SmartMetalsInvestorKit PDF

SmartMetals
INVESTOR KIT
SmartMetals INVESTOR KIT
Dear Reader, Thank you for requesting a SmartMetalsTM Investor Kit from the Hard Assets Alliance. Inside you will find a number of resources to help you find the right solution for buying, selling, and storing precious metals. First, The Best Ways to Buy, Store, and Sell Precious Metals: A Comparative Analysis is a report outlining the relative merits of different ways to buy, store, and sell precious metals. There are many options in the market today to hold gold, silver, and other metals, and we encourage you to take the time to consider which one is right for your situation. We are confident that in most cases a SmartMetalsTM account will provide you with the most options at the best price: delivery or storage, global options, and liquidity. But learn for yourself just how they stack up before you make your decision. Second, weve included a handy guide to the most frequently asked questions we receive about a SmartMetalsTM account. Last, weve included links to important resources on our website, contact information for customer service to answer any additional questions you may have, and all the forms you need to open an account if you choose to do so. As a bonus, in celebration of our public debut, we are waiving the normal account opening fee of $35.00. However, you must open and fund your account by August 31, 2012 to qualify for this offer. The Hard Assets Alliance is committed to providing you with the most versatile, convenient, and secure precious metals ownership experience possible. Open a SmartMetalsTM account today at:
WWW.HARDASSETSALLIANCE.COM
Sincerely,
Olivier Garret CEO, Hard Assets Alliance
http://www.hardassetsalliance.com
Table of Contents
The Best Ways to Buy, Store, and Sell Precious Metals: A Comparative Analysis Owning Gold When You Want ToNot Have To A Crash Course in Gold Ownership Paper vs. Physical Metal How to Buy Physical Gold Storage Options Internationalization Reporting Regulations and Sales Considerations (US Investors) Offshore Storage Facilities Top Recommendation: The Hard Assets Alliance Your Questions Answered FAQs on Selling Shipping Storage Facilities My Account Other Get Started Today! Important Resources 4 4 5 5 8 8 9 10 12 13 17 24 26 27 29 30 31 32
The Best Ways to Buy, Store, and Sell Precious Metals: A Comparative Analysis
As an astute investor, you already understand that the need to own gold and silver becomes more pressing with each passing day. At first, a small stash of gold is held as a value-dense, portable, and easy to conceal hedge against any number of crisis scenarios: currency controls, bank holidays, civil uprisings, or a rapid spike in consumer prices. But as confidence in central banks, paper currencies, and government debt continues to erode, upping ones gold holding seems wise. Easy enough decision, yet questions about what to buy, and where and how to store it, soon become pressing as your hoard expands. The number of options is daunting and growing, so how does the precious metals investor know which are best? Thats an important question. Lacking skillful planning, you could find yourself with a coin menagerie that doesnt meet your particular needs... or selecting a storage facility with questionable integrity or poor oversight. You might overpay... or be stuck without an easy or cost-effective exit strategy. This special report is devoted to answering these questions. By the time youve finished reading it, youll be familiar with the options best suited to your circumstances, and know the steps you can and should take right away.
Owning Gold When You Want To Not Have To

Gold preserves wealth. It has served as money for thousands of years. It has been historys premier life raft. If you can carry your wealth with you when you must, you may survive where others perish. Moreover, gold is the ultimate insurance policy against the ravages of inflation. As more and more citizens wise up to the irresponsible and reckless US (and worldwide) monetary and fiscal policies, they will increasingly turn to gold, which will make it much harder to acquire. Thats what happens during periods of strain, such as the financial sector meltdown in 2007-08. At that time, gold buyers were forced to pay between a 9%-15% premium over the spot price to buy coins when they could find them. Shipping delays of 30-60 days were the norm and lags up to four months were not uncommon. There were days when suppliers simply advised dealers not to sell, because no one could promise when, or even if, orders would be filled.

When the next crisis hits and globally, national governments actions virtually guarantee one its possible that gold will be unavailable at any price. At that point, it will be too late to add sufficient precious metals to your portfolio to protect your wealth and your standard of living. You cant buy flood insurance to recover after the deluge has hit.
Hold at least 10% of investable assets in physical gold and silver.
A Crash Course in Gold Ownership

Gold is not spandex. One size of ownership will not fit all buyers. There are various options to holding the metal, and each will meet differing objectives and personal circumstances, including: How much to own, and where and how to store it Use as a speculation and hedge against currency devaluation As a way to hold wealth in tangible assets As a means of wealth preservation To achieve international asset diversification As money for family emergencies or in times of crisis Or all of the above. Each goal will be met by selecting the appropriately structured gold-ownership vehicle. Lets take a look at the options.
Paper vs. Physical Metal

The first decision is whether to own physical gold or paper gold.
PHYSICAL
Physical gold is where everyone should start. After all, coins and bars have been the store of wealth for millennia not paper receipts fraught with counterparty risk. Bullion is real money, and every investor should own a meaningful amount of gold and silver bullion regardless of portfolio size.

