Physical gold vs. paper gold in my IRA - what's the real advantage?

• •As a school principal, I teach financial literacy, so I *should* know this inside and out, but the nuances for an IRA are tripping me up a bit.
• •My current Gold IRA sits around the $60k mark, and I’m based out of Little Rock, AR.
• •My main draw to gold is the historical hedge against inflation and market volatility, and for that, my gut says physical is the way to go.

Hey fellow investors, I’ve been looking into getting more serious about my Gold IRA and weighing the pros and cons of physical gold versus "paper gold" options. As a school principal, I teach financial literacy, so I should know this inside and out, but the nuances for an IRA are tripping me up a bit. My current Gold IRA sits around the $60k mark, and I’m based out of Little Rock, AR.

I understand the basic idea – physical gold means you own the actual bars or coins, likely stored in a vault somewhere reputable, while paper gold could be ETFs, mining stocks, or even futures. My main draw to gold is the historical hedge against inflation and market volatility, and for that, my gut says physical is the way to go. There’s something reassuring about knowing that actual metal exists, especially when I think about the potential for economic uncertainty down the road. I’m thinking long-term here, probably for my retirement in another 10-15 years.

However, the convenience factor of paper gold is certainly appealing. Lower storage fees, easier to buy and sell, theoretically quicker liquidity – all tempting. But then I hear stories about counterparty risk, management fees eating into returns, and the fact that you don't actually own the gold, just a share or a promise. It makes me wonder if I'm sacrificing the core reason I want gold in the first place by going with paper. If things really tank, will that ETF still hold its value like actual physical gold would?

So, for those of you with experience, especially in IRAs, what's been your experience? Is the peace of mind with physical gold worth the potentially higher storage costs and less liquidity? Or am I overthinking the risks of paper gold too much? I'm trying to decide how to allocate my next $10-$20k contribution, and I'd love to hear some real-world perspectives.