Goldline Review 2026: Is It Legit? Gold IRA Fees, Minimums, Pros and Cons

Goldline is an operating precious metals dealer, legally Goldline, Inc. of Los Angeles, owned by Gold.com, Inc. (NYSE: GOLD), and it settled a CFTC order in 2022 for $1,077,801.78. Its contract is public; its IRA prices, markup and minimum are not. The CFTC is the federal commodities regulator. A gold IRA is an individual retirement account that holds physical gold through a custodian. The markup is the part of the price that is not metal. So the question is not whether Goldline is real. It is what its record and its contract mean for your money.

Goldline is one of the gold IRA companies SafeOunce checks against the same records, contracts and cost questions. This Goldline review covers the owner, the two enforcement cases, the contract, the fees and the spread. It then prices a $100,000 account, reads the buyback clause and says who Goldline suits. This review covers Goldline, Inc., the gold and silver dealer at goldline.com, not the cooktop brand, the truck-driving school or other firms with the same name.

The 14 facts below come from Goldline's contract and website, its parent's annual report, the CFTC, the BBB and Trustpilot, each dated. The last row links to Goldline's own site.

Is Goldline Legit? Our Verdict#

Yes, Goldline is a legitimate, operating dealer owned by a public company, but regulators have acted against it twice, in 2012 and in 2022. Both cases were about how it priced and described what it sold. So is Goldline legit? As a real business, yes. On price, its record says to get every number in writing.

The two cases involve two different companies. The 2012 case was against the earlier company, Goldline International, Inc., and its earlier owners. The 2022 case happened under today's owner. Since then, the Account Agreement states the break-even math correctly and names who buys your metal back. SafeOunce found no regulator action after September 22, 2022 in searches on October 2, 2026.

What should a careful buyer ask Goldline before sending money? Ask for three things in writing. First, the price per coin and the same-day sell price. The sell price is what the dealer would pay you back today. Second, whether this order is your first, because that is the only one you can cancel. Third, which custodian and vault hold your metal, and their fees.

Who Is Goldline? Legal Name, Owner and History#

Goldline is a Los Angeles dealer that sells gold, silver, platinum and palladium coins and bars by phone and online and helps customers buy them inside a self-directed IRA. Its parent's 2026 annual report says Goldline markets "on television, radio, podcasts, and the internet". Its office is at 11835 W. Olympic Blvd., Suite 500, Los Angeles.

Why do the owner and the legal name matter? The two cases involve two different legal entities, and your contract is with today's one.

Who owns Goldline now: Gold.com, Inc. (formerly A-Mark)#

Goldline is wholly owned by Gold.com, Inc., a New York Stock Exchange company (ticker GOLD) that was called A-Mark Precious Metals until December 2, 2025. A-Mark bought Goldline's assets in a deal that closed on August 28, 2017. A-Mark's closing release said the deal brought "more than 150,000" clients and 1.2 million client leads. A lead is a person who asked for information. Gold.com's annual report for the year ended June 30, 2026 names a company, AM IP Assets, LLC. It manages Goldline's "customer lists and a sales lead database".

The parent's other brands and numbers are on our page about Gold.com, formerly A-Mark.

Is Goldline still in business?#

Yes: Goldline is operating as of October 2, 2026, and its parent's annual report filed on September 10, 2026 lists it as an active subsidiary. Its website footer on October 2, 2026 reads "Goldline is wholly owned by Gold.com Inc." Its BBB profile was live on the same date, with an A+ grade.

Goldline, Inc. vs Goldline International: three names since 1960#

Three legal names have traded as Goldline: Goldline International, Inc., Goldline, LLC, and since 2017 Goldline, Inc. The CFTC's 2022 order calls Goldline "a retail precious metals dealer in one form or another since 1960". The three names, and where each appears, are listed below.

• Goldline International, Inc.: the Santa Monica company named in the 2012 judgment.
• Goldline, LLC: the name the business "operated independently under" until 2017, per the CFTC order.
• Goldline, Inc.: the wholly-owned subsidiary A-Mark created in 2017, and the company in the 2022 order. The BBB lists its incorporation date as June 29, 2017.

Not the same as Goldline cooktops, GoldlineCDL or Goldline Brands#

At least six unrelated businesses share the name, so check that a review, complaint or court case is about Goldline, Inc. of Los Angeles. The look-alike names SafeOunce found on October 2, 2026 are listed below.