Coin selection is largely a matter of personal appeal, though we recommend each investor start with the most popular bullion coins: the Australian Nugget (Kangaroo), Austrian Philharmonic, Canadian Maple Leaf, South African Krugerrand, and the US Gold Eagle. The Canadian, Austrian, and Australian coins are all pure gold (.9999 fine); the Krugerrand and Eagle (both .9166 fine) are alloyed with copper and silver/copper respectively. The Krugerrand tends to sell at a lower premium than the others and the Eagle higher, but all five contain the same full ounce of gold. One-ounce bars are another option and typically have lower premiums than coins. However, only buy bars that bear a universally recognized hallmark. Bars fabricated by little-known refineries might be hard to resell, and the buyer must also contend with counterfeit risk. A future buyer will want to see the stamp of a reputable refiner, such as AGR Matthey, Argor-Heraeus, Credit Suisse, Emirates Gold, Heraeus, PAMP, UBS, Umicore, or Valcambi. Several of the above coins are minted in half-, quarter-, and tenth-ounce versions. Fractional-ounce coins generally sell for higher premiums than their one-ounce siblings, and some buyers avoid them for that reason. But smaller weight coins could be very handy for transactions that dont require a full ounce of gold. In a strong bull market and with a reputable dealer, youll likely get a good chunk of that premium back when you sell. We would avoid commemorative, rare, collectible, and numismatic coins, as dealers can ask indefensible premiums. Unless you are willing to learn about coin collecting, buyer beware. Large bullion bars are the choice for those with deep pockets; they also sell for the lowest premium per ounce. Due to their high value, they are almost always stored in a secure vault. The top three weights are 1 kilogram (32.15 troy ounces), 100 ounces, and 400 ounces. (Precious metal is measured in troy ounces that are different than the avoirdupois ounces used to measure things like food; 16 ounces of butter equal 14.58 troy ounces.)
PAPER, NON-REDEEMABLE
Paper forms of gold are abundant these days, broadly divided into those that are redeemable for physical metal and those that arent. Among the latter are exchange-traded funds, or ETFs. By far the largest and best known of these is the SPDR Gold Trust (NYSE.GLD). Each GLD share represents approximately one-tenth of an ounce of gold held in the companys London vault and is priced accordingly. GLD offers easy exposure to the gold price through your equities broker, and the commissions will likely be lower than the purchase premiums for physical metal. If you simply want to play the trend and book some paper profits, this is a convenient way to do it. However, there are caveats. Theoretically, shares can be converted into physical metal, but the conditions attached make that all but impossible for the individual investor, and the company reserves the right to settle requests for physical delivery in cash. In addition, the rather opaque wording in the companys prospectus has critics questioning whether some of the trusts underlying assets might be paper gold instead of bullion (the company denies this). And finally, the companys operating expenses are paid by selling bullion, so the gold

value of a share is declining slightly every day. A popular second option is closed-end funds (CEFs), the best known being the Central Fund of Canada (NYSE. CEF). Like ETFs, these are traded on major exchanges, are backed by vaulted bullion, and should not be considered a substitute for physical ownership. CEFs are another paper way to ride the precious metal trend. The main difference between closed-end and exchanged traded funds is that ETFs move gold into and out of its vaults as shares are created and redeemed in tandem with rising or falling demand. CEFs buy physical metal and keep it; hence the number of shares outstanding remains constant. Accordingly, shares dont necessarily mimic the price of gold. Instead, the share price responds to demand and thus can trade at a premium or discount to the net asset value (NAV) of the underlying precious metal holdings. A gold CEF will outperform physical gold in a strong bull market, as mounting investor demand collides with a static number of available shares and causes a premium to emerge, but it can fare poorly in a bear market, as demand falls away.
Gold funds can be part of a precious metal investment strategy. However, they are not substitutes for physical ownership. PAPER, REDEEMABLE
Many gold dealers offer gold held in a pooled account, and two ownership structures are available: allocated and unallocated. Both offer delivery of the physical metal. An unallocated account means you dont have title to any specific coins or bars, but instead have fractional ownership of the total pool of metal together with other investors. Allocated accounts mean you own specific coins and bars within the total pool of metal. If you intend to regularly trade in and out of gold and never plan to take delivery, pooled accounts might make sense for part of your portfolio. The metal is purchased for a smaller premium than for physical, and most vendors offer guaranteed buyback that makes selling your metal quick and easy. Unallocated accounts tend to be the cheapest purchase option and often come with low or zero storage fees. Vendor reputation is critical, as the relationship is based on trust that the metal will be there should you opt for delivery, and thats not a certainty since you have no clear title to specific property (here, too, contract terms may permit the dealer to elect a cash payout in certain circumstances). Also, opting for delivery from a pooled account requires a fabrication fee. The fee and fabrication delays can be substantial depending on market conditions. A third option is a fully segregated account where specific lots of coins and/or bars are held in your name. No fractional ownership. No pooling. A segregated account does not incur delivery fabrication fees, but storage charges are typically very high.
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How to Buy Physical Gold

Your local coin shop is a convenient place to buy physical gold anonymously, but thats also where you will pay the highest premiums. The US Mint makes a few coins (mainly Buffaloes) available for direct purchase, though theyre usually proof sets that carry a much higher premium. You could buy on eBay, where youll save some premium cost and tax, but it comes with all the usual eBay caveats of seller integrity and product authenticity. For large coin purchases, you will want someone who specializes in precious metals and who has built a strong track record of honesty and reliability. You can conduct your own due diligence on dealer selection, or you can consider this list of dealers that we have found to be trustworthy. Although price should not be your only consideration, you can certainly shop around for the lowest commissions or special offers. For multiple purchases over time, it pays to establish a personal relationship with someone at the firm who will call you if an especially good buy crops up: Miles Franklin The Coin Agent Border Gold GoldSilver.com Asset Strategies International These dealers can also arrange the purchase of large bullion bars. If the purchase is made with the intent to store the bar, its advisable not to take physical delivery yourself (for safetys sake if nothing else). Instead, choose one of our bullion storage options to maintain an unbroken chain of custody and avoid the cost of an assay down the road.
Storage Options
IN HOME
One option is back yard burial (properly sealed PVC pipe is a popular choice). Subterranean gold is fairly secure, and it keeps your metal close at hand for fast access. Drawbacks include amnesia dont forget where X marks the spot and nosy neighbors. Best that you do some regular digging in the yard so the neighbors dont think twice about your new gardening hobby. And dont forget to tell one trusted person the location of your cache. A home safe is another option. One thats built into your house and concealed is best. Otherwise, get something

