Don and Tom roll through Memorial Day weekend with a little heat from the audience, a breakdown of where Americans get their financial advice (hint: it’s not great), and some solid, real-world investing guidance. They take a ...
This episode brings the heat on so-called “financial educators” masquerading as fiduciaries while hawking high-commission indexed annuities. Don and Tom dissect the misleading promises of 9% guaranteed returns, break down rea...
Tom takes a break from vacationing to join Don in a deep dive on target date funds—the good, the mediocre, and the fee-loaded ugly. They break down performance data, highlight major fund differences, and remind listeners why ...
In this lighter (but still info-packed) Friday Q&A episode, Don tackles a mixed bag of real-world money questions—from Roth conversions and selling the family home to foreign tax credits and the emotional overload of trying t...
Don shares a deeply personal tale from 2007 when, as an HOA treasurer, he dodged a financial landmine involving auction-rate securities—just before the 2008 crisis froze their liquidity. That real-life scare flows into a fier...
Tom and Don open the show with tech woes and quips before diving into a serious discussion about the U.S. credit rating downgrade and its implications for borrowing costs and long-term debt. They offer practical investing adv...
Don returns from a exhausting, comedy-of-errors flight to discuss how the markets pulled an equally wild round trip—plunging, then rebounding to the tune of $8 trillion. He and Tom break down the April stock and bond tantrum,...
Don and Tom welcome Weston Wellington of Dimensional Funds for a rare and richly insightful conversation covering market volatility, media noise, diversification, and the enduring wisdom of index investing. Weston compares Sp...
Don’s back from NYC with pride (and maybe jet lag), tackling a full slate of thoughtful listener questions. From Roth conversions and the TSP G Fund to cash balance plan gimmicks, RMD timing, overpriced 401(k) plans, and yes,...
Don and Tom launch into a globe-trotting episode—complete with multilingual greetings and a cameo from Cookie Monster—before diving into the serious question of global investing. They challenge the "home country bias" that ke...
In this episode, Don and Tom rewind to the not-so-golden era of Wall Street paperwork, bringing a modern perspective to old-school investing habits. They tackle listener questions around dividend investing, the allure of indi...
Don and Tom take aim at America's favorite financial myths—starting with the widespread belief that real estate and gold are the best long-term investments. They present nearly 100 years of historical data to show why stocks have far outpaced both. The conversation also tackles misleading annuity p…
In this episode, Don and Tom tackle the investor's most persistent foe—fear—especially during volatile markets. They draw on insights from Vanguard and others to reinforce the value of long-term investing, explain why missing a few key days in the market can devastate returns, and stress the import…
In this extra-packed Friday Q&A episode, Don powers through a barrage of listener questions while recovering from an attempted heart ablation (yep, he's okay—but not fixed). He dives into everything from sketchy SIMPLE IRA fe...
On this Talking Real Money episode, Don and Tom tag-team one of the biggest financial myths around: your house as a retirement plan. With over $35 trillion locked in U.S. home equity, they challenge the idea that owning a hom...
Tom and Roxy Butner to co-host a packed episode of Talking Real Money, tackling the ever-elusive "magic number" for retirement with a healthy dose of realism, humor, and data. They dig into a Northwestern Mutual study that shows Americans lowering their retirement savings goals—even as confidence c…
Tom Cock takes the mic solo (with Don recovering from a “procedure”) and brings in advisor Roxy Butner for a special live episode. They reflect on Warren Buffett’s decision to retire in 2025, discussing lessons from his value...
Don and Tom get real about the most important lessons every young person should learn about money—before life (and bad decisions) get in the way. From money values to compound interest, tax realities to the unpredictability o...
Don records this Q&A episode a bit early—right before heart surgery—to make sure listeners don’t miss their Friday dose. He kicks off with a listener confused by a boilerplate $50 foreign stock fee warning on a Fidelity Zero ...
On this myth-busting episode of Talking Real Money, Don and Tom tackle persistent financial fables that sound logical but often lead investors astray. With help from a Kiplinger list and their own experience, they dissect myt...
Tariffs, fear, and stockpiling—oh my! Don and Tom break down how consumer sentiment, not just consumer spending, is shifting dramatically under the weight of tariff uncertainty. They connect behavioral shifts—like Googling “r...
Our memories—and sometimes our parents'—shape how we invest, often more than logic or data. Don and Tom break down how generational financial trauma, recent market trends, and asset class myths (like gold and U.S.-only investing) skew our thinking. They call out flawed stock picking contests, revis…
Don and Tom dive into the seductive but dangerous world of leverage, starting with real estate and quickly moving into the even riskier territory of leveraged ETFs. They explain how leverage magnifies both gains and devastati...
In this listener Q&A episode, Don dives into some powerful topics—from calling out the sales-driven heart of the financial services industry to explaining how bond index funds are built and breaking down the tax realities of ...
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