Seriously looking into Gold IRA fees - anybody have recent experience comparing providers?

• •My current portfolio is primarily equities and real estate – about $400k in my 403(b) and another $150k in other investments.
• •The idea of having a tangible asset, completely outside the volatile stock market, is becoming increasingly appealing.
• •My biggest hang-up right now isn't *if* I should do it, but *who* to go with.

I've been sitting on the fence about pulling the trigger on a Gold IRA for a while, but with all the economic uncertainty lately, I'm really starting to feel like it's time to diversify a portion of my retirement savings into physical gold. My current portfolio is primarily equities and real estate – about $400k in my 403(b) and another $150k in other investments. The idea of having a tangible asset, completely outside the volatile stock market, is becoming increasingly appealing.

My biggest hang-up right now isn't if I should do it, but who to go with. I'm a university professor here in Richmond, so naturally, I'm doing my due diligence and research like I would for any academic project. I've looked at several of the big names – Augusta Precious Metals, Goldco, American Hartford Gold – and the headlines all sound great, but man, trying to nail down their actual fee structures feels like pulling teeth sometimes. It's like they want you to call so they can give you the whole sales pitch before disclosing the nitty-gritty.

Specifically, I'm trying to get a clear picture of annual fees (maintenance, storage), setup fees, and any transaction fees for buying/selling. It seems like some companies waive setup fees but then have higher annual storage, or vice versa. And the storage options – segregated vs. commingled – also seem to impact the cost. I'm leaning towards segregated storage for peace of mind, even if it's a bit more expensive. Has anyone here recently gone through the process of comparing these costs across different providers? What was your experience like? Did anyone find a provider that was refreshingly transparent with their fee schedule upfront?

I'm thinking of starting with about $50k from my 403(b) roll-over. While I understand that all these services come with costs, I want to make sure I'm not overpaying for something that could eat into the long-term gains of my physical assets. Any recent personal anecdotes or detailed comparisons would be incredibly helpful!