too heavy for a burglar to carry off. You can also create hidey holes out of ordinary household objects and hope that your burglar hasnt been watching a lot of YouTube videos that would blow your cover. Keep in mind that all in-home options are vulnerable to a determined intruder. We recommend you keep a few coins at home for an emergency, but more than that and your next step is going offsite for storage.
OFFSITE
A bank safe deposit box is the traditional storage solution for people whose holdings stop short of 400-ounce bars. Theyre usually close, relatively convenient, and generally safe from thieves. But as with every option, theyre not risk-free. Safe deposit box contents are not insured against fire, theft, or natural disasters like tornadoes and floods; if your gold is stolen or borne aloft on a high wind, youre out of luck. If the bank goes belly up, or a bank holiday is declared, it may be difficult or entail long delays to regain access to your box. In the event of a new government confiscation (such as happened in 1933), safe deposit boxes could be frozen. Once your gold holding outgrows your safe deposit box or the amount you hold signals its time to diversify, the next step is to consider the most secure storage of all: a private, precious-metals vaulting facility. There are a number of private vaults in the US. Occasionally, bullion dealers will offer storage for metal purchased through them at one of the vaults, relieving you of the necessity of physically handling the goods. These are all viable options, and you can research them to determine if theyre a good fit for you. But eventually, anyone with a significant amount of gold will come to realize that keeping it all in one place means assuming serious risks. When that day comes for you, we recommend diversifying your holdings by moving a portion of them outside your political jurisdiction.
Internationalization
First off, under no circumstance do we advise that you attempt to carry gold coins or bullion across a border. While it could go smoothly and it is legal the risks are too high. We know of numerous stories of travelers whose gold or silver was confiscated by an aggressive or ignorant customs agent. US federal government rules and regulations are murky, to say the least and far too complicated to go into here. Dont forget that the destination country will have its own set of regulations that control the importation of gold, too. And, of course, if anyone sees your metal, you become a prime theft target. No personal physical transport is your best bet. There are a host of reasons to consider holding precious metal in a foreign location. First among them is to achieve jurisdictional diversification. Keeping your assets in one country, subject to the whims of a single government, poses the greatest threat to your wealth today. Going global now with your assets helps mitigate four

serious risks to your financial health: onfiscationorOutlawing of personal gold ownership. C Capital Controls the government limits or denies a citizens right to carry or send any form of money abroad. Administrative Actions seizure of property by a government agency without notice or due process. Becoming enmeshed in a frivolous civil lawsuit. urrencydebasement/inflation that will lower ones standard of living and destroy wealth not adC equately protected. Understand, however, that these risks can be reduced, not eliminated. There is no perfect solution. Nonetheless, political diversity is an essential element of an overall protection strategy against an uncertain future. Be aware, though, that foreign-held assets require greater awareness and planning: Access to your metal may not be quick and easy. Foreign-held bullion is for those with sufficient gold and silver already stored at or near home. Storing all your precious metals overseas defeats one of its purposes to have it handy for an emergency. The receipt of proceeds after a sale will take time. The delay between selling your foreign-held gold and receiving the funds can be days. Offshore gold should not be considered as ready cash. While the US may pose the greatest threat, a foreign government could move to control certain assets as well. The risk varies by country and is generally greater within the banking system than with a private vaulting facility. Evaluate a country before making a selection. Choose a location with a history of strong depositor protection, governed by the rule of law, and solid property rights and select a vault with the highest reputation. Understanding and complying with reporting requirements is essential. More below. The bottom line: gold stored abroad is all about minimizing risks and maximizing options. As your metal holdings grow and governments become increasingly desperate, diversification becomes increasingly important.
Move A Portion of Your Gold Offshore.
Reporting Regulations and Sales Considerations (US Investors)

According to the Bank Secrecy Act of 1970 and modifications imposed by the PATRIOT Act, all cash (or other monetary instrument) transactions in excess of $10,000 must be reported to the government. This applies to transactions involving banks, securities brokers, car dealers, airline ticket agents, and a long list of others including precious metals dealers.

If you want to keep your gold purchases private, youll have to limit your buys to less than $10,000 per year. (The seller must keep track of all annual business he does with you.) And dont even think of trying to evade the law by picking up $9,000 worth from one dealer and a like amount from another. Thats also a crime, called structuring, and people have been prosecuted for it. So you have to buy in small lots, spread out over time. Or An interesting exception involves personal checks, which are not considered the same as cash at least not at the moment. Thus, if you want to buy more than $10,000 worth of gold at a pop, do so with a personal check and your bullion dealer is not required to report it. (That doesnt mean he wont; it pays to know the people you do business with.) If you pay by cash, travelers check, bank check, wire, or money order, he is. However, regulations are constantly changing, so consult your dealer for the latest information. Reporting when you buy or sell is the domestic situation. But what about foreign-held metal? Thats a bit more complicated.
THE FBAR AND FORM 8938

Until fairly recently, gold stored abroad by US citizens was nobodys business but the owners. That changed in March of 2011, when amendments to FBAR (Treasury Department Form TD F 90-22.1, Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts) reporting took effect. Under most circumstances, American holders of offshore bullion must report it on this form and file it annually with the Treasury Dept. Further, in 2011 a new reporting regime was introduced: IRS Form 8938, Statement of Specified Foreign Financial Assets. Like the FBAR, under most circumstances Americans with foreign-held bullion must report it on Form 8938 and file it along with their annual tax reporting to the IRS. The FBAR covers foreign financial accounts; Form 8938 covers foreign financial assets. The combination of these two forms leaves very little wiggle room to escape the reporting of foreign-held bullion. You are required to submit an 8938 if you have assets in a foreign financial institution. However, you do not have to report financial accounts maintained by a US payer (such as a US domestic financial institution), the foreign branch of a US financial institution, or the US branch of a foreign financial institution. This is an important distinction. One option for holding bullion is the use of a foreign bank safe deposit box or a private vault. Are these methods of storage reportable? It appears that storing bullion in a private foreign vault is not subject to the reporting requirement. However, it is not 100% clear if bullion stored in a foreign bank safe deposit box is reportable. Clarification from the IRS regarding reporting is ongoing, and definitive answers are hopefully forthcoming.

