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- Phone : 1-866-377-3311
- URL :
- Global Rating
- Very Good
User Rating
- 0 No reviews yet!
Mountain View IRA has been in business since 2004. The company offers the ability to open accounts online, invest in precious metals in a convenient way and also offers all different types of IRA plans that might be suitable for you. Find out if its the right self-directed IRA provider for you.
Pros:
- Offers all IRA plan types
- Offers precious metals
- Online account opening
Cons:
- No live chat customer service
- No cryptocurrency offering
Mountain West IRA is one of the smaller IRA providers that we are reviewing here at Sophisticated Investor. The company’s website lists just two principal founders as the leader of the staff. That’s not to say more employees don’t work there but the company website does have a small business type of feel to it.
Don’t let that fool you as you go through this review. Mountain West IRA has an insane number of positive reviews among its customer base on different review websites and their very valid reasons for it.
For one the company’s fee structure is fair and falls in line with many other IRA providers in the market. They offer both a per asset based fee structure and a value-based fee structure, which means there is an appropriate fee schedule available to suit many different kinds of investors and their needs.
As far as investing goes, Mountain West IRA does offer the opportunity to invest in private equity which means investors can register corporations to protect their money, and they can also invest in asset classes alternative to traditional securities such as precious metals, promissory notes, and real estate among other vehicles.
In this review we will go over the company’s products and services, the management team, customer reviews and frequently asked questions as a way of giving you a 360 degree perspective on what Mountain West IRA is all about. We think you will like what you read!
The Management Team and Board of Directors of Mountain West IRA
Jon Galane, Principal, Mountain West IRA
Jon Galane, Principal, Mountain West IRA
Many other IRA providers have extensive management teams and boards of directors that oversee the products and services offered by the organization. Mountain West IRA on the other hand only lists to principles as part of its staff. The founder of the company is Jon A Galane. He launched Mountain West IRA in 2006 and has over 32 years of experience in investing. He sits on the National Association of Securities Dealers. He is a registered member of the American Banking Association.
Lisa Galane, Principal, Mountain West IRA
Galane’s partner is his wife Lisa. The two joined Morgan Stanley way back in 1999. Lisa manages the company’s compliance, client services and procedural back ends.
Lisa Galane, Principal, Mountain West IRA
The tandem have and let the fact they have a small team stop them. As you go through this review, you will notice that Mountain West IRA has tons of positive reviews from many of its customers on different websites in the company’s credibility is top-notch in comparison to the competition.
Investing Account Options at Mountain West IRA
Unlike other IRA providers, Mountain West IRA doesn’t offer the option to register a retirement account as a corporation. Instead, they stick to the common account types that most people know about including:
- Traditional IRA
- Roth IRA
- SEP IRA
- SIMPLE IRA
- 401(k) plans
- Health Savings Accounts
The Most Common IRA Accounts
For individuals, a Traditional or Roth IRA account is the way to go. How do you pick between the two? A Traditional IRA allows investors to write off their contributions against their taxes. They then pay taxes upon retirement or withdrawal. A Roth IRA does not allow write-offs during contribution years but does not charge investors income tax upon withdrawal. If you think you’re going to be rich when you retire, use a Roth IRA. If you’re saving a set amount every year and have a regular job, go the Traditional IRA route.
IRA Accounts for Businesses
An SEP allows small businesses and self-employed people to save for retirement. A SIMPLE IRA is more for bigger companies that want to match their employees contributions and write those off against the taxes of the business. Still, a SIMPLE IRA is for companies that have fewer than 100 employees.
401(k) plans are for larger corporations. In most cases the government allows corporations using the 401(k) approach to match up to 3% of employee contributions. This is obviously good for the employees since they are getting support for their retirement, and it’s also good for the company. The problem with this approach is that it requires significant administrative expenses to be paid out. That’s why it’s not for smaller companies, they simply can’t afford it.
Assets Available for Investments at Mountain West IRA
Mountain West IRA offers four main types of investments that most self-directed IRA providers also offer:
- Real Estate
- Promissory Notes
- Precious Metals
- Private Placements
Most investors looking to use a self-directed IRA for their retirement are probably already interested in real estate and precious metals. Those investing options are by far the two most popular that people want exposure to when it comes to alternative assets outside of traditional securities like stocks and bonds.
Private placements are investing opportunities that involve private equity. They allow investors to register corporations and house their retirement investments within that.
Promissory notes allow for the opportunity to invest in mortgages and other types of secured and unsecured loans. This vehicle is very common believe it or not, and it’s offered by most other self-directed IRA providers, like .
Mountain West IRA Fee Schedule
For whatever reason, Mountain West IRA’s fee schedule is hosted on a third-party website. Interested investors have to sign up for this third-party service in order to actually see the schedule. So instead, we’re linking to the Mountain West IRA fee schedule page. You’ll have to find your way to the actual schedule from there.
