Miles Franklin Review

Been seeing a lot of these Franklin threads lately, and it got me thinking about my own experience back in '08. We had moved to Dallas a few years before, and my portfolio, which was pushing 700k then, mainly tech stocks, was just getting mauled. A buddy from my poker game kept talking about gold, and honestly, it felt a bit "doom and gloom" for me, but after watching my retirement fund crater another 8% in a month, I decided to look into it. Called up Miles Franklin after seeing some positive reviews on a finance forum – felt a bit like a leap of faith, honestly. The advisor, I think his name was Mark, walked me through the whole Gold IRA setup, explained the custodians, storage, the whole nine yards. I ended up converting about 15% of my 401k to physical gold and silver, mostly Eagles and a few hundred ounces of ASEs they helped me source. It wasn't a magic bullet, but protecting that slice of the pie from further losses really helped me sleep at night during those crazy times. While others were panicking, I had this tangible asset, and seeing that value hold, and then grow,

Honestly, I've seen a lot of chatter about Miles Franklin, and while I get the appeal for stability, sometimes I wonder if folks are leaving too much on the table. My little Gold IRA, which I started with about $15k back in 2020 after seeing what COVID did to regular stocks, feels like it’s done okay, but I can't help but look at some of my friends’ crypto gains in the same period and feel a pang of "what if." Is it just me, or do we sometimes cling to gold for comfort rather than absolute growth?

Miles Franklin has been solid for me, especially their customer service when I had a question about storing my proof coins versus regular bullion. I actually found this detailed comparison on Kitco last year (I think it was titled "Understanding Precious Metals Grades") that really helped me solidify my decision to go with a mix of both for my recent $80k addition. Worth a read if you're thinking about different types of gold beyond just the standard bars.

The Miles Franklin team was instrumental for me back in 2020. I remember liquidating a significant chunk of a tech stock that had just gone parabolic – made a decent profit, around $450k on that particular play – and felt incredibly uneasy about keeping it all in paper assets given the economic climate then. Their insights on diversifying into physical gold and silver were spot on, and the process to secure that substantial order, mostly in Eagles and Maples, was seamless from my Boston office. It really gave me peace of mind when the market started its rollercoaster.

Just saw the Miles Franklin thread pop up again. Honestly, my experience with them for a Gold IRA rollover was smoother than I anticipated, especially living here in Seattle. Rolled over about $65k from an old 401k two years ago; process was surprisingly quick and their communication was top-notch even with the time difference. My main concern was always finding a custodian who understood the specific, more intricate IRS rules for precious metals IRAs, and they definitely fit the bill.

Totally agree with the positive sentiment here. I had a similarly smooth experience with Miles Franklin last year when I rolled over an old 401k into a Gold IRA. Their team was incredibly helpful explaining the process, especially since I'm pretty new to this. I've got about $180k in there now, mostly gold, sitting comfortably in Delaware. For anyone else wondering if they should diversify, I found this Silver vs Stocks tool really insightful when I was planning my allocation; it really helped me visualize the long-term trends I was aiming for.

Miles Franklin is definitely one of the more reputable names in the industry, and it's good to see that reflected here. I've personally used them for a few buy-backs over the years, including a chunk of my silver eagles when the premium really popped last year, and the process was always smooth – funds hit my account within a couple of business days. For anyone in Omaha, it’s worth noting their shipping process is solid, even for larger lots.

I’ve had a good experience with Miles Franklin over the years, found their pricing to be competitive when I was building up my first 100k stack in the early 2010s. For anyone new to the game, don't just focus on the buy price; understand their buyback policy and spread for when you eventually need to liquidate. That's where you really see the value of a trusted dealer.

Good call on looking into Miles Franklin, OP. I've been with them for a few years now, ever since I did a 401k rollover into a gold IRA. The process for setting up the precious metals custody for my retirement savings was surprisingly smooth, and their team walked me through all the tax advantages. Definitely worth exploring if you're in the Tampa area like I am and looking to diversify.

