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Tom and Don are Talking Real Money

Money and funny? Yes, the two can go together. Toss in honesty and transparency, mix with true financial science, and you have the most unique investing podcast in America. Listen as two of the country's top financial broadcasters and educators show you how to stop playing with your hard-earned money and start investing it for YOUR future. Tom Cock was the host of the PBS-TV show “Serious Money” for many years, and Don McDonald hosted a nationally syndicated financial talk show since 1988. To…

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Chasing Returns, Catching Losses
July 21, 2026

Chasing Returns, Catching Losses

Chasing performance feels like the easiest way to make money—but buying what has already gone up often means arriving late and leaving with less.

In this episode of Talking Real Money, Tom and Don examine the “behavior gap”: the difference between an investment’s return and what investors actually earn after buying high, selling low, and chasing the latest market story. They explain why disciplined diversification and a sensible asset allocation usually beat a portfolio built around hot ideas.
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Less Means Paying More
July 21, 2026

Less Means Paying More

The episode covers market bubbles, diversification, Social Security timing, and retirMarkets aren’t mysterious—they’re driven by one of the oldest economic principles there is. In this episode of Talking Real Money, Tom and Don explain why supply and demand can send prices soaring in the short run… and why disciplined investors should usually ignore the excitement. You’ll also hear practical answers to listener questions about Social Security timing, investment clubs, umbrella insurance, and p
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Q&A Overload
July 17, 2026

Q&A Overload

This week Don tackles seven excellent listener questions covering everything from credit cards and emerging markets to covered-call ETFs, annuities, retirement buckets, and whether investors should worry about new additions to stock indexes. 00:51 Summer surge in listener questions 01:15 LitReading success and thanks 02:01 Are credit cards really evil? 05:09 Emerging markets inside international funds 07:44 Paying kids for chores to fund Roth IRAs 10:58 Covered-call ETFs (JEPI and others)
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Overdone Models?
July 16, 2026

Overdone Models?

What exactly is a model portfolio—and should you trust one with your retirement? Tom and Don explain why professionally designed model portfolios can improve consistency and reduce advisor bias, but also why investors should be wary as firms like Morningstar begin adding private equity, private credit, and other alternative investments to traditional portfolios. 00:12 What is a model portfolio? 02:11 Why advisors should use investment models 03:31 Morningstar’s new private market portfolios 0...
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Information Overload
July 15, 2026

Information Overload

Can keeping up with financial news actually make you a better investor—or just make you more confident about making bad decisions? Don and Tom dig into research on how markets react to news, why investors tend to overreact to splashy stories and underreact to boring numbers, and whether sophisticated traders can actually exploit those inefficiencies. Then, a caller nearing retirement asks how to build a conservative brokerage account to bridge the years before Social Security. Plus, the guys com
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Old Dad, Young Kid?
July 14, 2026

Old Dad, Young Kid?

Having a child later in life can change far more than your sleep schedule. It can completely rewrite your retirement plan. Don and Tom explore the financial realities of becoming a parent in your late 40s or 50s, from college savings and life insurance to delayed retirement and the temptation to sacrifice your own financial future for your children. Tom brings some very personal experience to the conversation—and a few stories about being mistaken for his daughter’s grandfather. Then, a listen
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