Lear Capital Fee Waiver (2026): Up to Three Years Free, and the Catch
By Mark Sandulli · Founder & editor · Updated October 21, 2026 · Not financial advice
Short answer: Lear Capital says it pays setup and storage account fees for one to three years, depending on how much you buy, but only on limited-mintage coins. At most that’s worth about $755. Limited-mintage coins usually carry higher markups than plain bullion, which can cost more than the waiver saves. Lear scores 4.6 in our rankings, last of seven, after a 2023 regulatory settlement.
Lear’s fees
| Fee | Cost |
|---|---|
| Application | $50 once |
| Wire | $30 once |
| Yearly, shared storage | $235 |
| Yearly, segregated storage | $285 |
| First year, shared storage | $315 |
Lear’s FAQ says the $315 and $235 figures assume electronic statements and shared (non-segregated) storage; other choices cost more.
Who qualifies, and what it’s worth
| Purchase amount (limited-mintage coins) | What Lear says it covers | Worth up to (shared storage) |
|---|---|---|
| Over $10,000 | $50 setup fee | $50 |
| $25,000 to $50,000 | Setup plus the first year’s fees | About $285 |
| $50,000 to $75,000 | Setup plus the first two years | About $520 |
| Over $75,000 | Setup plus the first three years | About $755 |
Lear says it covers “set-up and storage account fees” and, for the first tier, sends a reimbursement check after the first month in storage. It doesn’t say whether the $30 wire fee is included, or whether “year’s fees” means the full $235 or only part of it, so the values above are the most it could be worth. Don’t buy more, or switch to coins you didn’t want, just to reach a tier.
The catch
The waiver applies only to limited-mintage coins. If a qualifying coin is priced 5 points higher over spot than plain bullion, that costs $5,000 on a $100,000 purchase, more than six times the best waiver. Ask for the price over spot on the qualifying coins and on plain bullion, side by side, in writing. Lear also advertises a 24-hour price match on its invoices; use that window to compare. We don’t count promotions in our scores.
Lear’s regulatory record
In 2023, Lear agreed to a multistate settlement paying $5.5 million to investors who bought from January 1, 2016 to March 3, 2022. Regulators said Lear urged investors to liquidate retirement savings without properly disclosing fees. That’s why our score deducts 2.0 points.
Questions to ask Lear
- Which coins qualify, and what is the price over spot on each, next to plain bullion?
- Does the waiver cover the full yearly fee and the wire fee?
- What ends the waiver: a sale, a transfer, closing the account?
- How would you price my metal if I sell it back?
Lear at a glance
Minimum $10,000 · 32 BBB complaints in three years (21.3 per 100 reviews, the highest we track) · Gold and silver · In business since 1997.
See every company’s offer: How to get your Gold IRA fees waived · Read our Lear Capital review
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Scores from our published formula: fees, minimums, complaints, buyback and transparency. We may earn a commission from these links; it never changes a score.
Sources: Lear Capital IRA FAQ (fees and free setup and storage offer), checked October 21, 2026 · BBB profile for Lear Capital, checked October 15, 2026 · California DFPI, Lear Capital multistate settlement, August 2023
About this guide
Written by Mark Sandulli, founder of BestGoldPrice.com. Mark is not a financial advisor, tax professional, attorney or precious-metals dealer. This guide is general information based on public sources, not financial, tax or legal advice, and it may contain errors or be out of date. Precious metals can lose value. Confirm prices, fees and rules with the company and a licensed professional before you buy. We may earn a commission from some links. Read our full disclaimer.
