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

National Gold Group is a real gold IRA seller in Kailua, Hawaii, legally Casey-Rose and Partners, LLC. It has an A+ BBB grade, 2 complaints and no court or regulator case found (November 6, 2026). Its own contract allows markups of up to 34.99%. So the question is not whether it exists, but what its contract lets it charge and what you give up when you sign.

A gold IRA is an IRA that holds physical gold through a custodian, a trust company. A markup is the part of the price that is not metal. National Gold Group is one of the gold IRA companies SafeOunce checks with the same records, contract and cost questions. This National Gold Group review covers its legal name and its 2021 start, a small record with no court or regulator case found, and its full Account Agreement. That contract sets the markup range and the cancellation, arbitration and no-disparage terms. It then compares the website with the contract, sorts out the fee figures, prices a $100,000 order and says who the company suits. It covers the Hawaii dealer at nationalgoldgroup.com, not China National Gold Group, a state-owned Chinese mining company.

The 13 facts below come from National Gold Group's website and Account Agreement, the BBB, Trustpilot and court and regulator searches, each dated.

Company website links in this table: SafeOunce earns nothing from these links.

Is National Gold Group Legit? Our Verdict#

Yes, National Gold Group is a legitimate, operating company, but it is young. Its own contract gives it wide room on price and gives you little room to cancel or sue. It started in April 2021 and holds an A+ with 2 BBB complaints. No court case or regulator action was found as of November 6, 2026.

So is National Gold Group legit? On the record, yes. The company also does something few sellers do: it posts its full Account Agreement online. That agreement is the problem. It allows markups up to 34.99%, gives no right to cancel in most states, and sends disputes to private arbitration in Hawaii with a one-year deadline.

What should a careful buyer get from National Gold Group before sending money? Get three things in writing. The first is the price per coin and its percent over spot. The spot price is today's market price for one ounce of raw metal. The second is the buyback price formula, meaning how the company sets what it pays you back. The third is the signed Account Agreement, with your state's addendum if there is one.

Some readers should look elsewhere. If you want a right to cancel and live outside the 20 states the contract lists, the order is final on the call. If you want a seller that posts prices online, this one does not. If you want an adviser with a fiduciary duty, a legal duty to put your interests first, the contract says National Gold Group owes none.

Who Is National Gold Group? Legal Name, Age and Owner#

National Gold Group is a precious metals dealer in Kailua, Hawaii, that sells gold, silver, platinum and palladium coins and bars and arranges precious metals IRAs. It sells metal two ways: inside an IRA, or as a "direct purchase" shipped to you or stored. Google's business panel lists it as a "Gold dealer in Kailua, Hawaii". The company calls itself "Trusted by Thousands of Americans" and says on its homepage that it is "certainly the highest rated out there in customer satisfaction". SafeOunce has not checked either claim.

Why does the legal name matter? Your contract, any court case and any regulator file use the legal name, not the brand.

Casey-Rose and Partners, LLC: the legal name behind National Gold Group#

National Gold Group's Account Agreement names the seller as "Casey-Rose and Partners, LLC, dba National Gold Group", at 609 Kailua Road, Suite 200, in Kailua, Hawaii. The agreement linked from the company's website was "Last modified as of AUGUST 12, 2024". The BBB lists the business as an LLC, a limited liability company, which is a common business form.

The same document's footer says "National Gold Group Inc.". SafeOunce has not found a Hawaii business record that settles which entity signs. Section 2(b) also names an affiliate, "Precious Metals Purchasing Partners". Ask for the legal name on your invoice and on your custodian's purchase direction, and check that they match. The step-by-step way to check a gold IRA company by its legal name is on our verification guide.

When did National Gold Group start? 2021, not "25 years"#

The BBB lists National Gold Group's business start as April 27, 2021, and its incorporation as September 6, 2022. That makes the company about five and a half years old as of November 2026. Other sources describe its age in other ways. The table lists five of them.

SafeOunce has not verified the staff experience behind the "25 years" figure.

Who runs National Gold Group?#

The BBB names David Morenfeld as National Gold Group's president, as of November 6, 2026. The company's 2025 press release also quotes him by name. The About page tells a family story about coins, but it does not name the founder. National Gold Group does not publish its owners.

