Don opens this Friday Q&A episode with a personal reflection on finally releasing his historical fiction novel The Line Uncrossed , inspired by his great-great-grandfather’s imprisonment at Andersonville during the Civil War....
Don and Tom explore one of retirement’s biggest emotional and financial questions: where should you actually live once work winds down? They discuss the hidden realities behind “low-tax” retirement states, including insurance...
Don and Tom take aim at the booming annuity industry, arguing that most annuities are sold through fear, confusion, and unrealistic promises rather than honest financial planning. They explain why indexed annuities are especi...
Don and Tom tackle the strange psychology of politics and investing, exploring how Republicans and Democrats consistently perceive the economy and markets differently depending on who occupies the White House. Drawing on rese...
Tom and Don take aim at the persistent myth that active management adds meaningful long-term value, using a new study highlighted by Larry Swedroe showing that 1,260 balanced mutual funds dramatically underperformed simple lo...
This Q&A episode of Talking Real Money covers a wide range of listener questions, from proposed “youth retirement accounts” and 529 plans to the deceptive marketing tactics behind indexed annuity steak dinners. Don also share...
Tom takes a Wall Street Journal retirement-account quiz while Don gleefully plays game show host, leading to a surprisingly useful (and occasionally chaotic) discussion of HSAs, Roth IRAs, Trump accounts, 529 plans, contribut...
Don and Tom react to the gold-pushing radio show that replaced Talking Real Money , breaking down misleading claims about gold investing, TSP accounts, and “tax-free” gold IRAs while exposing the fear-based marketing behind p...
This episode features an in-depth conversation with Justin Baer about his book House of Fidelity , exploring how Fidelity Investments helped transform investing from an elite activity into a mainstream necessity. The discussi...
A graduation-season episode turns into a surprisingly deep conversation about careers in the age of AI, anchored by a New York Times article from Jodi Kantor. Don and Tom explore the idea that successful careers are built not...
Don flies solo for a Friday Q&A, fielding questions on switching into financial services careers, the risks and reality of “enhanced” direct indexing strategies, whether newer Avantis ETFs add real value, and a classic divers...
This podcast audio was accidentally posted yesterday, so you might want to listen to our 4/29 episode, if you’ve already heard this one. A listener-inspired revisit of emerging markets investing—sparked by the legacy of Mark ...
Private equity gets sold as exclusive, sophisticated, and “what the smart money does,” but the reality is far less compelling. Don and Tom break down the illusion: limited transparency, questionable valuations, high fees, and...
This episode shifts from investing to protection, starting with increasingly sophisticated scams—from fake Microsoft emails to deceptive hotel booking sites highlighted by The New York Times that can triple the cost of a stay...
Boomers take the blame (with a grin) while unpacking the real retirement mistakes that still trip people up today—failing to plan, claiming Social Security too early, relying on bad advice, and mismatching portfolios to actua...
A rapid-fire Friday Q&A dives into one of retirement’s biggest debates—flexible withdrawals versus the traditional 4% rule—with Don explaining why adaptability may be the key to never running out of money. The episode also ta...
AI-powered trading is the latest shiny object designed to make investors feel smarter while quietly encouraging more trading (and more profits for platforms). Don and Tom break down why letting an “AI agent” execute your pers...
War headlines dominate attention, but history shows they rarely have lasting impacts on stock markets. Don and Tom break down why geopolitical events—despite their emotional weight—typically cause only short-term volatility, ...
Roxy Butner joins the show to break down practical retirement saving strategies—especially for entrepreneurs who struggle to pay themselves first. The conversation covers foundational options like IRAs and Roth IRAs, then mov...
Don and Tom tackle the idea that retirement isn’t what it used to be—and maybe shouldn’t be at all. From historical retirement ages (when most people never made it) to today’s longer, healthier lives, they explore why many pe...
A wide-ranging Q&A episode tackles the real-world tradeoffs investors actually face: whether Paul Merriman’s aggressive small/value “ultimate” portfolio is worth the complexity and risk, how much stock to put in scary online ...
Annuities promise peace of mind—but often at a steep and poorly understood cost. Don and Tom break down when (rarely) annuities might make sense, why most—including fixed indexed annuities and QLACs—tilt heavily in favor of t...
Starting early beats almost everything else in investing—and this episode drives that home with eye-opening math and a brand-new tool for jumpstarting a kid’s retirement. Don and Tom break down the new “Youth Retirement Accou...
This episode exposes the misleading language behind “best interest” financial sales practices, using the insurance-backed fight against the Department of Labor’s fiduciary rule as the main example. Don and Tom explain why rol...
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