As the former director of product, Steven oversaw Retirement Living’s product and marketing efforts for four years. His digital marketing expertise helped launch senior-focused buyer’s guides and a wide range of products surrounding finance, insurance, healthcare, and lifestyle. Steven holds a Doctor of Business Administration degree from George Fox University.
Director of Product
Edited By: Lauren Hamer
Lauren Hamer Editor
Bringing more than a decade of editorial experience to Retirement Living, Lauren focuses on reporting senior-related issues, including retirement planning, finance, consumer protection, and health and wellness. Lauren has edited consumer content for Credible, Angi, Slickdeals, Jobs for the Future, and more.
Editor
Lear Capital has been a household name in precious metals IRAs for over 25 years. The company has conducted more than $3 billion in transactions, making them a top pick by consumers for precious metal investments. After taking a deeper look at Lear Capital's process, we praise the company for its commitment to smooth transactions and dedicated staff who help consumers fully understand their investments. All things considered, Lear Capital gets our "Great Service" award.
Lear Capital's educational resources are great for new gold IRA clients. Customers of all types will appreciate personalized service and their solid track record in guiding smart transactions.
Lear Capital Gold IRA Review
We contacted Lear Capital to request a gold IRA investor kit and learned firsthand how hard the company works to educate its customers about Gold IRAs. The kit and the website provide comprehensive resources for customers to review and learn.
So how does Lear Capital compare to other gold IRA companies? Among competitors, Lear Capital stands out for its commitment to customer service. They’ll assign you a dedicated account member to establish your account and guide you through the process of buying and selling gold.
Pros
24-hour risk-free purchase guarantee
Timely transactions and fast shipping
Assigns a personal Lear representative to every customer
Access to free Lear Learning Center
Cons
Charges a modest annual fee for self-directed IRAs
Minimum purchase requirement
Gold and other precious metal IRAs are an investment and carry risk. Beware of claims that customers can make a lot of money in these or any investment with little risk, as you can lose money with any investment, and past performance does not guarantee future performance results. Consumers should also clearly understand the fees associated with any investment before agreeing to invest.
Lear Capital Investments
Lear Capital encourages customers to invest in precious metals by purchasing gold, silver, and other precious metal coins compliant with IRS guidelines for IRAs. While other companies can help you invest in a gold IRA, Lear Capital doubles down on satisfaction and service by assigning every customer a specialist to help guide them through the investment process.
Starting a Lear Capital IRA
To get an IRA precious metals account, you’ll contact Lear Capital’s in-house Individual Retirement Account (IRA) Processing Department. It takes about 10 minutes to complete the application account, and once received, company representatives will set up your account within 24 hours. Lear will also work with your current IRA custodian current IRA custodian to roll over your IRA funds tax-free.
Next, Lear Capital will assign a personal representative to guide you through choosing the right gold to fund the IRA. The website clearly describes purchase options, including pictures and pricing; however, coin prices are displayed in real-time and will change throughout the day.
Photo: Lear Capital homepage
Buying Precious Metals With Lear
After purchase, customers can wire the money over the phone to Lear Capital or mail in a check. Because it takes about two weeks for a check to be processed, Lear Capital suggests wiring the money over the phone, which takes about a week to process. Once the coins are purchased, the consumer signs the Shipping and Transaction Agreement to ship the coins to the consumer or place them in the secure depository.
One thing we really appreciate about Lear is its commitment to reducing the stress and pressure customers often feel when making big investment decisions. Unlike other gold dealers, Lear Capital operates a 24-hour risk-free and price-match guarantee. If you find a better price within 24 hours of your order, Lear will try to match or beat the price, and cancel the order if they cannot. If you change your mind about your purchases, Lear will cancel the order, no questions asked.
Lear Capital Costs
Lear Capital charges a one-time payment of $280 for the first year for set up and maintenance and $200 annually for some self-directed IRAs—though these fees fluctuate based on the purchase amount. All fees include storage, insurance, and 24/7 account access online.
$10,000 investment: Waives setup fee ($50)
$25,000 to $50,000 investment: Waives first-year fees after one month in storage
$50,000 to $75,000 investment: Waives first- and second-year fees
$75,000+ investment: Waives first, second, and third-year fees
Pricing for individual gold, silver and platinum products varies over time, but Lear Capital promises pricing transparency. Your specialist will quote all fees and taxes before final purchase—and provide a price match guarantee. Plus, Lear displays all gold and silver prices online, which is not something all gold companies do.
At the time of this writing, the minimum investment at Lear Capital is $10,000.