How a National Gold Group gold IRA works, step by step#

A National Gold Group gold IRA works in 5 steps, from an application on its website to metal arriving in a vault in your IRA's name. You need a self-directed IRA, which is an IRA that can hold assets other than funds, such as metal. A custodian is the trust company that legally holds the IRA and sends your statements. A depository is the vault. The five steps are listed below.

1. Fill in the short online IRA application. RetirementLiving says you must then speak with a representative to finish the setup.
2. Open a self-directed IRA at a custodian. National Gold Group says it will "confirm your preferred custodian and depository during account setup".
3. Move your money by a direct transfer or a rollover. The company says these "typically complete in a few business days once your custodian processes the request".
4. Choose coins or bars, sign the Account Agreement and pay within two calendar days (section 2(b)). Ask for the price per coin and the percent over spot first.
5. Check that the metal reaches the depository. Section 3(a) promises delivery within 28 days of cleared funds, so check your custodian statement after that.

The tax code requires IRA bullion to be held by a trustee, under 26 U.S.C. 408(m)(3)(B). That is why the metal goes to a vault and not to your house. A gold IRA transfer between custodians has no 60-day clock and no once-a-year limit, so ask for one.

Is National Gold Group a custodian?#

No: National Gold Group is the dealer that sells the metal, while a separate trust company is the custodian that holds your IRA and a vault stores the coins. Its contract says it is "independent from, and not affiliated with" the custodians it tells you about, and that choosing one is your responsibility (section 8(d)). The SEC and state regulators warn that self-directed IRA custodians "generally do not evaluate the quality or legitimacy of any investment".

National Gold Group Complaints, Reviews and Legal Record#

National Gold Group's public record is small: 2 BBB complaints in three years and no court or regulator case found (November 6, 2026). Neither complaint came in the last 12 months. A small record partly reflects a young company with few customers. Read it as "no red flags yet", not as proof of good prices. The table sums up every part of the National Gold Group complaint record SafeOunce checked.

BBB, Trustpilot and Google numbers, and their limits#

National Gold Group has 2 BBB complaints against 28 BBB reviews, or 7.1 complaints per 100 reviews, as of November 6, 2026. Two complaints are too few to compare with large sellers. BBB accreditation is a paid membership. Complaints per 100 reviews is a way to compare large and small companies on the same scale. The table ranks gold IRA sellers SafeOunce reviews by BBB complaints per 100 BBB reviews.

One more complaint would move the rate to 10.7; one fewer would move it to 3.6. The BBB does not publish the two complaint texts, so SafeOunce cannot say what they were about.

All 56 of National Gold Group's Trustpilot reviews are five-star, yet its TrustScore is 4.8, because Trustpilot adds seven 3.5-star ratings to every company's score. The math is (56 x 5 + 7 x 3.5) / 63 = 4.83. Trustpilot's profile says the company has "no recent history of asking for reviews" (November 6, 2026). About 16 of the 20 most recent reviews carry a company reply. Trustpilot itself removed 7.4% of the reviews submitted in 2024 as fake. What BBB and Trustpilot ratings can and cannot tell you is explained on our ratings guide.

National Gold Group lawsuit: none found#

SafeOunce found no federal court case naming National Gold Group, Casey-Rose and Partners, LLC or David Morenfeld in a CourtListener search on November 6, 2026. The only matches for "National Gold Group" were exhibits in an unrelated antitrust case about TV picture tubes, MDL No. 1917 in the Northern District of California.

The CourtListener search covers federal courts well and state courts poorly. State court and arbitration records are not searchable this way, and the contract sends disputes to private arbitration, which is confidential. So "none found" means none in that search, not that a dispute never happened.

Regulator actions: none found#

SafeOunce found no CFTC, SEC or state regulator action against National Gold Group or Casey-Rose and Partners, LLC in searches on November 6, 2026. The Hawaii precious metals case of May 15, 2023 involved Red Rock Secured, a different company. Regulator actions can take years to become public, so check again before you buy. Every case SafeOunce tracks is in our list of precious metals IRA enforcement actions.

The "Best New Gold Company" award and other review pages#

National Gold Group's "Best New Gold Company" title comes from a press release that lists National Gold Group itself as the media contact. The release, dated August 27, 2025, credits a list by an "industry analyst" published on Medium. It quotes David Morenfeld: "Our technology eliminates excessive spreads forever." The same company's contract allows a spread of up to 34.99%.