Caution: never take any course of action that is designed simply to evade government regulations. This report is not intended, nor should it be considered, as a legal interpretation of any reporting requirements. Consult a qualified tax accountant or attorney for guidance. When in doubt, its always safer to report than not. A word about sales While it would be nice if the sale of gold were subject to taxation at the ordinary capital gains rate, like stocks, that is not the case. Gold despite its fundamental differences from a Van Gogh, Ming vase, or baseball cards is considered a collectible. And that applies to bullion as well as numismatic coins. When you sell, your profit will be taxed at the collectibles rate, currently 28%, rather than the 15% assessed on capital gains (though the rate may be headed up in 2013). Furthermore, the collectibles rate falls on paper forms of gold as well, including pooled accounts, ETFs, and shares of gold-backed securities like the Central Fund of Canada. In sum, the relationship between gold ownership and government reporting and taxation is a tangled web. For that reason alone, it makes sense to seek out ways to hold at least a portion of your metal in its most hassle-free form.
Diversify internationally, but seek ways to maintain confidentiality and minimize complexity.
Offshore Storage Facilities

There are an increasing number of international storage programs from which to choose, but some are better than others. Here are the important criteria to consider: Safety. A highly secure, fully insured and audited vault is paramount. Non-bank, vaulted storage. Private vaulting facilities are not subject to bankers hours, the sudden declaration of a bank holiday, or systemic risks within the financial sector. Segregated/allocated storage. No commingled holdings with other customers. Competitive fees. The lowest-cost program is not always the best solution. You shouldnt make tradeoffs between cost and safety. However, do look for comparable solutions and try not to overpay. Convenience. A straightforward, unencumbered program that offers the ability to liquidate and/or take delivery of your holdings at any time. Among offshore vaulting options, Switzerland is home to several and is arguably the worlds best storage jurisdiction, owing to its long, unbroken history of respect for private property. But locations like Hong Kong, Singapore, and Australia are also attracting growing numbers of depositors.

Finding the alternative thats best for you requires that you do substantial due diligence. It may mean considerable work to arrange for the transport of the metal to your chosen storage facility. Taking delivery can be costly and involve your presence at certain stages. And you could be responsible for filing the requisite paperwork with the government or face serious penalties. But is there one storage option that stands above the crowd, combining the benefits of foreign storage without the drawbacks? Yes.
Top Recommendation: The Hard Assets Alliance

Historically, there have been difficulties in owning and storing bullion, and not just outside the country. A lot of people want to own gold without having to handle it. Thus, many investors have opted out of physical metal and embraced ETFs like GLD as bullion proxies, due to the sheer ease of trading. But there, you dont own the real thing, and you gain none of the international diversification that is becoming critical. Others would like to escape paper holdings, but find their choices to be daunting, complex, expensive, or opaque. The optimal solution is one that: lets you buy and sell as easily as with paper gold gives ownership in real bullion in an allocated account comes with full transparency and safety stores gold internationally but offers domestic delivery has access to competitive prices exempts the owner from US government reporting requirements The Hard Assets Alliance (HAA) fills the bill on all counts. Heres how The Alliance employs Gold Bullion International (GBI). GBI is an institutional precious metals dealer that enables its clients to conveniently and directly buy, store, and sell gold, silver, platinum, and palladium. The program has already caught the attention of some big names in the financial industry. A June 25 Forbes article states: From its Manhattan headquarters, three-year-old GBI aims to bring liquidity and transparency to a market where buying and selling, by the small investors, are [sic]dominated by Cash for Gold merchants and sketchy coin dealers. GBI is not a broker-dealer, nor is it a bank, but like other startups it is using technology to disrupt an inefficient niche in financial services.
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Fully allocated, divided interest registered in your name. Simply select a bullion product and place your order online. In minutes the physical metal is yours and yours alone. Purchase premiums among the best in the industry. GBI uses 14 leading London Bullion Market Association approved/recognized dealers to purchase metal. GBI bids your order to this basket of dealers, and they compete for your business, ensuring that you get the very best available price. World-class storage. GBI has partnered with LBMA-approved vaults for storage, insurance, and transportation services to its customers. All precious metal transportation and storage is fully insured through Lloyds of London. The allocated private accounts are verified by an independent accounting firm, with holdings and valuations reported daily. Highly meticulous auditing protocol. Holdings are audited internally on a daily basis. An audit report containing bar lists is sent to GBI by each of the vaulting partners, confirming precious metal holdings on an aggregate basis. GBI then matches the storage facility reports with its own internal reports to verify customer inventory. Customers individual holdings are posted online and can be viewed at any time. In addition, KPMG, an internationally recognized accounting firm, reviews precious metal holdings quarterly. No risky business. Because GBI is not a broker/dealer, it does not engage in any derivative, hedging, nor other paper trading activities. All trades are executed immediately in cash. Take delivery with one phone call. Simply call HAA and arrange delivery almost anywhere in the world. Shipping will occur within 24-48 hours of the order. (Note that if you take delivery of a bullion bar, once it leaves the depository the LBMAapproved chain of custody is broken, and an assay may be necessary when you sell.) Exempt from US reporting requirements. As a domestic institution, GBIs US customers are exempt from both the FBAR and Form 8938 filing requirements if offshore metal storage is elected. GBIs Advisory Board has a whos-who of big names: Arthur Levitt, former chairman of the Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC); General Wesley Clark, former four-star general of the US Army and former NATO Supreme Allied Commander; John Hathaway, senior managing director of the Tocqueville Funds; and Dan Tapiero, cofounder of AgCoa, the first US farmland REIT.
One caveat: HAA does not hold the advantage that use of a foreign supplier would i.e., your account could become subject to seizure by a US court or agency, whereas that process is much more difficult if your metal is held by a native company in a foreign country. However, if your asset-protection priorities change, you can take delivery at a foreign location of your choice.
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Heres a breakdown of the available metals, storage locations and fees, transaction costs, and delivery options:
THE HARD ASSETS ALLIANCE