Lear Capital Distributions
Consumers buy precious metals because of their inherent time-honored value. Even when the economy performs poorly, precious metals can maintain—or appreciate—in value. In contrast, a conventional IRA may lose value if the economy plummets. For this reason, gold and other precious metal IRAs are considered a hedge against market risks.
As Lear explains, when you’re ready to retire and withdraw funds, a Precious Metals IRA can give you an option not found with regular retirement accounts: the ability to physically possess your metals to continue distribution. You also have the option to liquidate your account, though it will subject you to annual Required Minimum Distributions (RMD). For the tax implications and more information on Gold IRAs, read how to buy gold.
IRA Balance
Age
Estimated Annual RMD
$10,000
72
$364.96
$75,000
72
$2,737.23
$150,000
72
$5,474.45
$200,000
72
$7,299.27
Lear Capital Complaints
Consumer reviews are positive overall, with clients praising their commitment to education before making any purchases. Lear has over 1,600 reviews on Trustpilot and has earned a 4.8 rating. A staggering 95% of Lear’s reviews are four stars and above. The general theme in customer feedback is the ease of service and how thorough representatives are in explaining investment options to the customer. For the lesser-rated reviews, Lear Capital responded and resolved the issue in a timely manner.
Lear Capital FAQs
Does Lear Capital buy back coins? Lear Capital runs a no-fee buy-back program as part of its customer experience guarantee. If the consumer wants to sell back their coins at any point, they will offer to buy back the coins at the market price at the time of the buyback.
Where is Lear Capital gold stored? Gold is stored at the Delaware Depository IRS-approved depository vault. Lloyds of London has underwritten its comprehensive insurance policy, which protects your assets against physical loss or damage and Acts of God.
What are the typical Lear Capital fees? Each year the customer will be charged $200. This includes storage for the coins, insurance, quarterly financial statements, and 24/7 access to their account online. There are also commissions on the purchase of gold and storage fees.
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 IRA is similar to traditional IRAs, but it has coins and bars instead of “traditional” stocks, bonds, or funds. The account holder must store the metals in their account with an IRS-approved custodian.
How does Lear Capital make money? Lear Capital makes money as a full-service precious metals dealer and offers. They also specialize in helping customers set up or rollover gold and silver self-directed IRAs. When you work with Lear, you work with a full-service account executive and all costs are included in the product price.
Conclusion
Lear Capital is a steadfast industry leader that values educating its customers and top-notch customer support. This is proven by the companies commitment to pricing transparency, as well as its risk-free purchase guarantees and no-fee buy-back program.
I was interested in purchasing silver for the first time and wasn’t sure what direction to take. Charlie B very patiently went through every step with me and explained everything explicitly! Brooke was great too. I will continue using and recommending them to my family and friends.
Cathleen N.
Madison, MS
Lear Capital
Cathleen, thank you for your gracious words about our team! We are pleased to hear that Charlie and Brooke were helpful, professional and patient throughout your transaction, and we appreciate you taking the time to share. Thank you for choosing to partner with Lear Capital.
November 07 2023 4:37PM
Dependable company that focuses on exceptional customer service. Reps are knowledgeable and helpful for answering any of your questions and will provide updates as needed. High demand creates delays, but they will always follow through.
Jason R.
Irving, TX
Lear Capital
Thank you for the honest feedback about our service, Jason. We are glad that you've found our team to be helpful and informative. Thank you for partnering with Lear Capital.
November 01 2023 4:03PM
Being new to purchasing precious metals, Lear Rep, Luke, provided information that was helpful in guiding me in purchases that fit my individual goals. There was never any pressure and the transaction went smoothly. I would have no concerns in using Lear for future purchases.
Herbert R.
Greenville, TX
Lear Capital
Herbert, thank you for your kind words about Luke! We are pleased that he was informative and helpful in your investment decisions, and we appreciate you taking the time to share. Thank you for choosing Lear Capital.
October 07 2023 1:07PM
I was seeking some guidance on making a purchase of precious metals when I reached out to Lear Capital. Charles called me, asked if I had the time necessary to explain the process and the reasons for making such a purchase. He was patient and thorough in making sure I understood what the process entailed.
Once I made the decision he explained in detail the purchasing process and the amount of time it would take to receive the product. He followed up to make sure everything was to my satisfaction and informed me of the possibility for additional purchases. When I told him that I was satisfied and not interested in additional purchases at this time he did not continue to make additional sales calls.
Raymond R.
