5 years in - my Gold IRA journey and feeling pretty good about it (NM, govt employee)

• •Just hit my five-year mark with my Gold IRA, and honestly, feeling pretty good about the decision.
• •I started this whole thing back in 2018.
• •I wasn't looking to get rich quick, just wanted a hedge against inflation and something tangible.

Just hit my five-year mark with my Gold IRA, and honestly, feeling pretty good about the decision. I started this whole thing back in 2018. I’m a government employee here in Albuquerque, and while the pension is solid, I wanted to diversify beyond just stocks and bonds, especially with all the market fluctuations. I wasn't looking to get rich quick, just wanted a hedge against inflation and something tangible.

I initially rolled over about $70k from an old 401k – definitely made sure I found a reputable custodian familiar with precious metals. Decided to go with entirely gold rounds, 1 oz mostly, because the premiums were a bit better than coins at the time, and frankly, I just like their simplicity. My portfolio value has definitely seen some ups and downs since then, as expected. I'm sitting around $95k today, which isn't a massive explosion, but it's a steady 35% return. More importantly, it feels like a really secure piece of my retirement plan, especially with all the talk about the dollar.

The whole process was surprisingly straightforward. The biggest hurdle was just educating myself on the different options and finding a company I trusted. I did a ton of research on custodians and storage facilities before committing. I think a lot of people get intimidated by the idea of physical gold, but it's really not that complex once you get the hang of it.

Anyone else hit a similar milestone recently? What kind of returns are you seeing? And for those just starting out, what were your biggest hesitations before taking the plunge? Always interested to hear other people’s experiences.