401(k) Gold Group Review: The Flat 5 Percent Metal Spread, Read Line by Line

Short answer. 401(k) Gold Group, Inc. is a Beverly Hills precious metals firm that prices IRA-eligible gold and silver at a flat 5 percent over its own cost and openly refuses commission-driven sales. The founder is Luji Shofu, and the firm has been active online since at least January 2013.

What is missing. The company website does not list an IRA account minimum, the name of its self-directed IRA custodian, the name of its depository, or an annual fee schedule. A Texas buyer should treat those four gaps as questions to raise on a first call before signing anything.

Recap for a Texas gold IRA buyer

401(k) Gold Group has one Beverly Hills office and no Texas branch. There is no partnership with the Texas Bullion Depository, no in-state custodian, and no evidence on public pages that IRA metals can be routed to a Texas vault.

The distinctive feature for a Texas resident is the 5 percent flat metal markup, which is unusual in the industry. The gap is that the flat markup covers only the coin price. Custody and storage costs sit outside that number and are not published.

If you are still comparing dealers, start with a neutral shortlist

Texas shortlistBest gold IRA companies serving Texas investors
Selection methodHow to choose a gold IRA company without a paid rep
Cost basicsGold IRA fees explained line by line
On this page

What this review covers

  1. What is distinctive about 401(k) Gold Group
  2. The 5 percent metal markup, read carefully
  3. Beverly Hills office and contact detail
  4. Luji Shofu and the corporate 401(k) pitch
  5. Self-reported scale and domain history
  6. What is not publicly disclosed
  7. Products a Texas IRA can legally hold
  8. Third-party ratings and accreditation footprint
  9. Regulator database checks
  10. How 401(k) Gold Group serves Texas investors
  11. Opening an account, step by step
  12. A worked example on a 60,000 dollar rollover
  13. Where 401(k) Gold Group is strong and where it is thin
  14. Verdict for a Texas buyer
  15. When 401(k) Gold Group is a bad idea
  16. Frequently asked questions
  17. Sources

What is distinctive about 401(k) Gold Group

Most retail metals dealers hide the coin markup inside a general spread and refuse to name a number. 401(k) Gold Group takes the opposite position on its own home page. Metals are sold at a stated 5 percent over the firm's cost. The number sits above the fold and is repeated across the About page.

The firm also runs a rare corporate-side product. Alongside individual gold IRA accounts, it markets gold-backed 401(k) and pension plans to employers, and it advertises that it covers the first five years of plan fees. Most gold IRA dealers do not touch the employer 401(k) plan side of the market at all.

The 5 percent metal markup, read carefully

The 5 percent line is the strongest transparency signal on the site, and it also has a boundary a Texas buyer needs to see clearly. The number describes the coin markup only. It is the spread the firm charges on top of what the firm paid for the metal.

It does not describe the custody fee, the storage fee, the setup fee, or the wire fee. None of those four items are published anywhere on the current pages. A dealer with a low coin markup can still be expensive if the fixed IRA fees are high, and the only way to know is to ask for all five numbers in writing.

The site also compares its delivered pricing favorably to a large online dealer named APMEX. That is a marketing claim, not a fee schedule. Request the exact quoted price on the specific coin you plan to buy, along with the working spot price and the date on the quote.

Beverly Hills office and contact detail

401(k) Gold Group, Inc. lists one physical address on the contact page. That address is 9107 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 450, Beverly Hills, California 90210. The same address appears on the April 2025 press release under the founder's name.

The published phone line is 1-800-637-7886. Stated business hours run Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM Pacific, closed on weekends and all holidays. There is no evening line, no weekend line, and no second branch listed anywhere on the captured pages.

Luji Shofu and the corporate 401(k) pitch

The face of the firm is Luji Shofu. A press release dated April 17, 2025 identifies him as a gold strategist and quotes him on his position that physical gold should be the reserve asset inside employer 401(k) plans. The same release repeats the Beverly Hills address and phone number under his name.

The corporate pitch on the release is specific. The firm offers gold-backed 401(k) and pension plans nationally, and it states that it pays the first five years of plan fees for participating companies. That promise is unusual and worth verifying in writing before any employer signs.

The site also carries a client testimonial from a Santa Monica architect named Kevin Kelly, who names Luji Shofu personally. There is no third-party interview, no independent trade press coverage in the captured pages, and no LinkedIn profile linked from the site.

Self-reported scale and domain history

Two self-reported scale claims sit on the home page. The firm claims 15,000 or more clients trust it, and it dates itself as active since 2012. These figures are not audited on any public page we captured.

