Lear Capital is a well-known precious metals investment company specializing in gold and silver IRAs, bullion, and rare coins. With over two decades in the industry, the company has built a reputation for helping investors diversify their portfolios with physical assets.
In this review, we’ll examine Lear Capital’s services, fees, customer reviews, and overall reliability to determine whether it’s a good choice for investors looking to protect their wealth with precious metals. Whether you’re considering a gold IRA or purchasing bullion, this guide will provide insights into Lear Capital’s offerings and how they compare to competitors.
- Up to $15,000 in bonus metals
- Price match guarantee
- Free IRA set-up and storage; up to 3 years for a $680 value
- 24-hour no-risk purchase guarantee
- 1st year commission free after initial transaction
- Business since 1997, which is twice more than competitors
- IRS-approved custodians for secure IRA storage
- Personal account executives for concierge service
- 15-day delivery with free, insured shipping
- Live chat unavailable on the website
- Minimum purchase amount of $15,000
Lear Capital Ratings at a Glance
Get up to $15,000 in BONUS coins from Lear Capital, the precious metals leader.
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Lear Capital deals in gold, silver, platinum, and palladium for investors looking for rare coins and/or international investment-grade bullion. It offers price transparency by quoting all fees and taxes before final purchase. It also provides a price match guarantee.
The company provides free shipping within 15 days for qualifying purchases. Each account is 100% insured and if storage is necessary, the purchase is stored at the Delaware Depository. Packages shipped from the depository have full insurance coverage. Perhaps the biggest advantage of investing with Lear Capital is it covers most setup and storage fees. Invest over $75,000 and it will cover your storage for several years.
Note: The company’s website is available 24 hours a day, but Lear Capital has a $5,000 limit on after-hours website purchases because of market volatility. Account executives are readily available during business hours for higher volume transactions.
Individuals wanting to transfer some or all of an IRA into a gold SDIRA can do it seamlessly with the help of a personal account executive. Lear Capital executives know their stuff and will expertly assist you in avoiding tax pitfalls or penalties when doing a rollover. You will be contacted immediately if you fill out an IRA account form or inquiry on the website.
Investing in a gold IRA with Lear Capital means having your portfolio and net worth backed with physical metals. You own your physical metals and can take possession of them when eligible or required to take distributions. They can also liquidate your assets and send you the proceeds. Just let your account executive know which you prefer.
Account executives can open your precious metal account within one day and transfer funds from an IRA within five business days. You can track your portfolio’s performance 24/7 online, and quarterly statements are mailed to your home address.
If you’re a first-time investor or would like to know more about Lear Capital’s products, you can request a free investor kit. Their website is also chock full of valuable investing tools such as a historical chart center, a portfolio comparison calculator, an RMD estimator, and even a smartphone app to help you follow precious metals markets.
Lear Capital offers better customer support than most companies because it has a dedicated line that routes you directly to your representative — no waiting long periods or being put on hold.
Account representatives are experienced, they listen and provide solutions tailored to your needs. They are trained to help you reach your investment goals within your risk tolerance. A representative will set up your account within one day and handle your needs from there.
Lear Capital would get a perfect rating for customer service if it enabled a live chat on its website, preferably 24/7. That would allow U.S. investors based abroad to connect and receive feedback promptly. Unfortunately, that functionality is not enabled at this time, so they get marks off for that.
Customers should email during business hours for prompt replies. Account executives respond within a reasonable time frame, but may need a few hours during busy periods, but that is understandable.
Look for their free brochures, special reports, or investment guide for answers to basic questions, and a senior account rep can help you determine the products most suitable for your needs. Just fill out an IRA account form or inquiry and they’ll call you promptly. No need to chase them down.
Overall, Lear Capital is fiercely focused on customer satisfaction and has a robust issue-resolution process. They are not happy until you are happy.
Lear Capital works with the IRS-approved Delaware Depository vault for secure storage of their customers’ metals. Not only are your metals stored in a state-of-the-art security facility, but it’s covered with a comprehensive insurance policy for the full value of your precious metals.
If you request delivery to your home address, for a non-IRA transaction, the company will provide transit insurance coverage for the full value of your precious metals.
Lear Capital has also taken extensive measures to ensure that your personal information is secure in its systems. It complies with all applicable state and federal laws on personal data and privacy, Lear does not sell or share your personal information.
Lear Capital offers highly competitive pricing to give you great value for your precious metals purchases. It has a price match guarantee and runs many great incentives and offers. It also provides free IRA setup and storage for qualifying accounts and purchases.
