Asset Strategies International
1700 Rockville Pike, Suite 450
Rockville, Maryland 20852-1631

Tel: (800) 831-0007
Toll Free: 800-831-0007
Fax: 301-881-8600

Email: support@asipmdirect.com

Please see the full support and contact information on our contact us page.

ASI, incorporated in Rockville, Maryland, US, is a boutique precious metal, foreign currency, and asset protection company. ASI has an impeccable, world-wide reputation for providing fair and honest pricing along with personalized, customer service. They are well known for their words of wisdom, imparted in their weekly email alerts, and monthly newsletter. In addition, ASI is the first precious metal and foreign currency dealer/broker to offer this state of the art platform, enabling their clients to purchase, and sell precious metals on-line.

In 1974, Michael Checkan and Glen Kirsch met at Deak Perera. Eight years later they left, armed with an arsenal of experience and a mission to help clients diversify their assets using the precious metals markets. In 1982, Michael Checkan and his business partner, Glen Kirsch, created International Financial Consultants now known as Asset Strategies International (ASI).

In 1996, Glen O. Kirsch, Michael Checkan and Rich Checkan identified another need and began to develop a Precious Metal Certificate Program with the Perth Mint in Australia. In 1997, they became one of only eight approved dealers in the world to sell the Perth Mint Certificate - the only government guaranteed precious metal certificate program in the world.

With more than 80 years combined experience, as of 2010, Michael and Glen’s partnership complimented each other’s area of expertise. But, in the summer of 2010, Glen unexpectedly passed away. In testimony to Glen’s mentoring, the staff at ASI was able to continue servicing clients, and they continue his and Michael’s vision to this day.

ASI has partnered with several leading London Bullion Market Association approved dealers to purchase precious metals on behalf of its customers.

ASI works with several dealers to ensure our customers receive our best price.

ASI offers gold, silver, platinum and palladium bars manufactured by LBMA recognized refiners and sovereign coins, as well as 90% silver, also known as junk silver. Please go to our products page for a complete listing.

The storage fee is .75% annually for gold platinum and palladium and .85% for silver.

Only in certain rare cases, such as delivery orders to some U.S. states where bullion is a taxable good. Read our sales tax guide to learn when and why we charge sales tax on bullion purchases and if you’re affected.

The Good Delivery specification is a set of rules issued by the London Bullion Market Association (LBMA) describing the physical characteristics of gold and silver bars used in settlement in the wholesale London bullion market. These bars are notable for their large size and high purity.

Currently, precious metals are stored on behalf of clients in protected and insured vaults in New York, Salt Lake City, Zurich, and London. In the future, ASI may offer other storage locations based on security and customer preferences. ASI has partnered with approved third party vaulting partners to provide storage, insurance and transportation services.

Precious metal holdings are audited on a daily basis by our approved vaulting partners. An audit report containing bar lists is sent to ASI by our vaulting partners. In addition, an internationally recognized "Big Four" auditing firm audits all of the precious metal holdings on a quarterly basis. Precious metal bar holdings are confirmed with ASI and individual holdings are reported to each client.

ASI stores precious metals on an “allocated” basis. Allocated means the precious metal is held in the vault specifically on behalf of each client. The client has the right to confirm their holdings.

ASI strives to settle orders within 2 business days following their execution. In the unlikely case that ASI is unable to purchase or sell precious metal bars totaling the exact order amount, the Broker will only be required to pay (in the case of a purchase) or will only receive (in the case of a sale) the amount due or received in connection with the executed transaction.

When purchase or sale orders are placed and ASI cannot match precious metal bars from a Precious Metal Supplier or the Retail Client, as applicable, exactly to the dollar amount, ASI will use its reasonable discretion to execute the transaction as close as possible to the dollar amount.

Only certain bars have unique serial numbers. We only send serial numbers for variable weight bars. The stamp on most bars are stamps from the refiner and are not unique identifying numbers. Bars with unique serial numbers include 100oz and 400oz. gold bars and 1000oz. silver bars – and all three are considered “variable weight” bars. When a client purchases a bar with a unique serial number, they will maintain ownership of that particular bar. All others are allocated.

With ASIPMDirect's secure online portal, opening an account is fast and convenient. Once your application is approved, you can remit funds and start trading immediately.

There is no upfront cost for establishing your ASI PM Direct relationship. You can then remit funds at any time, and for any amount.

ASI offers Individual, Joint, Corporate, Partnership, Sole Proprietorship, LLC, and Trust relationships.

No, retirement funds must be kept separate for tax purposes. In order to utilize retirement funds, you will need to establish a separate trading account in the name of your IRA.

Please allow 24 hours from the time of submission for the new IRA to be established with Equity Trust Company. If Equity Trust Company requires any additional information for the establishment of your new IRA, a representative will contact you within that 24 hours period.

