American Alternative Assets Review

Last updated: July 13, 2026 · By White Metal Resources Editorial

This review works from two sources only. The first is what American Alternative Assets prints on its own website, quoted directly and dated. The second is the neutral public record: the Better Business Bureau profile, SEC EDGAR, and the federal rulebook that governs every self-directed IRA. Where the site is silent, we say so plainly.

The one number American Alternative Assets prints on the home page

Most precious-metals dealers save every dollar figure for the specialist call. American Alternative Assets does the opposite on one specific line. On the home page, under the storage section, the site lists a headline IRA charge in plain type: "Flat annual fee: $190 (includes storage + insurance)."

That is the anchor number that shapes the rest of the review. It is a single flat charge, printed on a page any prospect can read before dialing the phone number. It is also the only IRA cost figure the site makes visible. Setup fees, wire fees, dealer spread on the coin or bar, and account termination fees are not listed anywhere on the public site as of July 2026.

The flat 190 dollar line is worth taking seriously as a positive signal. It is also worth reading correctly. A flat fee is not the same as a total fee. The rest of this review works through what the number covers, what it does not, and where the gaps live.

The flat 190 dollar fee, and what it does not include

The exact wording on the home page reads: "IRA Storage (Secure Depository): Stored in IRS-approved, fully insured facilities. Flat annual fee: $190 (includes storage + insurance)." Two things are attached to that number, and several things are not.

Included, per the plain wording: annual storage at an IRS approved depository and the insurance line on the vaulted coins and bars. The company names the Delaware Depository under its Trust and Storage nav, so the reader can reasonably tie the flat 190 dollar line to that vault. Also included in the site's list of no cost account services: custodian coordination, account setup, IRA transfers and rollovers, asset valuation, RMD support, IRS compliance and reporting, and beneficiary designation guidance.

Not included, or simply not disclosed on the public site: several cost lines every prospect should ask about. A setup fee if any exists. The wire fee attached to funding the account. The dealer spread between the wholesale coin price and the price you actually pay. The account termination fee if you close the IRA. Any storage upcharge if you request segregated instead of commingled storage at Delaware Depository.

The FAQ answer on Precious Metals IRAs adds one more layer. It states that "the physical metals you purchase for your IRA must be held by an IRS-approved custodian responsible for administering your IRA." The word "custodian" appears more than once, but the site never names a specific trust company as its default custodian. That is a real gap, because peers like American Bullion and Noble both name their custodian in writing.

Who runs the firm: Shanon Davis and SBR Avery Corp

Two BBB fields make the identity picture clearer than the marketing pages. The "Business Management" and "Principal Contacts" lines both list a single name: Mr. Shanon Davis, Owner. There is no co-founder disclosed on the BBB profile. This is a single principal firm rather than a partnership.

The BBB "Alternate Names" field also names the underlying corporation: SBR Avery Corp. Inc. The corporation was incorporated on 1/6/2016, per the same profile. The consumer brand American Alternative Assets started operating on 1/1/2020, and the BBB file was opened on 12/2/2021 when accreditation was granted. Read together, these dates say the underlying corporation is older than the retail brand.

The home page reinforces the single principal story in soft form. Shanon Davis appears in three separate podcast and video segments linked from the media section: the Victor Davis Hanson Show, a Cyrus Janssen interview on China's gold reserves, and a segment on Just the News No Noise. The dealer is positioned around the owner's public voice, more than around a large sales team.

None of that is a positive or negative signal on its own. It is context that changes the shape of due diligence. Ask which specialist will be assigned to your account, how long that person has worked with SBR Avery Corp, and what happens to your account if that person leaves the firm.

Public record: BBB accreditation, reviews, and complaints

The BBB profile at bbb.org for American Alternative Assets carries four separate data points that are worth reading together.

The accreditation and rating line reads BBB Accredited Business, A plus rated, accredited since 12/2/2021. That is more than four years of continuous accreditation as of July 2026. The rating is what the BBB algorithm produces from complaint volume, response quality, and business practices. It is not a customer satisfaction score.

