WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.359 Welcome to the Deep Dive. Today, we're cutting 00:00:03.359 --> 00:00:06.219 through some of the noise around gold IRAs. And 00:00:06.219 --> 00:00:09.039 specifically, looking at Augusta precious metals. 00:00:09.259 --> 00:00:11.720 Exactly. We're tackling that big research summary 00:00:11.720 --> 00:00:13.960 you sent over. And our mission, as always, is 00:00:13.960 --> 00:00:16.079 pretty simple. We want to distill this down to 00:00:16.079 --> 00:00:18.379 the most critical need -to -know information 00:00:18.379 --> 00:00:21.329 for you, the savvy learner. Get you up to speed 00:00:21.329 --> 00:00:23.809 fast. OK, so let's just unpack this right away. 00:00:24.190 --> 00:00:26.850 In this whole precious metal sector, which gets 00:00:26.850 --> 00:00:29.250 a lot of scrutiny over reputation. A lot of scrutiny. 00:00:29.510 --> 00:00:31.410 One fact from the sources just immediately stands 00:00:31.410 --> 00:00:34.390 out. Augusta Precious Metals, founded back in 00:00:34.390 --> 00:00:37.590 2012, has zero complaints. And that's zero at 00:00:37.590 --> 00:00:39.649 both the Better Business Bureau and the Business 00:00:39.649 --> 00:00:42.450 Consumer Alliance, ever. Since its inception? 00:00:43.229 --> 00:00:46.210 That's kind of wild. It's statistically. Very 00:00:46.210 --> 00:00:48.509 unusual in this business. And what's fascinating 00:00:48.509 --> 00:00:50.829 is how that's, you know, backed up by third party 00:00:50.829 --> 00:00:54.009 ratings. We're talking maximum scores and A plus 00:00:54.009 --> 00:00:57.329 from the BBB, AAA from the BCA. So understanding 00:00:57.329 --> 00:01:00.270 the why behind that record is, I think, key for 00:01:00.270 --> 00:01:01.969 any investor. Right. So that's what we're doing 00:01:01.969 --> 00:01:05.150 today. A full analysis of their model, the mission, 00:01:05.310 --> 00:01:07.989 who it's for, their educational approach. And 00:01:07.989 --> 00:01:10.719 then, you know, the nuts and bolts, the fees 00:01:10.719 --> 00:01:13.260 and compliance. Exactly. And it all starts with 00:01:13.260 --> 00:01:15.439 that foundation. The company was started in 2012 00:01:15.439 --> 00:01:18.980 by its CEO, Isaac Nuriani. And the motivation, 00:01:19.040 --> 00:01:22.879 according to the research, came from seeing this 00:01:22.879 --> 00:01:25.799 information gap. An information gap. Yeah. Basically 00:01:25.799 --> 00:01:28.140 that American consumers weren't getting the full 00:01:28.140 --> 00:01:30.540 picture on the economy or on investment alternatives. 00:01:30.659 --> 00:01:32.620 Because their traditional financial advisors 00:01:32.620 --> 00:01:35.180 often just don't sell precious metals. Precisely. 00:01:35.280 --> 00:01:38.319 So the core mission became about education, helping 00:01:38.319 --> 00:01:40.560 retirement savers diversify through gold and 00:01:40.560 --> 00:01:43.340 silver, but doing it with total transparency. 00:01:43.680 --> 00:01:45.280 And Nuriani has the background for it, right? 00:01:45.280 --> 00:01:47.819 An honors degree in economics from from UCLA? 00:01:47.980 --> 00:01:50.519 He does. And that commitment to ethics leads 00:01:50.519 --> 00:01:53.219 us right to the first major filter for their 00:01:53.219 --> 00:01:55.120 customers. The barrier to entry. The barrier 00:01:55.120 --> 00:01:57.060 to entry. The research is very clear on this. 00:01:57.359 --> 00:02:00.579 There is a $50 ,000 minimum investment. Wow. 00:02:00.959 --> 00:02:04.640 OK, $50 ,000. That's a high bar. It is. And the 00:02:04.640 --> 00:02:07.879 source actually called it a shame because it 00:02:07.879 --> 00:02:10.740 does exclude some people. But strategically, 00:02:11.080 --> 00:02:13.400 what does that do? Who is this company actually 00:02:13.400 --> 00:02:16.439 for? It clearly defines their market. This is 00:02:16.439 --> 00:02:18.599 for higher net worth investors, people who have 00:02:18.599 --> 00:02:20.780 already built up substantial retirement savings. 