Lear Capital Reviews
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About Lear Capital
Lear Capital has been involved in the precious metals industry since 1997, and it's now completed more than $3 billion in transactions. It can help you buy, sell and trade bullion, rare coins and physical gold and silver. It also offers a Price Advantage Guarantee for added transparency.
- In business a relatively long time
- Transparent pricing
- Full-service gold dealer
- 24-hour risk-free purchase guarantee
- Website can be hard to navigate
- Only one depository option
Helpful Reviews
Gold IRA disclaimer
Gold and other precious metal IRAs are an investment and carry risk. Consumers should be alert to claims that customers can make a lot of money in these or any investment with little risk. As with any investment, you can lose money and past performance is not a guarantee of future performance results. Consumers should also obtain a clear understanding of the fees associated with any investment before agreeing to invest.
What is Lear Capital?
Lear Capital can help you diversify your investment portfolios with precious metal bullion (coins and bars by weight), numismatic coins and precious metal IRAs. To help you make informed decisions, Lear Capital also provides real-time guidance and access to daily and weekly updates.
How does Lear Capital work?
Establishing a precious metals IRA with Lear Capital is a convenient way to diversify your portfolio. To begin, a dedicated account team member walks you through the application process, which takes about 10 minutes to complete. Once the application is processed and approved, your account is set up within 24 hours.
Lear Capital then reaches out to your current IRA custodian on your behalf to arrange for the tax-free rollover of your funds. The funds are transferred via bank wire and deposited into your new precious metals IRA.
You can then arrange to buy precious metals for your IRA. Lear Capital offers a three-step Price Advantage Guarantee for every transaction, which provides you with a written account agreement, a phone confirmation and a written confirmation. All IRA metals are stored in an IRS-approved vault courtesy of Delaware Depository. The metals are backed with a comprehensive insurance policy from Lloyd’s of London, too.
Lear Capital products and services
Lear Capital offers a variety of products and services, including:
- Self-directed IRAs: You can transfer funds or roll over portions of an existing IRA into a precious metals IRA. Your physical metals are stored in a private storage facility, but you get the same tax advantages as you would with a normal IRA.
- Precious metals: You can buy rare coins and gold, silver and platinum bullion (including IRA-eligible products) on Lear Capital’s website. However, its online store is down at the time of publishing.
Lear Capital also has a comprehensive resource library that includes a precious metals encyclopedia, market charts and free guides on precious metals and retirement accounts.
Lear Capital cost
Lear Capital charges a flat $200 annual fee for self-directed IRAs and no other fees. This includes storage, insurance and 24/7 account access online. Pricing for individual gold, silver and platinum products varies over time, so it’s a good idea to check Lear Capital’s website or call to see the latest information.
Lear Capital FAQ
Which coins are IRA-eligible?
A full list of Lear Capital’s IRA-eligible coins can be found on its website. In general, gold bullion must be at least 99.5% pure, silver bullion must be 99.9% pure, and platinum bullion must be 99.95% pure.
How can I track the performance of my Lear Capital portfolio?
With Lear Capital, your IRA custodian, Self Directed IRA Services, Inc., will offer a website with 24/7 access to your portfolio’s performance. Lear Capital also provides quarterly statements that can be mailed directly to your home address.
Where are my metals stored with Lear Capital?
Lear Capital stores client metals with Delaware Depository, which is an IRS-approved depository. The depository also provides a comprehensive insurance policy underwritten by Lloyd’s of London.
Can I make contributions to my Lear Capital account?
Yes, you can set a recurring schedule to have your contributions automatically transferred into your precious metals IRA
Did Lear Capital file for bankruptcy?
Yes, Lear Capital filed for bankruptcy in 2022. Lear Capital completed a Chapter 11 reorganization in 2024 and restructured its finances, allowing it to continue operating. Following the reorganization, Lear Capital made changes to improve transparency and customer experience. Since those changes, its customer reviews have become more positive.
At the time of the filing, the company was being investigated by state securities regulators for deceptive practices and misleading marketing. As part of a settlement, it agreed to pay $5.5 million to compensate affected investors.
Still have questions?
Is Lear Capital legit?
Working with Lear Capital to diversify your investment portfolio can be a smart choice. It offers bullion, numismatic coins and self-directed IRAs, so you have multiple options for investing in precious metals. Lear Capital also provides market data, insights and price notifications to help you protect and grow your investments, and this info is important if you want to be an active investor.
Lear Capital Reviews
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- 4,894,851 reviews on ConsumerAffairs are verified.
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Reviewed April 16, 2026
I have had the extreme pleasure of working with both Todd ** and Nick **. These two men are outstanding in every way and truly care about the customer. I would never consider buying precious metals anywhere else, but Lear Capital and these two men are a large reason why I encourage anyone interested in precious metals to contact Lear Capital.
Stan, thank you for your gracious feedback about Todd and Nick! We are pleased you've continued to have a good experience with our team, and we smile to hear that they've consistently provided attentive and professional assistance. Thank you for choosing Lear Capital.