The customer reviews line reads 4.64 out of 5 stars on a sample of 33 reviews. The sample size is small compared with peers that show hundreds of BBB reviews. A 4.64 average on 33 records is a positive signal in absolute terms and a modest signal in statistical terms. Read a spread of the actual review text before drawing conclusions.

The complaints line reads 2 total complaints filed in the last 3 years, 0 complaints closed in the last 12 months. A dealer this size with 2 total complaints in 36 months is at the low end of the industry range. Verify the current numbers on the live BBB profile before you sign paperwork, since they update on a rolling basis.

The SEC EDGAR full text search returned zero filings for both "American Alternative Assets" and "SBR Avery Corp" as of July 2026 (source: SEC EDGAR full text search, live check July 2026). Zero SEC filings is expected for a physical precious-metals dealer. The industry is regulated primarily by state consumer protection law and the Federal Trade Commission rather than by the SEC.

How this company handles silver, platinum and palladium IRAs

The white metals question does more to differentiate this dealer than any other single answer on the site. AAA is not a full four metal shop. It is a gold and silver shop first, a platinum shop by mention, and not a palladium shop at all as of July 2026.

Silver

Silver is a first class product on the site. There is a dedicated Silver IRA page. The nav lists Gold IRA and Silver IRA under the IRAs menu as equals. The Silver IRA page positions silver as a diversifier tied to industrial demand and mine supply, and it describes the same transfer and rollover mechanics that apply to any IRA. Specific silver coins and bars stocked, and their spread above spot, are not listed on the public page.

Platinum

Platinum appears in one place: the FAQ answer on Precious Metals IRAs. That answer reads "A Precious Metals IRA allows you to own physical, tangible gold, silver, and/or platinum." Platinum is therefore in scope as an eligible metal. There is no dedicated Platinum IRA page in the nav or the sitemap.

Which platinum coins and bars are stocked, and their IRA eligibility under the .9995 federal fineness rule, are not disclosed. If platinum is a meaningful part of your intended allocation, treat it as a specialist call topic rather than a website topic.

Palladium

Palladium is not mentioned on the American Alternative Assets home page, the FAQ answer, the Silver IRA page, the Gold IRA page, or the About page as of July 2026. The site's own scope statement on Precious Metals IRAs names only gold, silver, and or platinum. If palladium is a part of your intended IRA mix, this dealer is likely not the right fit today. Ask directly whether palladium coins can be sourced on request before you fund an account.

Storage: Delaware Depository, and the missing custodian name

American Alternative Assets names Delaware Depository under its Trust and Storage nav item and mentions it in the same section on the home page that carries the flat 190 dollar fee. Delaware Depository is one of the two dominant IRA vault operators in the country and is IRS approved as a nonbank trustee under 26 U.S.C. Section 408(n).

The vault choice is a positive signal. The 190 dollar all in line on storage is another. The gap is the custodian name. Under federal rules, the trustee that holds legal title to your metal and files the annual tax paperwork is not the same entity as the vault. AAA does not name that trustee on the public site.

Peers in this sector typically publish the custodian on the FAQ or the About page. Equity Trust, STRATA, GoldStar, and Kingdom Trust are the four names that recur across the industry. Ask which of these, or any other IRS approved trust company, will hold your account, before the paperwork is drafted.

American Alternative Assets at a glance

The table below is a snapshot of what the company publishes on its own site and what the BBB profile confirms, checked in July 2026. It names no winner. Treat it as the opening checklist for your first written exchange with a specialist.

Sources: americanalternativeassets.com home page, gold IRA page, silver IRA page, FAQ page, and about page; and the American Alternative Assets Better Business Bureau profile, all live-checked July 2026. Federal rules apply per 26 U.S.C. Section 408 and IRS Publication 590-B.

What a flat 190 dollar line costs against different balances

A flat fee behaves very differently across balance sizes. The same 190 dollar line lands as almost 2 percent of a 10,000 dollar account and less than one tenth of one percent of a 250,000 dollar account. The chart below plots that ratio across five balance sizes using only the number the site publishes.

The calculator below lets you feed your own balance and any fee schedule you get in writing. It does not touch the dealer spread on the coin, which sits on top of any storage figure.