00:02:20.900 --> 00:02:23.539 So by setting that gate, they can focus their 00:02:23.539 --> 00:02:26.099 resources. Exactly. They're built for specialized 00:02:26.099 --> 00:02:29.139 high touch support, not high volume, mass market 00:02:29.139 --> 00:02:32.099 sales. So that $50 ,000 number is really the 00:02:32.099 --> 00:02:34.560 first thing you need to weigh. OK, so if you 00:02:34.560 --> 00:02:37.599 meet that minimum, how does the company deliver 00:02:37.599 --> 00:02:41.199 on that promise of what the source is called 00:02:41.199 --> 00:02:43.870 robust education? This is where it gets really 00:02:43.870 --> 00:02:46.110 interesting. It seems to be the centerpiece of 00:02:46.110 --> 00:02:48.789 their whole model. It's all driven by their director 00:02:48.789 --> 00:02:51.530 of education, Devlin Steele. And Steele is not 00:02:51.530 --> 00:02:54.370 just some title. The sources were clear. He's 00:02:54.370 --> 00:02:57.110 an on staff, Harvard trained economist. Right. 00:02:57.289 --> 00:02:59.789 And his background is, well, it's pretty compelling. 00:03:00.169 --> 00:03:02.289 Three decades in finance, he's processed over 00:03:02.289 --> 00:03:04.509 two billion in assets. And this is the big one. 00:03:04.710 --> 00:03:07.310 He's noted for predicting the 2008 financial 00:03:07.310 --> 00:03:10.889 crisis. And the gold and silver boom that followed. 00:03:12.379 --> 00:03:14.659 That's a powerful credential in this space, isn't 00:03:14.659 --> 00:03:16.939 it? It's huge. I mean, if you're nervous about 00:03:16.939 --> 00:03:19.520 the traditional system, the guy guiding your 00:03:19.520 --> 00:03:22.180 education is someone who saw the last big collapse 00:03:22.180 --> 00:03:24.659 coming. It creates a lot of trust. So how does 00:03:24.659 --> 00:03:26.780 he deliver this education? What does it actually 00:03:26.780 --> 00:03:29.460 look like? The crowning jewel, as the review 00:03:29.460 --> 00:03:32.520 called it, is this free one -on -one educational 00:03:32.520 --> 00:03:35.219 web conference. And Steele designed and conducts 00:03:35.219 --> 00:03:37.909 that himself. He does. But I have to push back 00:03:37.909 --> 00:03:40.830 a little here. Is one conference, even one -on 00:03:40.830 --> 00:03:43.349 -one, really enough to educate someone new to 00:03:43.349 --> 00:03:45.849 this? That's a great question. Or is it just 00:03:45.849 --> 00:03:47.990 a very high -touch sales pitch? And the research 00:03:47.990 --> 00:03:50.449 suggests it's more of a gateway. The goal is 00:03:50.449 --> 00:03:52.210 to make sure you're fully informed on the risks 00:03:52.210 --> 00:03:55.069 and rewards before any money changes hands. It's 00:03:55.069 --> 00:03:57.189 tied to their whole philosophy of specialization. 00:03:57.569 --> 00:04:00.229 They only do precious metals, IRAs, and cash 00:04:00.229 --> 00:04:02.849 accounts. They haven't watered down their expertise. 00:04:03.159 --> 00:04:06.659 Which means the entire team, from sales to processing, 00:04:06.939 --> 00:04:10.060 are experts. Right. And that leads to efficiency. 00:04:10.740 --> 00:04:12.979 That IRA processing department, for example, 00:04:13.400 --> 00:04:16.079 handles 95 % of all the paperwork for the customer. 