• Goldline cooktops (kitchen appliances)
• GoldlineCDL (a truck-driving school)
• Goldline curling supplies
• Gold-Line (gold-line.us)
• Goldline Brands Inc, Goldline Express and Goldline Plumbing (names in court records)

Search by the legal name and the Los Angeles address, not by the brand alone. You can check a gold IRA company in public records in a few minutes. The step-by-step way to check a gold IRA company by its legal name is on our verification guide.

How a Goldline gold IRA works, step by step#

A Goldline gold IRA works in 5 steps, from opening a custodian account to metal arriving in a vault in your IRA's name. A self-directed IRA is an IRA that can hold assets such as metal. The custodian is the trust company that legally holds the IRA and sends statements. The depository is the vault. Goldline's own page describes "3 easy steps"; the two extra steps here are the ones that protect you. The five steps are listed below.

1. Open a self-directed IRA at a custodian. Goldline's page names Equity Trust Company; ask if you may use another.
2. Move money by a direct transfer or a rollover.
3. Ask for the price per coin and the same-day sell price in writing, then choose coins or bars.
4. Sign the trade confirmation, the written record of your order. You have 7 calendar days to report an error in it (section A.2).
5. Check that the metal shows on your custodian statement within 28 calendar days. Goldline's contract promises delivery within 28 calendar days of cleared funds (section C.1).

The vault step is the law. IRA bullion must be "in the physical possession of a trustee" under 26 U.S.C. 408(m)(3)(B). For step 2, a gold IRA transfer is the safer way to move money. A gold IRA transfer between custodians has no 60-day clock and no once-a-year limit, so ask for one.

Is Goldline a custodian?#

No: Goldline is the dealer that sells the metal, and its contract says it is "independent from, and not affiliated with" the companies that act as IRA custodians. That wording is in section J.3 of the Account Agreement, version June 1, 2022, the public copy; Goldline has issued later versions. The SEC and state regulators warn that custodians "generally do not evaluate the quality or legitimacy of any investment" (SEC investor alert).

Goldline's Regulatory Record: Two Enforcement Cases Under Two Owners#

Goldline's record holds two enforcement cases: a 2012 Santa Monica judgment against the earlier company and a 2022 CFTC order against today's company and its parent. Together they involved up to about $6.43 million in refunds, repayments, costs and penalties. Readers who search for a Goldline lawsuit or Goldline complaints usually find one case, not both.

Three legal terms come up. Disgorgement means handing back profits. A civil monetary penalty is a fine paid to the government. An injunction is a court order to stop or change conduct.

The table sets the two cases side by side, from the City Attorney's release of February 22, 2012 and the CFTC order of September 22, 2022.

The total is a SafeOunce computation: $4,500,000 plus $800,000 plus $1,077,801.78, plus $50,000 in costs reported by the news site Patch in 2012. It reads "up to" because the amount of 2012 refunds actually paid is not public. This regulatory record is Goldline's weakest point. Both cases sit in our tracker of precious metals IRA enforcement actions, with every other case since 2008.

The 2022 CFTC order: $627,801.78 paid back and a $450,000 penalty#

On September 22, 2022, the CFTC ordered Goldline, Inc. and its parent A-Mark to give up $627,801.78 and pay a $450,000 penalty, $1,077,801.78 in total. The record is CFTC Docket No. 22-30, announced in release 8588-22. Goldline and A-Mark settled "without admitting or denying" the findings. The order covers about April 2018 to June 2021.

The three things the CFTC found are listed below.

• A wrong break-even figure: Goldline "misrepresented the percentage by which its bid price ... would have to increase before the customers could break-even".
• A buyback done by someone else: from about February or March 2018, a competing "Metals Dealer" bought the metal back. It "had sole discretion to set its own price" and answered as "Goldline buybacks" or "Goldline Liquidation Desk".
• Financed sales that were illegal off an exchange: the Collateral Finance Program, costed under the next heading.

Who was affected? The order says "over 230" customers used the financing program. So the $627,801.78 of program income comes to at most about $2,730 per customer (SafeOunce computation). The disgorgement goes to the CFTC; the order does not send it to customers. A footnote says "most of the product covered ... related to numismatic coins", which are collector coins.

A-Mark bought the Metals Dealer in March 2021, per the same order. The penalty is joint: either company can be made to pay all of it. Gold.com's 2026 annual report says the matter settled "with no material financial impact" and that Goldline "has discontinued these particular arrangements and practices". Why the CFTC could act here, and where its reach ends, is explained on who regulates gold IRA companies.