Two older releases rank for the brand too. A WireDaily release of December 21, 2024 places the headquarters in Los Angeles, California; the company is in Kailua, Hawaii. An IRAEmpire release of August 23, 2024 opens its body with "Certainly. I'll provide a more detailed explanation about National Gold Group", which reads like unedited machine text.

How gold IRA review sites and paid releases are produced is explained on our reviews guide.

National Gold Group's Account Agreement: What You Sign#

National Gold Group publishes its full Account Agreement, which is more than many gold IRA sellers do, and the agreement is where its real terms are. The version linked from its website was "last modified as of August 12, 2024". The table compares the contract terms of four sellers, from documents SafeOunce has read.

Publishing a spread range is a real plus: it lets you test a quote against the contract. Every seller's clauses are compared on gold IRA company contracts.

The spread: 5% to 19.99% on bullion, up to 34.99% on premium coins#

National Gold Group's contract allows a spread of 5.00% to 19.99% on bullion and 19.99% to 34.99% on premium coins (section 9(d)). The higher tier covers "NGG premium coins, semi-numismatic coins, and numismatic coins". Both tiers apply to cash and IRA purchases alike.

A premium coin is a coin sold for more than its metal value because of its design, rarity or finish. Numismatic coins are collector coins. Section 8(a) adds that IRA transactions "cost more to process". It says the spread on IRA metals "may be greater", "generally up to thirty four percent (34%)". That figure is a little lower than the 34.99% in section 9(d), a small mismatch inside one document.

How wide is that range against the market? The CFTC says legitimate dealers' spreads are often under 20%, and it calls "semi-numismatic" "a made-up industry term" ("10 Things", 2024). Its 2020 advisory (8215-20) put bullion at about 5% to 10% over spot and numismatic coins at 40% to 200%. The same 19.99% and 34.99% caps appear in American Hartford Gold's 2023 agreement. Preserve Gold's June 2025 agreement uses 20% for cash bullion and up to 34.99% for IRA purchases. For a retail benchmark, buying and selling a 1 oz Gold Eagle the same day at SD Bullion cost 5.39% on September 29, 2026, in a single snapshot. Every published spread range is compared on gold IRA markups and spreads.

What about National Gold Group prices? National Gold Group posts no coin prices on its website, as of November 6, 2026; prices come by phone. How big is that range in dollars? The $100,000 example below answers it.

Cancelling an order: no right to cancel in most states#

National Gold Group's contract says "you may not cancel the confirmed order" once you buy (section 4). The exceptions are metal that is defective or not as promised, and the 20 states its addendum lists. An addendum is an extra page that adds state-specific terms. The table lists the cancellation or return rights in the agreement's state addenda (sections 15.1-15.13).

For IRA metal, "receipt" means the date you get written confirmation that the metal is in the depository in your name. Section 4 also allows a refund if, "Within seven days after paying for the purchased services and before the services are provided", you make a written request. How this applies to a metal order is not explained, so ask the company to confirm it in writing.

The same section adds: "Notices of cancellation will be considered timely if postmarked on the seventh day after you execute this Agreement." The contract does not say how this fits with "you may not cancel the confirmed order". If you want to cancel, mail a written notice to 609 Kailua Road, Suite 200B, Kailua, HI 96734, postmarked within 7 days of signing. Keep proof of mailing. Any refund the section allows is due within 30 calendar days of the cancellation or of the metal's return, whichever is later.

Other terms are tight too. Payment is due within two calendar days of the call (section 2(b)). If you do not pay, the company may sell the metal and charge your losses under its "Market Loss Policy". The purchase is final once your signed agreement and any state addendum are on file (section 1(c)). You have 3 calendar days to report an error on the trade confirmation (section 1(b)). The company's Risk Disclosure page says: "Generally there are no refunds." It allows quality complaints within 15 calendar days, with the coin holder unopened, for a replacement.

Your separate right to revoke the IRA itself runs for at least 7 days after it is set up, and you use it with the custodian, not the dealer (Treas. Reg. 1.408-6). How to cancel a gold IRA is explained on our cancellation guide.