Reviewed Jan. 16, 2026
My experience with Peter ** at Lear Capital has always been amazingly informational and educational. Also, the patience when addressing my concerns and questions is always appreciated. I feel there is more than a business relationship of trust and respect and I appreciate that very much. Needless to say, it is for those reasons that I have returned to Lear Capital, as I will in the future for my purchase of Precious Metals. Thank you so much.
Sherri, thank you for taking the time to share your positive experience with Peter! We love hearing that he has been patient and informative in your investment process, and we are grateful for your kind words. Thank you for choosing Lear Capital.
Reviewed June 16, 2025
Annie was extremely helpful and thorough in guiding me to make the best precious metal purchase for me and my family. As a new customer I was unsure of what to expect, but she made me feel at ease and confident in my purchase decision. I highly recommend investing with Lear Capital whether you are a novice precious metals investor or a seasoned pro.
Robert, thank you for your encouraging words about Annie! We are thrilled that she was competent and helpful in your transaction, and we appreciate you sharing your gracious recommendation of our business. Thank you for choosing Lear Capital.
Reviewed May 13, 2026
Brad ** is our contact at Lear, and he did an outstanding job assisting my wife and me with our first purchase of precious metals. His advice was clear and concise without be pushy or overbearing! Since that time, he has been very responsive and attentive to our needs, even though we are certainly not one of his biggest customers, and I always feel like I am being appreciated when I work with him. He is a credit to your company, and I just want to take a minute to acknowledge his excellent work on our behalf. Rick **, Albuquerque
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Reviewed April 6, 2026
I was very pleased today with the assistance offered by Peter **. I called Lear Capital two times before making my purchase. Each time, Mr. ** answered all my questions thoroughly. He was very knowledgeable, and did a lot of explaining of the answers to my questions. He was very helpful with my decision-making. He seemed very enthusiastic, and I was very pleased with the amount of time he spent with me. It made me feel very comfortable with my purchase today. He is definitely a real asset to your company. Dale **.
Reviewed April 5, 2026
I would like to compliment, Derek ** in California for being so patient and detailed with his information on a cold call that I had made to him. This was the first time calling Lear Capital and he was an amazing professional to represent your group. Thank you all for having Derek as one of your leads. Look forward to working with him. Sincerely Adam
Reviewed March 21, 2026
I reached out to Lear Capital to ask to be sent information about buying gold. Fortunately, my call was answered by Reid ** who explained all aspects of gold and silver purchasing in a way I could fully understand. He was very professional and personable. I explained my budget and he guided me through the process of which coins to buy and of what weight. I made a purchase based on his recommendations and received my items in a timely fashion and packaged very well. I would highly recommend Lear Capital to anyone wanting to buy precious metals. I was made extra comfortable by being told of the guaranteed buy back program.
Reviewed March 20, 2026
When it comes to investing in precious metals, there can be a risk of working with disreputable or disingenuous companies and representatives. I have heard many people who have been taken advantage of or given inaccurate information. I am here to share that my experience has been nothing but professional, appreciative, thankful, and grateful. I have invested with Lear Capital and worked with Calvin for more than 10 years! My mom, my spouse, and myself invested very wisely in precious metals a while back. To say that we have seen a return on our investment is an understatement! We are very happy with our investments and another vehicle to hedge against the tumultuous changes in our economy. It is very rare to say that a commodity company in precious metals would genuinely care about their clients. But, I can say that we have been given utmost respect and care.
When I call, Calvin either immediately answers or calls back right away. With such big swings, especially recently, the ability to stay true and to take care of the investments of the Lear clients. We have been taken care of and Lear backs up their promise of fulfilling both the purchase and sale end of their transactions. We have been clients for more than 10 years and we will continue to be clients for the years and decades to come. Thank you to you all and I wish your company all the best as we continue to go through such major changes in our shifting economy. Wishing blessings to you and your families and every client that you continue to serve!
Reviewed May 30, 2026
Disclaimer: I am not without blame in the transaction with Lear that resulted in an estimated $350,000 loss to my metal account. Lear did not do anything “illegal” but they certainly behaved in an unethical manner. Shame on me for not performing proper due diligence and of being too trusting. I needed to obtain a new broker for my metal account as the entity that I had used to purchase metal went out of business. The metal account is held with Equity Trust and they informed me that if I wanted to sell metals in the account in the future, I would need a new broker.
I was considering a selling off some of the coins to meet my 2026 Required Minimum Distribution. The Equity Trust website listed a number of brokers they worked with and I started calling around. None of the listed brokers that I called (except for Lear) were interested in taking on an account that they had not been involved with initially. Lear Capital did agree to serve as the broker for my account and we entered into an agreement in early November 2025.
One of my metal accounts at the time of the agreement consisted of a number of 2 oz. silver coins and the spot metal price at this time was a value close to $1.2 million. The Lear Sr. Acct. Mgr. suggested that I would be better off with a mix of gold and silver bars. I did not disagree. They purchased my silver coins at wholesale market price and, in my head, I incorrectly assumed that the bars they would then purchase on my behalf would also be at market price or something close to it. The price they charged me for the bars included an exorbitant markup which resulted in me losing about $350,000 in the process.
