WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.000 Welcome to the deep dive. So if you're tuning 00:00:02.000 --> 00:00:04.700 in, you're probably one of the many people watching 00:00:04.700 --> 00:00:06.940 the markets, watching inflation, and just feeling 00:00:06.940 --> 00:00:12.339 that global uncertainty. And you're asking yourself 00:00:12.339 --> 00:00:14.619 a pretty big question about your retirement portfolio. 00:00:15.060 --> 00:00:17.739 Is there a way I can safeguard this with something 00:00:17.739 --> 00:00:20.940 tangible, something real? And that question almost 00:00:20.940 --> 00:00:23.300 always leads you to gold IRAs. It does. But the 00:00:23.300 --> 00:00:26.199 thing is, while that appeal of physical gold 00:00:26.199 --> 00:00:30.679 or silver is huge, the market itself It's a genuine 00:00:30.679 --> 00:00:33.200 labyrinth. You're just bombarded with ads, sales 00:00:33.200 --> 00:00:35.899 pitches, confusing fees. It's really hard to 00:00:35.899 --> 00:00:38.539 know who to trust. That is exactly why we wanted 00:00:38.539 --> 00:00:40.920 to do this deep dive. Our mission today is to 00:00:40.920 --> 00:00:42.820 cut right through all of that noise, and we're 00:00:42.820 --> 00:00:45.320 going to do it by relying on some really exhaustive 00:00:45.320 --> 00:00:47.859 expert analysis. We're unpacking the findings 00:00:47.859 --> 00:00:50.100 from researcher Doug Young, who has, what, over 00:00:50.100 --> 00:00:52.700 two decades in finance? Yeah, over 20 years just 00:00:52.700 --> 00:00:54.359 tracking these markets and retirement firms. 00:00:54.799 --> 00:00:56.380 His team has done all the heavy lifting for you. 00:00:56.399 --> 00:00:58.880 They've looked at over 80 companies going all 00:00:58.880 --> 00:01:01.030 the way back to 2011. And they're not just looking 00:01:01.030 --> 00:01:03.609 at the slick marketing websites. No, not at all. 00:01:03.850 --> 00:01:05.969 They built their rankings around hard data verified 00:01:05.969 --> 00:01:09.049 consumer protection data. We're talking A plus 00:01:09.049 --> 00:01:11.510 ratings from the Better Business Bureau, triple 00:01:11.510 --> 00:01:14.170 A from the Business Consumer Alliance, stuff 00:01:14.170 --> 00:01:17.370 you can't fake. And a huge focus on transparency 00:01:17.370 --> 00:01:20.689 and actual investor education, not just high 00:01:20.689 --> 00:01:22.829 pressure sales calls. So our goal here is to 00:01:22.829 --> 00:01:25.030 give you a shortcut, a way to get well informed, 00:01:25.290 --> 00:01:28.250 fast. We're focusing on the absolute non -negotiables. 00:01:28.920 --> 00:01:31.959 compliance, clear fees, and good customer service. 00:01:32.400 --> 00:01:34.280 By the end of this, you should know exactly what 00:01:34.280 --> 00:01:36.200 to look for and who the experts are pointing 00:01:36.200 --> 00:01:38.939 to for 2026. Okay, so let's start with the absolute 00:01:38.939 --> 00:01:41.420 basics, the mechanics. Because if you don't understand 00:01:41.420 --> 00:01:45.239 the structure of a gold IRA, you could accidentally 00:01:45.239 --> 00:01:48.280 risk the tax advantage status of your entire 00:01:48.280 --> 00:01:50.209 account. That raises the stakes quite a bit. 00:01:50.469 --> 00:01:52.129 So when you open one of these, you're immediately 00:01:52.129 --> 00:01:54.549 dealing with two separate entities, right? There's 00:01:54.549 --> 00:01:56.430 the gold IRA company and then there's the custodian. 