Heber Springs, AR
Lear Capital
Raymond, thank you for your encouraging words about Charles! We are happy that he provided respectful service and informative communication in your investment process, and we appreciate you taking the time to share your positive experience with our business. Thank you for choosing Lear Capital!
August 22 2023 9:54PM
I'm a novice investor, at best. Between James ** and Dana **, I can't imagine a better investing experience. Each took the time to answer every "rookie" question I had and made me feel like a valued member of the Lear family. Kind of a shame they only rate to 5 stars though.
These guys are well above that, because they invested (pun only slightly intended) their time and expertise to make sure I was comfortable in the decisions I was making. Being near the end of my work career, and therefore my earning potential, this was very important to me. They cared.
David J.
Palm Harbor, FL
Lear Capital
David, thank you for your encouraging words about James and Dana! We love hearing that our team has provided such attentive service and thorough information in your investment process, and we appreciate you taking the time to share. Thank you for choosing Lear Capital.
July 23 2023 5:47PM
I am 78, and was in the hospital when I contacted Lear based on a recommendation made by judge Napolitano of Fox news. I trusted the Judge as a trusted person. I was overcharged for an estimated $15,000 by Lear, Upon talking to Josh **, then later the account executive, I requested Lear buy back the coins.
Josh told me, I received great price, but would submit my request to management. There has not been a response in over a month to my request. MY opinion is one cannot trust the judge, Josh or Lear.
Jim blankenship B.
Dallas, TX
Lear Capital
Mr. Blankenship, we are sorry to hear of your disappointment with us at this time. We would appreciate the opportunity to review your account with you, and we have already passed your comments along to a Customer Care team member. We hope we can find a solution to improve your experience with us. Please also feel free to reach out to us at [email protected] or 1-800-885-LEAR(5327).
Update 8/3/2023: Mr. Blankenship, thank you for taking the time to have conversations with our customer care team. We are still hopeful that you will accept our attempts at resolution. We look forward to hearing from you again soon.
July 13 2023 11:25PM
No High-Pressure sales. Takes time to listen, and handles product quickly. Shout out to Sam, who handled my product from sales to follow up with emails after receipt. I will be doing more business with them in the future.
Fred M.
Corpus Christi, TX
Lear Capital
Fred, thank you for your kind words about Sam! We are pleased that he was able to provide professional and personable communication in your investment process, and we appreciate you taking the time to share. Thank you for choosing to partner with Lear Capital.
May 15 2023 9:30PM
Peter guided me through the whole process and was very helpful in advising me of the different metals and prices. He was very knowledgeable and very professional. I would recommend him to anyone who is interested in buying gold and silver.
T. Gary B.
Bradenton, FL
Lear Capital
Gary, thank you for your kind review of Peter! We are happy that he was able to provide informative and responsive communication in your investment process, and we appreciate you taking the time to share. Thank you for choosing Lear Capital!
May 12 2023 9:24PM
Researched several Coin Companies online and on the phone. Spoke to Todd **. We knew NOTHING about owning gold or silver.
Todd was very patient, courteous, knowledgeable and explained everything in plain language that was very understandable. He did not pressure us, sent us a wonderful package to review, called to ask what questions we had and answered them all.
After a few days, we called Todd back and placed our order. The process was simple & easy. He had been in touch to see if there is anything else he can help us with. FANTASTIC employee and company.
Marion C.
Denton, TX
Lear Capital
Marion, thank you for your encouraging words about Todd! We are glad he was able to provide clear and knowledgeable information as you made investment decisions and helpful follow up communication. Thank you for choosing Lear Capital!
May 10 2023 4:59AM
Lear was super good about sending me the information, and answering my questions, They follow up with me and are very interested on helping me even after I have already invested $20,000 with them.
I am very conservative and am concerned about the taxes and how I was able to transfer my IRA money to Gold/Silver. It doesn't take much to irritate this 81 year old man and if I feel pressured I won't talk or get involved with you. That is why I am very satisfied with investing in Gold and Silver.
If I didn't like Lear, you would hear a lot more about them. So I have more IRA money to invest ,I feel it will also go to Lear. So take this for what it is, I am very satisfied with Lear. If something comes up I am not satisfied, oh they will be the first to hear. Ya, I'll be around another 20+ years, you I'm 81+. BILL **, Deposit, NY
William M.
Deposit, NY
Lear Capital
William, thank you for your kind words about our business! We are happy to hear that Armando has been helpful and professional in your investment process, and we are glad you received informative and timely communication from our team. Thank you for choosing to partner with Lear Capital!
