING | 5 out of 5 Stars |
| GENERAL | |
| PREFERRED DEPOSITORY | Delaware Depository Services Co |
| PREFERRED CUSTODIAN | Self-Directed IRA Services |
| PHYSICAL IRA APPLICATION | Yes |
| DIGITAL IRA APPLICATION | No |
| FEES | |
| SET UP | $50 for setup + $30 for the wire transfer |
| ADMIN (ANNU ALLY) | $80 |
| STORAGE (ANNUALLY) | $100 |
Birch Gold Group Category Ratings: How Does the Company Measure Up in Key Areas?
As part of our review of Birch Gold Group, we’ve evaluated several leading competitors in the precious metals investment market to see how Birch Gold Group stacks up against the competition.
4.7/5
| PRODUCT RANGE AND SERVICES | |
|---|---|
| PRICING | 4.7/5 |
| CUSTOMER CARE | 4.6/5 |
| COMPANY RELIABILITY | 4.8/5 |
| CUSTOMER REVIEWS | 4.7/5 |
| TOTAL | 4.6/5 |
The Bottom Line – Our Final Verdict on Products, Services, and Customer Care
Birch Gold Group specializes in assisting customers in creating and maintaining Gold and Precious Metals IRAs, making them a valuable resource in the precious metals industry. In addition to being a seller of precious metals, they offer IRA services that help customers diversify their retirement investments beyond traditional assets.
While they do not offer any innovative or unconventional services, they are a reliable company with a solid reputation. What distinguishes Birch Gold Group is their exceptional customer service and educational resources, which are highly praised by their clients.
Product Range and Services
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Compared to other companies in the precious metals investment industry, Birch Gold Group stands out with an impressive range of precious metals available for purchase. The company offers a diverse selection of gold and silver, as well as rare categories such as palladium and platinum bullion.
Aside from their physical precious metal offerings, Birch Gold Group also provides typical investment services through their IRA department, which is in line with what one would expect from a company in this industry.
Birch Gold Group Services
Birch Gold Group makes opening a Gold or Silver IRA a hassle-free experience. They offer a streamlined process where customers can complete everything in one place. Firstly, Birch will help you set up a custodian who is licensed to handle your Precious Metals IRA. Although Birch has preferred custodians, they are willing to work with you if you have a different custodian in mind.
Next, Birch assists you in acquiring the physical precious metals for your IRA and guides you through the entire process. The IRS only accepts certain precious metals for IRA holding, but Birch’s Precious Metals Specialists take care of everything to ensure that your IRA is established correctly.
After you purchase the precious metals, which are offered in gold, silver, platinum, and palladium, Birch oversees their shipping and storage with the company’s preferred secured facilities to ensure that your investment is secure. Birch continues to provide customer service and communication to give you peace of mind.
Birch Gold Group also offers rollover assistance to help you convert various types of investments. If you’re looking to roll over your Roth IRA, SEP IRA, SIMPLE IRA, or eligible 401(k), 403(b), and more, Birch offers the necessary services to help you transition your funds efficiently and legally.
Pricing
Our review of Birch Gold Group shows that it offers excellent value for money, thanks to the diversification, security, and investment opportunities it provides. While the precious metals market can be volatile, precious metals are known to hold their value against inflation better than the dollar.
This is especially important when building your retirement account, and it’s no secret that diversifying your investment portfolio is a wise move. Including precious metals in your portfolio adds an extra layer of security, stability, and confidence.
Gold, in particular, has a proven inverse-value relationship with the dollar. This means that when the value of the U.S. dollar or stocks drops, the value of gold tends to rise. Precious metals are an ideal complement to your stock or bond investments, ensuring a well-rounded return over time.
Birch Gold Group Costs and Fees
Birch Gold Group’s fees and prices are consistent with the benefits of investing in precious metals. One-time fees include an account set-up fee of $40, wire transfer fees of $30, and transaction fees of $40.
In addition, there are yearly insurance and storage fees of $100, as well as a yearly management fee of $75. It’s important to note that your set-up fee may vary depending on the custodian and storage service you choose for your account.
Minimum Investment
The minimum transaction amount for a Gold IRA with Birch Gold Group is $10,000. However, the company frequently runs promotions that provide customers with $10,000 worth of free precious metals based on the amount of their orders.
Customer Care
Customer education and care are among the top-rated areas for Birch Gold Group. Customers consistently express satisfaction with the company’s communication and efforts to help them understand their investments both within and outside the company.
