My 401k to Gold IRA Rollover - Longer than I expected, but worth it?

• •So, I finally pulled the trigger on rolling a significant chunk of my old 401k into a Gold IRA.
• •I've been doing a ton of research for months – you know, being a professor and all, I can't just jump into these things without comprehensive data.
• •I've got a decent chunk in the market already, probably sitting around $350k in my other accounts, but wanted some real diversification.

So, I finally pulled the trigger on rolling a significant chunk of my old 401k into a Gold IRA. I've been doing a ton of research for months – you know, being a professor and all, I can't just jump into these things without comprehensive data. My primary concern was hedging against inflation and a bit of general market volatility, especially with some of the economic signals I've been seeing lately. I've got a decent chunk in the market already, probably sitting around $350k in my other accounts, but wanted some real diversification.

I initiated the process about six weeks ago, transferring roughly $80,000 from an old employer's 401k that was just sitting there, not really growing much. I'd read about timelines ranging from a couple of weeks to a month, so I was mentally prepared for that. However, navigating the paperwork between the old 401k administrator (who seemed to have a penchant for snail mail) and the new Gold IRA custodian has been a bit of a bureaucratic marathon. I'm based here in Richmond, VA, and it feels like everyone involved is operating on East Coast time, but with an added layer of molasses.

The money finally hit the Gold IRA account last week, and I'm currently in the process of selecting the actual metals. Honestly, the delay was a bit nerve-wracking. Every day I saw headlines, I was wondering if I was missing out on some market move, up or down. But looking at the long-term perspective, especially when I use tools like the Gold vs Stocks Comparison (which I've been obsessively checking for the 10-year growth), I feel pretty good about the decision to diversify with physical gold. It reminds you that while stocks have their moments, gold offers a different kind of stability.

My big question for you all: has anyone else experienced longer than expected transfer/rollover times for their Gold IRA? What were the biggest hurdles you faced? And for those who have been invested for a while, how are you feeling about your allocation now, given the current economic climate? I'm curious if my experience is standard, or if I just hit a particularly slow patch.