00:01:56.730 --> 00:01:59.170 Exactly. And they have very different jobs. The 00:01:59.170 --> 00:02:01.290 company is your guide. They're the ones you talk 00:02:01.290 --> 00:02:03.390 to. They set up the paperwork. They advise you 00:02:03.390 --> 00:02:05.810 on which coins or which bullion are actually 00:02:05.810 --> 00:02:09.409 IRS eligible. And that purity standard is very 00:02:09.409 --> 00:02:11.590 strict. OK, so they're the ones coordinating 00:02:11.590 --> 00:02:14.930 the logistics, the purchase and getting it stored. 00:02:15.169 --> 00:02:17.409 Right. They're the sales and support team. Your 00:02:17.409 --> 00:02:19.770 main point of contact. But, and this is the key 00:02:19.770 --> 00:02:22.150 thing, they don't actually touch your assets. 00:02:22.509 --> 00:02:25.430 That separation is critical. The custodian, they're 00:02:25.430 --> 00:02:28.050 the administrator. Precisely. The custodian is 00:02:28.050 --> 00:02:30.870 an IRS -approved financial institution. It's 00:02:30.870 --> 00:02:33.110 usually a bank or a trust company, and they are 00:02:33.110 --> 00:02:35.349 legally on the hook for safekeeping your assets. 00:02:35.669 --> 00:02:37.870 They handle all the compliance, the recordkeeping, 00:02:38.009 --> 00:02:40.710 and they make sure the metals are in an approved, 00:02:41.150 --> 00:02:43.830 secure depository. the official gatekeeper. So 00:02:43.830 --> 00:02:46.710 the custodian handles all the complex regulatory 00:02:46.710 --> 00:02:48.830 stuff. And here's something the sources really 00:02:48.830 --> 00:02:51.909 flag. The custodian does not sell you gold. They 00:02:51.909 --> 00:02:54.889 don't give investment advice. No, they're strictly 00:02:54.889 --> 00:02:58.210 a fiduciary. And the biggest risk analysts see 00:02:58.210 --> 00:03:00.409 is when there's bad communication between your 00:03:00.409 --> 00:03:03.490 IRA company and that custodian. If they're not 00:03:03.490 --> 00:03:06.090 in sync, administrative errors can pop up and 00:03:06.090 --> 00:03:08.539 put your tax status in real jeopardy. That's 00:03:08.539 --> 00:03:10.680 the real danger then, that administrative friction. 00:03:11.240 --> 00:03:13.419 So once you get those roles straight, you have 00:03:13.419 --> 00:03:16.340 to pick the type of IRA. The analysis points 00:03:16.340 --> 00:03:18.500 to three main versions. Yeah, and each one is 00:03:18.500 --> 00:03:20.340 suited for a different expectation you might 00:03:20.340 --> 00:03:22.919 have about your taxes and retirement. The most 00:03:22.919 --> 00:03:25.919 common is the traditional gold IRA. You put in 00:03:25.919 --> 00:03:29.080 pre -tax money, it all grows tax -deferred, and 00:03:29.080 --> 00:03:31.080 then you pay income tax when you take it out 00:03:31.080 --> 00:03:33.139 in retirement. This is for people who think they'll 00:03:33.139 --> 00:03:35.360 be in a lower tax bracket later on. Right, and 00:03:35.360 --> 00:03:38.199 you contrast that with the Roth gold IRA. This 00:03:38.199 --> 00:03:40.219 one is funded with after -tax money, so you've 00:03:40.219 --> 00:03:42.780 already paid taxes on it. But the big payoff 00:03:42.780 --> 00:03:45.259 is that your qualified withdrawals and retirement 00:03:45.259 --> 00:03:48.139 are completely tax -free. That's a huge advantage 00:03:48.139 --> 00:03:50.400 for anyone expecting to be in a higher tax bracket 00:03:50.400 --> 00:03:53.080 later. Plus, the Roth has no required minimum 00:03:53.080 --> 00:03:55.400 distributions, which gives you a lot more control. 