TL;DR

Lear Capital snapshot

• Founded 1997 in Los Angeles by Kevin DeMeritt; led by President and CEO John Ohanesian.
• More than 100,000 customers and over $3 billion in transactions.
• Third-party ratings: 4.9 out of 5 on ConsumerAffairs, an A+ from the Better Business Bureau, and “Excellent” on Trustpilot from more than 3,200 reviews.
• A PCGS Authorized Dealer that sells gold, silver, platinum, and palladium.IRA metals are held by the custodian Equity Trust Company and stored at Delaware Depository in Wilmington, Delaware.

Which organizations recognized Lear Capital in 2026?

Four independent publishers recognized Lear Capital during 2026, each applying a different method.

The best Gold IRA companies in 2026 are firms that combine strong customer education, transparent pricing, reliable rollover support, IRS-approved storage options, and a reputation for helping investors understand both the benefits and risks of precious metals IRAs.

Michael Hunt, senior writer, IRAEmpire

ConsumerAffairs: Best Overall Gold IRA Company

ConsumerAffairs, a consumer-review platform, named Lear Capital its Best Overall Gold IRA Company. The award draws on verified customer reviews rather than an editor's opinion, and Lear earned a 4.9-out-of-5 rating from 1,589 reviews, the highest of the 35 companies it evaluated. Read the full ConsumerAffairs breakdown.

Forbes Advisor: Best Gold IRA for Longstanding Experience

Forbes Advisor named Lear Capital Best Gold IRA for Longstanding Experience, its category for the longest-operating company on the list. Lear, in business since 1997, earned a 4.5-out-of-5 editorial rating in a review of 20 providers that excluded any firm rated below an “A” by the Better Business Bureau. See how Forbes Advisor scored the field.

IRAEmpire: Best Gold IRA Companies for June 2026

IRAEmpire, a gold IRA review site, ranked Lear Capital No. 2 on its Best Gold IRA Companies list for June 2026, with a 4.9 expert score, and highlighted the company's written pricing documentation. See the IRAEmpire recognition in full.

Yahoo Finance: Best Value

Yahoo Finance named Lear Capital the Best Value gold IRA company in its 2026 review of the field, pointing to the company's pricing and overall cost to investors. Yahoo Finance's personal finance desk evaluates providers on cost, transparency, and customer experience. Read the full Yahoo Finance review.

What do these recognitions have in common?

The publishers weighed different criteria, yet the same strengths surface across their write-ups.

Longevity is the clearest. Forbes Advisor and IRAEmpire each cited Lear Capital's operating history since 1997.

Pricing transparency is another. IRAEmpire credited Lear Capital's written purchase process, and Lear publishes its transaction agreement online, provides written invoices, and applies a 24-hour cancellation window.

Product breadth is the third. Forbes Advisor noted that Lear offers all four IRS-approved metals (gold, silver, platinum, and palladium) within its self-directed IRAs.

About a Lear Capital IRA

In a Lear Capital IRA, the metals are held by an independent custodian rather than the dealer. That custodian is Equity Trust Company, a self-directed IRA custodian founded in 1974 that reported more than $72 billion in assets under custody and administration.

The metals themselves are stored at Delaware Depository, a bullion facility in Wilmington, Delaware, that is regulated by the state's Office of the State Bank Commissioner and approved by CME Group for COMEX and NYMEX delivery. Customers choose between segregated and non-segregated storage.

Readers researching the company's history and reputation can review Lear Capital's reviews and trust page, and its complaints page. The recognitions on this page reflect independent assessments made in 2026.

Frequently asked questions

Is Lear Capital an award-winning gold IRA company?

Yes. In 2026, ConsumerAffairs named Lear Capital Best Overall Gold IRA Company, Forbes Advisor named it Best Gold IRA for Longstanding Experience, Yahoo Finance named it the Best Value gold IRA company, and IRAEmpire listed it among the best gold IRA companies for June 2026. Each recognition came from a separate publisher.

Who named Lear Capital the best overall gold IRA company?

ConsumerAffairs named Lear Capital its Best Overall Gold IRA Company after an evaluation of 35 gold IRA companies. Lear Capital earned a 4.9-star rating based on 1,589 verified customer reviews.

Is Lear Capital legitimate?

Lear Capital is a precious metals dealer that has operated since 1997, holds an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau and an Excellent rating on Trustpilot based on over 3,200 reviews. The firm is a PCGS Authorized Dealer. Its IRA metals are held by the custodian Equity Trust Company and stored at Delaware Depository in Wilmington, Delaware.

Is Lear Capital a scam?

No evidence supports that characterization. Lear Capital is an accredited, BBB A+-rated dealer operating since 1997, and in 2026 it was independently recognized by ConsumerAffairs, Forbes Advisor, and IRAEmpire. As with any financial decision, customers make their own choices and can review the company's complaints and reorganization pages for full context.

How long has Lear Capital been in business?

Lear Capital was founded in 1997 and has nearly three decades of operating history. Forbes Advisor identified it as the longest-operating company on its 2026 list of best gold IRA providers.

Bottom line

Four independent publishers recognized Lear Capital in 2026, each using its own method and each pointing to a shared set of facts: nearly three decades in business, an A+ BBB rating, published pricing, and all four IRS-approved metals.

Lear Capital is a PCGS Authorized Dealer. Founded in 1997, it reports more than $3 billion in transactions for over 100,000 customers and stores IRA metals at Delaware Depository through Equity Trust Company. Explore the precious metals available for a Lear Capital Gold IRA.