American Heart for Gold Offers a Safe Way to Invest Your Retirement
- Gold bullion is physical gold that is valued by weight rather than paper money.
- Gold is typically viewed as a safe investment, because it holds its value, even in turbulent times.
- While gold bullion is an excellent way to invest for retirement, there are drawbacks to consider.
If you're approaching retirement, it pays to think about your financial future, particularly if you're depending on a pension or 401(k) plan to provide the income you need. If you're feeling anxious about the unpredictability of the stock market, you might consider a safer-and less-expensive-way to invest your savings. Gold bullion is an attractive investment, and the companies that sell this valuable commodity can help you protect your retirement.
Investors Need to Diversify Beyond Stocks, Bonds
On Wednesday, American Heart for Gold, a non-profit organization based in the U.S., told U.S. News & World Report that gold is "the best investment you can make for your retirement." Gold is a "safe haven" for investors, the group said, because it is valuable and is unaffected by market conditions.
"Gold is a safe, tangible asset that doesn't have any correlation to the stock market," said Michael Pento, CEO of Pento Portfolio Strategies, Inc., the parent company of American Heart for Gold. "In uncertain times, gold maintains its value."
Pento argues that gold is very similar to real estate. "Gold, being the most finite and widely traded commodity, will trade up or down with the rest of the market," he said. "But gold has always traded strongly and has recently traded strongly, and real estate has always traded strongly and has recently traded strongly. Gold has always been a safe haven."
Pento added that gold is the superior investment to the stock market because gold is "not risky like the stock market." "The stock market is risky," he said. "That's why it's there. The stock market goes up and the stock market goes down. Gold does not fluctuate like the stock market."
Gold's Role in Financial Markets
Gold has been an important and sought-after trade for finance enthusiasts and investors alike. It has been used as a form of currency, a store of wealth and a hedge against inflation for thousands of years. An increasing number of investors have been buying gold in 2017 and 2018, despite gold's price dropping from $1,900 per ounce to less than $1,200 per ounce in September 2018.
Gold's function as an investment vehicle has changed over the years. Since 2012, gold has primarily been used as a hedge against inflation. Many financial advisors recommend that individuals hold gold in their portfolios as a hedge against inflation and as a hedge against market volatility.
Advantages of Gold
Gold has many benefits, but the most compelling is that it's a tangible asset. Unlike stocks or bonds, a physical bar of gold is real, and you can't "print" more gold. It appreciates and depreciates according to supply and demand, which can make it a reliable investment.
There's a high demand for gold, as every nation in the world uses it in jewelry, electronics, medical devices, and more. Gold is durable, safe, and portable.
Despite its stability, gold has eked out slight gains over the past five years. That said, the precious metal consistently outperforms stocks and bonds over the long-term.
Risks of Gold
The risk of investing in gold is the risk of holding the metal itself. Gold bullion prices can quickly fluctuate. If the price of gold drops suddenly, the value of your gold bullion investment could go down as well.
While investing in gold bullion is a simple process, it's important to consider your reasons for doing so. If your goal is to store wealth, gold bullion could be a good option. However, if you want to buy gold with the expectation that its price will increase, you should look into other investment options, such as stocks.
How Gold Can Protect Your Funds
Gold is an inflation hedge. When inflation is high, the value of gold increases. This means that gold can provide protection against inflation.
Gold is a portfolio diversifier. This simply means that gold tends to not rise or fall as much as other investments when the market is volatile. Gold may help protect your portfolio against large losses.
Gold is a hedge against geopolitical risk. When a country experiences political turmoil, the value of the currency can decrease. Gold can be useful in hedging against such an event.
Gold is a hedge against stock market volatility. When stocks fall, investors often look to gold as a hedge against volatility.
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The Bottom Line
American Heart for Gold can help you convert your family gold into dollars that are guaranteed to rise with inflation. The premiums paid to you at the time of conversion are much more than you'd earn from keeping your gold in a safe deposit box or keeping it with your other assets.