Arbitration in Hawaii, a one-year deadline and a no-disparage clause#

Any dispute with National Gold Group goes first to mediation and then to private arbitration in Kailua, Hawaii, and it must start within one year of your purchase (section 12). Mediation is a meeting with a neutral person who helps both sides settle. Arbitration is a private hearing instead of a court, and the decision is final. The forum is DPR, which the contract calls "dispute resolution Hawaii". One arbitrator hears the case, a retired Hawaii judge or justice, under Hawaii law. DPR's streamlined rules apply to claims up to $250,000, and its comprehensive rules above that (12(d)). Either side may start arbitration after the first mediation session, or 45 calendar days after the mediation request, whichever comes first (12(j)). Any court case goes to the courts in Honolulu County (12(g)).

The other terms favor the seller. A class waiver means you cannot join other customers in one case. The hearing is confidential. Each side pays its own costs and lawyers, and the arbitrator "may not award costs or attorney's fees to the prevailing party". American Hartford Gold, Lear Capital and Preserve Gold also require arbitration, but at JAMS, where a consumer's filing fee is capped at $250 (AAA's cap is $225). DPR's consumer fees are not yet checked.

The contract also sets two deadlines. Section 12(g) says a claim must be "filed within one year of its accrual", meaning from when the problem arises. Section 12(i) says claims are "barred unless commenced within one (1) year from the date of that transaction". For a problem found late, such as metal that never arrives, the two clocks can point to different dates. Count from the purchase date to be safe.

Section 11(a) adds: "Client may not disparage NGG in any way." The federal Consumer Review Fairness Act speaks to clauses like this. Under 15 U.S.C. 45b(b)(1), a form-contract term that "prohibits or restricts" a customer's review is "void from the inception of such contract". SafeOunce is not saying how a court would treat this clause. Ask the company to explain it in writing before you sign.

Three questions are worth asking now. Can I opt out of arbitration? Who pays DPR's fees? Can the hearing be held by video or near me? What arbitration and restitution can do is explained in how to get your money back from a gold IRA company.

Commissions, a lien and consent to call#

National Gold Group's contract says its sales staff "are commissioned salespeople whose commissions are usually greatest on products with a higher spread" (section 10(e)). The same clause says these Account Executives owe you no fiduciary duty. It adds that they "may receive cash and other undisclosed compensation from NGG when selling specific products". It ends with "Caveat Emptor", Latin for "let the buyer beware". The BBB lists the company under "Investment Advisory Services" and "Precious Metal Dealers" (November 6, 2026). The contract says it owes you no fiduciary duty.

Saying this in writing is more honest than many sellers' contracts, which do not. A lien is a legal claim on property until a debt is paid. Section 2(c) says: "Client allows NGG to have a claim (called a lien) on their property and money held by NGG ... as security for any money owed." If you pay late, "NGG can use Client's money or property to cover the debt or sell the property without notice".

Section 14 covers phone calls. You authorize calls "regardless of whether these numbers are listed on any state or federal Do Not Call list". If you ask, the company will "promptly place Client on NGG's Do Not Call list". The FTC's Telemarketing Sales Rule (16 CFR 310.3(a)(1)(i)) still requires a phone seller to tell you the total cost and quantity before you pay. That applies even if you called first: investment offers that include precious metals get no inbound-call exemption (310.6(b)(5)). Do-Not-Call consent covers only the party named in it, so it cannot be passed to other sellers (310.4(b)(1)(iii)(B)(1)). Illegal calls can be worth $500 each in court, up to three times that if willful (47 U.S.C. 227).

How to stop gold IRA cold calls and texts under the Do-Not-Call rules is on our calls guide.

Delivery within 28 days, and what the agreement promises in your favor#

National Gold Group's contract promises delivery "no later than twenty-eight (28) calendar days" after it receives cleared funds (section 3(a)). That matches the 28-day line regulators use for real delivery. Cleared funds are money that has reached the seller's account and cannot bounce. A personal check adds 12 calendar days to clear first. The agreement also holds five buyer protections, listed below.

• Genuine metal: "NGG guarantees that the precious metals and other items it sells are genuine" (section 7(a)).
• Shipping risk: the company bears the risk of loss until delivery, by insured UPS shipping; you report problems within 5 calendar days (section 3(c)).
• Allocation limits: the company "believes Clients should invest no more than 5% to 30%" of retirement assets in metals (sections 8(b) and 10(f)). It asks for written notice above 30%.
• Holding period: at least 3 to 5 years, "preferably 5 to 10 years" (section 8(c)).
• Elder protection: a signed Elder Abuse Disclaimer for clients aged 65 and older, stating "Clients are under no obligation to engage in any transaction" (section 5).