For example, Birch Gold Group advises on its website that while precious metals are an excellent addition to a diversified investment portfolio, they should not be the only asset in the portfolio.
Providing unbiased information and education is one of the reasons why customers appreciate the attention to detail and commitment of Birch Gold Group.
Educational Materials
Birch Gold Group’s free 2021 Info Kit is a valuable resource for customers who want to learn about investing in precious metals and why gold and silver are excellent inflation hedges. Customers can request the information kit without any obligation to use the company’s services.
In addition, Birch Gold Group provides a wealth of information about the different types of precious metals and their roles for investors. This way, customers can gain a clear understanding of the process and be knowledgeable about it in case they decide to open a Precious Metals IRA.
Furthermore, Birch Gold Group goes the extra mile to educate potential customers and ensure that they are informed and confident throughout the process. Precious Metals Specialists, who are experienced staff members, help customers make informed and wise decisions about their investments.
Company Reliability
Since 2003, Birch Gold Group has been working to change the way Americans perceive investments in precious metals by providing them with all the necessary information to succeed in this great investment opportunity.
The company’s high customer satisfaction rates are a testament to its reliability. Additionally, Birch Gold Group has received numerous top ratings on various review sites, such as the Better Business Bureau, the Business Consumer Alliance, Trust Pilot, and GoldDealerReviews.
History and Background
Birch Gold Group, an American-based company established in 2003, has been working with customers to provide peace of mind about their retirement accounts. They started as a leading dealer of precious metals and then expanded to offer resources and education to help clients build precious metals IRAs.
Located in Burbank, California, right across from the Warner Brother Studios, they serve customers nationwide with their values of education, empathy, ethics, transparency, and efficiency. Their active mission is to empower customers and the general public to feel more confident about market factors that affect their investments and retirement funds.
The staff at Birch Gold Group has diverse experience, coming from companies such as Citigroup, IBM, and Dun & Bradstreet. These employees make up their Specialist group, providing one-on-one care and optimized communication to answer all customer questions and earn trust.
Customer Reviews
Customers who review Birch Gold Group are generally very satisfied, particularly with the company’s customer service and educational resources. While many customers have praised the website’s user-friendliness and educational materials, some have left negative feedback, mainly regarding commission costs, market volatility, and resulting losses.
Customer complaints on review websites cover a range of issues, including pricing and transparency, unresponsiveness to questions, and overbearing sales pressure. As is often the case with companies, customer reviews can be contradictory but may reveal weaknesses within the company.
Birch Gold Group Reviews from Independent Third Parties
Birch Gold Group tends to receive high ratings and long-standing approval on third-party customer review sites. For instance, the company has 4.8/5 review rankings on Trustpilot, the Better Business Bureau, Consumer Affairs, and Trust Link.
BBB
Although Birch Gold Group has a high score of 4.86/5 on the Better Business Bureau’s website, it also has the highest number of customer complaints compared to other third-party review sites. The company has an A+ accreditation score and has been accredited since 2011.
Some customers have complained about the commission structure, communication discrepancies attributed to COVID-19, and overbearing sales tactics. However, Birch Gold Group has responded to each complaint on the website and attempted to resolve the issues with the dissatisfied customers, addressing every negative review.
Consumer Affairs
Birch Gold Group received a majority of five-star ratings on the Consumer Affairs website, based on 114 reviews. Most of these reviews praised the company’s exceptional customer service efforts, consistency in responding to inquiries, availability to provide assistance, and transparency regarding purchases. The majority of customers also stated that they would recommend Birch Gold Group to their friends.
However, some negative reviews were left by customers on the website, which focused on higher pricing compared to other companies and persuading customers to buy products that were not needed but instead benefited the company’s interests. Birch Gold Group responded to both positive and negative reviews on the Consumer Affairs website in an attempt to resolve complaints. However, at the time of writing, some negative reviews remained unanswered and unresolved on the site, which could lead to customer frustration and further complaints regarding communication.
Trust Pilot
Birch Gold Group has received overwhelmingly positive reviews on the Trust Pilot website, with 95% of customers rating their experience as “excellent,” 3% as “great,” and only 2% as “bad.”
Happy customers praised the company for the ease of purchasing precious metals, the personalized attention they received, and the feeling of comfort throughout the process. Many even mentioned specific employees by name, highlighting their exceptional service.