The Collateral Finance Program, costed#

From about April 2018 to July 2019, Goldline lent customers up to 75% of their metal's ask price at 7.9% a year so they could buy more metal. The ask price is the price Goldline sells at. Customers paid interest every quarter, and loans ran for six months at a time. The terms come from the CFTC order, Docket No. 22-30.

Why was it illegal? Financed metal sales to the public must run on a regulated exchange, unless "actual delivery" happens within 28 days (7 U.S.C. 2(c)(2)(D)). The order says no program customer took delivery in that time. It quotes a 2019 appeals court ruling, CFTC v. Monex, 931 F.3d 966, 974 (9th Cir. 2019). The program was not an IRA product. It matters because it shows how the company sold under its current owner.

The 2012 Santa Monica injunction: refunds of up to $4.5 million#

On February 22, 2012, a Los Angeles County judge put Goldline International under a five-year injunction and ordered refunds of up to $4.5 million. The judgment added an $800,000 fund for later claims. The source is the Santa Monica City Attorney's release; Judge Lisa Hart Cole signed the judgment; the case number was not found.

The City Attorney alleged that buyers who asked for bullion were steered into higher-priced coins. Its release said buyers "typically paid more than 55% over the actual value" of those coins. The case ended in a judgment by agreement, not a trial, so the conduct stays alleged. The City Attorney's earlier criminal charges were dismissed with it. Patch reported a 19-count complaint and $50,000 in costs.

The six things the injunction required are listed below.

• Disclose "its actual price markups, in recorded calls before each transaction".
• Stop telling consumers the government can confiscate gold bullion.
• Follow "a strict, factual script" on the topics used to mislead.
• Stop selling higher-priced coins to customers who had paid for bullion.
• Give prompt refunds.
• Run a phone line for refunds, staffed by people not paid on commission.

Who could claim? The refunds of up to $4.5 million went to customers who had complained to authorities. Other buyers who purchased after November 1, 2008 could claim restitution from the $800,000 fund. Claims closed on May 22, 2012.

Is Goldline the company that was sued in Santa Monica? The brand is the same; the legal entity is not. The claims window has closed and the injunction has expired. So a buyer from that period has no open claims route under that judgment.

A court monitor, Anthony Pacheco of Proskauer Rose, checked compliance. The injunction ran five years and could end after three, so it ended by February 2017 at the latest. A-Mark's purchase closed six months later.

Gold.com's 2026 annual report still discloses: "Prior to its acquisition by the Company, Goldline had been accused of improper sales practices, and was the subject of a state enforcement action that was subsequently settled." The 2012 case was about numismatic coin upsells, a pattern that still exists. How numismatic coin upsells work in IRAs today is on our guide to the switch from bullion to collector coins.

Timeline: 2008 to 2026#

Twelve dated entries connect the old Goldline to today's, and the second case began about eight months after the sale to A-Mark. The table lists each entry with its source, as of October 2, 2026.

From August 28, 2017 to about April 2018 is about 8 months (computed from the dates above).

BBB and Trustpilot numbers, and their limits#

Goldline holds a BBB A+ with 2 complaints in three years (October 2, 2026) and a Trustpilot score of 4.9 from 9,707 reviews (September 29, 2026). BBB accreditation is a paid membership, not an award. The table lists five signals with their dates.

These numbers have two limits. First, invited reviews are usually written right after buying, before a customer has sold anything back. Goldline's own reviews page says "Goldline is a paid subscriber to Trustpilot". Second, disputes sent to confidential arbitration may never appear at the BBB. The BBB profile lists no government action, although the CFTC order is public.

The BBB's grade leans on complaint handling: 90 of its 100 positive points relate to complaints, per the BBB's rating overview. So a seller that answers its few complaints scores well.

How far BBB and Trustpilot ratings can be trusted for gold sellers is covered in our signals guide.

What unhappy Goldline customers report#

Few Goldline customers complain in public: the BBB shows 2 complaints in three years (October 2, 2026), and 62 of 9,707 Trustpilot reviews are one-star (October 2, 2026). That is under 1% (62 / 9,707 = 0.64%). Another 20 are two-star. SafeOunce read all 82 of these low ratings on Trustpilot on October 2, 2026 to score the complaint record.

Goldline's own documents show where a buyer can be let down. The three weak points, each with its defense, are listed below.