Website Metals Available Storage Locations Minimum for Purchase and Delivery Minimum for Purchase and Storage Buy Fees Sell Fees Shipping Fees Physical International Delivery? Storage Fees (annual) HardAssetsAlliance.com Gold, silver, platinum, palladium New York, Salt Lake City, Melbourne, London, Zurich (Singapore coming soon) US$5,000 US$10,000 Gold 1.7-3%; silver 3.5% or less Same as buy fees FedEx or UPS fees, no surcharge added Yes Up to $100,000 in assets: 0.70% gold, palladium, platinum; 0.80% silver $100,001-$500,000 in assets: 0.65% gold, palladium, platinum; 0.75% silver $500,001-$1,000,000 in assets: 0.60% gold, palladium, platinum; 0.70% silver $1,000,001+ in assets: 0.50% gold, palladium, platinum; 0.60% silver
The Hard Assets Alliance offers real bullion ownership, with the ease of online buying, selling, and delivery capabilities. A comprehensive checklist of HAA advantages: A note about storage fees: Simple to buy and sell everything can be done online As with many deposito Open an account in a few hours no need to submit notarized copies of ries, storage fees are based multiple documents on the value of the stored Easy to fund with a check or bank wire (ACH transfer should be availmetal. This means that the able in the summer of 2012) storage bill will rise or fall alongside the price of the Highly liquid transactions accomplished with the click of a mouse metal. While other vendors Transportation and storage are handled for you (charges apply) may calculate charges based Accurately assayed on the number of ounces Unencumbered ownership investors retain full title of the bullion stored, this is a temporary advantage. As bullion prices Fully insured all bullion stored by GBI is 100% insured through rise, these facilities will be Lloyds of London forced to increase their insur Physical audits GBI uses a Big Four accounting firm (KPMG) for ance coverage. In turn, the physical verification of every bar stored higher insurance costs will Geographic diversification store assets outside ones home country be passed to customers with No US reporting of foreign financial assets (FBAR and Form 8938) higher storage costs.
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Physical delivery elect physical delivery of bullion at any time, guaranteed within 48 hours, and sent to most countries around the world (charges apply) Cost effective precious metals are acquired from up to 14 competing dealers that sell LBMA-recognized brands, ensuring some of the lowest prices available in the market Very competitive fees Low minimum investment ($5,000 for delivery; $10,000 for storage) Limited regulatory risk Gold bullion is not subject to changes in regulatory oversight by the CFTC Excellent storage locations New York, Salt Lake City, Melbourne (Australia), London, Zurich (and soon Singapore) The Hard Assets Alliance is a far more attractive alternative than GLD and other paper forms of precious metals. Its just as easy to trade, yet you have the security of knowing you own specific physical metal, stored at a location of your choice (including internationally!), and you can take possession of your metal at any time.
Set up an account by visiting hardassetsalliance.com or by calling 877-727-7387.

With ballooning government debts, runaway fiscal deficits, and myriad stimulus and money-printing schemes worldwide, the need to own gold and silver becomes more pressing with each passing day. Take the easy step of using this exciting new service to protect your familys finances.
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Your Questions Answered

About the Hard Assets Alliance
What is the Hard Assets Alliance?
The Hard Assets Alliance is an industry association of well-known and trusted economic and investment research firms that have as a core mandate to help clients and readers better understand prevailing economic trends and how to invest. After doing their own due diligence on SmartMetals and concluding that it truly is a breakthrough in how investors should buy, sell, and store precious metals, they agreed to participate in an alliance that has been formed for the specific purpose of spreading the word about this innovation. At this moment, members include Casey Research, Sovereign Society, Agora Financial, Mauldin Economics, and International Man and the list is literally growing every day. In exchange for specific services rendered as members of the Alliance, these firms receive variable compensation from the Hard Assets Alliance, LLC, the company that owns the SmartMetals trading platform, but because its low-cost structure is a major feature of the program, such commissions are very modest and do not affect the prices paid by clients.
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Okay, lets talk price. How is the pricing of my purchases or sales established?
When you create a new order, we communicate electronically with our supplier network to get real-time pricing for the metal, quantity, and selection youve chosen. We have no fewer than four suppliers in each region in which we offer storage/sales, and their offers are compared against each other to provide you with the best price available in that region. Your buy price is presented on the order confirmation screen and is only locked in when you subsequently submit your order.
How competitive are the prices available through the SmartMetals account?
Extremely. When you take into account the flexibility the international storage and delivery options that your SmartMetals account is allocated and not a pool or paper gold the convenience and competitive

