Thinking through the gold for the grandkids... Anyone else planning this far out?

• •Been sitting on a good chunk of physical gold for years now, mostly in my IRA but also some direct holdings.
• •We're talking a decent sum, certainly well over 7 figures if you count everything.
• •My wife and I are comfortable, our kids are doing well financially post-college, and now my focus is really shifting to the grandkids.

Been sitting on a good chunk of physical gold for years now, mostly in my IRA but also some direct holdings. Since I retired from ExxonMobil a few years back, I’ve had a lot more time to think about this stuff, and honestly, the market volatility lately just reinforces my conviction. We're talking a decent sum, certainly well over 7 figures if you count everything. My wife and I are comfortable, our kids are doing well financially post-college, and now my focus is really shifting to the grandkids. They're still little, but I want to set something up that truly lasts beyond my lifetime and isn't just subject to the whims of the stock market.

My concern isn't just about passing on wealth, but preserving it in a way that’s resilient. I mean, after seeing a few economic downturns in my lifetime, going back to the oil booms and busts in Houston, I've got a healthy appreciation for tangibles. Gold has proven itself time and again. I’m leaning towards setting up some kind of trust that explicitly holds the gold, probably with some instructions for distribution when they hit certain age milestones or for specific purposes like higher education or a down payment on a home. I don't want them blowing it all on crypto or some other fad when they're 18.

Has anyone here gone through structuring something like this? What are the tax implications I should be thinking about for long-term gold transfers? I've got my financial advisor on it, but I always value real-world experience from others who've actually done it. It’s one thing to read about it, another to execute it. I’ve been looking at a lot of resources, and actually found some pretty good foundational info on the Learning Center over at Gold IRA Blueprint. It’s got a good breakdown of the different account types and some of the basics, but I’m looking for more advanced discussions around trusts and legacy planning specifically with precious metals.

Any thoughts or experiences would be appreciated. What are the common pitfalls I should try to avoid? Are there any tools or legal structures that you've found particularly effective for ensuring wealth preservation across generations with physical gold specifically?