• Buyback price: the affiliate pays its own "current buyback price" (section F.1). Get the same-day sell price in writing before you buy.
• Storage charges: Goldline's own storage costs 2% of the metal's value a year. Ask for the fee in dollars per year.
• Order details: you have 7 calendar days to report an error (section A.2). Read the trade confirmation the day it arrives.

Goldline's Contract Terms: What the Account Agreement Says#

Goldline publishes its full 24-page Account Agreement, and it gives you 7 days to cancel a first order, 28 days for delivery and 1 year to bring any claim. The version on goldline.com on October 2, 2026 is dated June 1, 2022. A public contract is a point in Goldline's favor: you can read it before any call. It is not the newest version. In a reply on its BBB reviews page dated July 8, 2025, Goldline wrote that a customer signed "our 07/01/2023 version" and was sent "our most recently updated version of 02/24/2025". SafeOunce has not read those later versions, so a clause quoted in this review may read differently in the contract you are sent. Check the version number in the footer of the copy you sign, and compare it with the clauses quoted here.

The table compares six terms in four sellers' contracts, from documents read between September 29 and October 2, 2026. JAMS is a private arbitration company.

More sellers are compared clause by clause on gold IRA company contracts.

Cancelling: 7 days, first order only#

You can cancel your first Goldline order within 7 calendar days of the order date; every later order is final unless your state says otherwise. The Account Agreement (version June 1, 2022, the public copy) says so in two sentences. Goldline has issued later versions, so check this clause in the copy you sign.

The table lists the state exceptions in section P of the same agreement. In most of them the clock starts when you receive the metal.

A second right exists, and it is easy to confuse. You can also cancel a gold IRA account itself for at least 7 days after you open it, under Treas. Reg. 1.408-6. You use that right with the custodian, not with Goldline. The separate 7-day right to cancel a gold IRA account is explained in our cancellation guide.

Arbitration in Los Angeles, a 1-year claim deadline, and your heirs#

Disputes with Goldline go to mediation and then to confidential JAMS arbitration in Los Angeles, and any claim is barred after one year. Arbitration means a private judge instead of a court. Sections N.4 to N.10 of the agreement set the rules: one retired California judge or justice, "exclusive venue ... Los Angeles, California", and "strictest confidence". Claims of $250,000 or less use JAMS's shorter Streamlined Rules.

The terms bind your "heirs, administrators, executors" too. Section N.9 bars any claim "unless commenced within one (1) year from the date of that transaction". Each side pays its own lawyer. Mediation costs are shared equally, unless every dispute settles at mediation. SafeOunce found no opt-out clause. JAMS's consumer standards cap a consumer's filing fee at $250. Goldline's website terms adopt that cap; the Account Agreement does not mention it.

What arbitration can and cannot do is explained on how to get your money back from a gold IRA company.

Two Goldline documents, two different claim deadlines#

Goldline's Account Agreement gives you one year to bring a claim, while its website terms say one year and one day. The two documents cover different things and differ on three points, as read on October 2, 2026.

Which one applies to a purchase? The website terms answer that. They say purchases, sales and storage "are governed by a separate document, the 'Account Agreement'". So for a metal purchase, plan on the stricter one: 1 year, in Los Angeles.

Delivery within 28 days, and 7 days to check your trade confirmation#

Goldline's contract promises delivery "no later than twenty-eight (28) calendar days" after it receives cleared funds. The agreement calls cleared money "good funds" (section C.1). The 28-day limit matches Lear Capital and Preserve Gold. It is shorter than American Hartford Gold's 4 to 8 weeks. It is also the line federal law uses for "actual delivery" of financed metal.

Two shorter clocks sit beside it. You have 7 calendar days from the trade confirmation to report "inaccuracies or discrepancies"; after that you waive any objection (A.2). Payment is due within 5 calendar days (B.2). If you pay late, Goldline may sell the metal at a wholesale or auction price and "charge Client for any loss".

The table turns the contract's five clocks into dates for one hypothetical first order. It assumes an order and trade confirmation on March 1, 2027 and funds cleared on March 3, 2027.

Dates are a SafeOunce example. Your state may give a longer cancellation window (see the state table above).

Open the confirmation the day it arrives, and note the delivery date. How to check delivery of IRA metal with your custodian is on our delivery checklist.

Commissions: highest on the products with the biggest spread#

Goldline's contract says its salespeople are paid commissions that "are usually greatest on products with a higher spread". It adds that they "may receive cash and other undisclosed compensation from Goldline when selling specific products" (section L.6). The spread is the gap between the price you pay and the price you would be paid back.

