Rolled my old 401k into a Gold IRA - best move I ever made

• •Figured I'd share my experience for anyone on the fence about moving some of their retirement into physical gold.
• •Been in the oil game here in Dallas for over 25 years now, seen enough booms and busts to know that relying solely on paper assets is a risky bet.
• •After watching the volatility, especially during those early pandemic days, I decided enough was enough.

Figured I'd share my experience for anyone on the fence about moving some of their retirement into physical gold. Been in the oil game here in Dallas for over 25 years now, seen enough booms and busts to know that relying solely on paper assets is a risky bet. About 15 years ago, I started dipping my toes into gold, mostly physical coins I kept at home, but I always felt like my 401k was a ticking time bomb.

Fast forward to a few years back, I had about $600k sitting in an old 401k from a previous company, just collecting dust and bouncing around with the market. After watching the volatility, especially during those early pandemic days, I decided enough was enough. I started looking into a Gold IRA rollover. The process felt a bit daunting at first, all the paperwork and rules, but honestly, it was smoother than I expected. Found a reputable custodian based out of Delaware – their fees were reasonable, and they handled almost all the heavy lifting.

I ended up rolling over about $400k of that old 401k into a self-directed IRA, specifically buying American Gold Eagles and Canadian Gold Maple Leafs. I liked the recognition and liquidity of those particular coins. Knowing a substantial chunk of my retirement is now held in physical precious metals, sitting securely in a vault, gives me a peace of mind I just didn't have before. Especially with all the talk about inflation and currency debasement, it feels like a real hedge.

Anyone else here diversified out of a traditional 401k into a Gold IRA? What were your experiences? Any regrets? I'm curious to hear how others have approached this strategy, especially with the current economic climate. Thinking about moving some more over in the next year or two, pending market conditions.