Birch Gold Group Review 2026

Start With Your Plan: Employer Stock, Roth Money and NUA

Birch Gold's guides cover the questions that complicate a 401k rollover: traditional versus Roth money, employer stock held in the plan, and NUA strategies. Net unrealized appreciation is a tax rule that can give favorable treatment to appreciated employer shares distributed in kind. Rolling those shares into an IRA gives that option up, so talk to a CPA before you move them.

Roth money has its own rule. Birch Gold can roll Roth 401k funds into a Roth self-directed precious metals IRA, which preserves the tax-free growth. Moving pre-tax 401k money into a Roth IRA is a taxable conversion instead. Settle which account type you want before the paperwork starts.

Rollover Products and Services

Birch Gold offers the widest metals selection of the five companies on this site. IRS rules require gold to be at least 99.5% pure (0.995 fineness), silver 99.9% pure, and platinum and palladium 99.95% pure; the American Gold Eagle is a statutory exception to the gold rule. Numismatic and collectible coins do not qualify. Birch Gold's cons list notes that premiums can run higher on certain rollover products, so ask for the premium over spot on each item before you choose.

• Gold, silver, platinum and palladium IRAs funded by 401k rollovers
• 401k, 403(b), TSP, pension and annuity rollovers
• A broad coin and bar selection for diversified portfolios
• Educational webinars on 401k-to-gold conversion strategies
• A complimentary portfolio evaluation and rollover consultation

Rollover Account Fees

Birch Gold's fees vary slightly with account size and storage preferences. The table lists a $50 setup fee, an $80 annual administrative fee, $100 to $150 in annual storage and a $30 wire fee, with no charge for processing the rollover. The setup, administrative and storage lines total $230 to $280 in the first year, before wire fees and dealer premiums.

Working With Large Plan Administrators

Birch Gold says its specialists work with the major 401k providers, including Fidelity, Vanguard and Charles Schwab. Even so, every administrator uses its own forms and rules, and delays usually start there.

Before you apply, call your plan and ask four things: whether it allows a rollover while you are employed, whether it sends funds by wire or check, whether it needs a medallion signature guarantee, and how it handles an outstanding 401k loan.

Fee Checklist Before You Sign

A fee table covers only part of the cost. Get answers to these in writing:

• The premium over spot on every coin or bar you plan to buy
• The price Birch Gold would pay if you sold the same items back
• Whether the storage fee covers segregated or commingled storage
• Whether insurance is included in the storage fee
• The custodian's charges for distributions, RMDs and closing the account

Red Flags in Any Gold IRA Pitch

These warning signs apply to every company, Birch Gold included:

• Pressure to buy numismatic or proof coins, which carry collector premiums and may be prohibited collectibles
• Guaranteed-return language
• Suggestions that you can keep IRA metal at home through an LLC
• Unwillingness to provide a written fee schedule before you commit funds
• Urgency, such as a price that expires today

How Birch Gold Compares With the Other Four Companies

Birch Gold has the lowest minimum ($5,000), half of American Hartford Gold's $10,000, and it is the only company in our table that lists platinum and palladium. Its $80 administrative fee is $5 above American Hartford Gold's $75, and its $100 to $150 storage range matches Augusta.

Birch Gold is also the oldest company in our table at 20+ years in business, compared with 16+ for Goldco, 14+ for Augusta, 11+ for American Hartford Gold and 10+ for Noble Gold. Age alone does not prove quality, so judge the company on its written fees and complaint history.