Which coins are those? Section J.1 says proof coins "carry a numismatic premium above their precious metal content". The CFTC's 2022 order noted that most of the affected product was numismatic coins. Goldline puts this pay incentive in writing.

Goldline Fees in 2026: What Is Published and What Is Not#

Goldline publishes one fee of its own, a storage charge of 1% of your metal's value every six months, and no IRA account fees, IRA minimum or markup range. In an IRA, the yearly account and storage fees come from your custodian, not from Goldline. So "Goldline IRA fees" are really the custodian's fees plus Goldline's spread.

The table shows which of six Goldline fees and prices are published, as of October 2, 2026.

Gold IRA fees differ by custodian far more than by seller. Every custodian's and seller's published charges are compared on gold IRA fees.

Equity Trust fees: the custodian Goldline's IRA page names#

Goldline's IRA enrollment page names one custodian, Equity Trust Company, whose metals-only schedule charges $50 to open and $235 or $285 a year. The page says "Equity Trust Company, an independent IRA custodian, offers helpful information regarding self-directed IRAs" (October 2, 2026). The table lists Equity Trust's Precious Metals (Only) schedule, form FS-0004-05, revision 081726.

Segregated means your coins are kept apart. Non-segregated means shared storage: you get back the same type and amount, maybe not the same pieces. An in-kind distribution means the metal itself is sent to you.

These are Equity Trust fees, not Goldline's. Goldline does not say Equity Trust is the only choice, or which of Equity Trust's four schedules applies to its customers. Ask Goldline which Equity Trust schedule applies and its revision date. Equity Trust's four schedules are explained on our page about Equity Trust fees.

Goldline's own storage fee: 1% every six months (non-IRA)#

If you store non-IRA metal with Goldline, the fee is 1% of the metal's ask price for each six-month period, which is 2% a year. Its storage page gives an example, as read on October 2, 2026. On holdings with "an ask price of $10,000 at the time of billing, your storage charges for the next 6 months will be $100". The minimum is $25 per bill.

The table turns Goldline's storage rate into dollars and sets it against segregated IRA storage on Equity Trust's metals schedule.

Goldline bills in advance, and the fee moves with the ask price. The 2022 agreement gives free storage to Accumulation Program holdings of $5,000 or less (section E.7).

At $100,000, Goldline's fee is 12.5 times the flat fee. Over 10 years at a flat price, that is $20,000 against $1,600 (SafeOunce computation).

This fee applies to Goldline's own storage program, with metal held "primarily in Las Vegas, Nevada". IRA metal is stored through your custodian at the custodian's price.

Flat and percentage gold IRA storage fees are compared on our storage page.

Why other review sites show "$50, $100 and $125" and a "14% spread"#

Other review sites print Goldline IRA fees of $50, $100 and $125 and a "14% spread", but neither figure appears on goldline.com or in its contract. The table sets six printed claims against the documents, as read on October 2, 2026.

The first claim is close to the custodian's real schedule but gives no source. The others are out of date or cannot be traced to a document. Treat any Goldline fee that has no source as a guess.

Goldline Minimum Investment: Not Published#

Goldline publishes no minimum for a gold IRA, as of October 2, 2026. Its only published starting amount is $200 a month for its Accumulation Program, which is not an IRA. The three numbers that do exist are listed below.

• Accumulation Program: from $200 a month (goldline.com FAQ, October 2, 2026).
• Storage minimum: $25 per six-month bill.
• IRS rule: no minimum. The 2026 IRA contribution limit is $7,500, plus $1,100 at age 50 or over (IRS Notice 2025-67). That is why most gold IRAs start with a transfer or rollover.

Small accounts feel flat fees most. Take $285 a year on Equity Trust's metals-only schedule (FS-0004-05, revision 081726), if that schedule applies to you. A $10,000 account then pays 2.85% a year before any markup; a $50,000 account pays 0.57%.

Over ten years, the same schedule costs $3,180 with one sale and closing. That is 12.7% of a $25,000 account and 6.4% of a $50,000 account, before any spread (SafeOunce computation). Ask Goldline for its IRA minimum in writing. Every published figure is on gold IRA minimums by company.