@Ashley Baker, I actually had a very similar thought process when I first dipped my toes into the gold market a few years back. My wife and I were looking at retirement options from our condo overlooking Lake Monona, realizing our traditional portfolio felt…exposed. We initially went with a local broker in Madison, thinking proximity meant personalized service, and frankly, I felt like I was "leaving money on the table" with any larger, out-of-state firm. But after seeing our initial $150k Gold IRA stagnate with high fees and very little proactive advice, we decided to give Miles Franklin a shot for our second, more substantial rollover – that was about $400k last year. Their transparency and lower premium options opened my eyes to how much I wasn't just *potentially* leaving on the table, but was actively *losing* with my previous setup.

@William Davis 08 was brutal for so many, especially those of us holding substantial portfolios. I was in Detroit at the time, watching my brokerage statements shrink. I had around $600k invested and that crash really opened my eyes to diversifying into something more tangible. I found this really helpful article on Asset Preservation Inc.'s site about the different types of precious metals IRAs; it broke down the pros and cons of each in a way I hadn't seen before. Worth a look if you're exploring options now.

@David Brown - Good on you for having the foresight to take those gains in 2020. That was a wild time. I've heard some mixed things about Miles Franklin lately, but it sounds like they delivered for you then. For me, given the broader market uncertainty and the rumblings after the Fed's recent comments, I'm actually looking at expanding my physical allocation, but I'm primarily focused on direct-held in segregated vaults down in Delaware, rather than a full IRA rollover. The thought of potential legislative changes affecting IRA-held precious metals keeps me up more than any short-term price swings.

@William Davis, man, '08 was a gut punch for so many. I was in Denver, just starting to feel a little comfortable, had about 80k saved up from years of grinding. Seeing that evaporate almost overnight was brutal – felt like all those late nights and skipped vacations were for nothing. That’s actually what got me looking into physical assets, and eventually, a Gold IRA. I can still taste that fear from back then, which is probably why I sleep a lot sounder now with a good chunk of my retirement stacked in something tangible.

@William Davis That’s quite a portfolio you had back then! My experience in '08 was a lot different; I was just starting my career in Kansas City and frankly, my "portfolio" was mostly student loan debt. Now that I'm actually getting serious about retirement planning and looking at a Gold IRA, I'm trying to understand how people like you navigated those earlier downturns with physical assets versus just riding out market volatility. What was your main driver for considering gold then?

Miles Franklin has always seemed pretty solid. I went with Augusta Precious Metals myself for my Gold IRA a few years back when I rolled over an old 401k – they had a fantastic setup process and definitely lived up to the "white glove" service I'd heard about. Their client success team also pointed me to an eye-opening article on zerohedge.com about central bank gold buying that really solidified my decision.

@Timothy Reed, that's incredibly insightful! I seriously appreciate you sharing your thought process. My portfolio is probably a bit smaller than yours, around the $75k mark in my Gold IRA here in Albuquerque, but I completely resonate with that feeling of wanting a tangible, dependable asset, especially after seeing the craziness of the last few years. It really helps to hear from folks who've walked a similar path.

@Ashley Baker – I totally get where you're coming from with the "leaving too much on the table" sentiment; it's a valid concern for any investor. Back in 2008, when everything was melting down, I was still building my tech startup here in Austin, watching my 401k just *evaporate*. The stress was immense – late nights coding, early mornings strategizing, and then seeing my future retirement just… disappear. That experience burned a deep lesson into me about diversification and true hedges. So, when the next inklings of economic uncertainty started brewing around 2018-2019, I decided to finally pull the trigger on a Gold IRA. I’d seen the writing on the wall with inflation and market volatility for a while, and the Gold vs Stocks 10-year comparison really put things in perspective for me. I initially moved about 15% of my portfolio, which was around $150k at the time, into physical gold through a Gold IRA. It felt like a small act of rebellion against

Miles Franklin has been solid for me since I started my Gold IRA a few years back. For anyone looking into physical precious metals as an investment, Precious Metals Investing For Dummies by Paul Mladjenovic was an incredibly helpful starting point when I was first getting serious about moving some of my portfolio into gold and silver. It really lays out the fundamentals without getting too bogged down in jargon, which was perfect for me before I committed that first $100k.

Honestly, I've had a pretty different experience with Miles Franklin over the last few years. My contact there has always been incredibly responsive, and when I was looking to move some funds from an old 401k into a Gold IRA back in 2020, they walked me through the entire process with a level of detail and patience most brokers just don't offer anymore. I've only ever received exactly what I ordered, on time, and the premiums seemed in line with the market for my ~250k transfer.

