Physical vs. Paper Gold for an IRA - What are you guys

• •Been thinking a lot about the actual mechanics of holding gold in an IRA, specifically the physical vs.
• •For the IRA, though, the options feel a bit… limited.
• •ETFs like GLD or IAU are easy, liquid, and the expense ratios aren't terrible, but it's not *physical* gold.

Been thinking a lot about the actual mechanics of holding gold in an IRA, specifically the physical vs. "paper" gold debate. I've got a decent allocation to precious metals personally, mostly physical bars in a vault out of state, but for the IRA portion, it's a different beast entirely. We're talking a significant chunk, probably eight figures if you count all the family trusts, but for my personal IRA, it's a high seven-figure play that I'm trying to optimize.

My fund's had some good runs the last few years, and with the current market volatility (and frankly, the sheer level of quantitative easing that feels like it’s going to bite us eventually), I'm boosting my gold exposure. For the IRA, though, the options feel a bit… limited. ETFs like GLD or IAU are easy, liquid, and the expense ratios aren't terrible, but it's not physical gold. It’s a claim on gold, a piece of paper. And while I trust the custodians (mostly, not entirely), there's a part of me that just prefers actual metal.

I know a lot of you guys here are also allocating to precious metals within your IRAs. Are you leaning into physical gold directly held in an IRA (which means a specialist custodian and specific depositories, right?) or are you just going with the ETFs for simplicity and liquidity? I'm in Greenwich, so access to secure storage isn't an issue, but the logistics of an IRA custodian for physical gold just seems like more of a headache. Is the premium for physical in an IRA worth the peace of mind?

Let me know your experiences, especially if you've been through a rollover or dealt with rebalancing with physical gold in an IRA. Any particular custodians you'd recommend or strongly advise against? Really trying to get this right.