Get the most out of your Gold and Cryptocurrency Investments with a Tax-Advantage IRA Account that offers both.
Table of Contents
Regal Assets Review
Early in your investing and saving years, your portfolio should probably be mostly stocks and bonds. A heavy stock allocation is a common recommendation from financial advisors because the emphasis then should be on risk and growth to make as much money as possible. When you’re closer to retirement, then you need more diversification and more security.
Precious metals are a way of diversifying your portfolio and enjoying better security at the same time. There is always volatility and risk involved, but gold and silver offer potential advantages. You can use them as a hedge against inflation and economic uncertainty, as they don’t lose value overnight as stocks might.
A precious metal or gold IRA is a way to invest in this asset class without paying taxes on your gains. Regal Assets is one broker you might use to manage your account. I like how they make things super simple.
Regal Assets
Bottom Line
With the lowest fees in the industry, Regal Assets is a decent option for someone just getting started investing for retirement. Millennials looking for a place to incorporate crypto into their portfolios are unlikely to find a better option.
At a Glance
- Phone Number: +1 877.962.1133
- Minimum IRA Investment: $10,000
- 1st Year IRA Fees: $0
- Annual IRA Fees: $215
- Promotions: first year fees waived on all new accounts
Standout Features: Regal Assets has two primary features that many investors find alluring. First, they only deal in bullion. That makes it very easy to liquidate your holdings for cash when the time comes to close your account out.
Second, they also allow you to invest in cryptocurrencies. If you want to handle your diversification into both alternative asset classes of precious metals and digital currencies at the same time, Regal Assets makes that possible. Learn more here.
Regal Assets Pros
- BirdEye lists more than 1,600 5-star reviews
- More than a decade behind branding
- No extra fees when you sell back
- Low minimum investments
- Member of Forbes Finance Council
Regal Assets Cons
- BBB rating is an F
- Website is lacking information about management team
Company Overview
Regal Assets is a business that you can buy bullion through. You can spend a minimum of $5,000 for a non-IRA transaction where you keep the products yourself. However, you would also be responsible for normal taxes on that transaction.
The real money-making is through a gold IRA account. Even though it’s known as a gold IRA account, you can also put silver, palladium, and platinum in it. Unlike some of their competition, Regal Assets deals in all four precious metals instead of just gold and silver.
I always argue three things in favor of a gold IRA. They are diversification, protection from inflation, and a hedge against economic uncertainty. This is easier to accomplish with access to all four precious metals instead of just two.
You need to put some of your retirement assets into precious metals to diversify against stocks, bonds, and real estate. Many financial advisors argue for 5% to 15% of your portfolio in precious metals, but it’s really up to you how high or low to go. Just make sure you have something in there.
That lets you do two things. You can be there to capture any gains precious metals might have. You’ll also minimize your overall portfolio risk by not putting all of your eggs in one basket.
Having said that, getting access to all four inside one gold IRA means you can take the diversification to another level. You can spread your precious metal IRA allotment over gold, silver, palladium, and platinum all at the same time. You can even dip into cryptocurrencies if you want, which is something unique to Regal Assets right now.
Gold is great to have because if you look back long enough over the data, it’s actually grown more in value than many major stock indices have going back 50 or so years. Silver isn’t worth as much as gold, but its growth rate has been double-digits more often than gold in many recent years. Platinum and palladium are worth looking into because there’s so much focus on gold and silver that many might be missing their potential.
If you’re looking for something simple and basic to get some fundamental exposure to precious metals, then Regal Assets could just be your ticket. The low investment minimum of $10,000 means you could put just that into a gold IRA and pick $2,500 for each of the four metals for some balance and diversification. I don’t actually recommend that as serious financial advice, but you can write that down on paper and at least have a starting point to make better decisions.
In truth, the specific metals you buy should be based on your level of acceptable risk tolerance and the pros and cons of each metal. The customer service at Regal Assets isn’t perfect, but it’s certainly above industry averages. They can help you decide which specific investments might suit your financial objectives and timelines the best.
What is Regal Assets?
Tyler Gallagher founded Regal Assets. That happened in early 2009. To this day, he remains the Chief Executive Officer.
This alternative assets firm has grown from then to become an Inc. 500 enterprise. At the time of writing, it had offices in not just California where it started but had also opened offices in many international locations. These included Toronto, Dubai, and London.
Regal Assets certainly didn’t have such illustrious roots. Mr. Gallagher was rather bootstrapped as an entrepreneur. He got to Los Angeles quite broke.
His early days in SoCal often had him sleeping in his car. Keeping a place of his own was hard for him to accomplish at the time. It was only through a combination of dedication and constant work that he was able to start Regal Assets.