00:04:16.740 --> 00:04:19.500 95%. That's a huge stress reliever for someone 00:04:19.500 --> 00:04:23.019 rolling over a 401k. all that complex IRS paperwork. 00:04:23.120 --> 00:04:25.459 It is. It removes the anxiety and it minimizes 00:04:25.459 --> 00:04:27.800 customer error, which, you know, probably feeds 00:04:27.800 --> 00:04:29.920 right back into that zero complaint record. Okay, 00:04:30.040 --> 00:04:32.639 that makes perfect sense. And that seamless process, 00:04:32.680 --> 00:04:35.759 it leads us right into trust and market recognition. 00:04:36.639 --> 00:04:39.120 We've hit on the zero complaints since 2012, 00:04:39.319 --> 00:04:41.259 but how do they actually do it? What's happening 00:04:41.259 --> 00:04:44.269 behind the scenes to prevent problems? It's about 00:04:44.269 --> 00:04:47.410 proactive compliance. They have a robust internal 00:04:47.410 --> 00:04:49.550 compliance department they use outside counsel, 00:04:49.910 --> 00:04:52.990 and they voluntarily submit to regular independent 00:04:52.990 --> 00:04:54.970 audits. So they aren't just waiting for problems 00:04:54.970 --> 00:04:56.670 to happen. They're actively hunting for them. 00:04:57.149 --> 00:04:59.129 Exactly. They state they go further than the 00:04:59.129 --> 00:05:02.230 law to fulfill its spirit of protection. That's 00:05:02.230 --> 00:05:04.529 what gives the zero complaint streak its real 00:05:04.529 --> 00:05:06.610 weight. And the external awards seem to back 00:05:06.610 --> 00:05:09.889 that up. They do. Consistently, Money Magazine's 00:05:09.889 --> 00:05:12.990 best overall gold IRA company for three years 00:05:12.990 --> 00:05:16.449 straight, 2023, 2024, and 2025. And maybe more 00:05:16.449 --> 00:05:19.449 importantly, most transparent pricing from Investopedia. 00:05:19.850 --> 00:05:22.149 That transparency award is key. That's usually 00:05:22.149 --> 00:05:24.189 where companies in this space get into trouble. 00:05:24.370 --> 00:05:26.970 Hidden fees, confusing price structures. Right. 00:05:27.170 --> 00:05:29.029 And the customer reviews are just consistently 00:05:29.029 --> 00:05:31.730 high across the board. Google, Consumer Affairs, 00:05:31.889 --> 00:05:36.000 TrustLink. It's all 4 .8, 4 .9, five stars. That 00:05:36.000 --> 00:05:38.319 kind of consistency over hundreds of reviews, 00:05:38.360 --> 00:05:41.699 it points to a very successful repeatable process. 00:05:42.120 --> 00:05:44.699 But even so, the research did find a tiny amount 00:05:44.699 --> 00:05:47.819 of negative feedback, about a 2 % ratio. So what 00:05:47.819 --> 00:05:49.870 were those few people complaining about? It was 00:05:49.870 --> 00:05:52.410 almost always one of two things, the bid ask 00:05:52.410 --> 00:05:56.149 spread or very rarely a delivery delay. OK, let's 00:05:56.149 --> 00:05:57.949 break down the bid ask spread. That's just the 00:05:57.949 --> 00:05:59.850 dealer's profit margin, right? The difference 00:05:59.850 --> 00:06:01.490 between what they buy it for and what they sell 00:06:01.490 --> 00:06:04.050 it for. Exactly. And it's how every dealer makes 00:06:04.050 --> 00:06:06.129 their profit. The feedback wasn't about a hidden 00:06:06.129 --> 00:06:08.370 fee. It was just, you know, some customers not 00:06:08.370 --> 00:06:10.449 fully anticipating that margin. And how did the 00:06:10.449 --> 00:06:12.389 company handle it? In every case, the research 00:06:12.389 --> 00:06:14.930 found a representative replied, explained it 00:06:14.930 --> 00:06:17.490 transparently and the customer was satisfied. 