During the recorded conversation of the above transaction, the cost of the bars was stated but it wasn’t until close to the end of the discussion that a spread of about 33% had been applied was mentioned. When asked if I understood, I said “yes” but I clearly did not understand. If they had asked if I agreed to a price that was about 50% over market value, I would have said no. The recorded script pretty much lulled me as all the questions as asked, required only a “yes” or “no” answer. I just followed the script. Contractually, Lear could charge this high spread but the contact also allowed for a 2% spread which they conveniently ignored.
After the transaction was completed, the broker indicated he would call after a few weeks. When that didn’t happen, I reached out to him via email in early December to get an update. He forwarded my email to another broker who then contacted me. He indicated that the value of my account was $1.4 million which seemed great and was in line with what I expected given the market growth at that time. I asked him for a statement and he indicated he would get something to me as of a later date. Never got one.
It was not until sometime in January 2026 when the bars that were acquired were entered into my account at Equity Trust that I realized I had been taken. I called Lear Capital to get an updated value and was told the account was now worth $1.7 million even though at that point I knew the actual value was significantly much less. Lear continued the scam by inflating the value! I then asked the account to be liquidated at Lear’s valuation. I do not recall the rest of the conversation of that day because I was livid. Lear did not act on my request to cash in at $1.7 million. Neither this phone call or the earlier one in December were recorded. I made several subsequent requests for information and or statements by email and phone messages to both brokers but they were ignored.
It was not until I filed a complaint with the BBB that someone finally responded to me and tried to smooth things over. The individual from Lear came across to me as being sympathetic and we had several conversations. He was willing to pay something to settle the complaint I filed. The offer, in addition to some metal, included a personal promise that Lear would not charge brokerage fees on future sales of my metal. I asked if he was willing to put this “guarantee” in writing on Lear letterhead but was told he could not do that. Hmm. Worthless.
Subsequently, when I asked him to put in writing exactly what kind of metal he was proposing to settle this dispute, he said he would have to go back and try to reconstruct the details of the latest of several offers. Even though the value provided was down to the dollar, he could not provided the details. Hmm. After a couple of weeks went by, it was clear I would never be provided the information which should have been easy to provide. This is further indication this company is not one with which to do business. At this point, I determined that it was better to proceed with posting reviews rather than taking blood money. It is clear that I made a number of mistakes by not digging into the details. If you have any questions or want further information, I am also willing to discuss this nightmare in further detail by email at **.
Reviewed May 29, 2026
I had a very disappointing experience with Lear Capital Gold and Silver. After reviewing my purchase documents and comparing current market prices, I realized I was overcharged by approximately 36% on my gold purchase. The pricing and fees were not clearly explained during the transaction, and I feel I was misled about the true value of the investment. As a customer, I expected transparency and fair pricing, especially when making a significant investment in precious metals. Unfortunately, the large markup greatly reduced the value of my purchase from the start. I would strongly encourage anyone considering buying gold or silver through this company to carefully compare prices, ask detailed questions about premiums and commissions, and get independent advice before committing. Overall, my experience left me feeling frustrated and disappointed.
Reviewed May 25, 2026
My experience with investing with Lear Capital went very smoothly. The folks there were informative, knowledgeable, honest, and helpful. I made two transactions. An IRA rollover and a cash investment. In both cases, everything went smoothly. Their professional attention to detail was amazing. The right people at the right time.
Reviewed May 14, 2026
Everyone I have spoken to has always been incredibly helpful, thorough, detailed, patient, and professional. This is the most informed and connected I've ever felt about any investment process. The team make sure you are empowered with education, understanding, and security.
Brittany, thank you for your gracious feedback about our team! We are glad that Brad, Charles and others were helpful and informative for your transaction, and we sincerely appreciate you taking the time to share. Thank you for choosing Lear Capital.
Reviewed May 10, 2026
Lear Capital no longer answers their phone. Apparently they have been scamming their customers somehow. I've been trying to contact them through the numbers I have and they just hang up EVERY TIME. I would find another metals dealer just to be safe.
Hi Buck, we're sorry about your frustration of not being able to get through — and we've actually been trying to reach you. Since your review we've called the number we have on file, and Katya, our sales manager, emailed you on 5/11. We've messaged you privately here, but haven't been able to connect. We'd genuinely like to help. You can reach us our customer care at CustomerCare@learcapital.com or 1-800-885-LEAR (5327), and we'd be happy to follow up with you.
Lear Capital Company Information
- Social media:
- Company Name:
- Lear Capital
- Company Type:
- Private
- Year Founded:
- 1997
- Address:
- 1990 S. Bundy
- City:
- Los Angeles
- State/Province:
- CA
- Postal Code:
- 90025
- Country:
- United States
- Website:
- www.learcapital.com