Now, his life is very different. Mr. Gallagher is an acknowledged expert in the industry. He’s renowned for his knowledge and skill in both precious metals and alternative assets. That’s one reason why Regal Assets is offering hybrid precious metals and cryptocurrency self-directed IRA before much of the industry catches up to the new opportunities.
Mr. Gallagher is sought after for his insight and opinions. He’s appeared on the RT television network and also on Arianna Huffington’s Thrive Global. Forbes has used him as an industry expert on several occasions, and he is courted by international media outlets quite frequently as well.
LinkedIn states that Regal Assets has 55 employees. They’re not a small operation any longer. In truth, I can tell you that’s more employees than some of the competition has, including Goldco and Augusta Precious Metals.
One interesting thing to note about Regal Assets is that they don’t list any of their management team members on their website. You have to look outside their website to find such information, and it’s not always complete.
That’s not to imply that Regal Assets is somehow shady or untrustworthy. Their customer reviews are generally high marks. The ratings aren’t perfect, but they still convey a company you can trust your money with.
Services Provided
The services Regal Assets provide are simple. You can do a rollover of a 401(k), 403(b), or IRA account into a self-directed IRA where you invest tax-free in precious metals. You then enjoy the gains they generate without having taxes accrued on them.
When you cash out, you should have a nice sum of money to use towards retirement that has been tax-sheltered for value protection and safety until you need it.
You can even put some of your IRA into cryptocurrencies if you want through Regal Assets. This is something you can do that most of the industry hasn’t caught on to yet. Having said that, the volatility inherent with crypto might make a bad pairing with gold and silver if you’re looking for safety against economic instability.
One service they don’t provide is coins and other specific collectibles or choices. Part of this is to stay compliant with IRS-approved lists of possible holdings, but Regal Assets gets much stricter in only dealing with bullion. The big reason they do that is to make liquidation easy when you close your account.
Regal Assets Gold IRA Review
I can write till I’m blue in the face about Regal Assets, but it seriously just boils down to a single factor. Simplicity. They make things super simple.
They only deal in bullion. You can use them to dabble in cryptocurrencies at the same time. You only need $10,000 to get started.
Let’s start with only dealing with bullion. If you want to get involved with different kinds of coins and rounds, then you can do so at nearly any other gold IRA broker, but not Regal Assets. The lack of decisions involved should be a selling point.
Granted, some investors might see it as an unnecessary limitation, but they can choose from a dozen other brokers if they want more control over their precious metal portfolio. On the other hand, if you’re just looking to park 5% to 15% of your portfolio in precious metals for the diversification and hedge, then your attention is more likely on the bulk of your assets that are elsewhere. Regal Assets lets you set things up, walk away, and come back later when you need to.
Being able to delve into cryptocurrencies at the same time is another nice simplicity. Whether you think crypto is the future, don’t think highly of its own future, or just don’t even know what it is, the truth is that digital currencies aren’t going anywhere. Putting 5% into them can make sense if you want exposure to potential gains without risking much of your money.
Cryptocurrencies are similar to precious metals in that they are an alternative asset class. That generally means they’re something other than stocks and bonds you can invest your portfolio into. Where they might differ is how they react to the stock market.
Cryptocurrencies have sometimes gone in the opposite direction of stock crashes. They have also sometimes gone down at the same time. Volatility is substantial in that particular asset class, but you don’t have to invest in them.
Regal Assets gives you the simple choice to invest in both alternative assets at the same time but only if you want to. I’m here as a gold and silver expert, so I’m just informing you of the option without telling you to do it or not. I can tell you the historical benefits, however.
Both often work as a hedge against inflation. Both work closer to retirement in preserving your wealth from stock market losses. Gold has done better than the Dow Jones in the last five decades, and in the last decade, silver’s growth rate has sometimes outperformed gold.
The low minimum investment lets you choose how much to put into this without worrying about whether you have enough to enjoy a gold IRA account.
By The Numbers
Any financial decision has to be made by the specific numbers. Some you can’t know until you talk to them, but here are a few things I can tell you.
Prices
Regal Assets is like other gold brokers. They list their products on their website, but they don’t feature the prices. I know that’s annoying, but I also get why they do it.
The simple truth is that precious metal prices go up and down all the time. You have to contact them in order to find out what they’re currently charging for their precious metals. I don’t believe that you’ll get hit with pushy sales or sudden markups and fees, however; they just don’t operate like that.
