Dating back to before the Great Depression, Edward Jones is one of the oldest investment companies in America. This review explores the services offered, working philosophies, and other must-know details that can help people decide whether or not this is the gold investment company for them.
Investment advice is serious business, and it is vital that people have all the information they need before choosing the companies they work with. Read this Edward Jones review to get the answers to all the questions you should be asking.
About Edward Jones
Edward Jones is a long-standing investment firm offering investment advisory services and a range of financial options for wealthy clients. It primarily services high-net-worth individuals looking to expand their portfolios and build savings through long-term investment strategies.
Working with a financial advisor from Edward Jones means hands-on, one-to-one service with a personal touch- an old-school way of doing things that reflects the fact that the company has been around for a century.
However, the Edward Jones fees for IRA and other services reflect the wealthy target clientele and reportedly high-end client care. It is one of the most expensive investment advice and financial planning services across the board.
Edward Jones was a central figure following the Great Depression. Throughout the 1930s and 1940s, the company played an integral role in helping people get back on their feet, going so far as to visit rural customers facing difficult times throughout the week to plan and repair their financial health.
This is where the focus on personalized service began, but the company’s overall goal shifted in the later years of the 20th Century from helping those in need to helping the rich get richer.
It is now a leading institution for wealthy clients who value the extra-mile approach to handling their money.
What Gold Investment Services Does Edward Jones Offer?
The first thing investors need to know about Edward Jones is that the company does not offer gold IRA services of any kind. There are no self-directed IRA options available. If you want to add precious metals to your IRA savings, this is not the company for you.
That said, there are a range of other investment options- including paper gold and exchange-traded funds relating to gold.
Paper Gold Investments
Paper gold is a way to invest in gold without buying any physical precious metals. Instead, you essentially get shares of gold on paper, to put it simply. View it as having a deed to a stake in gold help in a secure location but no actual access to the gold itself.
Precious Metals Mutual Funds
A precious metals mutual fund is a type of custodial account where brokers act as middlemen between the fund and their client (the investor). The custodians on these accounts can act quickly and make decisions to protect the fund far more efficiently than an individual or standard broker could.
A mutual fund manager handles the bulk of the work here, which cuts down the fees usually associated with a normal gold IRA.
Other Services
Edward Jones also offers investments in more traditional areas, including stocks, bonds, commodities, standard mutual funds, ETFs, Edward Jones Roth IRA, and unit investment trusts.
Remember, Edward Jones IRA fees and other costs are high compared to most other companies.
Sadly, I didn’t see any options for precious metals investing, which is what we cover here. To that point, here’s our list of the top rated companies for gold IRAS.
Best Companies for Gold IRA Investments
If it is a gold IRA you are looking for, there are better choices out there than Edward Jones. Many companies provide gold IRA services, including the running of day-to-day operations and the arranging of storage.
Although gold IRAs are technically self-directed, because only you decide when and how to invest the funds, there are limitations applied by the IRS on what an individual can have control over. Since 2010, fully self-directed IRAs have been illegal, but there are some companies that still offer them anyway.
Here are three of the best gold IRA companies- all of which offer legal and reliable services for those looking to expand their investment portfolio into precious metals.
GoldCo
GoldCo is widely considered one of the best gold IRA companies in the country, with well over a decade of experience and an outstanding reputation for excellence. The privately owned company offers gold and silver IRA products and is a great way to build a retirement account.
With top ratings across the board and a fantastic approach to education-based investing, it is the perfect choice for first-time gold IRA inquisitors.
Augusta Precious Metals
Augusta Precious Metals is right up there at the top with GoldCo for exceptional customer services and reliable gold IRA investment options. The company is highly rated by the Better Business Bureau and receives consistently glowing reviews from clients.
The minimum amount for opening an account with Augusta Precious Metals is high, so it is more geared towards those with a higher net worth looking to make a larger gold investment.
American Hartford Gold
American Hartford Gold is best known for its excellent support offered to families and individuals breaking into the gold investment market. With comparatively low fees and great educational resources to help people learn more about their investments, the company has gained a reputation as one of the most reliable gold IRA companies in the USA.
