Goldco Review 2026: Gold IRA Minimums, Fees & Buyback

What Goldco is and who it suits

Goldco is a precious metals dealer based in Calabasas, California, run by founder and CEO Trevor Gerszt. It helps savers move money from IRAs and workplace plans such as 401(k), 403(b), 457 and TSP accounts into self-directed gold and silver IRAs, and it also sells gold and silver coins for direct delivery.^7,2 The company is known for heavy advertising with well-known spokespeople and for its bonus silver promotions.^6,1

Goldco suits savers with a sizeable retirement balance who want part of it in physical metal and prefer a phone-based, guided process. With a $25,000 minimum for an IRA and $10,000 for a cash purchase, it is not designed for small buyers.² Prices are only given on request, so comparing written quotes from more than one dealer matters here.^2,10

Key facts

Type: Precious metals dealer: gold and silver IRAs, direct purchase of gold and silver coins and bars²
Legal name: Goldco Direct LLC (BBB listing)⁷
Business started: 26 October 2011 (BBB record)⁷
Management: Trevor Gerszt (founder and CEO), JD Koehler (president)⁷
Address: 24025 Park Sorrento, Suite 210, Calabasas, CA 91302⁷
Accounts handled: Rollovers and transfers from IRA, 401(k), 403(b), 457, pension and TSP accounts, including Roth²
Minimums: $25,000 for an IRA; $10,000 for a direct purchase²
Rollover time: Typically under two weeks; metals may take 1 to 12 weeks to ship (company figures)²
Phone hours: Monday to Friday, 7am to 4pm Pacific Time⁵
Ratings: BBB A+ and accredited since 9 December 2011; Trustpilot 4.4^7,8

Company background

The BBB lists Goldco under the name Goldco Direct LLC in Calabasas, California, with a business start date of 26 October 2011 and BBB accreditation since 9 December 2011; it names Trevor Gerszt as founder and CEO and JD Koehler as president.⁷ Goldco reports repeated appearances on the Inc. 5000 list of fast-growing private companies.⁶

Goldco advertises with well-known spokespeople, including Sean Hannity, Tom Selleck, Dennis Quaid and Chuck Norris, according to its own news release.⁶ Its terms note that customer testimonials follow FTC endorsement guidelines and are individual experiences that may not be representative.⁹ Celebrity endorsements in this industry are advertising, not independent advice.

Gold and silver IRAs and direct purchases

Goldco's main product is a self-directed precious metals IRA. Funds move from an existing retirement account to a self-directed IRA custodian, Goldco sells the metals, and the custodian holds them at a bullion depository; Goldco says it works with all major self-directed IRA custodians.^2,3 Roth accounts and Roth conversions are possible as well.²

Under IRS rules, IRAs may not hold collectibles, and precious metals are allowed only if they meet specific requirements.¹¹ Goldco explains that IRA gold must have a fineness of at least .995 and that IRA metals must be held by a custodian rather than at home.¹² Outside an IRA, Goldco sells gold and silver for direct delivery from $10,000.²

Fees, premiums and promotions

Goldco does not publish product prices online; its IRA pages point visitors to call for pricing.² Custodian fees for a precious metals IRA are usually charged as a flat annual fee rather than a percentage of assets, and Goldco says it may reimburse these annual fees as part of current promotions.² As with any dealer, the price of a coin includes a premium over the spot price of the metal.¹⁰

The headline offer is bonus silver: up to 5% back in silver on purchases of $50,000 to $99,999 in Goldco premium coins, and 10% on purchases of $100,000 or more, subject to qualifying conditions.¹ Goldco also advertises a price match on identical coins, a buyback promise it calls the Highest BuyBack Guarantee and no fees when you liquidate.^1,2 Because the bonus applies to premium coins, ask how their premium compares with standard bullion: regulators warn that numismatic and semi-numismatic coins often carry much higher markups.¹⁰

IRA minimum: $25,000²
Direct purchase minimum: $10,000²
Bonus silver: Up to 5% ($50,000–$99,999) or 10% ($100,000+) on premium coins¹
Annual IRA fees: Usually a flat custodian fee; may be reimbursed under promotions²