00:03:55.759 --> 00:03:59.219 It does. And then, just briefly, there's this 00:03:59.219 --> 00:04:02.199 SEP Gold IRA. It works like a traditional IRA, 00:04:02.639 --> 00:04:04.979 tax -wise, but it's really designed for the self 00:04:04.979 --> 00:04:06.879 -employed or small business owners. It just lets 00:04:06.879 --> 00:04:08.879 you contribute a lot more. So you've picked your 00:04:08.879 --> 00:04:12.460 type. Now you have to fund it. The analysis seems 00:04:12.460 --> 00:04:15.319 to really favor a rollover from an existing account, 00:04:15.360 --> 00:04:18.660 like a 401k or another IRA. Oh, it's by far the 00:04:18.660 --> 00:04:21.060 easiest route. But you have to be careful how 00:04:21.060 --> 00:04:23.060 you do it. And this is the whole direct versus 00:04:23.060 --> 00:04:25.399 indirect rollover thing. Exactly. The direct 00:04:25.399 --> 00:04:28.339 rollover is the safe, simple path everyone recommends. 00:04:28.699 --> 00:04:30.759 The money moves from one custodian directly to 00:04:30.759 --> 00:04:32.620 the new one. It never even touches your personal 00:04:32.620 --> 00:04:35.439 bank account. No IRS confusion. Whereas the indirect 00:04:35.439 --> 00:04:37.660 rollover, that's where you get the check yourself. 00:04:37.740 --> 00:04:40.620 Right. And you have exactly 60 days, a very strict 00:04:40.490 --> 00:04:43.110 deadline to get that money into the new account. 00:04:43.569 --> 00:04:46.129 If you miss it, the IRS just treats it as a taxable 00:04:46.129 --> 00:04:49.149 withdrawal. You get hit with income tax and maybe 00:04:49.149 --> 00:04:51.709 even a 10 % penalty. It's a risk you just don't 00:04:51.709 --> 00:04:54.769 need to take. Okay, and one last absolutely non 00:04:54.769 --> 00:04:57.129 -negotiable rule on this, physical possession. 00:04:57.389 --> 00:05:00.810 With a gold IRA, you cannot touch the gold. It 00:05:00.810 --> 00:05:03.949 has to be stored in an IRS approved fully insured 00:05:03.949 --> 00:05:06.670 depository. The second you take possession of 00:05:06.670 --> 00:05:09.089 it, you lose the tax advantage. That's it. We're 00:05:09.089 --> 00:05:10.990 talking about professional secure facilities, 00:05:11.110 --> 00:05:13.589 you know, like the Delaware Depository or Brinks. 00:05:14.149 --> 00:05:16.310 The medals are held in your custodian's name, 00:05:16.870 --> 00:05:19.259 but for your benefit. Okay, so we've got the 00:05:19.259 --> 00:05:21.060 rules of the game. We know who the players are. 00:05:21.120 --> 00:05:23.339 Now, how do we trust the rankings? This gets 00:05:23.339 --> 00:05:26.279 us to Doug Young's methodology. To get from over 00:05:26.279 --> 00:05:29.279 80 companies down to just a handful, they used 00:05:29.279 --> 00:05:31.620 five really strict criteria. What was number 00:05:31.620 --> 00:05:34.600 one? Reputation and accreditation. This was the 00:05:34.600 --> 00:05:36.540 first hurdle. It's non -negotiable. It means 00:05:36.540 --> 00:05:39.899 verifying A plus ratings from the BBB, triple 00:05:39.899 --> 00:05:42.899 A from the BCA. They also dug really deep into 00:05:42.899 --> 00:05:44.899 complaint histories to look for any negative 00:05:44.899 --> 00:05:47.519 patterns. A clean track record over many years 00:05:47.519 --> 00:05:49.680 is a huge signal of trust. That makes sense. 00:05:50.040 --> 00:05:52.399 In a market this crowded, reputation is everything. 00:05:52.680 --> 00:05:54.079 But what about the technical side of things? 00:05:54.360 --> 00:05:56.480 That's the second pillar. Regulatory compliance. 