The domain history offers a partial corroboration. The Internet Archive holds a snapshot of 401kgoldgroup.com dated January 26, 2013, which is consistent with a 2012 launch. That is a low bar, but it rules out the case of a brand-new website using a legacy claim.

Divide 15,000 clients across roughly 14 years and the implied throughput is about 1,070 clients per year. That is plausible for a small dealer but not verifiable from public data alone.

What is not publicly disclosed

Four items a Texas buyer should ask for in the first call are not visible on the 401(k) Gold Group public pages. The IRA account minimum. The name of the self-directed IRA custodian that holds the account. The name of the depository or vault that stores the metals. The annual fee schedule for custody and storage.

Ask each of these four questions before any application. Get every answer in writing over email. Match the custodian and depository names to their own published websites so you know who is holding your paperwork and your metal.

Bar chart of what 401(k) Gold Group publishes versus what it does not, checked July 5, 2026. Publicly disclosed items counted from 401kgoldgroup.com: HQ address in Beverly Hills, phone line, business hours, founding year 2012, founder name Luji Shofu, pricing spread stated as 5% over cost, three named product coins, corporate 401(k) fee waiver of five years, self-reported client count of 15000. Nine disclosed items total. Not publicly disclosed items counted as blanks on the same site: IRA account minimum, annual custodian fee, annual storage fee, setup fee, wire fee, custodian name, depository name, BBB profile URL, Trustpilot profile URL. Nine undisclosed items total.
What 401(k) Gold Group publishes vs. what it does not, counted from 401kgoldgroup.com on July 5, 2026. Nine items are disclosed on the public site. Nine items a self-directed IRA buyer usually asks for are absent.

Products a Texas IRA can legally hold

The IRS rules on IRA-eligible metals do not change by state. Internal Revenue Code Section 408(m)(3) sets the fineness thresholds. Gold coins and bars must be 0.995 fine or better. Silver must be 0.999 fine. Platinum and palladium must be 0.9995 fine. The American Gold Eagle keeps a specific carve-out at 0.9167 fine.

The About page names three products by picture. The 1 ounce American Gold Buffalo, the 1 ounce American Silver Eagle, and the 1 ounce American Gold Eagle. All three are on the standard eligible list under Section 408(m)(3), and all three are sensible defaults for a first IRA order.

The site does not publish a full catalog of eligible bars and other coins. Ask the sales representative to send the full IRA-eligible list in writing before you commit to a first purchase.

Third-party ratings and accreditation footprint

Third-party rating profiles for 401(k) Gold Group, checked July 5, 2026
PlatformPublic profileNotes
Better Business BureauNo profile locatedbbb.org search returned no result for "401(k) Gold Group"; the Internet Archive holds no snapshot of a BBB profile page for this entity.
Business Consumer AllianceNo profile locatedreport.checkbca.org returned no result for the entity name in our July 2026 check.
TrustpilotNo profile locatedtrustpilot.com/review/401kgoldgroup.com returned no public star rating page during our check.
Google ReviewsNot linked from the siteThe company site does not embed or link to a Google Business profile.

Source. Live searches on bbb.org, report.checkbca.org, trustpilot.com and archive.org, July 5, 2026. Absent profiles are a disclosure gap, not proof of misconduct.

An absent third-party rating profile is not evidence of wrongdoing. It is a gap. A Texas buyer who reads reviews as a signal should ask the sales representative directly for the BBB business identifier and for any third-party rating page the firm considers its own profile.

Regulator database checks

401(k) Gold Group is a retail precious metals dealer. That means the SEC EDGAR filing system will not carry a public quarterly filing for the corporation. FINRA BrokerCheck will not carry a registration record either, because the firm is not selling securities.

A full-text search of SEC EDGAR on July 5, 2026 returned zero hits for the entity name and zero hits for the founder's name, Luji Shofu. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission Registration Deficient List did not include the entity on that date. The California Attorney General public press release archive returned no hit.

A Texas resident should also run the entity name through the Texas State Securities Board investor search before any large transfer. A clean regulator record is a floor, not a ceiling.

How 401(k) Gold Group serves Texas investors

401(k) Gold Group is a Beverly Hills operation with a single California address. There is no Texas branch office, no Texas-registered custodian named on the site, and no partnership with the Texas Bullion Depository referenced anywhere on the captured pages.

For an IRA opened in Texas, the practical setup is that all paperwork moves between Beverly Hills, an unnamed self-directed IRA custodian, and your Texas mailing address. Metals ship to whatever depository the firm uses, and that depository is not named on any public page.