bidding on your metals orders (both on the buy and sell side), the value cant be beat. Of course, you may see a bullion coin offering advertised by others that is even less expensive but these are invariably loss leaders offered by high-pressure, high-priced coin dealers who will subsequently inundate you with offers for semi-numismatic coins or other modern rarities, a misnomer if there ever was one. With a SmartMetals account, you can count on consistently getting the best possible execution and very competitive pricing for your purchases, sales, and storage.
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How often do you update your pricing?
All prices are updated continuously in real time during market hours. That way you can be assured when you place an order that you never pay more than the price you are quoted. Orders placed outside market hours are automatically converted to an under or limit order, and so when trading opens once again, you can be certain youll never pay more than the quoted price.
What is the cost of storage?
Storage rates depend on the quantity of metals you wish to store the larger the amount of metals, the lower the fees. Regardless, at any level they are very competitive, ranging from 0.5% to 0.7% per year for gold, and 0.6% to 0.8% for silver. Storage costs are the same in all of our vaults.
How does the storage fee work?
Annual fees are billed quarterly and automatically withdrawn from your cash account. If no cash is present, you will be notified. If you subsequently fail to respond to requests to pay your storage fees in a timely matter (and dont worry, theres a 30-day grace period), then, as you would expect, the Hard Assets Alliance retains the right to redeem the amount of your holdings required to pay for storage.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP NOW!
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What metals do you offer?
With your SmartMetals account, you can buy gold, silver, platinum, or palladium in a variety of weights and mints, either in the form of good-delivery LBMA bars or sovereign coins. Please note, however, that due to local market considerations, certain purchase/storage locations may not offer coins. For example, by tradition, in Singapore almost all holdings of precious metals are in the form of gooddelivery bars ranging in size from one ounce to 400 ounces, and so no coins are available. In the streamlined ordering process, you will be shown which metals and purchase options are available to you in each of our international locations.
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What types of accounts does the Hard Assets Alliance offer?
We offer individual, joint, corporate, partnership, sole proprietorship, LLC, and trust accounts.
Do I need an account to purchase metals through the Hard Assets Alliance?
Yes, to purchase from the Hard Assets Alliance, all customers must first sign up for and fund a SmartMetals account. Like an online brokerage account, your available cash balance, which you can add to or withdraw from at any time, allows you to place orders online 24 hours a day, in multiple markets around the world. Once you open your account and it is funded, there is no rush to buy metals. You can leave the funds in your account as long as you wish, for example, until the opportunity knocks with the next pullback in metals prices, then execute your order immediately at that time.
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Is there an initial fee of any kind?
There is a modest one-time membership fee of $35, which helps keep your costs of buying, selling, and storing as low as possible.
Q Q Q Q Q
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How quickly can I begin trading with the Hard Assets Alliance?
Opening an account is fast and convenient through the Hard Assets Alliances secure online portal. Once your application is approved usually within 48 hours, and typically much less you can remit funds and begin trading.
What forms of payment do you accept to fund my account?
You can fund your account by check or bank wire; ACH transfers will be available very soon. Funding information will be sent to you with the email notifying you that your account is open, or you may access it at www.hardassetsalliance.com, our official website. If you fund your account with a check, please be sure to write your Hard Assets Alliance account number on the check.
Is there a minimum investment?
To help keep your costs low by keeping our operating expenses down, each order to buy metals must meet the minimum requirement of $5,000 for delivery or $10,000 for storage. You may establish a SmartMetals account with any size minimum deposit, and add funds over time if you choose until your cash balance meets the minimum purchase requirements.
What if I want to invest but dont have enough money to buy an ounce of gold right now?
There is no minimum deposit required to establish your account with the Hard Assets Alliance, only for purchases. Therefore, you can open your account and fund it over time if youd like, such as with a monthly direct deposit from another account. By opening your account now, you ensure it will be ready when you are.
Do you charge sales tax?
We do not charge sales tax. However, if you are a United States citizen, it is your obligation to report purchases and pay sales tax in at least 21 states. You may also be responsible for taxes on any realized gains made in your positions, depending on the type of account youve chosen. You should consult your tax professional to underhttp://www.hardassetsalliance.com

stand your specific tax situation.
Q Q Q
Do you charge VAT?
No. VAT is not applicable for metal going into storage or delivered to a US address. However, if you have your metals delivered to an overseas address, VAT may apply, depending on local laws and the storage location your order was sent from. Be sure to consult local tax laws before taking delivery.
What is the settlement process for a trade?
Your transactions will be posted to your account immediately upon placing an order, at the amount that you saw when placing the order. In most cases, orders are settled within two business days.
What if I buy today and the price goes up or down before my metal is shipped?
With a SmartMetals account, your price is locked at the time you buy. Our network of wholesale dealers and refiners guarantee the prices they provide, and thus you will not pay any more than what was on your confirmation screen when you placed your order. If you place your order outside normal trading hours, your order will be entered as a dollar value order (as opposed to quantity) and will be filled upon opening of the market. For example, if at 10 p.m. you place an order for one-ounce bars worth $50,000, the order will be filled the next morning upon market open with the maximum numbers of bars possible, not to exceed $50,000.
Q
21
How long from the time I buy until the bar is stored in the vault of my choice?
Typically, its in the vault one business day after your trade is settled.
Q Q Q Q
Where does the Hard Assets Alliance purchase its precious metals?
When you buy metals for delivery or storage, youll be asked to choose a region in which to purchase them. Before you choose a region for a purchase, you can review current prices for all regions side-by-side to help ensure you are getting the best price possible at that time. These prices are sourced from at least four wholesale dealers or directly from refiners in that local region, and the price shown is the average of current prices. You will be given confirmation of the best local prices for your selection before placing your order.
Can I buy metals in one region and ship them to another?
Metals purchased in one region can only be stored in that region; however, you can take delivery from any region with minimal restrictions. For example, if you buy bars for storage in Zurich, you must store them in Zurich. Then you can have them shipped to your address of record, or you can pick them up in Zurich. You cannot buy bars in Zurich and have them shipped to London for storage.
How long will an inactive account stay open?
Funded accounts with the Hard Assets Alliance do not expire. So long as the account is in good standing, with a cash balance or metals in storage, your account remains open and ready for your immediate use, whether its been two weeks, two months, or two years since your last trade.
Can I fund my account by sending in metals I already own?
Good question, but regrettably we cannot accept funding in the form of physical metals. The primary reason for this policy is that we deal only in the highest-quality and most liquid precious metals formats sovereign coins and good-delivery bars where the chain of custody is unbroken. If we were, as an example, to accept bars from outside of the custodial system, then, in addition to the cost of dealing with the inbound metal from private sources, we would have to go through a process that could even involve the time and cost of assaying the metals before being able to accept them. In short, the SmartMetals platform is streamlined to provide a highly efficient solution for anyone looking for the ultimate advantages in safety, convenience, and cost. To allow the injection of metals from outside of our

