American Hartford Gold Review (2024): Must-Know Details
American Hartford Gold is a company that many individuals, entrepreneurs, and retirees interested in precious metals and gold IRAs may come across. As an entrepreneur focused on financial independence and securing my future, I have a strong interest in diversifying away from traditional stocks and bonds through gold IRA companies.
In previous articles, I’ve explored gold IRA companies that can help diversify away from traditional stocks and bonds. One company I’ve reviewed is Augusta Precious Metals, talking about its wide selection of gold and silver products for retirement investors.
For this review, the focus is on another well-known dealer in this space – American Hartford Gold. As with any investment, it’s important for you to thoroughly research all your options.
American Hartford Gold certainly has an interesting history and business model that sets them apart. Through this article, my goal is to provide an impartial look into American Hartford Gold for any readers considering them for a self-directed IRA or direct precious metals purchase.
You’ll discover their product offerings, pricing, customer service reputation, and other key factors to determine if they represent a solid choice. So, read on for the details.
Read also: Best Silver IRA Companies
Endorsed by the likes of Bill O'Reilly, American Hartford Gold excels both as a gold IRA and physical precious metals dealer for cash purchases. They have one of the lowest minimum investments at just $10,000 for rollovers.
American Harford Gold Overview
As always, we begin with a broad look at the company and what they can do for you.
What Is American Harford Gold?
American Hartford Gold (or AHG) is a company that offers individuals and families an opportunity to invest in precious metals. Founded in 2015, American Hartford Gold helps investors purchase physical gold, silver, platinum, and coins that can be held in self-directed individual retirement accounts (IRAs).
Besides that, the gold IRA company also serves as a platform that educates clients about investments in the precious metals industry. All these services allow you as an investor to benefit from potential gains in metal prices while also growing your retirement savings in a tax-advantaged manner.
Who Is the Founder of American Harford Gold?
American Hartford Gold was founded in 2015 by CEO Sanford Mann. Mann has decades of experience in the precious metals industry and is a highly accomplished entrepreneur.
Before founding American Hartford Gold, Sandy Mann spent decades working in various roles within the precious metals industry. He began his career as a sales associate, representing companies like Merit Gold and Goldline, LLC.
He is a four-time winner of Inc. Magazine’s Inc. 5000 award for fastest-growing private companies. In addition, Mann serves on the Forbes Business Development Council, sharing his expertise to help other entrepreneurs.
What’s more, Mann has delivered billions of dollars worth of physical gold, silver, and other precious metals to clients over his career. Also, he holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Eastern Connecticut State University.
Where Is American Hartford Gold Located?
American Hartford Gold’s corporate headquarters is located at 11755 Wilshire Blvd 11th floor, Los Angeles, CA 90025, USA. They also have additional offices located in Woodland Hills, CA, and West Palm Beach, FL.
Maintaining offices in the 3 locations allows American Hartford Gold to provide in-person assistance to customers across the country.
How to Get Started with American Hartford Gold?
If you think it’s complicated to get started, think again. The basic steps to start working with American Hartford Gold are as follows:
- Contact an account executive: Call or fill out an online form on their website to be connected with a dedicated account representative.
- Learn about precious Metals investment options: Representatives will explain the benefits of physical gold, silver, platinum, and different products like coins and bars.
- Place your first order: Account executives will guide you in selecting appropriate products based on your budget.
- Get your shipment: The company will securely process and ship the assets to you.
- Get ongoing support: Account representatives provide full-time support for storage, selling, or any other needs.
American Harford Gold Reviews, Ratings, and Awards
American Hartford Gold has earned overwhelmingly positive reviews and recommendations from both customers and notable figures. I can’t list everything, but here are the important things to know about their reputation:
- A+ rating on the BBB
- 4.89/5 stars from 504 customer reviews on the BBB
- 4.8 star rating and 1,200+ reviews on Trustpilot
- 4.7 star rating and 800+ reviews on Consumer Affairs
- 4.8 star rating and 849 reviews on Google Business
- Recommended by well-known media personalities like Bill O’Reilly, Rick Harrison, and Lou Dobbs
- Frequent appearances on the Inc 5000 list
Through many years of exceptional customer service, as evidenced by its top BBB rating, the company has gained thousands of glowing online reviews, endorsements from big names, and recognition on success lists.