The Cost Goldline Does Not Publish: the Spread on Its Coins#

Goldline does not publish the spread on its IRA coins, so the largest cost of a Goldline IRA appears only on your trade confirmation. The spread is the gap between the price you pay and the price Goldline would pay you back the same day. The ask is the price you pay. The sell price, or bid, is what you would be paid back.

Is there a fee for buying and selling gold? Yes: the spread. There is no separate line for it on your invoice. Goldline's contract defines it in section K.2 and gives one worked example, but no range per product. Proof coins carry a larger spread than plain bullion, because the contract says they "carry a numismatic premium". Goldline's website has a live spot-price page. Spot is the market price of raw metal, not the price you pay. The page shows no ask or sell price for IRA coins, so do not read it as a price list. Sellers that publish gold IRA markups and spreads give you a ceiling; Goldline gives you a formula. Every published spread range is on gold IRA markups and spreads.

One public number helps as a yardstick. Across all its retail brands, Goldline's parent kept 5.138 cents of gross profit per sales dollar in its 2026 fiscal year. That is a group average that includes low-margin online bullion sales; it is not Goldline's spread.

How far must the price rise before you are even? Goldline's contract answers that.

Goldline's own break-even formula: a 20% spread needs a 25% rise#

Goldline's contract shows the math itself: a coin bought at $500 with a same-day sell price of $400 has a 20% spread and must rise 25% to break even. The example is in sections K.2 and K.3 of the Account Agreement, version June 1, 2022, the public copy; Goldline has issued later versions.

The table applies Goldline's formula to four example spreads on a $100,000 purchase.

Formula from Goldline's Account Agreement K.2-K.3 (June 2022). The spreads are examples; Goldline's actual spreads are not published.

This is the number the CFTC found Goldline's agreements got wrong from 2018 to 2021 (Docket No. 22-30). Today's agreement states it correctly. Test your own quote in the gold IRA break-even calculator.

What a $100,000 Goldline Gold IRA Costs: Year 1 and 10 Years#

A $100,000 Goldline gold IRA at Equity Trust with segregated storage costs $335 in account fees in year one and $3,180 over ten years, exit fees included. The spread comes on top: at 5% to 30% it adds $5,000 to $30,000. The first table lists the custodian fees on Equity Trust's metals-only schedule, revision 081726.

The second table adds the spread, on Goldline's own definition, to the custodian fees, with the metal price held flat. The last column is the price rise you need to get back all $100,000 plus ten years of fees.

Last column: SafeOunce computation, (spread cost + $3,180) / sell value. Goldline's contract example of 25% is "excluding any fees and other costs" (K.3).

The spread shows up fast. Your custodian values metal at market value, not at what you paid. Equity Trust says its statement values "do not include any markups, commissions or premiums from the precious metals dealer". At a 20% spread, your $100,000 gold IRA shows as about $80,000 on the first statement.

The total cost depends on your own quote. Run your own amount in the gold IRA fee calculator.

Goldline Buyback: An Affiliate Buys at Its Own Price#

Yes, Goldline buys back gold, but the buyer is usually an affiliate, Precious Metals Purchasing Partners, which offers its own "current buyback price", and nothing is guaranteed. An affiliate is a related company. Sections F.1 and F.2 of the Account Agreement (version June 1, 2022, the public copy) set this out. Goldline has issued later versions, so check the buyback clause in the copy you sign.

Who is the affiliate? Gold.com's 2026 annual report calls it "a joint venture between Goldline and SGB". SGB is Silver Gold Bull, a dealer that Gold.com mostly owns. The same report says the group's brands buy back "at prices designed to reflect current market valuations, but also allow them to profit on the resale".

Today's contract names the real buyer. That is the fix to what the CFTC found. From 2018 to 2021, a different dealer bought metal back while answering as the "Goldline Liquidation Desk" (CFTC Docket No. 22-30).

Ask three questions before you buy, in this order.

1. Ask who will buy the metal back, by legal name.
2. Ask what that buyer would pay today for the exact coins quoted.
3. Ask how many days payment takes, in writing. Goldline publishes no payment time.

What each seller's contract says is on gold IRA buyback programs compared.

Goldline Products: Bullion vs Proof Coins in an IRA#

Goldline sells bullion coins and bars, proof coins and graded collector coins, and its contract allows "select bullion bars, bullion coins and proof coins" in an IRA. A proof coin is a coin struck with a special collector finish. A numismatic premium is the extra price for collector appeal, above the metal value. The three product types, with the rule for each, are listed below.