Fees
Expect to pay $100 per year for your administrative fees, and your custodian or storage fees are likely to run $150 most years. There is no IRA set-up fee, nor is there a fee for doing a rollover from other retirement accounts. Talk to them about getting your first-year fees waived if your account is big enough.
They usually run a special where you might get 10% in free metals depending on the size of your investment. While that only happens once when you start, it might offset the first year you pay fees. Also, that’s extra metals to generate returns, and if you’re lucky, the gains from your free metals might offset your annual fees altogether.
One thing you should know is how there’s no buyback fee when it’s time to close the account. You’ll get the price listed. Also, it’s easy for them to liquidate because they only deal in bullion.
Minimums
You’ll need at least $10,000 to do an IRA investment through Regal Assets. To some younger investors, that might sound like a lot of money. However, if you’ve been saving for years or decades, then it’s probably just not that much.
Other competitors require investments of $25,000 or even $50,000. That can prove to be a high bar for some investors. Regal Assets opens the doors of precious metal IRAs to a lot more investors, especially those that might not want to put as much into it.
I’m huge on gold and silver for reasons I state frequently elsewhere in this content. However, I also know that some investors only want to put in 5% of the portfolio and leave it at that. Regal Assets make that much easier to do, whereas a minimum investment level might be more than 5% of your portfolio.
How to Open Gold IRA with Regal Assets
If you want to open a gold IRA with Regal Assets, then you have to go through a certain sequence of specific events.
1.
Let Your Old Account Know: The first thing you need to do is inform your previous retirement plan administrator that you are going to be doing a rollover. Let them know where the funds are going. Also, let them know what percentage of your funds you want to be involved in the transfer.
2.
Call Regal Assets: Regal Assets will need to know that your funds are coming. Call them to set your gold IRA up. They’ll do a lot of the paperwork for you, but you’ll still have to make a few decisions and signatures.
3.
Pick a Transfer Option: A direct transfer is what I usually advise for, as it’s a lot easier on you and has far less risk of tax complications. You can do an indirect transfer that routes the funds through your bank account if you want, but it’s more hassle. In either case, you only have 60 days to get the funds into your Regal Assets gold IRA or get taxed on the monies.
4.
Pick Your Metals: This is going to be a lot easier with Regal Assets than it is with other brokers because they only deal in bullion. You might feel stifled at first not being able to pick coins and collectibles, but you’ll avoid IRS complications. You’ll also have a very easy time liquidating your precious metals for cash when it comes time to close out the account.
5.
Choose a Depository: The IRS frowns on self-directed gold IRA users keeping their precious metals at home or a place of their choosing. You’ll need to select an approved depository where your precious metals are kept safely. Regal Assets has longstanding partnerships with several such options.
6.
Segregated or Not?: Some depositories have segregated storage options that keep your precious metals away from the assets of others. This will cost extra, but it can also help you sleep better at night. Certain depositories might not have both kinds of storage, so you’d make your choice by default by picking such a facility.
7.
Watch, Wait: As long as your gold IRA meets the IRS rules and you don’t change anything, then any gains you realize in higher values of gold and silver will be gains you can enjoy without paying taxes on them. Such is the entire point of an IRA, traditional or otherwise.
8.
Cash Out: When you’re allowed or even forced to cash out your IRA due to triggering criteria, do so at the right time to avoid taxes on your distribution. You might choose to take personal ownership of your metals at that time, but you can also possibly sell them back to Regal Assets. Doing so will not involve extra fees on their part, and liquidation is simple since they only deal in bullion.
Regal Assets Gold IRA Alternatives
Augusta Precious Metals
Goldco
Birch Gold Group
Regal Assets is a great choice if you want simplicity, especially if you’re looking for quick and easy liquidation at the end of the account. You’re more than likely to take a hands-off approach to this account. You probably won’t be looking to learn a lot about precious metals or the industry.
However, if client education is important to you, then Augusta Precious Metals is worth strong consideration. They’ve made it a central aspect of their overall business model, and I think they might just do it better than anyone else in the industry.
If Goldco is known for anything, it’s customer service. I’ve been known to call their customer service level nothing short of “white glove”. They do treat you like royalty.
If you’re drawn to Regal Assets because of how royal the name sounds and you want to be treated that well, then you might want to turn an eye towards Goldco. They can possibly scratch that itch better. At the same time, I will tell you that the customer service at Regal Assets is still really good.
As much as Regal Assets focuses on simplicity and possibly gives you an easy avenue into cryptocurrencies at the same time, Birch Gold Group might offer you the best possible balance for a comprehensive gold IRA. Birch isn’t necessarily the best in terms of costs, client education, or customer services across the industry. Then again, they’re so good at all three that they push their competition to be better.