00:05:57.139 --> 00:05:59.540 This means checking a bunch of boxes. Are they 00:05:59.540 --> 00:06:01.920 properly licensed? Do they have strong partnerships 00:06:01.920 --> 00:06:04.779 with custodians? Do they stick to the IRS security 00:06:04.779 --> 00:06:08.399 standards for metals? And... Critically, do they 00:06:08.399 --> 00:06:11.420 only use those approved insured depositories? 00:06:12.019 --> 00:06:14.759 Any corner cutting here was an immediate disqualification. 00:06:15.060 --> 00:06:17.569 And now for everyone's favorite topic. Fees. 00:06:17.769 --> 00:06:20.069 This was the third criterion, and it feels like 00:06:20.069 --> 00:06:22.230 the foggiest part of this whole industry. It 00:06:22.230 --> 00:06:25.029 can be. So they focused on transparent fee structures. 00:06:25.550 --> 00:06:27.810 The analysis really prioritized companies that 00:06:27.810 --> 00:06:29.569 disclose all their costs right up front. You 00:06:29.569 --> 00:06:31.529 shouldn't have to go on a treasure hunt. The 00:06:31.529 --> 00:06:34.970 typical ranges we saw were set up fees from about 00:06:34.970 --> 00:06:39.509 $50 to $295, annual admin fees from $80 to $175, 00:06:39.990 --> 00:06:42.209 and then storage fees usually between $100 and 00:06:42.209 --> 00:06:44.529 $180. I noticed in the research that they really 00:06:44.529 --> 00:06:47.329 favored flat rate fees. Why is that so important? 00:06:47.569 --> 00:06:49.829 Well, flat rate fees gives you predictable costs. 00:06:49.930 --> 00:06:52.970 If you pay, say, $180 a year, that fee is the 00:06:52.970 --> 00:06:55.810 same whether your account has $50 ,000 or $500 00:06:55.810 --> 00:06:58.410 ,000 in it. Ah, so percentage -based fees would 00:06:58.410 --> 00:07:00.769 just keep going up as your assets grow. Exactly. 00:07:00.850 --> 00:07:03.350 They just silently eat away at your returns over 00:07:03.350 --> 00:07:06.430 the long term. For long -term growth, fixed costs 00:07:06.430 --> 00:07:09.029 are a massive advantage. That's a great insight. 00:07:09.250 --> 00:07:11.129 Okay, what about the human element? I mean, this 00:07:11.129 --> 00:07:12.850 is someone's life savings we're talking about. 00:07:12.889 --> 00:07:15.800 That's Criterion number four. Customer support 00:07:15.800 --> 00:07:19.220 and education. The best firms focus on teaching 00:07:19.220 --> 00:07:22.779 the investor. They offer one -on -one consultations, 00:07:23.180 --> 00:07:25.560 detailed guides, and lifetime account support. 00:07:26.259 --> 00:07:28.100 The research actively filtered out companies 00:07:28.100 --> 00:07:29.959 that use those high -pressure sales tactics. 00:07:30.180 --> 00:07:32.139 Yeah, I can just imagine hearing, this is the 00:07:32.139 --> 00:07:34.300 last gold coin at this price. That's got to be 00:07:34.300 --> 00:07:37.519 a huge red flag. A giant one. The analysis wanted 00:07:37.519 --> 00:07:39.959 to see guidance over a quick sale. Companies 00:07:39.959 --> 00:07:42.439 that educate you first and sell to you second. 