00:06:17.870 --> 00:06:20.689 So good communication de -escalated the issue 00:06:20.689 --> 00:06:22.949 before it became a formal complaint? It seems 00:06:22.949 --> 00:06:26.129 so, which is just smart operational risk management. 00:06:26.449 --> 00:06:28.850 Okay, let's shift from the service model to the 00:06:28.850 --> 00:06:31.889 actual mechanics. For someone new to this, what 00:06:31.889 --> 00:06:35.550 exactly is a gold IRA? It's a type of self -directed 00:06:35.550 --> 00:06:38.790 IRA. It lets you hold physical, IRS -approved 00:06:38.790 --> 00:06:41.250 precious metals in your retirement account, just 00:06:41.250 --> 00:06:43.470 like you'd hold stocks. And you can fund it by 00:06:43.470 --> 00:06:46.420 rolling over an existing account. Like a 401k 00:06:46.420 --> 00:06:49.120 or a traditional IRA? Yes. You can transfer those 00:06:49.120 --> 00:06:51.579 funds over without triggering any taxes or penalties, 00:06:51.759 --> 00:06:54.160 as long as it's done correctly. But we have to 00:06:54.160 --> 00:06:57.160 stress, the IRS rules still apply. This isn't 00:06:57.160 --> 00:06:59.199 the Wild West. Oh, absolutely not. Rule one. 00:06:59.379 --> 00:07:01.660 The metals have to be stored at an approved depository. 00:07:01.680 --> 00:07:04.019 You can't just keep them at home. Rule two. Only 00:07:04.019 --> 00:07:07.040 specific, high -purity, IRA -eligible coins and 00:07:07.040 --> 00:07:09.899 bars are allowed. No collectibles, no jewelry. 00:07:10.139 --> 00:07:12.699 And rule three. All the standard IRA rules still 00:07:12.699 --> 00:07:15.389 apply. Like... required minimum distributions 00:07:15.389 --> 00:07:19.189 RMDs, which kick in at age 73. Right, and Augusta 00:07:19.189 --> 00:07:21.209 helps you manage that whole process. Okay, good. 00:07:21.310 --> 00:07:23.610 Now let's get granular on the fees. Right. The 00:07:23.610 --> 00:07:25.529 research made a big deal about them being flat 00:07:25.529 --> 00:07:28.329 fees, not scaled. It's a critical distinction. 00:07:28.529 --> 00:07:32.350 Okay, so the costs are... A $50 setup fee plus 00:07:32.350 --> 00:07:35.550 $30 for the wire. A one -time thing. Right. Then 00:07:35.550 --> 00:07:38.709 annually, it's $80 for administration. And for 00:07:38.709 --> 00:07:42.389 storage, it's $150 for segregated storage. Where 00:07:42.389 --> 00:07:44.730 your metals are kept separate. Or $100 for non 00:07:44.730 --> 00:07:46.850 -segregated, where they're pooled. So let's unpack 00:07:46.850 --> 00:07:49.670 that flat versus scaled fee advantage. Why is 00:07:49.670 --> 00:07:51.610 that such a big deal for a retirement account? 00:07:51.970 --> 00:07:54.310 Well, think about it. A scaled fee might be, 00:07:54.310 --> 00:07:57.149 say, half a percent of your account value. OK. 00:07:57.360 --> 00:08:02.139 On a $50 ,000 account, that's $250. But what 00:08:02.139 --> 00:08:05.120 happens when your account grows to $500 ,000 00:08:05.120 --> 00:08:07.740 over the years? Oh, wow. Now that half a percent 00:08:07.740 --> 00:08:11.920 fee is $2 ,500. Every year. Every single year. 00:08:12.500 --> 00:08:15.660 Meanwhile, Augusta's flat fees, that $80 plus 00:08:15.660 --> 00:08:18.819 storage, stay the same. The savings compound 00:08:18.819 --> 00:08:21.519 over time. That's a huge difference. And on top 00:08:21.519 --> 00:08:23.600 of that, they have an incentive where they offer 00:08:23.600 --> 00:08:26.379 to cover up to 10 years of those fees for qualifying 00:08:26.379 --> 00:08:30.050 customers. So for many clients, the annual cost 00:08:30.050 --> 00:08:33.250 could be zero for a decade. For a full decade. 