To protect your retirement accounts you have two avenues of approach.
a. You request direct registration as a book entry at the transfer agent, naming your trust entity and your retirement account name. This creates what equates to a check requiring two signatures and thereby assures a fast settlement and payout by a bankruptcy judge.
b. You require your trust agent to assure you that your IRA is held in a true custodial form. That means the assets of the retirement account are segregated to your IRA account name and is not part of the balance sheet of the financial agent. If those assets are in the nominee name of the Trust agent your assets are on their balance sheet.

Share investments in precious metals entities can be protected three ways. The first is to take paper delivery of your shares where available. The second is by you ordering direct registration as a book entry at the transfer agent. Third is that you keep your shares at a financial agent that offers true custodial accounts.