Pros and cons drawn from the public record

Opening a precious-metals IRA through American Alternative Assets

The mechanics below match the standard self-directed IRA process every compliant precious-metals dealer must follow, adapted to what AAA has published on its own site and FAQ.

1. Request the written information kit. The home page offers a free wealth protection guide and lists a phone line at 888-503-1553. Ask the specialist for a written fee schedule and a written statement of the custodian trust company before any paperwork is drafted.
2. Confirm your source account is rollover eligible. Traditional, Roth, SEP, and SIMPLE IRAs qualify, along with 401(k), 403(b), 457(b), Thrift Savings Plan, TIAA CREF, pension, and beneficiary IRA balances (source: IRS Publication 590-A).
3. Get the custodian named in writing. Under federal rules, the trustee that holds legal title to your metal is an IRS approved trust company. AAA does not name the custodian on the public site. Ask which company will be listed on your account agreement.
4. Open the self-directed IRA with that custodian. The custodian sends the account opening paperwork. Read the fee schedule the custodian publishes, not only the AAA line, before you sign.
5. Fund by direct transfer or direct rollover. A trustee to trustee direct transfer moves money custodian to custodian and sidesteps both the 60 day deadline and the 20 percent mandatory withholding that apply to indirect rollovers on qualified plan distributions.
6. Choose IRS approved metals. Gold must be .995 fine or better, silver .999 fine or better, and platinum .9995 fine or better under 26 U.S.C. Section 408(m). Favor common bullion coins and approved refiner bars over graded numismatic pieces.
7. Let Delaware Depository take physical custody. Home storage of IRA metal is not allowed under federal law (source: IRS collectibles issue snapshot). The vault, not your home safe, is where the metal must live for the account to keep IRA tax treatment.

Who this firm fits, and who it does not

American Alternative Assets fits savers who value a single visible fee line on storage and a small firm relationship with a named owner. If a flat 190 dollar annual figure on the home page is a signal that resonates for you, and the account is meant to hold gold and silver, this dealer merits a written quote.

It also fits savers who like content marketing they can independently sample. Shanon Davis's podcast and video appearances are searchable under his own name.

It fits less well for three groups. Anyone who wants palladium as a real product line, because palladium is absent from the entire site. Anyone who needs a large firm with named staff, published team pages, and a public custodian relationship, because AAA does not disclose those. Anyone whose deal analysis leans on a printed setup fee and a printed dealer spread on specific coins, because none of that is on the site.

For those preferences, use our precious-metals IRA companies list and the dealer checklist to compare firms side by side.

Situations where any precious-metals IRA is the wrong move

An honest review has to flag when the whole product category is a poor fit, not only when a single firm is not the right choice. If any of the following describes your situation, slow down and consult a licensed advisor before comparing dealers.

• You may need the cash within a few years. Gold, silver, platinum, and palladium can move sharply in short periods, and selling means crossing the dealer spread again. Before age 59.5, a distribution without a qualifying exception carries a 10 percent federal additional tax on top of ordinary income tax (source: IRS Publication 590-B).
• Your total retirement balance is small. Fixed annual fees plus the dealer spread punish small accounts hardest, because the same dollar cost is a much larger percentage of a smaller balance. The chart above shows what a single 190 dollar line does at 10,000 dollars versus at 250,000.
• You do not have other retirement savings yet. A physical metal IRA belongs alongside a broader base of retirement savings, not in place of one. A diversified plan for the next generation of your family works better than a single asset bet.
• You are chasing a guaranteed return. Nobody can predict where metal prices will go. Any pitch that promises specific target prices or guaranteed gains is the pattern federal regulators have historically acted on, not an opportunity.

Answers to the questions readers ask most

Is American Alternative Assets a legitimate company?

American Alternative Assets is an operating precious-metals dealer registered with the Better Business Bureau as a Woodland Hills, California gold buyers profile. The underlying corporation, SBR Avery Corp. Inc., was incorporated on 1/6/2016. Consumer trading under the American Alternative Assets brand began on 1/1/2020.

The BBB profile lists an A plus rating, accreditation since 12/2/2021, and 33 customer reviews at 4.64 out of 5 as of July 2026. Whether the account is the right fit for your situation is a separate question, for a licensed advisor rather than a website.