00:08:33.629 --> 00:08:36.309 The research also mentioned account lifetime 00:08:36.309 --> 00:08:39.889 support. What does that mean in practice? It 00:08:39.889 --> 00:08:41.909 means they don't just disappear after the sale. 00:08:42.029 --> 00:08:44.090 They're your partner for the life of the account. 00:08:44.210 --> 00:08:47.230 They help with disbursements, RMDs, and importantly, 00:08:47.450 --> 00:08:49.830 the buyback process when you're ready to sell. 00:08:50.250 --> 00:08:52.570 And that buyback comes with a highest buyback 00:08:52.570 --> 00:08:54.929 guarantee. Why does that matter? It provides 00:08:54.929 --> 00:08:57.860 certainty at the exit. Because that bid ask spread 00:08:57.860 --> 00:09:00.899 exists, a guarantee ensures you're getting the 00:09:00.899 --> 00:09:03.200 best price the company can offer when you liquidate. 00:09:03.460 --> 00:09:06.519 It removes the guesswork. Got it. And for security, 00:09:06.860 --> 00:09:09.100 let's circle back to storage. What does fully 00:09:09.100 --> 00:09:11.779 allocated mean and why is it so important? This 00:09:11.779 --> 00:09:14.279 is the gold standard for security. It means your 00:09:14.279 --> 00:09:17.059 metals are legally held in your name. They are 00:09:17.059 --> 00:09:19.379 not, and this is critical, they are not on the 00:09:19.379 --> 00:09:21.740 depository's balance sheet. So if the storage 00:09:21.740 --> 00:09:24.500 company itself went bankrupt, Your assets are 00:09:24.500 --> 00:09:26.919 completely protected. Their creditors have no 00:09:26.919 --> 00:09:29.659 legal claim to your metals whatsoever. It's the 00:09:29.659 --> 00:09:31.820 difference between owning an asset outright and 00:09:31.820 --> 00:09:34.139 just having a claim on an asset. That is the 00:09:34.139 --> 00:09:37.299 ultimate peace of mind. Okay, so to wrap up this 00:09:37.299 --> 00:09:39.419 deep dive, the research paints a pretty clear 00:09:39.419 --> 00:09:42.519 picture. It really does. This service is strongly 00:09:42.519 --> 00:09:45.779 geared toward two groups. First, People new to 00:09:45.779 --> 00:09:48.519 alternative assets who needed that robust, personalized 00:09:48.519 --> 00:09:51.820 education. And second, higher net worth investors 00:09:51.820 --> 00:09:54.860 who already know the space but want that lifetime 00:09:54.860 --> 00:09:57.820 support and compliance assurance. Both defined 00:09:57.820 --> 00:10:00.620 by that $50 ,000 minimum. And the key takeaway 00:10:00.620 --> 00:10:03.419 seems to be that transparency isn't just a buzzword 00:10:03.419 --> 00:10:07.620 for them. It's built into the model. Zero complaints, 00:10:08.200 --> 00:10:10.539 independent audits, and that favorable flat fee 00:10:10.539 --> 00:10:12.899 structure. Absolutely. We've talked about how 00:10:12.899 --> 00:10:15.399 gold and silver are seen as a hedge, a way to 00:10:15.399 --> 00:10:17.360 add stability and diversification to a retirement 00:10:17.360 --> 00:10:19.960 portfolio. And given that focus on protection, 00:10:20.139 --> 00:10:22.500 the research mentions something the CEO, Isaac 00:10:22.500 --> 00:10:25.580 Nuriani, says. He refers to gold and silver not 00:10:25.580 --> 00:10:28.159 as an investment, but as your financial insurance. 00:10:28.480 --> 00:10:30.899 Financial insurance. Yeah. And that phrase, it's 00:10:30.899 --> 00:10:32.500 a really compelling way to frame it, isn't it? 00:10:32.559 --> 00:10:35.559 Especially when you consider the economic outlook 00:10:35.559 --> 00:10:38.159 from experts like Devlin Steel. It shifts the 00:10:38.159 --> 00:10:41.320 mindset from just chasing growth to prioritizing 00:10:41.320 --> 00:10:43.340 security. And that's definitely something worth 00:10:43.340 --> 00:10:44.059 mulling over.