Ask for the delivery date in writing and check your custodian statement after 28 days. The steps to check delivery of IRA metal, and what to do if it never arrives, are on our delivery checklist.

Which version of the agreement you sign#

The Account Agreement on National Gold Group's website is a Google Drive file "last modified as of August 12, 2024". The company reserves the right to change it "at any time". Its opening line says so in capitals, and section 13.1 allows changes by written notice. The footer reads "2024 National Gold Group Inc." and gives the phone number 800-719-7406, while the website uses 800-719-7408. The text also points to lettered sections, such as "Section B" and "section N", in a contract numbered 1 to 15.

What the Website Promises vs What the Contract Says#

Seven promises on National Gold Group's website are narrower, or absent, in the contract you sign, and the contract says it is "the entire agreement" (section 11(a)). The table sets each website promise beside the contract clause that governs it (website read November 6, 2026; agreement of August 12, 2024).

Section 11(a) also says: "There are no representations, oral or written, other than those herein." In plain English: if a promise is not in the agreement, you cannot rely on it later. The contract's honesty about its own limits is useful. The problem is the gap between it and the sales pages.

National Gold Group Fees: $0 Setup, $99, or Waived?#

National Gold Group publishes no fee amounts in dollars except "$0" for setup, and the figures other sources give for it conflict. Its transparency page says annual fees are "Clearly disclosed based on account value", without a number, as of November 6, 2026. The page also says: "We never charge setup fees for precious metals IRAs." The table lists every fee figure found for National Gold Group, with its source and date.

The website itself explains who bills the yearly fees: "Annual storage and account fees are billed by your IRA custodian and/or depository." In plain English: ask for the custodian's own fee schedule, with its revision date, before you sign. The transparency page also lists "Credit cards with applicable processing fees", so ask for that fee before paying by card. Texas buyers get a return right only on card purchases. Every custodian's and seller's published charges are compared on gold IRA fees.

The "lifetime fee waiver": storage fees, qualifying accounts only#

National Gold Group's "lifetime fee waiver" covers storage fees only, for "qualifying Precious Metals IRA accounts", and the company does not publish what qualifies. The homepage and agreement page put it this way, as read November 6, 2026: "That means we cover the cost of your storage fees for life. Call us to see if you qualify."

The waiver is not in the Account Agreement, which says no other representations exist (section 11(a)). Older terms were narrower. RetirementLiving reports a one-year waiver at $25,000 and a five-year waiver at $100,000, and says they "generally apply only to coin investments; bar purchases may not qualify". Caracal Gold repeats those tiers as earlier published terms (October 16, 2026).

Three questions settle what the waiver is worth. What balance qualifies? Do bars qualify, or only certain coins? Does the waiver end if the company closes or you move custodians? Get the answers on letterhead or in an addendum.

What vault storage normally costs is on gold IRA storage fees.

Fees National Gold Group does not list: custodian, selling and closing#

National Gold Group lists no custodian fees, sale fees or closing fees, and those are charged by the custodian you pick, not by the dealer. It names no custodian, so the examples below come from three custodians SafeOunce tracks (fee schedules read September 29, 2026). The five cost types are listed below.

• Yearly custodian fee: $90 if your custodian is GoldStar, up to $150 if it is STRATA.
• Storage: $110 to $175 a year (Equity Trust metals-only $110 commingled or $160 segregated; GoldStar $125 commingled; STRATA $115 or $175).
• Selling: $30 per sale at Equity Trust, $75 at STRATA ($40 plus $35 depository handling), none at GoldStar.
• Closing: $150 at GoldStar, $250 at Equity Trust or STRATA.
• Shipping to the depository: the agreement allows "a shipping and handling fee, including a fee for shipments to third-party IRA custodians", disclosed at purchase (section 3(b)).

Every custodian's exit charges are compared on gold IRA termination fees.

National Gold Group Minimum Investment: $10,000 Reported, Not Published#

National Gold Group does not publish a minimum on its website, but RetirementLiving, Caracal Gold and its own 2025 press release give $10,000, as of November 6, 2026. Treat $10,000 as likely and ask for it in writing. The table shows who says what.