If you want more options in terms of what you can and can’t buy, then Birch Gold Group is possibly a better option compared to how simple Regal Assets keeps things.
- Minimum Investment: $50,000
- Annual Fees: $250 first year/$200 recurring
- Promotions: up to 10 years fees waived
- Minimum Investment: $25,000
- Annual Fees: $230 first year/$180 recurring
- Promotions: first year fees waived with qualifying purchase
- Minimum Investment: $10,000
- Annual Fees: $250 first year/ $200 recurring
- Promotions: first year fees waived with qualifying purchase
Regal Assets Gold IRA Alternatives
Augusta Precious Metals
Regal Assets is a great choice if you want simplicity, especially if you’re looking for quick and easy liquidation at the end of the account. You’re more than likely to take a hands-off approach to this account. You probably won’t be looking to learn a lot about precious metals or the industry.
However, if client education is important to you, then Augusta Precious Metals is worth strong consideration. They’ve made it a central aspect of their overall business model, and I think they might just do it better than anyone else in the industry.
- Minimum Investment: $50,000
- Annual Fees: $250 first year/$200 recurring
- Promotions: up to 10 years fees waived
Goldco
If Goldco is known for anything, it’s customer service. I’ve been known to call their customer service level nothing short of “white glove”. They do treat you like royalty.
If you’re drawn to Regal Assets because of how royal the name sounds and you want to be treated that well, then you might want to turn an eye towards Goldco. They can possibly scratch that itch better. At the same time, I will tell you that the customer service at Regal Assets is still really good.
- Minimum Investment: $25,000
- Annual Fees: $230 first year/$180 recurring
- Promotions: first year fees waived with qualifying purchase
Birch Gold Group
As much as Regal Assets focuses on simplicity and possibly gives you an easy avenue into cryptocurrencies at the same time, Birch Gold Group might offer you the best possible balance for a comprehensive gold IRA. Birch isn’t necessarily the best in terms of costs, client education, or customer services across the industry. Then again, they’re so good at all three that they push their competition to be better.
If you want more options in terms of what you can and can’t buy, then Birch Gold Group is possibly a better option compared to how simple Regal Assets keeps things.
- Minimum Investment: $10,000
- Annual Fees: $250 first year/ $200 recurring
- Promotions: first year fees waived with qualifying purchase
Regal Assets Reviews & Complaints Online
Regal Assets has been in business long enough that many prior or existing clients have been able to use them and then review them online. Knowing their ratings, comments, and complaints can help you ascertain the reputation of Regal Assets for yourself. It’s not flawless, but it’s still respected fairly well in this industry.
- Better Business Bureau: BBB has recently changed their rating to an F with 21 complaints closed in the last 3 years.
- Business Consumer Alliance: The BCA rates them better at AAA. One complaint has been filed, but it was also resolved.
- BirdEye: On this platform, Regal Assets has 1,724 reviews with an average of 4.9/5.0.
- TrustLink: Over 1,088 reviews, Regal Assets gets 4.9/5.0.
- TrustPilot: This platform only lists five reviews, and they average 3.8/5.0.
Celebrity Endorsements
How much a celebrity endorsement should matter to you is honestly up to you. However, it can speak highly of a company when someone known for being wealthy is willing to publically certify their trust in a gold IRA broker. Regal Assets has celebrity endorsers that include Dennis Miller, Lars Larson, and Laura Ingraham.
Dennis Miller was on Saturday Night Live for several years in the 1980s. Since then, he’s been a successful actor, political commentator, and even sports commentator. The comedian has had numerous specials.
Lars Larson worked in the news industry for two decades. He’s been hosting his radio show since 1997. Larson is a noted conservative commentator.
Laura Ingraham used to host a radio show. She’s also served as LifeZette’s editor-in-chief. She currently hosts her show of conservative commentary on Fox News.
Final Verdict - What is the Truth about Regal Assets?
Regal Assets makes diversification into precious metals very simple if you want some of your portfolio in this particular asset class. Since they have strict limitations about the actual metals they deal in, it’s super simple to decide what to buy and include in your IRA. You’ll also have a very easy time liquidating the metals when you decide to close out the account.
That’s one of two benefits of Regal Assets that I like about them. If you also want to diversify into another alternative asset class, cryptocurrencies, then you can do that easily at the same time. For anyone looking for a “set it and forget it” answer for simple diversification into multiple alternative asset classes at the same time, Regal Assets is a great way to go.
Frequently Asked Questions
The founder and CEO of Regal Assets is Tyler Gallagher. The company is privately owned.
Burbank, California.