I've been with Miles Franklin for about two years now, and my experience has been overwhelmingly positive, particularly with their storage options. When I started looking into a Gold IRA, I was obviously concerned about the security of my ~150k investment, and their third-party, allocated storage at Delaware Depository was a major selling point for me. It removed a lot of the anxiety I had about holding such valuable assets, and knowing it's fully insured and audited just gives me immense peace of mind living here in Atlanta, far from any vaults.

Just wanted to chime in on the Miles Franklin thread. I’ve been using them for my gold IRA for about five years now, and I’ve had a really solid experience. They handled my 401k rollover seamlessly a while back, which was a huge relief, and the team was super helpful explaining all the tax advantages of holding physical precious metals in my retirement savings. Definitely a thumbs up from Honolulu.

I used Miles Franklin back in 2021 for my first Gold IRA transfer – about $150k from an old 401k. Their team was super transparent about the fees and the storage options. I ended up going with Delaware Depository, and everything was handled efficiently. Just make sure you understand the spread on the coins versus bars before you commit; that's where some of the cost comes in, not just the setup fee.

Absolutely resonate with this! I had a very similar experience with Miles Franklin when I was first diversifying a portion of my portfolio into physical gold back in 2018. They really walked me through the process of setting up an IRA and ensuring everything was compliant; the peace of mind knowing my metals were securely stored and insured was invaluable, especially after seeing the market swings later that year. Their service, even for a sizable seven-figure acquisition, felt incredibly personalized.

It's interesting to see everyone's experiences here; mine's been a bit different. I worked with Miles Franklin back in 2022 when I rolled over about $750k from an old 401k into a Gold IRA, and honestly, the process was smoother than I anticipated, even with the market volatility at the time. My rep, Sarah, was incredibly transparent about spreads and expected timelines, which I appreciated given some of the horror stories you hear about other companies.

Honestly, I’m probably going to catch some flak for this, but while everyone’s chasing the lowest premiums with companies like Miles Franklin, I've had a dramatically better experience with a local, brick-and-mortar dealer right here in Raleigh. Sure, their spot price might be a fraction higher, but the peace of mind knowing exactly *who* I'm dealing with, the immediate physical transfer of my 10oz bars, and the sheer lack of digital hoops to jump through has been worth every extra penny of the 50k I’ve invested over the last two years. The Gold IRA is great for holding, but for active accumulation, nothing beats shaking a hand and walking out with your asset.

It’s been almost three years since I first allocated a piece of my portfolio to physical gold through Miles Franklin, and looking back, it really felt like a pivotal moment for me. I remember sitting in my home office in Houston, staring at the screens showing all the volatility, and just having this gut feeling that I needed something tangible, something outside the system, after watching my 401k take a beating in '08. Sticking with them has given me a surprising sense of calm; that feeling of knowing a portion of my net worth isn’t just numbers on a screen, especially when the market feels like it’s doing the cha-cha.

@Donald Nelson That sounds incredibly stressful, and honestly, it's exactly the kind of scenario making me look into a Gold IRA now. I'm just starting to dig into it, but the idea of having some tangible assets outside the traditional market feels like a no-brainer after hearing stories like yours from '08. Did you ever consider physical gold back then or was it all just straight stocks/bonds? I'm trying to figure out the right percentage allocation.

Thanks for the detailed review on Miles Franklin. I've been considering them for a while now, especially with the inflation news out of the Richmond Fed. Did you get any sense of their buyback process or if they offer storage solutions in Delaware or elsewhere? My current Gold IRA is structured a bit differently and I'm looking to potentially consolidate if their services align.

Interesting to see the mixed reviews on Miles Franklin. I'm just getting my feet wet with a gold IRA – barely had my 401k rollover about six months ago, parked a little over $100k of it into physical gold. My current custodian's okay, but I'm always curious to hear if there are better options out there, especially for someone who's not planning on adding much more for a while. Any specific insights on their storage security for smaller holdings, or is it mostly geared towards the whales?

This echoes my experience with them last year when setting up my Gold IRA. I rolled over about 75k from an old 401k, and the whole process was surprisingly smooth, especially compared to some of the horror stories I've heard from friends in Providence. I'm curious if anyone went with their recommended depository, or if you sourced your own? I used their suggestion, and haven't had any issues, but it's something I've been pondering.