American Harford Gold Offerings
There are two ways to use American Hartford Gold for investment in precious metals.
- Physical gold and silver purchase
- Inside an IRA, 401K, or TSP
Physical Gold and Silver Purchase
For those wanting to directly own precious metals, American Hartford Gold offers physical coins and bars that can be securely stored in their insured vaults. Investors have the option to take physical possession of their metals by having them delivered to their homes or leave them in the vaults for easy access to sell back at competitive prices when desired.
This is a good option for you if you’re someone seeking tangible assets that act as a hedge against inflation or economic uncertainty. You get a chance to maintain full control and ownership of the physical metals you invest in.
Precious Metals IRA, 401K, or TSP
When it comes to retirement investing, American Hartford Gold allows opening a gold (self-directed) IRA, 401k, or other tax-advantaged account and purchasing eligible gold and silver products within those accounts. Using a gold IRA is a way to expand your investment options and not be limited as is the case with its traditional (regular) counterparts.
All you have to do is roll over or transfer the funds from one of your old accounts and convert it into a gold IRA tax-free (although not complicated, the American Harford team is still available to assist with the process). Unlike physical purchases, the precious metals are held indirectly in IRA or 401k accounts.
American Hartford Gold Products
Here are some details about the types of gold and silver products available on American Hartford Gold:
Gold and Silver Coins
Coins are a popular way to obtain precious metals. The American Harford gold IRA company offers various coins minted by government mints like the US Mint, Royal Canadian Mint, and Perth Mint.
This includes classic coins like:
- American Gold Eagles
- Canadian Gold Maple Leafs
- Silver Eagles
- Canadian Silver Maple Leafs
Gold and Silver Bars
Bars come in various sizes ranging from 1 oz to kilogram-sized bars. They are produced by reputable refiners and dealers.
Bars provide a cost-effective option for investing larger dollar amounts in gold and silver.
IRA-Approved Gold and Silver Products
Not all gold and silver products are eligible to be held inside an IRA. Only coins, bars, and rounds that meet IRS fineness requirements can be held in an IRA.
To qualify, the metals must be at least 99.9% pure gold or 99.5% pure silver. Bullion products like coins and bars from government mints or reputable refiners are typically approved since their worth is based mainly on precious metal weight and spot price.
American Hartford Gold works with industry-leading custodians that only allow storage of products meeting the IRS criteria to keep IRAs in compliance.
American Hartford Gold Fees and Costs
Now on this American Harford Gold review, we move on to the associated costs.
Minimum Investment
The minimum investment to open a self-directed gold IRA with American Harford Gold is $10,000, and $5,000 for directly purchasing physical precious metals like gold and silver.
Both minimums are quite affordable compared to other financial institutions. Many require much higher opening balances, putting them out of reach for average investors.
American Hartford Gold’s minimums allow starting an IRA or physical purchase with a meaningful amount without being overly burdensome. It’s a low barrier to entry.
Setup Fees
Many financial companies charge expensive setup or account opening fees when establishing new IRAs or brokerage accounts. This can be several hundred dollars or more.
American Hartford Gold doesn’t charge any setup fees for self-directed precious metals IRAs. They want to remove barriers to entry and make accounts affordable for all investors.
Shipping and Insurance Fees
When taking delivery of physical precious metals, some dealers will charge additional fees on top of the purchase price for transportation and insurance coverage. American Hartford Gold includes free shipping on all orders via fully insured carriers.
They absorb these costs rather than passing them to clients. Free shipping applies regardless of the order value and even smaller purchases are delivered at no additional charge.