• Bullion coins and bars: IRA-eligible by name, such as the American Gold Eagle (26 U.S.C. 408(m)(3)(A)), or by fineness (408(m)(3)(B)). The fineness floors are .995 for gold, .999 for silver and .9995 for platinum and palladium.
• Proof coins: no IRS ruling covers them. Proof Platinum Eagles are named in the statute; other proofs depend on what your custodian accepts. Equity Trust refuses proof Gold Buffalos. Goldline's contract says proofs "carry a numismatic premium above their precious metal content" (J.1).
• Graded and rare coins: Equity Trust and other custodians refuse graded or certified coins.

Goldline's IRA page gets the wording right. It says "IRA eligible" and lists the fineness rules: 99.5% for gold, 99.9% for silver and 99.95% for platinum (October 2, 2026).

The risk sits with proof coins in an IRA. Your custodian may not take them. They also cost more than bullion, and the contract says commissions are "usually greatest on products with a higher spread". For an IRA, ask for 1-ounce bullion coins or bars, and ask the spread on each in dollars. What custodians accept for proof coins in an IRA is on our proof coin page.

Goldline Custodians and Depositories#

Goldline's IRA page names Equity Trust Company as a custodian and no depository, as of October 2, 2026. It says IRA metal goes to "a designated depository of your choice, administered by your custodian". Goldline's contract says it is independent of the companies that act as gold IRA custodians. Every custodian's charter and fees are on gold IRA custodians.

Ask Goldline three questions about custody.

• Which custodians may I use, and which fee schedule applies?
• Which depository holds the metal, and is the account titled to my IRA?
• Is the vault owned by Gold.com?

No bank or broker insurance covers the metal: FDIC and SIPC never cover IRA metal. Vault insurance pays metal value, not the premium you paid. Vault insurance and locations are on gold IRA depositories.

Equity Trust listed five vaults on September 29, 2026: A-Mark Global Logistics, Brink's, Delaware Depository, IDS and Texas Bullion Depository. One vault on Equity Trust's list belongs to Goldline's parent. If you are offered it, the seller, the buyback affiliate and the vault share one owner. Where Goldline IRA metal is actually stored is not established. The vault's ownership and insurance are on our A-Mark Global Logistics page.

Goldline Pros and Cons#

Goldline has six strengths, led by a public contract and a public parent, and six weaknesses, led by two enforcement cases and unpublished IRA prices. The table lists all twelve, from documents read on October 2, 2026.

Who Goldline Suits, and Who Should Walk Away#

Goldline suits a buyer who wants plain bullion from a dealer with a public parent and contract, and who gets both prices in writing first. It does not suit anyone who is offered proof coins for an IRA, or who may want to cancel a second order. The table gives a verdict for seven reader situations, each drawn from the documents above.

Goldline's own contract sets a limit on metals. Section J.2 says Goldline "believes that clients should invest no more than 5% to 20% of their retirement assets/ portfolio in precious metals". You must give written notice before you go above 20%. If a salesperson suggests more, point to section J.2.

The 4-question script from the 2012 injunction#

The 2012 court order gives you four questions that work on any gold seller, Goldline included. Each one turns a rule from that order into a question. Ask them in this order.

1. Ask: "Will you tell me the markup on a recorded call before I buy?"
2. Ask: "Will you confirm you will not tell me the government can confiscate my bullion?"
3. Ask: "If I ask for bullion, will you sell me only bullion?"
4. Ask: "Are refunds handled by staff who are not paid on commission?"

A "no" to any of the four is a reason to end the call. The injunction has expired, so these are questions, not current legal duties. They are a short version of how to choose a gold IRA company. The full list of 12 questions is on how to choose a gold IRA company.

How SafeOunce Rates Goldline#

Goldline's SafeOunce result is provisional: it earned 24 of the 51 points checked so far (October 2, 2026). SafeOunce rates Goldline on 7 criteria worth 100 points, and any item a company will not show a buyer scores zero. The other 49 points are not yet checked: 19 need our written quote test, and 30 need documents or checks we have not finished. A provisional result has no band and is not a score out of 100. The rating card above is computed from methodology version 1.1, not written by hand. Goldline's 2022 CFTC settlement also keeps it off our best-of lists under gate 3 of our method.

The table lists each criterion, its points and Goldline's inputs as of October 2, 2026.

