Rolled over my old 401K, went self-directed with some gold... thoughts?

Donna Rogers

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Rolled over my old 401K, went self-directed with some gold... thoughts?

donna_rogers🏆Advanced (250-500k)

about 3 hours ago

Key Takeaways

•Finally got around to rolling over my old 401K from my previous gig.
•It was just sitting there, not doing much, and honestly, the fees were starting to annoy me.
•Had about $350k in it when I pulled the trigger.

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Finally got around to rolling over my old 401K from my previous gig. It was just sitting there, not doing much, and honestly, the fees were starting to annoy me. Had about $350k in it when I pulled the trigger. After doing a good bit of research (and, let's be honest, talking to a few too many financial advisors who mostly just wanted to sell me their actively managed funds), I decided to go the self-directed IRA route.

My main move was allocating a solid chunk, about $100k, into physical gold within the SD-IRA. Figured it was a good hedge against, well, everything these days. I like the tangible aspect of it, the history of gold as a store of value. Being in the bourbon industry, you really appreciate legacy and things that stand the test of time, you know? It feels more secure than just algorithms and promises.

Now, I know the traditional custodian folks would probably balk at that much in gold. They're all about diversification, low-cost ETFs, blah blah blah. And I get it, to a point. I've still got plenty in more conventional stuff, don't worry. But the flexibility of the self-directed account just appealed to me more. I'm based here in Lexington, so I also like that I have a clearer picture of where my stuff actually is rather than some faceless corporation on the other side of the country.

Anyone else here go the self-directed route for their IRA, especially with physical assets like gold or silver? What were your reasons? Any unexpected hurdles or benefits you've found? Curious to hear some real-world experiences outside of the prospectus boilerplate.

3 comments

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Best Answer▲ 7 upvotes

maria_campbell📊Growing (50-100k)

Sounds like you've done your homework, which is always good. But just playing devil's advocate here, isn't $350k a pretty significant chunk to put into something as... illiquid as physical gold? I get the appeal for diversification and "safety," especially with inflation, but if you needed a good portion of that cash for an emergency, you'd be looking at selling physical assets, which can be a whole different headache than just hitting "sell" on an ETF. Just something to consider for future moves.

Comments (3)

charles_lewis💎Premium (500k-1m)Real Investor•less than a minute ago

Nice! Been thinking about doing something similar. I had an old Roth 401k that just sat there for years after I left my last job, and I finally got around to rolling it into a self-directed Roth IRA. Didn't go with gold myself, but seeing those fees disappear and having more control is such a relief. Glad it's working out for you!

patricia_miller📊Growing (50-100k)✓ Verified•less than a minute ago

Hey, congrats on taking control of your retirement! That's a pretty significant amount to roll over. You mentioned "some gold" – did you go with physical gold like coins or bars, or are we talking about a gold ETF or something different within your self-directed account? Just curious what route you chose.