Ratings, reviews and complaints

On 2 November 2026 the BBB showed Goldco with an A+ rating, accreditation since December 2011, about 1,715 customer reviews and 72 complaints in the past three years.⁷ Trustpilot showed a TrustScore of 4.4 from 1,795 reviews, with 89% five-star and 3% one-star ratings; Trustpilot notes that the company has not invited customers recently, so reviews may not be representative.⁸ Goldco itself reports more than 8,000 five-star reviews across platforms.¹

Negative reviews on Trustpilot mostly concern markups and sell-back prices, slow callbacks and pressure towards particular coins or conditional promotions.⁸ These themes match the points regulators tell buyers to check before paying.¹⁰

Risks to keep in mind

Goldco's disclaimer states that metal prices can rise and fall, that you may sell for more or less than you paid, that precious metals do not yield income and that its specialists are not licensed financial advisors and do not give financial, tax or legal advice.⁴

The CFTC and FINRA advise getting the spot price, the dealer's buy and sell prices and every fee in writing before paying, and they note that once money sits in a self-directed IRA, there is no built-in adviser oversight.¹⁰

How getting started works

Goldco describes opening a precious metals IRA as a short sequence handled with one of its specialists.³

Choose the type of IRA (traditional or Roth) and check that your current plan allows a transfer or rollover.^3,2
Open a self-directed IRA with a custodian; Goldco helps with the custodian paperwork.³
Fund the account by direct transfer or rollover, which Goldco says usually takes under two weeks.²
Ask for the spot price, each coin's premium, the custodian and storage fees and any promotion conditions in writing.¹⁰
Approve the order; the metals are shipped to the depository, which can take 1 to 12 weeks depending on demand.²

Prices, terms and availability change and can differ by country or state. Check the current terms on Goldco's own website before you buy.

Pros and cons

What we like

Long track record: in business since 2011 and BBB accredited since December 2011.⁷
High review scores with large review counts on BBB and Trustpilot.^7,8
Published minimums and support for Roth accounts and workplace plans such as 401(k), 457 and TSP.²
Bonus silver and possible reimbursement of annual IRA fees on qualifying accounts.^1,2
No liquidation fee and a stated buyback promise.¹

What to watch

Prices and premiums are only available by phone.²
Bonus silver is tied to Goldco premium coins, a category regulators link with higher markups.^1,10
High entry point: $25,000 for an IRA and $10,000 for a direct purchase.²
72 BBB complaints in three years; negative reviews focus on pricing and sell-back values.^7,8
Shipping to the depository can take up to 12 weeks in busy periods.²

Goldco FAQ

Is Goldco legitimate?

Goldco Direct LLC has been in business since 2011, holds an A+ BBB rating and has been BBB accredited since December 2011.⁷ As with any dealer, compare written quotes before you buy.

What is the minimum investment at Goldco?

$25,000 for a gold or silver IRA and $10,000 for a direct purchase, as published on 2 November 2026.²

How does the Goldco bonus silver offer work?

Qualifying purchases of $50,000 to $99,999 in Goldco premium coins receive up to 5% in silver, and purchases of $100,000 or more receive 10%; conditions apply and offers cannot be combined.¹ Ask how the premium on those coins compares with bullion.¹⁰

Which custodian does Goldco use?

Goldco says it works with all major self-directed IRA custodians, and its statement guide refers to Equity Trust statements.²

How long does a Goldco rollover take?

Goldco says a rollover typically takes under two weeks, while metals can take between 1 and 12 weeks to ship.²

Can I keep my Goldco IRA gold at home?

No. IRA metals must be held by a custodian at a depository; you can take metals as a distribution from age 59 and a half.^12,2

Our verdict on Goldco

Goldco is a long-established and widely reviewed gold IRA dealer, with a BBB history going back to 2011, published minimums and promotions that can offset annual fees.^7,2,1 Its weak spots are the lack of public pricing and the link between its biggest bonuses and premium coins.^2,1

If you plan a precious metals IRA of $25,000 or more, get the spot price, the premium of each product and all fees in writing, and compare at least one bullion-only quote before approving an order.¹⁰

Visit goldco.comIndependent review · not affiliated with Goldco

Sources

This review is general information, not professional advice. It is an editorial assessment based on Goldco's published prices, terms and help pages and on public sources, checked on 2 November 2026. We did not buy or test the service ourselves. Prices, terms and availability change and differ by country or state, so check the current terms before you buy.