Texas has one distinctive option in this market. The Texas Bullion Depository is a state-chartered facility in Leander that stores gold and silver for private and IRA accounts. Some dealers route Texas clients there. 401(k) Gold Group is not one of them on any public page as of July 5, 2026.

If in-state Texas storage matters to you, ask on the first call whether the firm can route your IRA metals to a Texas Bullion Depository account. If the answer is no, that is a signal to compare against a Texas-native dealer. Texas is a no-state-income-tax state, which does not change the federal IRA rules but does keep more of any taxable distribution in your pocket at retirement.

Opening an account, step by step

  1. Ask for the four unknown numbers in writing. Request the IRA account minimum, the annual custodian fee, the annual storage fee, and any wire or setup charges by email before any application.
  2. Ask for the custodian name and the depository name. Match each name to a licensed self-directed IRA trustee and to a licensed depository. Common depositories are Delaware Depository, Brinks, and IDS of Texas.
  3. Get the 5 percent quote on paper. Request a written coin quote showing the working spot price, the date and time on the quote, the coin name, the fineness, and the 5 percent markup applied.
  4. Fund the account. Roll over a former employer 401(k) or transfer another IRA into the self-directed IRA once the custodian and depository are confirmed. Follow the direct trustee-to-trustee route to avoid a 20 percent mandatory withholding.
  5. Verify the shipment. Match the custodian's confirmation of receipt at the vault to the paid invoice. File both with your tax records for the tax year of the purchase.

A worked example on a 60,000 dollar rollover

Scenario. A 58-year-old Texas retiree rolls $60,000 from a former employer 401(k) to a new self-directed IRA and buys American Gold Eagles through 401(k) Gold Group at a working spot of $2,600 per ounce.

Metal spread. A stated 5 percent markup on the firm's cost pushes the delivered coin price to about $2,730 per ounce, if the firm's cost tracks spot closely. Sixty thousand dollars at that price buys about 21.9 ounces of Gold Eagles before any custody or storage fee.

Recurring cost. If custody and storage together run about $250 per year on a $60,000 balance, that is 0.42 percent per year. On $180,000 the same fixed fees are about 0.14 percent per year. Fixed IRA fees always favor larger balances.

Break the math on your own numbers below.

Texas gold IRA fee-drag calculator

Texas gold IRAs charge mostly flat dollar fees (setup, annual custodian, storage). Flat fees take a much bigger bite out of a small account than a large one. Enter your numbers to see the drag.

Estimate only. Fee amounts vary by provider and are often not published; enter figures you confirm in writing. This tool ignores metal price changes and the dealer spread, which also affect returns. Not financial advice.

Where 401(k) Gold Group is strong and where it is thin

Strong points

  • A published flat 5 percent markup on the coin spread, which is unusual in this category
  • Founder named and publicly attached to the brand, with a dated press release under his name
  • Domain in the Internet Archive since January 2013, consistent with the "since 2012" claim
  • Corporate 401(k) plan side product, with a stated five-year fee coverage for employers
  • Stated business hours, single physical address, and one direct phone line

Thin points

  • No IRA account minimum posted anywhere on the site
  • No custodian name and no depository name published
  • No annual custody or storage fee schedule published
  • No BBB, Business Consumer Alliance, or Trustpilot profile located as of July 5, 2026
  • No Texas office and no Texas Bullion Depository partnership referenced

Verdict for a Texas buyer

401(k) Gold Group is worth a first call if the flat 5 percent coin markup is your primary buying criterion and you are willing to do the fee homework yourself. The number is real, it sits above the fold, and it is repeated across pages. That is more than most dealers publish.

The gaps keep it from being a top pick without heavy follow-up. Four fee unknowns, no custodian name, no depository name, and no third-party rating profile in the usual places all point to the same action. Get every fee in writing, get the custodian and depository names in writing, and compare that written quote to a Texas-native dealer that will store metals in-state at the Texas Bullion Depository.

When 401(k) Gold Group is a bad idea

Do not open an account with any dealer that will not send you a written fee schedule and a named custodian before you sign an application. That rule applies to 401(k) Gold Group and to every other firm in this space. A phone quote is not a fee schedule.

Skip 401(k) Gold Group if in-state Texas Bullion Depository storage is a requirement for you. There is no public evidence that the firm can route IRA metals to a Texas vault. A Texas-native dealer is a cleaner fit for that use case.