For those that want a quick snapshot of the fees, we’ve taken the chart out of the document from that third-party website. Here that is below:
| Total Account Value | Marginal Rate Multiplier | Annual Fees |
| $0 – $24,9999 | Minimum | $200 |
| $25,000- $49,999 | 0.01 | $200 – $450 |
| $50,000 – $99,000 | 0.005 | $450 – $700 |
| $100,000 – $249,999 | 0.00266 | $700 – $1,100 |
| $250,000 – $499,999 | 0.0022 | $1,100 – $1,650 |
| $500,000 – $750,000 | 0.0008 | $1,650 – $1,850 |
| $750,000+ | N/A | a maximum of $1,850 |
The above chart stipulates the fees investors will pay if they choose to be charged based on the total value of their IRA account. As the chart shows, the marginal rate investors get charged goes down as the value of the account goes up. This is pretty standard practice for IRA companies that use a value-based fee structure.
Mountain West IRA is one of the few self-directed IRA providers, like Millenium Trust Company that allows both an account value-based fee structure and a flat annual fee structure to clients.
Investors have the option to pay $75 per quarter, per asset. That’s a pretty standard fee in comparison to the competition. The maximum quarterly fee is $462.50 and that works out to roughly the $1,850 maximum the organization offers for its value based pricing.
All in all choosing a self-directed IRA provider based solely on fee structure would be like splitting hairs. While some companies have unique ways of charging people, the vast majority of self-directed IRA organizations fall in line with each other. At the end of the day all of these institutions are competing for the same retirement planners and they must all be at the mercy of the market, so it makes sense.
Customer Support at Mountain West IRA
It’s easy to reach Mountain West IRA by phone. The phone numbers displayed right at the top right corner of the homepage. It’s 1-866-377-3311. The company also offers the opportunity to email in a question using the contact form and interested parties can also schedule a consultation in advance. There is no option to speak to somebody live via chat. This shouldn’t be a big deterrent for most retirement planners because the majority of IRA companies don’t offer this. But it is a feature that’s nice to have.
Mountain West IRA Customer Reviews
When it comes to customer reviews, Mountain West IRA really excels and it shows on the company’s Google business profile. That profile lists no fewer than 68 reviews and the reviews rate the company a 4.8 out of five stars. That’s easily one of the best ratings of all of the IRA providers reviewed here at Sophisticated Investor.
Mountain West IRA is not formally accredited by the Better Business Bureau but the Bureau does give the organization an A+ rating anyway. No complaints or resolutions to those complaints are listed on the profile.
That said, Mountain West IRA does have another impressive rating on another review site called Birdeye. Birdeye enlists the feedback of no fewer than 71 of Mountain West IRA’s customers and the company’s rating with those reviews included is a 4.8 out of five stars. That’s another really impressive number. Usually investment companies with a high number of customers responding on review sites won’t rank a perfect five out of five, so 4.8 is really good.
Mountain West IRA Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some of the most frequently asked questions people ask about Mountain West IRA.
Where is Mountain West IRA Headquarters?
The head office for Mountain West IRA is located in Boise, Idaho at 10096 W. Fairview Avenue STE., 83704.
What is Mountain West IRA?
Mountain West IRA is a self-directed IRA company that specializes in precious metals, private placements, promissory notes and of course real estate.
Can I Set Up an LLC With Mountain West IRA?
Some IRA providers allow you to set up an LLC. The advantage is that you can use your IRA like a checking account if you have it set up this way. Mountain West IRA does offer this.
Should You Choose Mountain West IRA for your Self-Directed IRA?
Although Mountain West IRA probably doesn’t have the marketing budget of many of its competitors, and it certainly doesn’t have the number of employees that other IRA providers have, the customer reviews are right up there with the best in the industry.
Clearly the company has put a lot of effort into its online presence from marketing standpoint, but at the end of the day what really matters is the fact that clients appear to be very happy with their service.
In trusting somebody with your retirement planning is a big decision that will impact you throughout your golden years and Mountain West IRA is proving time and time again that their client’s assets are safe with Mountain West IRA acting as the custodian.
Mountain West IRA is a great choice to consider among all other IRA providers, but of course we do recommend doing your own due diligence in checking out the other IRA reviews we have to offer here at Sophisticated Investor.
- Phone : 1-866-377-3311
- URL :
- Global Rating
- Very Good
User Rating
- 0 No reviews yet!
Mountain View IRA has been in business since 2004. The company offers the ability to open accounts online, invest in precious metals in a convenient way and also offers all different types of IRA plans that might be suitable for you. Find out if its the right self-directed IRA provider for you.
