Platinum IRA Rollover - Tax Questions After Recent Gains

• •My current one just isn't cutting it with their fees and honestly, their communication has gone downhill.
• •My main concern is making sure I don't accidentally trigger any taxable events during the transfer.
• •This is all within a self-directed IRA, so I know I have some flexibility.

Okay, so I've been sitting on a nice chunk of platinum in my IRA for a while now – probably around $180k invested about three years ago when things were looking a bit different. I'm based out of Savannah, run a small tourism biz, so I'm always watching these economic tides, and right now I'm starting to eye a rollover to a new custodian. My current one just isn't cutting it with their fees and honestly, their communication has gone downhill. I’ve seen some pretty decent gains on this platinum, which is great, but it also brings up the whole tax side of things when I’m considering moving it.

My main concern is making sure I don't accidentally trigger any taxable events during the transfer. This is all within a self-directed IRA, so I know I have some flexibility. I’m thinking a direct rollover from custodian A to custodian B is the way to go to avoid any 60-day rule headaches, but is there anything specific I should be triple-checking given that it's physical platinum? Are there any hidden gotchas with moving physical assets versus paper assets within an IRA that could lead to a distribution ding?

Also, when it comes to reporting, will the new custodian automatically handle all the IRS forms (like potential 1099-R for a direct transfer, even if it's non-taxable)? Or am I going to need to keep super meticulous records and potentially even talk to my accountant about this before the transfer just to be safe? I definitely don't want any surprises when tax season rolls around next year. My typical annual income fluctuates a fair bit with the tourism season here, so unexpected tax bills are a real pain.

Anyone here with recent experience rolling over a platinum or other precious metals IRA to a new custodian, especially after significant gains? What are the key tax-related questions you asked your new custodian, and what kind of documentation did you make sure to get before, during, and after the transfer? Just trying to make this as smooth as possible and keep Uncle Sam out of my platinum until true retirement.