Is Lear Capital a Legitimate Company?

Lear Capital is a legitimate company. Founded in 1997 by Kevin DeMeritt, an investment professional with extensive experience in the financial industry, Lear Capital has become one of the most recognized names in physical precious metal asset investing.

The Los Angeles-based company, which has earned a AAA rating from the Business Consumer Alliance, is known for its portfolio diversification services, which include facilitating bullion and rare coin purchases and helping investors add physical gold and silver assets to an existing IRA account.

During its more than 25 years in business, Lear Capital has successfully served more than 90,000 satisfied customers and processed more than $1 billion IRA-related transactions.

Holding precious metal assets within an IRA, according to Kevin DeMeritt, allows investors to retain full control of their investment.

Lear Capital’s Streamlined Purchasing Process

Lear Capital reinforces that it is a reputable company by employing a gold and silver asset pricing system that centers on transparency.

Accredited as an authorized dealer by the Precious Metals Association; Industry Council for Tangible Assets; and appraisal and certification provider, the Professional Coin Grading Service, Lear Capital abides by the third-party Numismatic Guaranty Corporation coin-grading service’s rigorous standard of integrity, guaranteeing coin-grading accuracy and authenticity.

Every step of Lear’s acquisition process is clearly defined to avoid any confusion; investors won’t be charged any unexpected fees — as part of the company’s Price Advantage Guarantee policy, they receive a written account agreement and both print and verbal (by phone) confirmation of the purchase details.

Lear’s highly personalized approach to customer service includes matching each investor with a dedicated account representative who helps guide them through the precious metals investment process. You can also receive answers to any questions you may have by calling an 800 number during daytime hours to speak with a qualified customer service professional.

Investors can take advantage of a number of online resources Lear Capital offers, including a detailed online encyclopedia that can help you learn about the different types of American coins available. You can also access real-time precious metal-related pricing information on Lear’s website, along with updates about the economy and the precious metals market to stay informed about any developments that might impact your savings plans.

To be able to respond quickly to price changes within the industry, investors can identify a specific price point and sign up to receive an email notification if a precious metal reaches that level. Lear will also provide an estimate of what your precious metals holdings are worth, if you’re considering selling your gold coin portfolio — or are just wondering what its current market value may be.

A number of investors who’ve worked with Lear Capital have praised the customer support they received from the company — which, based on more than 1,200 reviews, received a rating of Excellent on the popular Trustpilot consumer review platform.

Some called Lear Capital “the best in the business” and “a trusted friend in expanding our portfolio”; one investor said he was impressed with the transparency of its pricing, noting that “other companies appeared to lack the professionalism and honesty that Lear Capital provides.”

What Can You Gain From Making Precious Metals-Based Investments?

Economic uncertainty, supply chain issues, political unrest, and other factors can cause markets to fluctuate in value. Investors who are looking for a less reactive investment option may want to consider gold and silver assets, which have generally trended upward despite economic challenges.

Premium coins have performed well during the 15 recessions that have occurred since 1919, according to Lear Capital data; in the first year of the 2009 recession, gold prices grew by nearly 13%, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics research.

Despite a recession and the 1987 stock market crash, the CU 3000 Rare Coin index, a collectible coin price performance guide compiled by PCGS, skyrocketed 660% between 1981 and 1989.

Gold and silver have also historically performed well during periods of high inflation — something the U.S. continues to struggle with, following inflation’s largest one-month increase in nearly a decade in March 2021 and ascent to its highest point since 1981 in June 2022.

“With inflation and [a] recession looming, people should consider precious metals as a hedge against some of that economic uncertainty,” Kevin DeMeritt says. “Gold was up 300%, silver was up 500% the last time we saw inflation this high. You see some of [the] smart money starting to move over to the market. It’s a great time to add at least some portion of [your] portfolio into this asset category.”

If your other investments happen to experience a loss, bullion, rare coins, or a self-directed gold-backed IRA may potentially, Kevin DeMeritt says, be able to provide some balance.

Lear Capital typically recommends holding no more than 20% of your portfolio in precious metals. Investors who are around the average retirement age, however, may want to opt for a lesser amount.

Someone, for example, who is 65 or 70 years old and is hoping their investment activity will produce income for expenses like an interest payment or rent may benefit from allocating 5% or less of their portfolio to precious metals, according to Kevin DeMeritt — which should still help with some diversification.

“It's a great diversification tool,” Kevin DeMeritt says. “Gold has outperformed the stock market since 2000. If you would've placed $100,000 in stocks [then], that would be worth about $325,000 today. If you would've placed 80% of that in stocks, 20% in gold, that [would be] worth about $385,000 today. You picked up an extra $60,000 in your bank account.”