The IRS sets no minimum for a gold IRA. The 2026 IRA contribution limit is $7,500, plus $1,100 at age 50 and older (IRS Notice 2025-67). So most buyers fund a gold IRA with a rollover or transfer from another account. The agreement uses $10,000 as a line too: phone purchases over $10,000 "may be confirmed on a tape-recorded confirmation line" (section 1(a)). Every published figure is compared on gold IRA minimums by company.

What $100,000 With National Gold Group Could Cost: Day One and 10 Years#

At the limits in National Gold Group's contract, $100,000 of bullion is worth $95,000 to $80,010 the same day, and $100,000 of premium coins as little as $65,010. Over 10 years, account fees add about $1,100 to $3,650 more. The table applies the contract's spread limits and three account-fee cases to a $100,000 purchase, with the metal price held flat.

Your first custodian statement values metal at market value, not at what you paid. Equity Trust's statement wording says its values "do not include any markups, commissions or premiums from the precious metals dealer". At a 19.99% spread, a $100,000 order could show close to $80,000 if the custodian's value sits near the dealer's bid. Custodians use no single price basis. Why a gold IRA statement shows less than you paid is explained on our statement guide.

Read the table across, not down. Moving from the bullion floor to the premium ceiling costs $29,990 on day one. Moving from the cheapest custodian case to the dearest costs $2,561 over 10 years.

The account fees are the small part. The spread you accept on day one decides most of the total cost. Run your own amount in the gold IRA fee calculator.

How much gold must rise before you break even#

At National Gold Group's 19.99% bullion limit, the price it would pay you must rise about 25% before you get back what you paid. The contract works the same math with its own example.

The table applies that formula to the contract's three limits.

Gold fell 26.1% from its record LBMA PM fixing of $5,405.00 on January 29, 2026 to $3,993.55 on July 16, 2026. That history shows a 25% to 54% recovery is not a small ask; it is not a forecast.

Test your own quote in the gold IRA break-even calculator.

What the lifetime fee waiver is worth against the spread#

Twenty years of free storage is worth about $2,200 to $3,500, which equals 2 to 3.5 points of spread on a $100,000 order. The contract's bullion range alone is 14.99 points wide (5.00% to 19.99%).

The math uses storage of $110 to $175 a year at three custodians SafeOunce tracks, times 20 years. Even 25 years at $175 comes to $4,375. A spread just 4 points higher on $100,000 costs $4,000 on day one. So a salesperson who waives storage and quotes the top of the range leaves you worse off.

Other sellers' fee waivers are compared on no-fee gold IRA offers.

National Gold Group Buyback: "No Fee" and "Guarantee" vs "Not Obligated"#

National Gold Group's website says "We guarantee to buy back", but its contract says it "is not obligated to repurchase any items it sells". No buyback price formula or payment time is published, as of November 6, 2026.

The two texts come from different places. The homepage offers a "lifetime 'no fee buy-back'" with "no fees attached". The transparency page adds "guaranteed maximum liquidity". The contract, in section 10(b), says the company "cannot guarantee the existence of a viable precious metals, coin or currency market". Section 9(b) defines the sell price as what you receive, and says it "is not set by NGG in most cases".

Other sellers word this part more plainly. The contracts of American Hartford Gold, Lear Capital, Preserve Gold, Goldline and American Bullion each say the law prohibits a guarantee to repurchase. "No fee" does not mean no cost either. At a 19.99% spread, a buyback the same day returns about $80,010 of a $100,000 order, with no separate fee charged.

How do you take money out of a National Gold Group IRA? You sell the metal and the custodian pays the cash into your IRA, or you take the coins "in kind", meaning the coins themselves instead of cash. The custodian reports a withdrawal of either kind on IRS Form 1099-R. It is taxed as ordinary income, and coins count at their market value on the distribution date.

Required minimum distributions (RMDs) start at age 73, or 75 if you were born in 1960 or later. That is the age the company's FAQ mixes up with a limit on opening an IRA. A sale to meet an RMD depends on a buyer's bid that day. The contract has no duty to buy back (10(b)), and the sell price "is not set by NGG in most cases" (9(b)). A metals-only IRA cannot withhold tax from an in-kind withdrawal, so you pay the tax from other money. In-kind fees vary by custodian. Equity Trust charges $125 plus shipping, and GoldStar $75 plus $10 and shipping (schedules read September 29, 2026).

