Rolled over a decent chunk from my 401k to a Gold IRA - lessons learned

• •Finally got around to rolling over a good portion of my old 401k into a Gold IRA.
• •Been thinking about it for a while, especially with all the noise out there.
• •Had about $300k in an old employer 401k and moved about $150k of that into physical gold.

Finally got around to rolling over a good portion of my old 401k into a Gold IRA. Been thinking about it for a while, especially with all the noise out there. Had about $300k in an old employer 401k and moved about $150k of that into physical gold. The rest I left in some safer dividend stocks for now, but honestly, the appeal of having tangible assets felt stronger after everything we've seen globally.

The process itself was smoother than I expected, though it definitely required some attention to detail. My biggest concern was the tax implications, especially being here in Hawaii where everything feels a little different financially. Used that Tax Calculator tool I found – pretty handy for getting a rough idea of what to expect, though I still double-checked everything with my financial advisor. What are some red flags you guys look out for when doing something like this? I felt pretty solid with my choice of custodian, but you always hear stories.

My big motivation, frankly, stems from watching the world from this side of the Pacific for so long. You see how quickly things can pivot, and having some of my retirement savings decoupled from fiat currency and market whims just gives me a peace of mind that a diversified stock portfolio, even a good one, doesn't quite provide. It’s not about getting rich overnight, it’s about preserving what I’ve worked decades for, especially after serving my country.

Anyone else here in the islands, or with a similar global outlook, made this kind of move? How are you feeling about your decision now, a few months or even a year down the line? Any regrets, or things you’d do differently? Just trying to get a feel for other experiences out there.