Custodian hunt - who have you guys had good experiences with?

• •Alright, so I’m deep into the weeds with setting up my Gold IRA and running into the usual wall: finding a decent custodian.
• •I’m especially keen on hearing about fees, because some of these annual administrative fees seem a little… optimistic, shall we say?
• •And what about their preferred depositories?

Alright, so I’m deep into the weeds with setting up my Gold IRA and running into the usual wall: finding a decent custodian. I’ve been in the casino industry out here in Vegas for decades, so I get risk and I get due diligence, but this custodian selection feels like its own kind of game sometimes. I'm looking at rolling over about $180k from an old 401k, and I want to make sure I’m not just handing my stack of gold to some fly-by-night operation.

I’ve been eyeing a few of the bigger names – Augusta, Birch Gold, Goldco – because they’re everywhere, but just because they advertise a lot doesn't mean they’re actually good. I’m especially keen on hearing about fees, because some of these annual administrative fees seem a little… optimistic, shall we say? And what about their preferred depositories? I know most use Delaware Depository or Brinks, but any horror stories or stellar experiences there? I’m looking for a smooth process, minimal friction, and clear communication.

Another thing that’s in the back of my mind is future RMDs. I’m not quite there yet, probably 5-7 years out, but I've already bookmarked the RMD Calculator to mess around with once everything's set up. It's on my to-do list for after I sort out this custodian issue. For those of you who have started taking distributions, how’s your custodian handled that process? Any unexpected hurdles or pleasantly surprising ease? Any insights would be appreciated.

So, hit me with your best and worst experiences. Who did you go with and why? Who should I absolutely avoid? Your input could save me a lot of headaches down the line.