00:07:42.490 --> 00:07:44.529 And the last criteria, it ties back to security, 00:07:44.529 --> 00:07:47.089 right? Steer storage, yes. So they didn't just 00:07:47.089 --> 00:07:49.329 look for full insurance. They look for companies 00:07:49.329 --> 00:07:52.490 that offer segregated storage. Meaning my gold 00:07:52.490 --> 00:07:54.990 bars are on a shelf separate from everyone else's. 00:07:55.329 --> 00:07:58.149 Precisely. Your specific assets are physically 00:07:58.149 --> 00:08:00.670 separate, not just mixed in with everyone else's 00:08:00.670 --> 00:08:03.870 in a big vault. It makes tracking and withdrawals 00:08:03.870 --> 00:08:06.290 much cleaner down the road. And of course, those 00:08:06.290 --> 00:08:08.230 depositories have to have regular third party 00:08:08.230 --> 00:08:11.089 audits. So that rigorous methodology is what 00:08:11.089 --> 00:08:14.509 produced the top five list for 2026. The sources 00:08:14.509 --> 00:08:17.089 ranked them. Augusta Precious Metals at Hashtag 00:08:17.089 --> 00:08:20.149 One, then GoldCo, American Hartford Gold, Advantage 00:08:20.149 --> 00:08:23.189 Gold, and Birch Gold Group at Hashtag Five. Let's 00:08:23.189 --> 00:08:25.170 dive into the specifics because they each have 00:08:25.170 --> 00:08:27.370 some really interesting trade -offs. Starting 00:08:27.370 --> 00:08:29.670 at the top with Augusta Precious Metals. They 00:08:29.670 --> 00:08:32.169 got the Hashtag One spot really because of their 00:08:32.169 --> 00:08:34.500 flawless reputation. They have zero complaints 00:08:34.500 --> 00:08:36.559 across all the major consumer platforms since 00:08:36.559 --> 00:08:38.679 they started. That is extremely rare. That's 00:08:38.679 --> 00:08:41.019 a massive trust signal. And beyond that, their 00:08:41.019 --> 00:08:43.279 big selling point seems to be education. They 00:08:43.279 --> 00:08:45.799 have these private webinars with a Harvard -trained 00:08:45.799 --> 00:08:48.320 economist, and they offer lifetime account support. 00:08:48.539 --> 00:08:50.740 And their transparency on fees is top -notch. 00:08:50.779 --> 00:08:53.700 It's very clear. A $50 one -time application 00:08:53.700 --> 00:08:57.080 fee, $125 a year for the custodian, and storage 00:08:57.080 --> 00:09:00.019 is typically $100 for segregated. OK, but let's 00:09:00.019 --> 00:09:02.240 talk about the elephant in the room. The $50 00:09:02.240 --> 00:09:05.379 ,000 minimum investment, that's a huge barrier. 00:09:05.639 --> 00:09:08.100 If they're the best, why price out so much of 00:09:08.100 --> 00:09:10.179 the market? And that's their critical trade -off. 00:09:10.600 --> 00:09:12.840 Their whole philosophy is geared toward high 00:09:12.840 --> 00:09:15.179 net worth clients who prioritize that white glove 00:09:15.179 --> 00:09:17.639 service and education above everything else. 00:09:17.659 --> 00:09:19.779 They're not for everyone. And there are some 00:09:19.779 --> 00:09:22.059 limitations too. They don't offer platinum or 00:09:22.059 --> 00:09:25.450 palladium for their IRAs. Got it. Okay, so moving 00:09:25.450 --> 00:09:28.009 to hashtag two, we have GoldCo, which is a huge 00:09:28.009 --> 00:09:30.669 contrast. The research calls them the best for 00:09:30.669 --> 00:09:33.250 minimum investment. It is a massive contrast. 00:09:33.649 --> 00:09:35.929 Their unique selling point is that they technically 00:09:35.929 --> 00:09:39.059 have no minimum investment to start an IRA. They 00:09:39.059 --> 00:09:41.460 also get praise for their educational resources 00:09:41.460 --> 00:09:45.159 and a really streamlined rollover process plus 00:09:45.159 --> 00:09:47.600 a very strong buyback program But the trade -off 00:09:47.600 --> 00:09:50.440 here is sort of the opposite of Augusta's Transparency 00:09:50.440 --> 00:09:52.820 their fee structure is fixed, but you have to 00:09:52.820 --> 00:09:54.519 get on the phone with them to get the pricing 00:09:54.519 --> 00:09:56.259 details They're not just listed on the website 00:09:56.259 --> 00:09:59.480 right