What are American Alternative Assets IRA fees?

The company publishes one dollar figure on the public site. The home page reads: "IRA Storage (Secure Depository): Stored in IRS-approved, fully insured facilities. Flat annual fee: $190 (includes storage + insurance)." That is the only IRA cost printed on the site. Setup fees, wire fees, the dealer spread on the coins, and account termination fees are not disclosed on the public site as of July 2026. Ask for each in writing before you fund an account.

What is the minimum investment for an American Alternative Assets IRA?

No minimum investment is disclosed on the public site or the FAQ as of July 2026. Peers in the sector usually publish a recommended minimum rollover figure that reflects the point where fixed costs stop dominating the account. Ask the specialist for the recommended minimum in writing at your target balance size.

Who owns American Alternative Assets?

The BBB profile lists Mr. Shanon Davis, Owner, on both the Business Management and Principal Contacts lines. No co-founder is disclosed. The underlying corporation is SBR Avery Corp. Inc. Shanon Davis appears in three separate podcast and video interviews linked from the home page, under his own name, positioning the firm around a single principal voice.

Does American Alternative Assets offer a Silver IRA?

Yes. Silver is a first class product on the site. There is a dedicated Silver IRA page and the top nav lists Gold IRA and Silver IRA under the IRAs menu as equals. Specific silver coins and bars stocked, and their spread above spot, are not on the public page. Ask for the silver product list and the spread in writing.

Does American Alternative Assets offer a Platinum IRA?

Platinum is mentioned once, in the FAQ answer on Precious Metals IRAs: "A Precious Metals IRA allows you to own physical, tangible gold, silver, and/or platinum." There is no dedicated Platinum IRA page and no platinum product list on the public site. If platinum is a meaningful part of your allocation, confirm today's stock and IRA eligibility on a specialist call before you fund an account. IRA eligible platinum must be at least .9995 fine under federal rules.

Does American Alternative Assets offer a Palladium IRA?

Palladium is not mentioned on the American Alternative Assets home page, FAQ, Silver IRA page, Gold IRA page, or About page as of July 2026. The FAQ answer on Precious Metals IRAs names only gold, silver, and or platinum. If palladium is part of your intended IRA mix, this dealer is likely not the right fit. Ask directly whether palladium can be sourced on request before you fund an account.

Who is the custodian for an American Alternative Assets IRA?

The FAQ refers to "an IRS-approved custodian responsible for administering your IRA" without naming a specific trust company. The public site does not name a custodian either. Peers in this sector typically name their custodian on the FAQ or About page. Ask which trust company will hold legal title to your metal before the paperwork is drafted.

Where does American Alternative Assets store IRA metals?

Delaware Depository. The vault is named on the Trust and Storage nav item and referenced in the same home page section that lists the flat 190 dollar annual fee. Delaware Depository is IRS approved as a nonbank trustee under 26 U.S.C. Section 408(n). Ask whether the 190 dollar line covers commingled storage, segregated storage, or both.

What is American Alternative Assets BBB rating?

American Alternative Assets is BBB Accredited with an A plus rating, accredited since 12/2/2021. Customer Review Ratings: 4.64 out of 5 stars on 33 reviews. Customer Complaints Summary: 2 total complaints in the last 3 years, 0 complaints closed in the last 12 months. All figures as of the live check in July 2026. Verify the current numbers on the profile before you sign paperwork.

Does American Alternative Assets have SEC filings?

A full text search on the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission EDGAR database returned zero filings for both "American Alternative Assets" and the underlying corporation "SBR Avery Corp" as of July 2026. Zero SEC filings is normal for a physical precious-metals dealer. The coin and bar business is regulated primarily by state consumer protection law and the Federal Trade Commission rather than by the SEC.

What is the National Ethics Association claim about?

The About page states that American Alternative Assets is "A+ Rated by the Better Business Bureau" and holds "accreditation from both the Better Business Bureau and the National Ethics Association." The National Ethics Association is a private trade group rather than a federal or state regulator. Verify the current membership status on the parent organization's site. Do not read it as a regulatory license.