Been seeing a lot of these Miles Franklin threads pop up lately. FWIW, I used them for a significant portion of my 401k rollover into a gold IRA back in 2021 when I was consolidating my retirement savings. They were competitive on pricing for precious metals, and the process was surprisingly smooth from my NYC apartment, especially with the tax advantages I was looking for.

@Daniel Wright – You hit the nail on the head regarding 2008. That was a rough one. I had a buddy here in Phoenix who thought he was recession-proof with a diversified stock portfolio, but he got absolutely hammered. He watched his retirement savings drop more than 40% in a few weeks. It was a wake-up call for many of us to really look at assets outside of the traditional markets. I saw firsthand how gold held its value and even gained, which is why a Gold IRA makes so much sense for a portion of my portfolio today.

@Susan Clark That's really helpful to hear about Miles Franklin, especially since you've had a good experience over a longer period. I'm just starting to look seriously into a Gold IRA and the whole process feels a bit overwhelming. I've been doing some research, and that Gold vs Stocks 10-year comparison really puts things in perspective when thinking about portfolio diversification, but finding a reputable custodian where I won't get gouged on fees is my next big hurdle. Are there any specific red flags you'd advise a newbie to watch out for beyond just pricing?

Good to see Miles Franklin getting some love here. My experience with them has always been solid, especially when I was looking to diversify a chunk of my 401k into a Gold IRA a few years back. They really helped me navigate the custodian side of things and got about $75k of physical precious metals into my vault without a hitch.

@Sandra Green Oh man, 2008 was *rough*. I was down here in Miami, working my butt off to keep my little real estate side hustle afloat, and my 401k just looked like a bad joke. That’s what actually pushed me into seriously researching gold. Best financial move I ever made; wish I'd done it sooner!

Miles Franklin's been on my radar for a while, particularly their coin selection. I’ve seen some pretty aggressive premium markups there compared to what I'm used to with other dealers for similar dates and conditions, especially on certified eagles. Always makes me pause and double-check APMEX or even my guy down here in Birmingham.

@Elizabeth Johnson - Glad to hear Miles Franklin has been a good fit for you. I actually went with Augusta Precious Metals for my Gold IRA a few years back, and while storage was a consideration, their educational resources and transparent fee structure were ultimately what swayed me. I've always felt like I had a clearer understanding of the market with them, especially as someone in Lexington with a decent chunk of my retirement in precious metals.

To be honest, I've had a far less glowing experience with Miles Franklin for my Gold IRA. While everyone here seems to laud their customer service, I ran into some significant delays back in 2022 trying to get my original $150k rollover processed, which felt pretty stressful given the market volatility at that time. I eventually went with Augusta Precious Metals out of Nevada, and for my follow-up contributions from El Paso, their direct communication and speed have been a refreshing change.

@Richard Garcia, your post really resonated with me. I remember that feeling exactly, though for me it was late 2020. I’d just sold my small tech startup here in Portland, and while the cash was great, the market felt…wobbly. I’d always been a growth guy, but the idea of just pushing all that capital into more tech stocks, given the global instability, just gave me a pit in my stomach. I spent weeks, probably months, agonizing. Then, during a particularly grim news cycle, I remembered my grandfather always talking about holding a portion of his wealth in "real money." It was like a switch flipped. I started researching physical gold and eventually went with JM Bullion for about 10% of my new liquid assets – not a huge amount, maybe around $30,000 at the time for some Krugerrands and Canadian Maples. It felt so counter-intuitive at first, like I was missing out, but honestly, that peace of mind has been worth more than any speculative gain. Fast forward to today, with all the inflation and the banking scares, I occasionally check my holdings and just feel this profound sense of relief. It’s not

This thread's been a goldmine, really. I was on the fence about pulling the trigger on a larger purchase after my initial $60k with them last year, but hearing about others' smooth experiences with their delivery and buyback process definitely puts my mind at ease. Appreciate everyone sharing their specific details and not just vague praise.

Been with Miles Franklin for a few years now, and honestly, they're top-notch. Their premiums aren't always the absolute lowest, but the service and product availability, especially for some of the more niche fractional gold I like, more than makes up for it. I remember back in '21 trying to secure some specific 1/10th Agean Eagles, and they were one of the only dealers who could even source them reliably.