The initial investment account minimum is lower than most companies, so the option is more accessible to more people.
You can also check out companies like Hero Bullion.
What Are Gold IRA Custodians?
As previously mentioned, individual account holders do not have complete autonomy when it comes to gold IRAs. Gold IRA custodians are essential pieces of the puzzle- helping to keep your account running smoothly and the IRS at bay.
The role of a custodian is to manage the operational side of your gold IRA and arrange transfers in and out. They are the first port of call for deposits, purchases, withdrawals, and storage plans- managing everything to ensure laws are obeyed and criteria met.
Like most custodial accounts, there are limits on annual deposits. A gold IRA custodian monitors investments to ensure compliance and help the account holder manage their money. They also support in an administrative role- supporting with tax management, paperwork, and cross-checking with IRS rules.
Whenever you want to purchase gold for your gold IRA- either using your annual deposit allowance or rolling over funds from an existing IRA or 401(k) account- the custodian is in charge of directing and accepting the transaction.
Lastly- and most importantly- it is the custodian’s job to arrange the storage of your physical precious metals. IRA gold cannot be stored at home- it is expressly forbidden by the IRS. Instead, it must be saved in an approved depository or storage facility.
When you set up a gold IRA, the company you choose will usually provide a storage option (sometimes more than one). You can also choose your own, but it must be IRS-approved. Your custodian is responsible for arranging the transport and storage of any physical gold held in your gold IRA.
Failure to comply with any IRS rules and laws regarding gold investments can result in heaving fines and penalties- not to mention a closure of your account and potential legal troubles. Having a reliable custodian mitigates these risks.
In most cases, your gold IRA provider comes with a custodian, but you can usually choose an alternative. Again, it must be someone who meets the government’s standards.
Why Invest in Gold?
Gold has been considered one of the most desirable assets on the planet for generations- centuries even. Across the world, gold is viewed as a valuable and timeless commodity- and is expected to maintain its value for many more years to come.
Despite the occasional dips, gold has significantly appreciated over the last 20 years, and even well into the 21st Century, it remains one of the most stable and sought-after assets of them all. Between 1998 and 2023, the trading price per ounce for gold climbed from $283.29 to $1993.53- a remarkable appreciation rate exceeding 700%.
The primary reason people invest in gold is for longevity and stability. It may not be likely to generate massive returns, but it also isn’t likely to go the other way. In other words, gold is a great way to protect your wealth long-term and avoid some of the financial risks that plague the investment world.
What Gold Is Available for IRA Investments?
There are strict rules regarding what an investor can and cannot put into their gold IRA. Primarily, these laws concern the purity of the metal, but some categories are entirely disallowed.
Let’s begin with the IRS laws surrounding precious metals purity and gold IRAs.
All gold bars used for gold IRA investing must be at least 99.5% pure, meaning only 0.5% or less of the bar can be composed of anything other than gold. This is because of value- any less than this, and the gold bar is not worth close to the same amount of money.
The weight of a standard gold bar is 400 Troy ounces. Each Troy once consists of 480 grains. Every standard gold bar, by this calculation, contains 192,200 grains. A 100% pure gold bar would have zero impure grains. A 99.5% pure bar has 961 grains of impurities. When converted back to Troy ounces, that works out as almost exactly two.
Each fraction of an ounce of impurities is deducted from the actual value of a gold bar. The more impurities, the more money the investor misses out on. Because of this, the IRS limits the rating to 99.5% and no less for any purchase intended for gold IRA savings.
You can browse a range of qualifying gold bars on most reputable gold IRA brokerage services websites with confidence- knowing they pass the purity test. Buying from an unregistered broker is not advised.
Gold bars are not the only thing you can put into a gold IRA- many gold coins and bullion coins are accepted. It is important to check the list of pre-approved IRS gold coins to avoid buying something that does not qualify. Again, reputable brokers will share this information.
Some of the most popular coins for gold IRA investment accounts include the American Gold Eagle, Canadian Maple Leaf, and Australian Kangaroo.
Collectible coins are usually not included on the approved list. Notable non-suitable gold IRA coins include the United Kingdom Sovereign and the South African Krugerrand. All other gold collectibles other than coins are not allowed in a gold IRA.