Gate 3 covers a regulator settlement over pricing, disclosures or sales practices. It keeps a company off best-of lists for 5 years from the settlement date and shows its full record on its review page. Goldline's CFTC order is dated September 22, 2022. Goldline does not have to answer SafeOunce to be scored: since method version 1.1, the score comes from public records and from a written quote requested the way a buyer would request it. Until that quote test is done, the rating card shows a provisional result with no band. No company can pay to change its rating or its place. Weights, gates and evidence rules are on how SafeOunce rates gold IRA companies.

How Does Goldline Compare With Other Gold IRA Companies?#

Goldline publishes its full contract, which Goldco does not, but it publishes no IRA fees and no IRA minimum. It is one of two operating sellers in the table below with a settled regulator case. The table compares five companies on the same five fields, from each company's review page on SafeOunce. Goldline is as of October 2, 2026; the others are as of September 29, 2026.

The best gold IRA companies are ranked on the same records, with the spread counted. Rankings by real cost are on best gold IRA companies; Goldline is not on them while gate 3 applies. SafeOunce takes no money from any company named on this page.

Goldline vs Lear Capital#

Both companies settled with regulators over sales practices: Goldline for up to about $6.43 million across 2012 and 2022, Lear Capital for $14.25 million. Lear's three payments came between 2021 and 2023, with no admission; the largest was $6 million to New York's Attorney General (Index No. 807970/2021). Lear publishes a markup range of 2% to 35% and allows 24 hours to cancel. Goldline gives a formula and 7 days on a first order. The side-by-side table is on Lear Capital vs Goldline.

Lear's own record is in our Lear Capital review.

Goldline and its sister brands at Gold.com#

Gold.com, Inc. also owns JM Bullion, Provident Metals and Monex and 55.4% of Silver Gold Bull, so a reader comparing these names is comparing one owner's brands. The figures are from Gold.com's annual report for the year ended June 30, 2026. Monex joined in January 2026. The online brands list a price per product. Goldline sells by phone, with a quoted price. One page covers the company behind JM Bullion, Monex and Goldline. The sister brands with their own reviews are listed below.

• JM Bullion IRA review
• Monex IRA review

Goldline's free-metal promotion#

Goldline's IRA page says buyers are "eligible to receive promotional metals delivered directly to you with a qualified IRA purchase", and it publishes no amounts or conditions. That wording was on goldline.com on October 2, 2026. Ask which products qualify, and the spread on each. A bonus tied to high-spread coins can cost more than it gives. The promotional metal is delivered to you, not to your IRA. How sellers fund free silver and bonus metal promotions is on our promotions guide.

Is Goldline a scam?#

No: Goldline is a real dealer owned by a listed company, and SafeOunce found no court ruling that today's Goldline, Inc. committed fraud. The CFTC's 2022 settled order (Docket No. 22-30) did find that it misled customers on two points, which the CFTC called fraud. Goldline settled without admitting or denying the findings.

Can the government confiscate gold you buy from Goldline?#

No sales pitch should tell you so: the 2012 order barred Goldline International from saying the government can confiscate gold bullion. The City Attorney alleged the claim was used to steer buyers into pricier coins (case number not found). The history is on can the government confiscate your gold.

Can you keep Goldline IRA metal at home?#

No: IRA bullion must be "in the physical possession of a trustee", so Goldline ships IRA metal to a depository, not to you. The Tax Court treated home storage as a taxable distribution in McNulty v. Commissioner, 157 T.C. No. 10 (2021). The court case is covered on home storage gold IRA.

How much of your retirement savings does Goldline say to put in metals?#

Goldline's own contract says 5% to 20%, and it requires written notice from you before you invest more than 20%. The guideline is in section J.2 of the Account Agreement, version June 1, 2022, the public copy; Goldline has issued later versions. It is Goldline's view, not a rule of law. The data are on how much gold should you hold in an IRA.

How do you cash out a Goldline gold IRA?#

You tell your custodian to sell: the custodian instructs the sale, Goldline's affiliate or another dealer buys the metal, and the cash lands in your IRA. You may sell to any dealer, not only Goldline's affiliate. Equity Trust's metals schedule charges $30 per sale. The steps and taxes are on how to sell gold in your IRA and cash out.

What is the downside of a gold IRA with Goldline?#

The main downside is cost you cannot see in advance: a spread Goldline does not publish, plus yearly custodian fees. Those fees are $285 a year on Equity Trust's metals-only schedule (revision 081726, segregated storage), if that schedule applies. Metal also pays no interest or dividends, so fees come out of your savings. The general case is on gold IRA pros and cons.