wholesale-dealer network would require a different and far less efficient business model.
How is the Hard Assets Alliance different from all the other companies that deal in precious metals?
Flexibility, ease of use, and complete storage security are the hallmarks of the Hard Assets Alliance. With just a couple of mouse clicks, you can buy gold, silver, platinum, or palladium in bars or coins, and store your purchase in your choice of locations worldwide. Or you can have your purchase shipped to you anywhere in the world within two days. Either way, you are the owner of a precise and specific amount of metal. When its stored in our vault partners facilities, we are simply the steward of your property. And when it comes time to sell, with just a few mouse clicks your metals become cash in your account.
I am interested in internationalizing my precious metals assets, but I see that my Hard Assets Alliance account is technically based in the US. Should that concern me?
The seamless, highly secure platform used by the Hard Assets Alliance currently requires that accounts be technically domiciled in the United States, though your precious metals can be stored in insured vaults outside of the US including New York, Salt Lake City, Zurich, London, or Melbourne with more to come in the near future. While we are currently working through the considerable technical and regulatory challenges of also offering non-US accounts, the current US account requirement should be of little or no concern to anyone. If you are a US citizen or resident, the fact that it is a US account will save you a huge amount of time and hassle complying with the latest US government regulations that require detailed reporting on foreign-held assets. However, if you ever become at all concerned about your US account registration for example, in the unlikely event that the US government began signaling it might again want to nationalize gold holdings a quick call or a couple of clicks from you will set in motion the transfer of your metals, or the proceeds from the sale of your metals, to the destination of your choice, including one outside of the US. All transfers, either in physical metals or the proceeds from a sale of those metals, will take place within two business days. If you were really concerned that gold was going to be targeted, you could also log on to sell your gold holdings and replace them with another metal (platinum or palladium).

Realistically, if you are worried that transferring your funds or metals would ever have to take place more urgently than two business days, then the Hard Assets Alliance is probably not right for you. But for most people, two business days should be more than sufficient for any conceivable scenario.
Q Q Q
Do I have to be a US citizen to open a SmartMetals account?
If you are not a citizen or resident of the United States, no problem. US regulations require that we establish the identity of all account holders, whether or not they are US citizens.
How easy is it to use the online trading platform?
Its simple and intuitive. If you can trade using an online broker or place an order on Amazon, youll have absolutely no problem buying and selling metals with the Hard Assets Alliance.
Id rather place my orders by telephone. Is that possible?
Absolutely. We have bonded traders available by telephone from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. EST weekdays, excluding market holidays, and they will gladly take your buy or sell order. Call toll free at (877) 727-7387 (international calls: 1-602-626-3022). There is no fee for this service.
Selling
Q
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When I sell, how is my money delivered? Check or direct deposit?
By default, the proceeds of any sale are deposited in your core account. From there, you may use the funds to purchase other assets or have them sent to you via check, wire or, in the very near future, ACH electronic transfer to another bank account of your choosing.
Q Q Q Q Q
How long does it take to get my money when I sell?
Trades can take up to two full business days to settle. Once your trade has settled, you can then wire money out of your account or request a check sent to an account at a different institution. ACH transfers will be available soon.
If I am selling, when is my price locked in?
Your final price is confirmed the moment you submit your sell order.
If I store outside the US and I sell, what currency will I be paid in?
All trades are settled in US dollars, regardless of the region your gold is stored in. If you prefer to settle in a different currency, you have the option to take delivery of your gold and sell it to a local dealer who can provide that service.
I am a US citizen. If I make a purchase and store it outside the US, when I sell, can I have the proceeds deposited into an offshore bank and in the currency of my choice?
Payments are made to customers in US dollars. If you have an existing foreign bank account, we can wire the funds to that bank. That account should be set up in advance in the standing wire instructions for your account.
Is the bullion I buy really mine?
When you buy from the Hard Assets Alliance, whether its coins or bars, gold, silver, platinum, or palladium, the exact amount you ordered is bought on your behalf, attributed to your account, and placed in the vault at the location you chose when you ordered. If you bought serial-numbered bars, youll be given the serial numbers of those bars. The metals you buy and store with us are no less yours than if we had shipped them to you.
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Q Q Q Q Q
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Does HAA offer pool accounts?
No. All of your assets are fully accounted for in the vaults, and the Hard Assets Alliance and its partners do not use pooling, margin, or any other method to leverage the value of your holdings.
Do you sell mint-condition or proof coins, or limited editions?
No. We only provide LBMA-certified bars and widely recognized sovereign bullion.
How can I be sure of the purity of the products I purchase?
We only buy through LBMA-approved dealers and refiners with whom we have long-standing relationships, and who are well established in the industry as dependable suppliers. All bars are LBMA Good Delivery certified the most liquid bars that exist, recognized and accepted worldwide.
Shipping
Can I store my products now and get delivery later?
Yes. You can request that any or all of your stored holdings be shipped to you at any time.
How much does shipping to my address cost?
Shipping costs vary depending on the value and weight of the requested delivery, along with its origin region and destination. Quotes for shipping are provided prior to confirming.
Q Q Q Q
Can you ship to my P.O. box?
No. For your protection, delivery requires a signature.
What happens if the gold or silver being shipped to me is lost, stolen, or otherwise compromised during shipment? Does shipping cost include insurance?
All shipments are insured for their full transactional value (shipping and insurance is included in the price if you selected delivery at the time of purchase). If your shipment is damaged in any way or does not arrive, contact customer service immediately and a replacement shipment will be arranged as soon as possible.
How are large orders shipped?
Special arrangements may be made for armored delivery for large or high-value shipments. Please contact customer service to inquire about custom delivery options.
Can I take delivery at an address other than my address of record?
We deliver only to the address of record on your account, so you would need to change the address of record in order to take delivery in another location. You can change this address by logging into your account, after which, for security purposes, an email notification would go out to your email of record notifying you of the change in your account. In any case, someone must sign for the package when it is delivered.
Storage Facilities
Q
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Where are your facilities located?
Currently, we offer storage facilities owned and operated by the worlds largest and most respected vaulting