Depending on the account you open, you may also be allowed to invest in some silver, platinum, and palladium products. There are also purity laws for these alternative precious metals. Please note that not all gold IRA companies work with these products.
Pros and Cons of Investing in Gold
Like any investment, there are pros and cons. It is important to weigh them up to decide if a gold investment is right for you- and if Edward Jones is the best company for you to work with.
Pros
- Tax Advantages
Gold IRAs come with tax benefits similar to other IRAs, varying between specific funds. Depending on the type of account you have, the tax advantage comes either when you make a deposit or when you withdraw money.
- Protect Yourself Against Inflation
Many people view a gold investment as a type of insurance that protects their wealth from inflation. Gold is not subject to the same depreciation and inflation issues over the years because it is such a long-term investment.
- Relatively Safe Investment
Your gold investment is more likely to survive and maintain its value during times of economic turmoil than more traditional investments such as stocks, currency, and other investments that are known for their volatility.
- Added Stability for Your Retirement Accounts
Investments deemed high risk are also the ones that have the potential to generate high returns, but they need to be in balance. Choosing to invest some of your retirement savings in gold provides a type of safety net and gives you some leeway to push your risk tolerance elsewhere.
Cons
- Lower Return Potential
Gold investments are not likely to bring in the same high returns as some of the investments that bring more risks.
- Limited Investment
You can’t put as much as you want into your gold IRA- you need to stick to the limits applied by the IRS. These limitations vary depending on your age.
- Penalty for Early Withdrawal
If you need to withdraw funds from your gold IRA before you meet the age requirement, you could end up paying up to 10% in fees.
- Lack of Dividends Over the Years
Gold is a long-term approach to retirement planning and, as such, does not pay out dividends along the way.
- Potentially High Fees
Most gold IRAs come with more costs than you would find with a traditional IRA. As well as the annual fee and management fees, you also need to think about custodian and storage fees- with some companies also charging a portfolio strategy fee.
Final Evaluation of Edward Jones Gold
Edward Jones is an excellent company for personal service for high-net-worth individual investors. The financial advisors are experienced and very capable when it comes to handling large sums of money.
That said, Edward Jones charges a lot of money for its services- due to the face-to-face, hand-holding style of working. Even someone with a large portfolio may not want to pay this amount of money.
Investors must also consider the fact that there is no Edward Jones gold IRA option- only paper gold, mutual funds, Roth IRA, and some other services. It is also not the best value for money for those who want to set up standard funds and brokerage accounts- there are more cost-effective solutions elsewhere.
The basis of Edward Jones’s working philosophy seems to be high fees in exchange for high service for those who want and appreciate them- but there are some concerning online reviews that cast doubt on the professionalism and attentiveness of the Edward Jones advisors.
Some people say they did not provide the high level of service advertised and that the company seemed more interested in making money than helping clients. Perhaps one of the issues is that Edward Jones Gold & Precious Metals is not a fiduciary- meaning it is not bound by laws to put client needs ahead of their own.
Employees can sell investments and products to boost their bonuses and earnings even if they are not in their best interest, and they are not prohibited by law from doing so. There is even a disclosure in the company’s compensation terms stating that some investments may create conflict between the interests of Edward Jones the organization, its employees, and the clients.
Other negative comments include a lack of communication, but other incredibly positive reviews state otherwise. The majority confirm that the financial services company is excellent at looking after its customers, but there are enough negatives to cast a shadow.
Summary
There is no denying that Edward Jones is a long-standing, established institution and investment company that puts customer service at the center of its operating philosophies. These services are primarily aimed at high-wealth individual investors looking for long-term solutions.
It is not a gold IRA company and does not offer these services, but it does work with a range of familiar investment products that may appeal to many.
Reviews are mixed, with positives and negatives canceling each other out, but the prevailing concern is the conflict of interests between what is best for clients and what is best for the advisors- and the lack of legal prohibition to control it.
About Tim Schmidt
Tim Schmidt is an Entrepreneur who has covered retirement investing since 2012. He's also a published author, and his views on investing have been featured in USA Today, Tech Times, The Huffington Post, Nasdaq, and many more.
