BlueVault San Diego Review

Opening a precious metals IRA or diversifying your investment portfolio with precious metals is an excellent strategy to hedge against economic or political unpredictability.

But with endless precious metals dealers, finding the ideal company that meets your specific investment needs can be tricky. At times like this, it’s crucial to find the most popular and trusted names in the industry. BlueVault San Diego is one such name that has made its reputation known and earned the trust of endless customers over the years. 

But is it legit? The only way to find that out is by digging deeper into their products and offerings. 

Drawing on my 20+ years of investing in precious metals and IRAs, I’ll share insights in this review to empower you with information for a well-informed investment decision. Let’s begin!

BlueVault San Diego: A Brief Overview

Licensed by the California Department of Insurance, BlueVault San Diego was first launched in San Diego in 2012. Expanding its reach, the company has been offering its services in Orange County since 2017.

Over the years, the company has become one of Southern California's leading over-the-counter gold and silver sellers. One of the main reasons behind that is that the company lets you trade gold and silver coins and bars at the lowest possible local pricing. Additionally, the company offers services such as gold and silver IRAs, along with secure vault and deposit box facilities.

All these factors collectively strengthen BlueVault’s service list, making it a one-stop solution for all precious metals investors. Of course, their product list is relatively limited compared to other popular investment partners, but we’ll discuss that later in the article. 

What Makes BlueVault San Diego Standout?

Drawing from my own experience investing with BlueVault, here’s a list of standout services and products I have come across so far: 

Precious Metals IRA

Investing in precious metals can be a smart move; consider transferring wealth from your IRA, 401K, or other retirement accounts to a precious metals IRA.

Why? Doing so doesn’t just bring the benefits of investing in physical gold and silver but also introduces various tax advantages. 

Fortunately, BlueVault understands this and ensures that all its investors can also invest in an IRA account with them. 

In partnership with Forge Trust, a trusted IRA custodian, the company allows its customers to open a self-directed IRA account and hold their IRA-eligible precious metals. 

My experience with investing in a gold IRA at BlueVault was particularly satisfying due to their team’s comprehensive support and easy access to my assets stored in physical vaults. The entire investment process took only a few minutes, and I was ready to physically monitor my assets at their nearest storage vault.  

Precious Metals Offerings

While the product variety at BlueVault was noteworthy, it also left me with mixed feelings. On one end, the straightforward website interface and clear product listing made it ideal for both beginner and professional investors. I was also pleased by their transaction and pricing transparency based on local precious metals rates in San Diego and Orange County. 

However, the downside surfaces in the form of a limited product selection, particularly noticeable when compared to competitors providing a more extensive array in gold, silver, platinum, and palladium. This narrower range may not satisfy investors seeking diverse options in the precious metals market. 

Moreover, some products on their website may not be in stock but can be booked at a fixed price.

That said, here are the gold and silver products listed on BlueVault’s website at the time of writing:

Safe Deposit Box Rentals

In terms of offering storage services, BlueVault operates the largest safe deposit box facility in Southern California. Notably, the company serves many customers, from private individuals to government agencies.

This wide customer base and a solid track record of protecting customers’ assets adds more credibility to BlueVault’s storage services. While this is praiseworthy, what I liked the most about storing my assets at BlueVault’s deposit box was the quick accessibility and privacy of my assets. 

All I needed was a photo ID and US address to sign up for their deposit box. Once I did, I received a separate lock and keys to access my assets. Not to mention, I can always visit their company in person and review my holdings in a private room, similar to the locker system of banks. 

Beyond the privacy and security, BlueVault’s safe deposit boxes also come in various sizes that you can choose from based on your preferences. These safe deposit boxes also come with $5,000 insurance coverage in collaboration with AXA, allowing you to stay stress-free in case of any loss.

Don't worry if you need larger storage units. BlueVault has your back there too. Housed in a 90-ton bunker built of hardened steel and concrete, encased in nine layers of electronic protection, and monitored around the clock by Siemens, BlueVault offers both small and large storage vaults that do not compromise on protection in any way. So, you can choose a vault size based on your preference without worrying about the security of your assets.

How to Invest in Precious Metals IRA with BlueVault San Diego?

One of the best things about investing in a gold IRA with BlueVault is their straightforward service and thorough professional support. Now, let me walk you through the transparency and effectiveness of their IRA investment process.

Step 1: Contact The Team

Considering both the office locations of BlueVault, I contacted the nearest office and spoke with their IRA specialist. During our conversation, I asked the specialist how their IRA investment process works and what would be the best possible investment option for me. To my pleasant surprise, their team was highly supportive and professional. 

They not only answered my queries but also went one step ahead to share more details about the company to help clear all my concerns before I make my investment. Once I had all the answers, I submitted my identity documents asked by the team member and told them to proceed with my account setup.

Step 2: Transfer Funds

Here, BlueVault offers two options: finance your account or choose a rollover from an existing retirement account. For the latter, either you or the BlueVault IRA specialist can connect with your existing IRA custodian to process the rollover. 

Step 3: Purchase Precious Metals

Once the BlueVault IRA account is financed, it’s time to use the funds to buy IRS-approved precious metals. For this, I consulted with their customer support team to ensure the IRS-approved investment options I have from the products listed on their website. Once clear, I added some gold and silver IRS-approved bullion to my account. 

Step 4: Store Your Precious Metals

The last step of investing in a precious metals IRA is to store the assets in a secure and insured depository vault. Since BlueVault already offers insured storage vault services, I opted to store my precious metals IRA in their vault based in California, so my assets can be close to me. I can now visit the storage vault and check on my assets anytime during their active hours. 

BlueVault San Diego Fee

According to the company's website, their product prices vary based on the region you purchase them from. However, it is worth noting that BlueVault doesn’t charge additional costs for its services.

Regarding the fee of their vaults and deposit boxes, you can refer to the table below to determine their monthly storage charges depending on the size of the vault/box you want.

BlueVault San Diego Rating on Consumer Review Sites

Pros and Cons

Final Verdict

BlueVault is a legitimate precious metals dealer renowned for its California and Orange County services. From their straightforward precious metals offering to IRA services, secure deposit vaults, and thorough professional assistance, all these factors add to the credibility of BlueVault. 

However, there are some noteworthy downsides to investing with BlueVault too. This includes their limited contact options, products, and vault accessibility that’s available only in two locations. 

That said, I believe it is important to consider both the positive and negative aspects of investing with BlueVault before making the final decision. This way, you can determine whether the company caters to your specific needs, allowing you to make a more informed investment decision. To conduct further research before investing in precious metals, have a look at the best companies to buy gold in [yr].

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