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

National Gold Group Products and Its IRA Rule Statements#

National Gold Group sells 27 gold, silver, platinum and palladium products, with no prices and no IRA-eligibility label on any product page (November 6, 2026). Bullion means coins and bars valued for their metal. A proof coin has a specially struck collector finish. The company's sitemap lists 9 gold, 9 silver, 6 platinum and 3 palladium products, grouped below with the rule that makes each eligible.

• Gold: American Gold Eagle, eligible by name under 26 U.S.C. 408(m)(3)(A), which explains why the American Gold Eagle in an IRA is allowed at .9167. The American Gold Eagle proof set can qualify only by name, as it is not .995 fine. The IRS has issued no ruling on proofs, and custodians accept them only ungraded, in original mint packaging with a certificate of authenticity. The Gold Buffalo, Maple Leaf, Kangaroo, Philharmonic, Britannia (2013 and later only), the St. Helena "Queen's Virtues" coin and a gold bar use the bullion route (.995 gold, 408(m)(3)(B)); custodian acceptance varies.
• Silver: Silver Eagle bullion and proof (the 1 oz coin is eligible by name), Maple Leaf, Philharmonic, Britannia (2013 and later only), Koala, Silver Krugerrand, St. Helena silver, rounds and bars. The Silver Krugerrand passes .999 on paper; custodian acceptance is not verified.
• Platinum: Platinum Eagle and proof Platinum Eagle (eligible by name), Maple Leaf, Kangaroo, Isle of Man Noble and bars (.9995).
• Palladium: Palladium Eagle (bullion route only, not a named coin), Maple Leaf and bars (.9995).

Proof coins carry "a numismatic premium" (section 8(a)), so expect them in the 19.99%-34.99% tier. Custodians decide which proof coins they accept. For an IRA, ask for 1-ounce bullion coins or bars and the percent over spot for each.

The tax code names a small set of US coins and sets fineness levels for everything else. The full list of which precious metals an IRA can hold is on our eligibility guide.

Five IRA rule statements on the website, checked#

Five statements about IRA rules on National Gold Group's website are wrong or incomplete, and three others are correct, as of November 6, 2026. The table quotes each statement and the rule that applies.

Three statements on the same pages are correct. The FAQ says home storage "would disqualify your IRA and result in taxes and penalties", which matches McNulty v. Commissioner, 157 T.C. No. 10 (2021). The IRA guide says required minimum distributions can be met "via cash from a sale or in-kind metals", reported on Form 1099-R. It also says the 1997 Taxpayer Relief Act opened IRAs to bullion, which is right.

One homepage line needs a date check. It says gold "doesn't lose value to inflation or market crashes". Gold fell 26.1% between January 29 and July 16, 2026, by the LBMA PM price.

National Gold Group Custodians and Depositories#

National Gold Group names four depositories on its website but no custodian, and says it will "confirm your preferred custodian and depository during account setup", as of November 6, 2026. It offers segregated or commingled storage. Segregated storage keeps your own coins apart, and you get the same pieces back. Commingled storage is shared, and you get back the same type and amount, not the same pieces. FDIC and SIPC never cover IRA metal; depository insurance pays metal value and has exclusions. Every custodian's charter and fees are compared on gold IRA custodians.

The table lists the depositories National Gold Group names, with SafeOunce's page for each.

The contract says you choose the custodian yourself (section 8(d)), and the tax code requires a trustee to hold the metal (26 U.S.C. 408(m)(3)(B)). Three questions to ask are listed below.

• Which custodian do you use most, and may I choose another?
• Is the depository account titled to my IRA?
• Is storage segregated or commingled, and at what yearly price?

National Gold Group Pros and Cons#

National Gold Group's six strengths are a short record with no cases found and an unusually complete public contract; its six weaknesses are what that contract allows and what the website promises beyond it. The table pairs them, as of November 6, 2026.

Who National Gold Group Suits, and Who Should Look Elsewhere#

National Gold Group suits a bullion-only buyer moving $10,000 or more who gets a written quote near the low end of its 5%-19.99% range. It suits that buyer best in a state where its contract allows a cancellation. It does not suit anyone who wants premium coins, a right to cancel, or an adviser with a duty to put them first. The table gives a verdict by reader situation.