Skip the firm if you rely on BBB, Business Consumer Alliance, or Trustpilot as your primary trust filter. No public profile was located on any of the three platforms during our July 5, 2026 check. That is a gap, not proof of misconduct, but for a rating-driven buyer it removes a normal signal.

Frequently asked questions

Is 401(k) Gold Group a real company?

Yes. 401(k) Gold Group, Inc. is a Beverly Hills-based precious metals dealer with a physical address at 9107 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 450, a direct phone line, and a domain archived in the Internet Archive since January 26, 2013. The founder is Luji Shofu, named in an April 17, 2025 press release.

What does the 5 percent over cost markup mean?

The 5 percent number is the coin markup only. It is the spread charged on top of what the firm paid for the metal. It does not describe the custody fee, the storage fee, the setup fee, or any wire charge. Request all five numbers in writing before signing.

What is the IRA account minimum at 401(k) Gold Group?

The company does not publish an IRA account minimum on any public page. Ask the sales representative for the current minimum by email before requesting an application.

Which self-directed IRA custodian does 401(k) Gold Group use?

The captured pages do not name a custodian. Ask the sales representative to name the specific self-directed IRA trustee that will hold your account. Match the answer to a licensed IRA custodian.

Where does 401(k) Gold Group store IRA metals?

The captured pages do not name a depository or vault for IRA metals. Ask the representative on the first call which specific facility holds the metal, and match the answer to a licensed depository name.

Does 401(k) Gold Group work with the Texas Bullion Depository?

No such partnership is referenced on any 401(k) Gold Group page as of July 5, 2026. If in-state Texas storage matters, ask for a written confirmation. A Texas-native dealer is a cleaner path if the answer is no.

Does 401(k) Gold Group have a BBB profile?

We were not able to locate a Better Business Bureau profile for the entity in our July 5, 2026 check. The Internet Archive holds no snapshot of a BBB profile page for the firm either. Absence of a profile is a disclosure gap, not proof of misconduct.

What is the corporate 401(k) plan offering?

The firm markets gold-backed 401(k) and pension plans to employers nationally and states that it covers the first five years of plan fees for participating companies. Any employer considering this offer should verify the fee waiver and the underlying custodian arrangement in writing before signing.

Can I roll over a Texas 401(k) into a 401(k) Gold Group IRA?

The IRS rules for a 401(k) rollover are federal, so the answer is yes in principle. Use a direct trustee-to-trustee route and follow IRS Publication 590-A. Consult your CPA on any Texas-specific tax question.

Sources

  1. 401(k) Gold Group corporate site pages, 401kgoldgroup.com home, About Us, and Contact Us pages, captured July 5, 2026 for entity name, address, phone, pricing model, and product list.
  2. MarketersMedia press release, "Luji Shofu Declares Gold the Foundational Reserve Asset for 401(k) Plans," dated April 17, 2025, at news.marketersmedia.com release ID 89157908.
  3. Internet Archive Wayback Machine CDX index for 401kgoldgroup.com, showing first snapshot dated January 26, 2013, retrieved July 5, 2026.
  4. Securities and Exchange Commission EDGAR full-text search at efts.sec.gov, zero hits for "401k Gold Group" and zero hits for "Luji Shofu" as of July 5, 2026.
  5. Better Business Bureau search on bbb.org, no profile located for the entity as of July 5, 2026.
  6. Business Consumer Alliance search at report.checkbca.org, no profile located for the entity as of July 5, 2026.
  7. Trustpilot at trustpilot.com, no public review page located for 401kgoldgroup.com as of July 5, 2026.
  8. California Attorney General press release archive at oag.ca.gov, zero results for the entity as of July 5, 2026.
  9. Internal Revenue Service, Publication 590-A, Contributions to Individual Retirement Arrangements, irs.gov.
  10. Internal Revenue Service, Publication 590-B, Distributions from Individual Retirement Arrangements, irs.gov.
  11. Internal Revenue Code Section 408(m)(3), fineness rules for IRA-eligible bullion, at law.cornell.edu.
  12. Texas Bullion Depository, official site, texasbulliondepository.gov.
  13. Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts on the Texas Bullion Depository program, comptroller.texas.gov.
  14. Texas State Securities Board investor search, ssb.texas.gov, for complaints or bar orders.
  15. Commodity Futures Trading Commission at cftc.gov, precious metals fraud advisories and Registration Deficient List.

Related Harry's Coins pages

Reviewed by Harry's Coins Editorial. This page is an independent review based on public sources and is not investment, tax, or legal advice. Consult a licensed advisor before any retirement account decision.