For example - if your purchase amount is $25,000 to $50,000, and after the first month's storage fees are paid, the first year's fees are free in the form of a reimbursement check. First and second-year fees are waived if your purchase is $50,000 to $75,000. And if your purchase exceeds $75,000, the first three years' fees are covered.
This is a savings of $280 for the first year’s setup and maintenance. The annual fees after the first year are $200. That includes storage, insurance, quarterly financial statements, and online account access.
Precious metals investing can be intimidating for beginners. That’s why Lear Capital assigns a personal account executive (AE) to hold your hand through the process. The AE is your direct point of contact if you need to know about the company’s products, rollovers into a gold IRA, and account payments.
The AE handles your entire transaction process including the process of transferring your funds into a gold IRA if that’s what you require. Lear Capital enables you to view your portfolio whenever you want and any stored metals are insured to their full value.
Putting your money into a trustworthy company is important. Lear Capital has been around for 25 years and has completed more than $3 billion in transactions. They have a AAA rating from the Business Consumer Alliance and are an approved coin grading professional. That’s some good peace of mind.
Lear Capital’s phone system has a direct line to account executives, separate from other business matters, so you’re not waiting on hold or talking to robots. Your call is routed directly to your rep, so that’s always a relief.
It also provides a lot of educational resources including a free investor kit containing all the information first-time investors need to start their investing journey. The website and bi-weekly newsletters also provide cutting-edge data and headlines to keep customers up to date on precious metals markets, inflation, and how current events affect your money and portfolio.
Lear Capital has made precious metals investing convenient, affordable, and efficient. Almost all the information you’ll need about the company and its offerings is on the website, which is easy to navigate and even provides investor tools such as a precious metals smartphone app, an RMD estimator, and lots of educational material.
A 24/7 live chat on its website for investors would make the user experience even better and would make Lear Capital stand out more from its competition. Though they possibly may in the future.
A five-star rating means a company has reached perfection, and nobody’s perfect. But Lear Capital’s approach to dedicated customer service and issue resolution nets highly satisfied customers. The company is about as close to perfect as it comes in the precious metals investing world.
Lear Capital makes precious metals investing a breeze because a dedicated account executive guides you through the process and manages your transactions from start to finish. Your calls are routed directly to them and they provide tailored insight to help you achieve your unique goals. Your account executive is at your disposal to expedite your purchases and resolve any issues efficiently.
Many gold investors are looking for a large selection of metals, both bullion and rare coins, and a full array of investment vehicles that includes physical metals and IRAs. That’s exactly what Lear Capital offers at competitive prices. But it’s the tiered invoices that make investing with this gold dealer affordable. The higher your invoice total, the more flexible Lear Capital is with providing free storage and setup which increases your returns over time.
For affordable, hassle-free gold IRAs and physical precious metals purchases, Lear Capital is highly recommended.
Lear Capital vs. Competitors
Lear Capital definitely stands out among precious metal dealers because of its attentiveness to customer service and education, low fees, and comprehensive offerings such as gold IRAs, numismatics, and a variety of bullion products. Incentives such as free storage and insurance are the icing on the cake. As another bonus, professional coin grading services are available at Lear Capital, cementing their expertise in the precious metals investing space.
These features put Lear Capital head and shoulders above competitors such as Gold Investment, Blanchard, Birch Gold Group, American Hartford, and Augusta.
- Best For:Retirees Wanting Security Against Market CrashesVIEW PROS & CONS:securely through Lear Capital's website
- Best For:Retirees and Young Gold InvestorsVIEW PROS & CONS:securely through Birch Gold Group's website
- Best For:Gold IRAs with On Going PromotionsVIEW PROS & CONS:securely through American Hartford Gold's website
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Lear Capital reputable?
Lear Capital is a well-established precious metals company with over 25 years in the industry. It has a mixed reputation, with positive reviews highlighting its customer service and expertise, while some complaints focus on high fees and aggressive sales tactics. It holds a B rating on BBB and has received both praise and criticism from customers.
What is a precious metals IRA?
A precious metals IRA is a self-directed individual retirement account that holds physical gold, silver and platinum. The account functions similarly to traditional IRAs, but investors hold coins or bars instead of stocks, bonds or mutual funds. Precious metals IRA account owners own the actual metal in the account, but it must be stored separately with an IRS-approved custodian.
Has Lear Capital filed bankruptcies?
Yes, Lear Capital filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in March 2022 due to legal settlements related to allegations of undisclosed fees. However, the company later restructured and continued operations.
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About Goran Radanovic
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