Customers also appreciated Birch Gold Group’s commitment to providing long-term service. One customer reported needing to make changes to their IRA after a year and was impressed by the continued attentiveness and helpfulness of the company.
However, some negative reviews focused on pricing, with dissatisfied customers feeling that they were ripped off and lost money for the benefit of the company. Notably, unlike on other review sites, there was no evidence of the company reaching out to dissatisfied customers on the Trust Pilot website.
- Trustpilot: 4.8 stars
- BBB: 4.85 stars
- TrustLink: 4.9 stars
Birch Gold Group vs the Competition
After reviewing several other Gold IRA companies, we evaluated them using the same criteria as Birch Gold Group. Here’s how Birch Gold Group compared to the others:
| RATING 1-5 WHERE 5 IS BEST | Augusta Precious Metals | Birch Gold Group | Noble Gold | American Hartford | Goldco |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RANKING | #1 | #2 | #3 | #4 | #5 |
| PRODUCT RANGE AND SERVICES | 4.9 | 4.7 | 4.9 | 4.7 | 4.4 |
| PRICING | 4.8 | 4.7 | 4.6 | 4.7 | 4.3 |
| CUSTOMER CARE | 4.9 | 4.8 | 4.6 | 4.6 | 4.3 |
| COMPANY RELIABILITY | 5 | 4.8 | 4.5 | 4.8 | 4.4 |
| CUSTOMER REVIEWS | 4.9 | 5 | 4.5 | 4.7 | 4.6 |
| TOTAL RATING | 4.9 | 4.8 | 4.6 | 4.6 | 4.4 |
Alternatives to Birch Gold Group
| Birch Gold Group vs the competition | Birch Gold Group | Goldco Precious Metals IRA | Augusta Precious Metals | Noble Gold IRA | American Hartford |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Visit Website | Visit American Hartford | Visit Augusta Precious Metals | Visit Birch Gold | Visit Goldco | Visit Noble Gold |
| RANKING | #4 | #1 | #2 | #5 | #3 |
| PRODUCT RANGE AND SERVICES | 4.7 | 4.9 | 4.7 | 4.4 | 4.6 |
| PRICING | 4.7 | 4.8 | 4.7 | 4.3 | 4.6 |
| CUSTOMER CARE | 4.6 | 4.9 | 4.8 | 4.3 | 4.7 |
| COMPANY RELIABILITY | 4.8 | 5 | 4.8 | 4.4 | 4.8 |
| CUSTOMER REVIEWS | 4.7 | 4.9 | 5 | 4.6 | 4.6 |
| TOTAL RATING | 4.6 | 4.9 | 4.8 | 4.4 | 4.7 |
Alternatives to Birch Gold Group
If Birch Gold Group’s prices are beyond your budget, there are two alternative companies you can consider that provide a more affordable option for diversifying your portfolio with precious metals. These companies also rank high in customer service and education efforts, which are significant factors that draw customers to Birch Gold Group. Here are the details of the alternative:
Alternative: Augusta Precious Metals is known for its no-nonsense assistance for customers looking to rollover their IRAs or 401(k)s. The company also offers free portfolio reviews to help customers decide what kind of diversification they need.
Specializing in gold and silver IRAs, Augusta Precious Metals has a minimum investment amount of $100,000, with yearly fees amounting to $180. For non-IRA services, these fees are lower. Also, in comparison to Birch’s offering of gold, silver, platinum, and palladium, Augusta’s offerings of just gold and silver are somewhat narrow.
A unique benefit of working with Augusta Precious Metals is its price-check program, which allows for comparative pricing in the purchase of precious metals. The company is also transparent about its commission practices and other fees and rates.
Augusta has excellent customer service; however, its IRA-opening process, although simple, can take up to two weeks to take effect.
Read our full review of Augusta Precious Metals.
How to Invest in Birch Gold Group
Investing in precious metals with Birch Gold Group is a straightforward process that can be done in five easy steps. The first step is to visit the company’s education page on their website and request the free 2021 Info Kit. Once you have reviewed the information, you can reach out to their Precious Metals Specialists, who will guide you through the following steps:
- Choose your fund source, whether it’s IRA or 401(K).
- Select the precious metals you want to purchase.
- Review your order and make your purchase.
- Decide how you want your metals to be stored.
- Sit back and watch your IRA perform.
Birch Gold Group makes it easy for you to invest in precious metals, and their specialists will be there every step of the way to ensure a smooth and hassle-free process.