You should ask for every answer by email. The six questions to ask National Gold Group are listed below.

1. Ask for the price per coin and the percent over spot, in writing.
2. Ask what National Gold Group would pay for the same coins tomorrow, and how it sets that price.
3. Ask for the Account Agreement version you will sign, and your state's addendum, before paying.
4. Ask what qualifies for the "lifetime fee waiver", and get the answer in writing.
5. Ask which custodian it proposes, and for that custodian's fee schedule with its revision date.
6. Ask how to opt out of arbitration and who pays DPR's fees.

The full list of 12 questions is on how to choose a gold IRA company.

How SafeOunce Rates National Gold Group#

SafeOunce rates gold IRA companies on 7 criteria worth 100 points, and National Gold Group's rating is pending as of November 6, 2026. The rating uses public records and a buyer-style written quote. The rating card above shows "Rating pending" because SafeOunce has not yet built an evidence file for this company. The table lists each criterion, what SafeOunce has on file and what is not yet checked.

National Gold Group triggers none of the gates that keep a company off best-of lists (closed, sanctioned, settled pricing case, watch) as of November 6, 2026. The BBB shows no complaint in the last 12 months. BBB grade, star scores and years in business are shown but not scored. No company can pay to change its rating or its place. Weights and evidence rules are on how SafeOunce rates gold IRA companies.

How Does National Gold Group Compare With Other Gold IRA Companies?#

National Gold Group publishes more of its contract than most gold IRA sellers, including a spread range, but less about its fees and prices. Its record is short, with 2 BBB complaints and no court or regulator case found in searches on November 6, 2026. The table compares it with five other sellers.

Rankings by real cost are on best gold IRA companies.

Other young gold IRA sellers SafeOunce reviews#

Four other smaller gold IRA sellers have SafeOunce reviews with the same contract and record checks. They are listed below, with the BBB start date where the review states one.

• Freedom Gold USA review: BBB business start November 22, 2022.
• Reagan Gold Group review
• GoldenCrest Metals review: BBB business start November 18, 2023.
• Bishop Gold Group review: BBB business start November 30, 2017.

Who writes the National Gold Group reviews you find online?#

Most National Gold Group reviews that rank on Google are paid press releases, affiliate reviews or the company's own profiles, as of November 6, 2026. The company's own Facebook page, Medium blog and LinkedIn page sit in the top results. Paid releases from EIN Presswire and WireDaily fill other places.

Caracal Gold's review, dated October 16, 2026, says: "We may earn a commission ... This can influence which companies we feature."

Many review pages are paid when you contact a company; see who pays SafeOunce. SafeOunce takes no money from any company named on this page.

Can you keep National Gold Group IRA gold at home?#

No: IRA bullion must be held by a trustee, and National Gold Group's own FAQ says home storage "would disqualify your IRA and result in taxes and penalties". The Tax Court confirmed the rule in McNulty v. Commissioner, 157 T.C. No. 10, on November 18, 2021. The court case is covered on home storage gold IRA.

Does National Gold Group sell gold outside an IRA?#

Yes: National Gold Group sells coins and bars for delivery to your home or for storage it arranges. Its contract prices that storage at 1.5% of the metal's "ask" price, billed every six months, with a $50 minimum (section 6(e)). The agreement does not say whether 1.5% is a yearly or a six-month rate. On $100,000 that is $1,500 or $3,000 a year, so ask. Storage fees are non-refundable and can change on 30 days' written notice. On written request, stored metal ships within 7 business days (6(f)). Unallocated bullion pays a conversion fee to become deliverable coins or bars: the contract's example is $1,000 on $10,000, or 10% (6(g)). The storage is not offered in Arizona, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, Rhode Island or Utah, and metal may be held "on a non-segregated, bulk basis".

Is National Gold Group the same as China National Gold Group?#

No: China National Gold Group Corporation is a state-owned Chinese mining company, unrelated to National Gold Group, the Hawaii dealer reviewed here. The two share a name in search results only.

What is the downside of a gold IRA with National Gold Group?#

The main downside is cost: its contract allows a spread of up to 19.99% on bullion and 34.99% on premium coins, plus custodian fees. The metal itself pays no interest or dividends. The general case is on gold IRA pros and cons.