and the analysis did note some customer 00:09:59.480 --> 00:10:03.289 feedback about Pretty aggressive upselling during 00:10:03.289 --> 00:10:06.129 those calls. So while there's no technical minimum, 00:10:06.509 --> 00:10:08.470 you might feel some pressure to invest more to 00:10:08.470 --> 00:10:10.490 get certain fees waived. So you need to be ready 00:10:10.490 --> 00:10:14.269 to stand your ground. OK. At Hashtag 3 is American 00:10:14.269 --> 00:10:17.529 Hartford Gold, called the best for flexible product 00:10:17.529 --> 00:10:20.490 offerings. They have a much more accessible minimum 00:10:20.490 --> 00:10:23.210 of ten thousand dollars. Yes. And they really 00:10:23.210 --> 00:10:25.070 stand out because of their focus on liquidity. 00:10:25.269 --> 00:10:28.070 They have a guaranteed buyback program and they 00:10:28.070 --> 00:10:29.929 offer some unique products like the Valcom B 00:10:29.929 --> 00:10:32.070 combibar. You mentioned that earlier. For someone 00:10:32.070 --> 00:10:33.710 who doesn't know, what's the benefit of something 00:10:33.710 --> 00:10:36.289 like that? It's basically a gold bar that's scored 00:10:36.289 --> 00:10:38.549 so you can easily break off smaller fractional 00:10:38.549 --> 00:10:41.309 pieces without having to melt it down. The benefit 00:10:41.309 --> 00:10:43.950 is liquidity. If you only need to sell, say, 00:10:44.049 --> 00:10:46.669 $5 ,000 worth of gold in retirement, you don't 00:10:46.669 --> 00:10:48.529 have to sell a whole giant bar. That makes it 00:10:48.529 --> 00:10:50.889 a much more functional asset. What's the catch 00:10:50.889 --> 00:10:53.769 with American Hartford? Similar to Gold Co., 00:10:53.769 --> 00:10:56.799 no published pricing online. you have to call 00:10:56.799 --> 00:10:59.600 for a quote. And they're also really just focused 00:10:59.600 --> 00:11:02.259 on U .S. residents, which could be a limitation 00:11:02.259 --> 00:11:05.759 for some. OK, on to hashtag four. Advantage Gold, 00:11:06.179 --> 00:11:09.340 noted as best for competitive annual fees. Yeah, 00:11:09.360 --> 00:11:11.740 they hit a really nice sweet spot. A low minimum, 00:11:12.100 --> 00:11:14.080 usually around five to ten thousand dollars, 00:11:14.460 --> 00:11:16.919 and their ongoing annual fees are very competitive. 00:11:17.100 --> 00:11:19.779 Plus, they offer the full range of metals, gold, 00:11:19.820 --> 00:11:22.269 silver, platinum and palladium. But I see their 00:11:22.269 --> 00:11:24.409 one -time setup fees a bit higher than the others, 00:11:24.669 --> 00:11:27.990 around $295. That's their trade -off. A higher 00:11:27.990 --> 00:11:30.629 cost to get in, but lower cost to maintain it 00:11:30.629 --> 00:11:32.950 over the long haul. If you plan to hold the IRA 00:11:32.950 --> 00:11:36.090 for 20 or 30 years, those lower annual fees will 00:11:36.090 --> 00:11:37.870 more than make up for the higher setup cost. 00:11:38.169 --> 00:11:40.490 And finally, at hashtag five, we have Birch Gold 00:11:40.490 --> 00:11:42.710 Group, named best for selection of precious metals. 00:11:42.970 --> 00:11:45.149 They offer the widest selection of IRA -eligible 00:11:45.149 --> 00:11:47.350 metals, which makes them great for anyone who 00:11:47.350 --> 00:11:49.309 really wants to diversify their physical holdings. 