Company Overview

Augusta Precious Metals (APM) is a gold IRA provider headquartered in Casper, Wyoming. Founded in 2008 by CEO Isaac Nuriani, Augusta's mission is to educate retirement savers about diversifying their savings through precious metals like gold and silver. Devlyn Steele, Augusta's Director of Education, has over $2 billion in processed financial assets. Known for predicting the 2008 financial crisis, Steele helped many Americans protect their retirement savings during that turbulent period. Howard Smith, the Chief Financial Advisor, brings over 20 years of experience in banking and capital markets and contributes significantly to APM's financial strategy to benefit its customers.

Reviews and Ratings

APM boasts stellar reviews on multiple trusted platforms, including the Better Business Bureau (BBB), TrustLink, and Google Business Profile.

• BBB: Augusta holds an A+ rating with a 4.96 out of 5-star average from 109 reviews, with no complaints in over 11 years. Customers praise their professional service and high-quality educational support.
• TrustLink: Augusta has earned a perfect 5-star rating from 283 reviews, with customers expressing satisfaction with their professionalism and depth of knowledge.
• Google Business Profile: With a 4.9 out of 5-star rating from over 290 reviews, clients appreciate Augusta's step-by-step guidance through the precious metals IRA process. Notably, there are only three one-star reviews, primarily regarding the $50K minimum investment requirement and email volume—both of which were addressed professionally.
• Business Consumer Alliance: Augusta holds an AAA rating with a 5-star average based on 95 reviews, with no complaints reported in over 10 years.
• Consumer Affairs and Facebook: Augusta has a 5-star rating on Consumer Affairs from 60 reviews and a 4.8-star rating on Facebook based on 76 reviews.

In addition, Augusta has received two prestigious Stevie Awards for customer service success and sales distinction, a testament to its strong customer-centric approach.

What Sets Augusta Precious Metals Apart?

• Commitment to Education: Augusta places a high priority on education. Investing your retirement savings can be overwhelming, especially if you lack information. Augusta's representatives provide in-depth education on precious metals IRAs, ensuring clients feel confident about their investments. New clients receive a one-on-one Zoom meeting with Augusta's education team, covering the benefits, risks, and potential scams related to gold and silver investments—with no pressure to open an account.
• Lifetime Support: Augusta offers lifetime support for customers who join their investment circle. A dedicated representative is assigned as your main point of contact, providing personalized support, including:
  • Educating clients about gold and silver IRAs and the gold market.
  • Managing gold IRA accounts, adding products, and assisting with distributions.
  • Helping with the sale or buy-back of products, as needed.
• Outstanding Customer Reviews: Augusta's positive customer feedback highlights their commitment to thorough education, personalized support, and helping investors avoid unnecessary fees and penalties. This support gives customers greater control over their retirement savings.

How to Start Investing in Precious Metals with Augusta

A gold IRA (Individual Retirement Account), also known as a precious metals IRA, allows you to diversify your retirement savings by investing in gold, silver, platinum, and palladium in the form of bars, coins, and rounds. This type of account helps protect savings from market instability caused by inflation, tax policies, or unexpected global events like the COVID-19 pandemic.

Establishing and funding a gold IRA with Augusta involves four simple steps:

1. Contact Augusta: Reach out to express interest in precious metals investing. You will be assigned a primary agent to guide you through the entire process.
2. Education Session: Participate in a one-on-one Zoom or phone call with Augusta's economic analysis team. They provide valuable insights into the advantages and risks of investing in precious metals.
3. Open Your Account: Once you decide to move forward, Augusta's representatives help you complete the paperwork to establish your gold IRA, roll over funds, choose a custodian, and select suitable products for your portfolio.
4. Secure Your Precious Metals: The purchased precious metals are shipped to your chosen depository, providing you with the peace of mind that your savings are protected.

Pricing and Fees

Augusta has two types of fees—a one-time setup fee of $250 and an annual recurring fee of $200. The one-time setup fee includes:

• Custodian application fee: $50
• Annual custodian fee: $100
• Storage fee (non-government depository): $100

The annual recurring fees cover:

• Custodian maintenance: $100
• Storage facility (non-government): $100

For your first year, the total fee is $250, and for subsequent years, it is $200 annually. Importantly, Augusta does not charge for shipping, management, or insurance.

Custodian and Depository

Augusta partners with Delaware Depository and Equity Trust for precious metals storage and custodian services.

Delaware Depository: Augusta's chosen depository for gold and silver is Delaware Depository, which offers competitive storage fees and secure facilities monitored 24/7. Its key advantages include:

• Precious metals are held off-balance sheet, ensuring creditor protection.
• Metals are stored in fortified facilities with vibration, motion, sound, and metal detection security measures.
• Depository packages are transported via fully insured armored cars.
• Insurance coverage of up to $1 billion through London underwriters.
• Clients can arrange to visit their holdings in person.

Equity Trust: Equity Trust is Augusta's preferred custodian, managing over $34 billion in assets and offering over 45 years of experience in financial services. With more than 200,000 accounts and 1 million transactions per year, Equity Trust is recognized as one of the top self-directed IRA custodians.

Products and Minimum Order

Augusta offers a selection of gold and silver products, including common and premium options. The minimum order for gold or silver investments through cash purchase or an IRA is $50,000, which is higher than many other providers. Eligible products include:

Gold Coins:

• American Eagles
• Canadian Maple Leaf
• Gold Canadian Eagle
• American Buffalo
• Australian Striped Marlin

Gold Bars:

• 10-ounce gold bar
• 1-ounce gold bar

Silver Coins:

• Canadian Silver Soaring Eagle
• Canadian Silver Eagle with Nest
• American Silver Eagle
• Canadian Silver Maple Leaf

Silver Bars:

• 100-ounce silver bar
• 10-ounce silver bar

To be IRA-eligible, gold must be at least 99.5% pure, while silver must be 99.9% pure. Notably, Augusta also offers a cash purchase service for non-IRA-eligible precious metals. These purchases benefit from free shipping and insurance, providing the flexibility to manage physical assets on your own terms.

Buy-Back Program

Augusta offers a straightforward buy-back process, allowing full or partial liquidation of precious metals IRA holdings. After you request a distribution, Augusta withdraws the metals from your account and sends funds to your custodian, who then transfers them to you. It's important to note:

• Withdrawals from IRAs are allowed only after reaching age 59½. Early withdrawals may lead to penalties and taxes unless rolled over to another qualified account.
• Augusta offers a 7-day refund policy for first-time buyers.

When requesting a buy-back or liquidation, keep in mind:

• Buy-back and sales prices are set internally by Augusta and are subject to volatility.
• Common bullion prices are based on metal content, while premium products have added value.
• Prices may vary from those of other dealers, and no price-match guarantee is offered.

Is Augusta Precious Metals a Legitimate Option for Investing?

The answer is a resounding yes. Augusta Precious Metals is a highly reputable company with excellent ratings across multiple trusted platforms like BBB, Consumer Alliance, and TrustLink. They offer unmatched education, personalized lifetime support, and a proven commitment to helping investors navigate their precious metals investment journey.

While the $50,000 minimum investment requirement is higher than that of some competitors, Augusta's comprehensive education and ongoing support provide the assurance needed to confidently pursue your financial goals. There is no better time to secure your future with Augusta Precious Metals. Start your journey today!