Gold is back in the headlines, but should it be in your portfolio? Don and Tom take a fresh (and frequently hilarious) look at the shiny metal that never seems to deliver. From Fort Knox to Costco’s gold bar rush, they trace ...
When markets get bumpy, emotions take the wheel—and that’s exactly why Don spends this solo episode reminding listeners that logic, evidence, and simplicity still win in the long run. He digs into why private investments aren...
Don flies solo on this episode of Talking Real Money, fielding calls and calling out the nonsense in fancy investment gimmicks. From market-neutral funds to buffered ETFs, he lays out the case for simplicity, diversification,...
In this episode of Talking Real Money, Don McDonald and Tom Cock discuss practical strategies for navigating recessions without panic or unnecessary market timing. They critique the constant, fear-driven speculation around ec...
Don and Tom explore the role of risk, resilience, and rational investing as they tackle stock market uncertainty, Roth conversion confusion, and Robinhood’s attempt to lure new users. They mix in practical advice with plenty ...
Wild market swings, political chaos, and investor confusion set the stage for this episode. Don and Tom break down the emotional impact of volatility, the myths of market timing, and the wisdom in sticking to long-term plans....
In this classic swirl of candor, humor, and financial sense, Don and Tom tackle the human habit of financial foolishness—from betting big on speculative ETFs to ignoring global diversification. They call out the irony of inve...
It’s a full-on Q&A Friday as Don tackles listener questions on account consolidation, fund choices, proper bond allocation, and portfolio construction. From dissecting the merits of AVGE vs. DFAW vs. VT+AVUV, to helping feder...
Don and Tom put popular retirement rules of thumb under the microscope—testing everything from the 4% withdrawal rule to the idea of downsizing your home in retirement. With equal parts logic and skepticism, they explore whet...
This episode dives deep into the market’s latest mood swing and the potential impact of new tariffs on consumer costs—like the real price of your next iPhone. Don and Tom explain what tariffs are, how they work, and why they’...
In this episode, Don and Tom address the market’s recent correction—without ever saying the “D-word.” They explain how global diversification cushions the blow, why balanced portfolios aren’t as battered as headlines suggest,...
In this episode of Talking Real Money, Don and Tom sound the alarm on a troubling trend: more people are dipping into their 401(k)s for emergencies. While hardship withdrawals are allowed under IRS rules, they come with serio...
It’s Q&A Day on Talking Real Money, and Don tackles listener questions on everything from crypto and REITs to emergency funds and IRA contributions. He reiterates his firm stance against crypto as an investment, warns about t...
In this episode of Talking Real Money, Don and Tom dive deep into the question of whether long-term investing in stocks truly guarantees returns. Challenging the conventional wisdom, they examine research by Professor Edward ...
At Talking Real Money, we emphasize fundamental financial principles like disciplined saving, diversification, and cautious investing—highlighted this episode through insights on wealth distribution in America, noting that su...
At Talking Real Money, we’re here to reinforce core investing principles: diversify, plan carefully, and never attempt to predict market swings—a point underscored by famed hedge fund manager Ray Dalio, who advocates holding ...
At Talking Real Money, we consistently emphasize that investing requires diversification, low costs, planning, and acknowledgment that predicting the future is impossible—a lesson humorously highlighted by the saga of Argenti...
On this Friday's episode of Talking Real Money, Don McDonald continued his weekly tradition of answering listener questions, covering practical financial concerns in a straightforward and engaging way. He tackled questions ranging from understanding bid-ask spreads when purchasing ETFs, to choosing…
On today's Talking Real Money, Don McDonald welcomed two special guests from Dimensional Fund Advisors (DFA)—founder David Booth and co-CEO Dave Butler—to discuss their unique investment philosophy and the importance of tuning out financial noise. The conversation centered around DFA's documentary,…
On today's Talking Real Money, Don and Tom dug deep into some surprisingly terrible mutual funds—those wealth destroyers that somehow manage to lose investors piles of money year after year. They highlighted the infamous ARK funds, which collectively burned through billions, and even exposed a Fide…
Hosts Don McDonald and Tom Cock discuss timely market volatility, emphasizing the importance of maintaining diversified global portfolios rather than reacting to short-term market shifts. They address listener concerns, inclu...
Hosts Don McDonald and Tom Cock emphasize the critical importance of hiring a fiduciary financial advisor, legally required to act in your best interests and transparently disclose conflicts of interest, such as fees and comm...
It’s Friday, and you know what that means — Q&A day! We tackled five great listener questions, starting with a deep dive into why that seemingly “safe” $71,000 annuity actually shortchanges you compared to a basic 4% Treasury...
Imagine a world where investment firms actually worked in your best interest and financial regulators had your back—yeah, keep dreaming. The reality is getting worse, not better. The latest proof? A flood of sketchy "investme...
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