SD IRA for Gold vs. Traditional - My Experience + Questions

• •Okay, so I've been wrestling with this for a while, and figured I'd throw it out to this group.
• •I've got about $350k currently sitting in my 401k/IRA split, and a good chunk of that I've been wanting to move into physical gold.
• •My initial thought was to go full self-directed IRA (SDIRA) with a specialized custodian.

Okay, so I've been wrestling with this for a while, and figured I'd throw it out to this group. I've got about $350k currently sitting in my 401k/IRA split, and a good chunk of that I've been wanting to move into physical gold. I'm based here in Richmond, VA, teach at the university, and frankly, my research brain is buzzing trying to figure out the absolute best way to do this without getting fleeced on fees or getting locked into something I'll regret later.

My initial thought was to go full self-directed IRA (SDIRA) with a specialized custodian. The idea of having direct control over the specific bullion I buy, potentially even storing it in a third-party vault I've vetted, really appeals to my need for transparency. I've been digging into various SDIRA custodians, looking at their fee structures (annual admin fees, storage fees, transaction fees – it's a minefield!), and their approved depositories. The appeal is definitely the granular control. What I'm less keen on is the added administrative burden. I'm already swamped with lectures and research, and while I want to be hands-on, there's a limit to how much 'active management' I can realistically take on day-to-day.

Then there's the traditional custodian route. Some of the bigger Gold IRA companies offer what feels like a more 'packaged' deal – they handle the custodian, the purchase, the storage, all under one roof. While this sounds convenient and less time-consuming, I worry about potentially higher markups on the gold itself, and whether their 'preferred' custodians/depositories are truly the best value or just the most convenient for them. It feels like I'd be giving up a lot of that control for convenience, and as a research-driven investor, that makes me a bit antsy. I'm trying to decide if the peace of mind of 'set it and forget it' (relatively speaking) outweighs the potential for better pricing and more choice with an SDIRA. I did use that Retirement Planner tool I found online recently, and it helped me map out some of the long-term impacts of different fee structures, which was pretty eye-opening.

So, for those of you who've been down this road, especially with portfolios in the mid-six figures, what was your experience? Did you opt for the SDIRA and find the control worth the hassle? Or did you go with a more traditional setup and find it perfectly adequate without sacrificing too much? Any specific custodians or companies you'd highly recommend or, conversely, advise staying far away from? I'm particularly interested in tales from folks who prioritize security and transparency without necessarily wanting to manage every single piece of paperwork themselves.