IRA to IRA transfers typically take 5-7 business days, depending on the turnaround time of the firm from which the funds are being transferred from. Rollovers from employer sponsored plans typically take 10-15 business days, depending on the turnaround time of the current plan administrator.

As with a personal trading account, you will have full trading authority over the assets. However all deposits to the IRA and all distributions from the IRA must be processed through and reported by Equity Trust Company (IRA administrator).

There are three methods of depositing funds to your IRA trading account. You may transfer funds from any existing IRA, you may rollover funds from a previous employer plan (i.e. 401k, 403b, 457) or you may make an annual contribution to the IRA.

For more information on making a deposit, see the “Funding” tab

Yes, you may take physical possession of your metal at any time. In-kind distributions from your IRAs are reportable to the IRS. The market value that will be reported on your 1099R is the previous day’s closing price of that product.

An IRA transfer is the movement of funds from one IRA trustee/custodian directly to another trustee/custodian. You can request as many transfers as you like each year; transfers are tax-free, and there are no waiting periods between transfers. IRA transfers are not reportable on your tax return.

An IRA transfer is initiated by completing the accepting custodian’s IRA transfer paperwork. Once the paperwork is submitted, the accepting custodian will initiate the transfer on your behalf. Transfers between trustees/custodians typically take 5-7 business days.

A “direct rollover” is the movement of retirement funds directly from a previous employer plan to a traditional IRA. A direct rollover is initiated by the plan participant(employee) and is typically initiated by completing the employer’s “direct rollover” form. The current administrator/employer is not required to withhold federal taxes on direct rollovers to a qualified IRA.

An “indirect rollover”, in contrast, is a distribution to you of assets from one retirement plan that you then contribute to an IRA. To avoid taxes on the distribution, the funds must be deposited back into an IRA within 60 days of receipt of the distribution. If the distribution from a qualified plan is made directly to you, the payer must withhold 20 percent for taxes. You can avoid the withholding by initiating a “direct rollover” to an IRA.

No, transactions made within the IRA are not subject to taxation. No annual IRS reporting is required by the IRA holder for trades made within the IRA.

Only distributions (withdrawals) from the IRA are reportable to the IRS. Taxable distributions from an IRA will be reported to both the IRA holder and the IRS by the IRA custodian (Equity Trust Company)

The IRS requires that IRA assets be held by a qualified custodian; an individual may not act as an IRA custodian. The IRA custodian/administrator is also responsible for all recordkeeping and IRS reporting for the IRA. The custodian will track any contributions, rollovers and transfers made to the account. They will also record any distributions that you take as well as any investments that you make through your IRA.

There are two require annual IRS filings (Form 1099 and 5498) that the custodian will provide to both the IRA holder and the IRS. The 1099 will show any distributions taken from your IRA. Form 5498 shows any contributions made to the account throughout the year, as well as the Fair Market Value of your account.

Equity Trust Company charges an annual administration fees of $100. Administration fees are charged on the establishment date of the retirement account and each year after.

ASI provides the ability to purchase a fractional amount of gold and/or silver on a monthly basis. WAP will automatically pull funds via ACH from a bank account you specify to fund the allocation amount you setup. On the 24th of the month ASI will purchase the allocation amount specified and credit your account with the newly acquired position

ASI offers you the following product options to be purchased within this plan: Gold 1Kg's, Gold Canadian Maple Leafs coins, Gold 1 oz bars, and Silver 100oz bars.

The allocation date is the date in which we execute your order for the fractional product(s) specified in the WAP Settings. This will occur on 11/25/2024.

If you elect to fund this plan via ACH your bank account will be debited within approximately two business days after the 16th of the month.

You can convert your fractional allocated product into a whole bar position when the quantity of unallocated ounces is equal to our greater than the amount of fine ounces backing your product.

On the portfolio page an option to convert the product is displayed when you have an unallocated position equal to our greater than the amount of fine ounces backing your product.

All products in this program will be stored in our New York vault.

An UTMA is a good way to let minors own assets besides stocks, bonds, or mutual funds – which are generally more difficult for them to own.

Nearly any type of asset can be invested in an UTMA account, including (but not limited to) real estate, equities, and physical commodities.

The custodian who is designated at the time of the creation of an UTMA account manages the assets. Only one custodian may be designated per an UTMA account.

No. From the creation of the account through the final transfer to the minor, the assets are considered the child’s property.

Depending on your tax status, there may be donation restrictions. Speak to a registered tax advisor for more information regarding your personal status.

No. While the assets are usually used for college, the minor can use the funds for whatever they would like with no penalty.

No. All transfers to an UTMA account are irrevocable.