Insuring orders during transit is also complimentary. The metals are fully covered should anything happen during the shipment process.
Storage Fees
American Hartford Gold’s storage fees vary based on the total value of the metals held in an account. Fees can also be waived based on the individual.
Your account executive can provide more details on the same. Also, if you choose to take physical delivery of products rather than store them with the dealer, you won’t have to pay any fees to them.
American Hartford Gold Refunds
There are two ways to request a refund after purchasing from AHG.
7-Day Money-Back Guarantee
American Hartford Gold offers a generous 7-day money-back guarantee to provide customers with peace of mind when purchasing physical precious metals. For seven days after receiving an order, buyers have the option to return the products for a full refund of the purchase price.
To qualify, the metals must be unused and remain in the original packaging and condition in which they were received. If for any reason they are not completely satisfied, you can simply ship the items back within one week to receive all of your money back.
American Hartford Gold provides refunds within 30 days after money-back requests as long as the metals are undamaged. This stringent refund policy reduces the risk for you as a buyer and gives you time to fully vet your purchase.
Buyback Program
American Hartford Gold offers a buyback program to provide customers liquidity should they eventually want to sell their precious metals, but doesn’t guarantee they will purchase metals back from customers.
Through this program, they provide a potential avenue for customers to sell their precious metals back to the company. However, American Hartford Gold retains the right to decline buyback requests if they don’t need inventory at that time.
When buybacks are accepted, the company will offer customers a price based on the current spot price for the metals. This price may be higher or lower than the original purchase price depending on market movements.
If you decide to sell, you’re encouraged to reach out to AHG first. They may offer better prices than outside buyers.
American Hartford Gold Pros and Cons
Here are the things I like and what I don’t like about AHG.
What I Like about AHG
- Thousands of positive reviews online
- Zero fees for account setup, shipping, and possibly storage
- A low minimum investment, suitable for small investors and beginners
- There’s both the option to buy with cash or rollover your existing IRA
- 7-day refund policy and buyback program without overcharging (additional liquidation fees)
- Provision of precious metals market knowledge on the platform for investors to follow along
What I Don’t Like about AHG
- Although they mention that they can supply platinum and palladium, only gold and silver are listed on their site
- Has had some complaints (although fully resolved) on BBB
American Harford Gold FAQs
Is American Harford Gold Legit?
Given that the company has positive reviews and ratings from reputable third-party sources like the BBB and Trustpilot, you can be sure that you’re dealing with a reputable gold IRA provider.
Who Endorses American Hartford Gold?
Besides the thousands of investors who rated and reviewed the company positively, celebrities are endorsing it, including Bill O’Reilly, Rick Harrison, and Lou Dobbs. The first is a renowned commentator and journalist, the second a star businessman, and the third an accomplished political commentator, author, and former TV host.
What Storage Options are available on American Hartford Gold?
The primary storage options available through American Hartford Gold are:
- Brink’s Global Services: This is American Hartford Gold’s primary vaulting partner. Metals are stored in high-security Brink’s facilities across the US.
- Delaware Depository: Also for customers wanting an insured depository located in the US, metals can be stored at the Delaware Depository in Wilmington, DE.
- Insured delivery: For no-cost storage, customers have the option of insured delivery to their home or business address. Metals are insured during transportation.
- Segregated storage: High net worth clients have access to individually segregated, allocated storage with individual serial numbers assigned.
American Harford Gold Review: Conclusion
As you’ve seen, American Hartford Gold has established itself as a reputable and trusted dealer in the precious metals industry. The high ratings and reviews from third-party sources say it all.
Now, it doesn’t matter whether you’re a small or big investor. The wise thing to do, particularly in times of economic uncertainty, would be to take advantage of American Hartford Gold’s services to help diversify your portfolio.
By adding gold and silver to your investments, you could potentially help you hedge against inflation. Precious metals can serve as a store of value and help provide an additional layer of security.
So, don’t wait. Go ahead and see what AHG can do for you.
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