00:11:49.509 --> 00:11:52.190 They've got an accessible $10 ,000 minimum, and 00:11:52.190 --> 00:11:54.210 they scored really high marks for their personalized 00:11:54.210 --> 00:11:56.750 one -on -one support. Great for beginners. And 00:11:56.750 --> 00:11:59.330 their fee structure looks pretty simple. About 00:11:59.330 --> 00:12:02.950 $50 to set up, and then around $180 to $200 a 00:12:02.950 --> 00:12:05.470 year for maintenance and storage combined. So, 00:12:05.669 --> 00:12:07.769 you know, when you pull it all together, the 00:12:07.769 --> 00:12:10.450 big differences between these top companies really 00:12:10.450 --> 00:12:13.090 boil down to two things. Your access, meaning 00:12:13.090 --> 00:12:16.129 the minimum investment, and the company's service 00:12:16.129 --> 00:12:18.210 philosophy. And that's the main takeaway for 00:12:18.210 --> 00:12:20.919 you, the listener. While Augusta scored hashtag 00:12:20.919 --> 00:12:23.059 one overall because of their flawless record 00:12:23.059 --> 00:12:26.019 and educational focus, the best company really 00:12:26.019 --> 00:12:28.460 depends entirely on your individual situation 00:12:28.460 --> 00:12:31.379 and how much you have to invest. If you only 00:12:31.379 --> 00:12:35.080 have $10 ,000, Augusta is off the table. Birch 00:12:35.080 --> 00:12:37.320 or American Hartford Gold might actually be the 00:12:37.320 --> 00:12:39.399 best fit for you. You really have to decide what 00:12:39.399 --> 00:12:42.080 matters most to you. Is it the absolute lowest 00:12:42.080 --> 00:12:45.960 ongoing cost, the most product flexibility, or 00:12:45.960 --> 00:12:48.659 is it that highest level of customer support 00:12:48.659 --> 00:12:50.759 and educational assurance. We've spent a lot 00:12:50.759 --> 00:12:52.580 of time talking about how to get the gold into 00:12:52.580 --> 00:12:55.259 an IRA. But what happens decades from now when 00:12:55.259 --> 00:12:56.980 you actually need that money for retirement? 00:12:57.379 --> 00:12:59.059 You have to think about the end game right from 00:12:59.059 --> 00:13:01.419 the start. And that brings us to our final provocative 00:13:01.419 --> 00:13:04.559 thought. You absolutely must research the gold 00:13:04.559 --> 00:13:07.580 IRA buyback process before you commit to anything. 00:13:08.120 --> 00:13:09.960 You need to understand how you get your money 00:13:09.960 --> 00:13:13.039 back out. This is where that whole relationship 00:13:13.039 --> 00:13:15.639 between the company, the custodian, and the depository 00:13:15.639 --> 00:13:18.399 really gets tested. Just think about it. Selling 00:13:18.399 --> 00:13:20.720 a physical asset isn't like selling a stock. 00:13:21.259 --> 00:13:24.139 If you need cash, your gold IRA company has to 00:13:24.139 --> 00:13:27.120 give you a quote. Then, the custodian has to 00:13:27.120 --> 00:13:29.240 coordinate the physical transfer of your metal 00:13:29.240 --> 00:13:32.100 from that secure vault to the buyer, and only 00:13:32.100 --> 00:13:34.379 then do the proceeds get credited back to your 00:13:34.379 --> 00:13:37.840 IRA account. That whole complicated dance is 00:13:37.840 --> 00:13:41.000 necessary to keep it all tax advantaged. So here's 00:13:41.000 --> 00:13:44.000 the question to really mull over. If liquidity 00:13:44.000 --> 00:13:46.440 is that important for your retirement, does holding 00:13:46.440 --> 00:13:48.759 a physical asset with all that complexity in 00:13:48.759 --> 00:13:51.139 the selling process truly give you the flexibility 00:13:51.139 --> 00:13:53.539 and speed you might need? Or does the bureaucracy 00:13:53.539 --> 00:13:55.899 of compliance kind of undermine the easy access 00:13:55.899 --> 00:13:56.820 you thought you were getting?