About IRA Wealth Guide
Short version: IRA Wealth Guide exists to help you evaluate Gold IRAs and precious metals IRAs with clear expectations—especially around fees, rollover mechanics, storage rules, and sales practices that can quietly work against first-time buyers.
- Mike Reeves, PhD (Finance & Business)
- 10+ years evaluating Gold IRA providers and rollover processes
- Not a financial advisor — education only
- Affiliate relationships disclosed transparently
Who I am
My name is Mike Reeves, PhD. I work as an independent evaluator and researcher in the Gold IRA and precious metals IRA space. I don’t sell metals, manage portfolios, or give personalized investment advice. My role is to explain how this corner of the retirement market actually works—where costs hide, where rules matter, and where marketing often oversimplifies reality.
Important: I am not a registered investment advisor, broker-dealer, or tax professional. Everything on this site is general educational information designed to help you make better-informed decisions and ask sharper questions.
Why IRA Wealth Guide exists
Most people don’t start researching Gold IRAs because they want to speculate. They’re looking for stability, diversification, or peace of mind. Those goals are reasonable. The problem is that the Gold IRA industry is heavily sales-driven, and incentives don’t always align with investor clarity.
What I kept seeing
- Pricing explained verbally but not itemized
- “Free metal” promotions masking higher spreads
- Custodian and storage fees minimized or delayed
- Urgency framed as regulatory deadlines
What investors actually need
- Written, line-item pricing before funding
- Clear rollover vs. transfer explanations
- Time to verify claims without pressure
- Plain-English discussion of costs and risks
What I cover (and what I don’t)
What I cover
- Gold IRA and precious metals IRA basics
- 401(k) rollovers and IRA transfers
- Custodian and storage fee structures
- Dealer pricing, spreads, and markups
- Company reviews and comparison frameworks
What I don’t do
- No personalized financial or tax advice
- No guarantees or performance promises
- No fear-based selling narratives
How I evaluate Gold IRA companies
I use a repeatable framework focused on real-world outcomes, not marketing claims.
- Pricing transparency: Can I get itemized pricing in writing?
- Fee clarity: Are custodian and storage fees disclosed upfront?
- Process quality: Is the rollover explained accurately and calmly?
- Partner standards: Are custodians and depositories reputable?
- Sales ethics: Education first, pressure last.
Red flags I watch for
- Urgency: “Act today or miss out.”
- Free metals: Without a clear pricing explanation.
- No paperwork: Refusal to provide written quotes.
- Authority language: “Government-approved” framing.