organizations in two locations in the US (New York City and Salt Lake City regions) as well as in the UK, Switzerland, and Australia. We are in the process of establishing additional vault locations and will notify you when they are available.
Q Q
How do I know my bullion is really in the vault?
The contents of each vault we use are audited every day by the vault owner, and the Hard Assets Alliance reconciles its report with its internal records. Once every quarter, the vault is audited by one of the Big Four international audit firms. An audit report of your own holdings will be sent to you directly from the auditor each quarter.
Are the contents of the vaults secure and insured?
The vaults we use are run by the worlds most recognized security professionals, and all are approved by the London Bullion Market Association (LBMA). These vaults house gold for international banks, governments, and others who require absolute security and complete auditability, as we do. All have round-the-clock armed physical security and state-of-the-art electronic protection. In addition, all vaults are insured for the full value of their contents including, of course, your deposit. You can sleep well knowing your wealth is absolutely safe, insured and, if you choose, outside the United States.
Q Q
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Can I store my existing coins and bullion with HAA?
Unfortunately, we cannot accept storage of outside metals at this time as we cannot ensure their authenticity without considerable effort. We are evaluating this much-requested feature for possible launch sometime in the future, but the decision and timeline are not finalized.
Can I transfer my holdings from one location to another?
Not at this time. Instead, you would simply sell in one location and buy in another.
Q Q Q Q Q
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If I buy coins and bars, how will you know which ones are mine?
If you purchase bars that have serial numbers, you will be provided with the serial numbers of those in your account. Bullion is managed in shared storage and not tracked by individual coins. However, the full balance of all accounts is kept in the vault at all times. Your full holdings are completely accounted for at all times.
Can I have bullion at multiple facilities?
Yes, you can have metals stored in any of the vault locations we provide. You will have a choice each time you make a purchase.
Can I stop by and see my metal holdings?
For security reasons, no one except authorized representatives who have been thoroughly screened are allowed into the facilities. This includes only facility operations personnel and independent auditors who meet the security requirements of the facility operators.
My Account
Are customers cash accounts FDIC insured?
Cash in your account is not FDIC insured, and it does not bear interest. Your metal holdings, however, are insured for their full value. Cash in your account is held in a Hard Assets Alliance subaccount of Gold Bullion International.
Can I make monthly payments on my gold?
You may make regular deposits into your account via check or, coming soon, ACH transfer. However, minimum order requirements exist $5,000 for metals you wish delivered directly, and $10,000 for metals you wish

vaulted by us. Only once the full value of the purchase is cleared in your core account will you be able to make your purchase.
Q Q Q
No.
Can I cancel a delivery?
Your order is processed and shipped so quickly (its put out to bid almost instantly) that canceling an order is not possible after it has been placed.
I am a US citizen. Are buy-and-sell transactions reported to the IRS?
If you sell, the IRS requires us to report the gross proceeds on Form 1099.
Other Frequently Asked Questions

Can I take a loan or line of credit out on my stored gold?
Q Q
30
Can I trade the silver in my account for gold and vice versa?
In order to exchange one metal for another, you must sell the first holding and allow the transaction to settle, and then purchase the other holding. At this time, there is no direct swap available.
Should I choose bars or coins?
In general, we suggest you purchase the denomination that sells best in your chosen market. All markets offer bars, which are generally considered to have the best liquidity internationally.
Q Q Q
Could my metals be worth more in one region than another depending on the local economy?
Prices do vary by product from region to region.
Can I put in a stop loss to sell if the price moves downward?
Not at this time.
Do you offer any way to short the price of gold and silver?
No. The Hard Assets Alliance only supplies physical metals, not futures or options contracts. There is no leverage, margin, pooling, or other risk to your physical metal holdings.
Get Started Today!

We hope we have answered all your questions about this exciting new breakthrough in buying, selling, and storing precious metals. If not, please dont hesitate to call us toll free at (877) 727-7387 today. If you are ready to open your SmartMetals account, you can do so right now with no funding required until after your account has been opened (within 48 hours of approval). To get started now, simply click the button below to access our ultra-secure application form. In no time at all, youll be on your way to using the single most efficient, cost-effective way to own precious metals available today. We look forward to welcoming you to the Hard Assets Alliance!
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Important Resources
Us
Our Customer Service Support Center is staffed by knowledgeable representatives who can answer your questions, help you open an account, fix a problem, or connect you with a bonded broker to take your order. Toll free: (877) 727-7387 International: (602) 626-3022 Email: support@hardassetsalliance.com
Enroll Online
http://www.hardassetsalliance.com/registration
Account Applications
If you prefer to print the enrollment forms to review and/or submit via mail, click on the appropriate form(s) below to download. Individual Account Application Joint Tenants in Common Account Application Joint Tenants Rights of Survivorship Account Application Corporate Account Application Partnership Account Application Sole Proprietor Account Application LLC Account Application Trust Account Application
Funding Instructions
Funding Instructions
Mail Application to:

Hard Assets Alliance 118A Fulton Street, #231 New York, NY 10038 FAX: 646-219-1615
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SmartMetals

SmartMetals INVESTOR KIT

Olivier Garret CEO, Hard Assets Alliance

SmartMetals INVESTOR KIT

SmartMetals INVESTOR KIT

Owning Gold When You Want To Not Have To

SmartMetals INVESTOR KIT

Hold at least 10% of investable assets in physical gold and silver.

A Crash Course in Gold Ownership

Paper vs. Physical Metal

SmartMetals INVESTOR KIT

SmartMetals INVESTOR KIT

SmartMetals INVESTOR KIT

How to Buy Physical Gold

SmartMetals INVESTOR KIT

SmartMetals INVESTOR KIT

Move A Portion of Your Gold Offshore.

Reporting Regulations and Sales Considerations (US Investors)

SmartMetals INVESTOR KIT

THE FBAR AND FORM 8938

SmartMetals INVESTOR KIT

Offshore Storage Facilities

SmartMetals INVESTOR KIT

Top Recommendation: The Hard Assets Alliance

SmartMetals INVESTOR KIT

SmartMetals INVESTOR KIT

THE HARD ASSETS ALLIANCE

SmartMetals INVESTOR KIT

Set up an account by visiting hardassetsalliance.com or by calling 877-727-7387.

SmartMetals INVESTOR KIT

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Do I have to be a US citizen to open a SmartMetals account?

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