Episodes

Most people want more money than they have. Many want to be rich. How do we define rich and what are some simple ways to get there? Because inflation and the market have battered portfolios, many have decided to delay retirement. Should you wait? Then we take listeners questions: Is the Avantis All-Equity ETF (AVGE) a good replacement for VT and how should it be added? Do we suggest FOREX trading? In what kinds of accounts to different investments belong? Learn more about your ad choices. Vi...

It's Friday Q&A day with Don and in this episode, he takes six of your questions: Should a home be part of a portfolio mix? Explain the relationship between bond yields and bond prices. Is there a disadvantage to waiting to take Social Security? Is it okay to own multiple funds in similar asset classes? Do I really need bonds in my portfolio? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Questions? Comments? Click!

Here's the reveal: Don discovers that one of the worst investment ideas of all times has risen from the dead. Yes, Collateralized Mortgage Obligations (CMOs) are being sold again. Then, Tom's topic is retirement. Do we have retirement planning backward? When should we start planning for our post work life? Then we take listeners questions: Is there a better investment than VT for kids long-term investments? What is our opinion of Avantis All Equities Markets ETF (AVGE)? Learn more about your ad ...

Numerous investigations point to rampant Medicare fraud by the companies that run some of the largest Medicare Advantage plans. When they cheat the system they hurt all of us. Then we take your questions: What should be done with an indexed annuity in a qualified retirement plan? Does it makes sense to join a class action suit against a mutual fund? How do you convert a percentage to basis points? From which investment should RMD money be taken? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megap...

Don looks at his investment portfolio for the first time in months. Yes, stocks and bonds have been down. Should you be doing something? We discuss how to build the right portfolio for any market. We also spend some time discussing the problems with celebrity endorsements for financial products. Also, should the SEC regulate crypto? Then we take some questions: Why do so many start taking Social Security before age 70? We clarify spousal beneficiary benefits from Social Security? How can you ...

It's Friday and Don is answering your questions again: What is our opinion of Personal Capital and AVUV? What is the cost basis and what are the fees to buy and sell ETFs? A listener is disappointed with Tom's opinion of I-Bonds. Is this a good time to buy farm land? Is it better to be in a tax-free bonds fund? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesQuestions? Comments? Click!

Congress came close, but at the last minute greed prevailed and the powers that be, in the House, refused to bring a bill to a vote that would have banned stock trading. What, funds and ETFs aren't good enough for them? Then off to listeners questions: What do we think of the Washington state employee annuity? Should you have different asset classes in your 401k and IRA? Why does the amount of a security sale differ from the cash available to trade? Does no state income tax influence the the...

We start with Don's update on Hurricane Ian, the we consider the many imroved opportunities for investing you short term cash. After that, we are innundated with questions: How can a 401k be slowly liquidated when an employer requires the whole account be closed? What should be done with some old American fund shares in IRAs? My advisor forgot to send some paperwork. Is there a cure for a bad case of 'hodgepodgitis?" How should a TSP portfolio be allocated? Plus, Tom feels compelled to...

Don is taking your questions again to wrap up the week: Which comes first, your HSA or 401k? When is interest taxed in "at maturity" CDs? The best way to create a balanced investment at Fidelity? What do we make of an obscure, institutional only fund for retirement plan? What should parents do with $150,000 sitting in the bank? Before considering an annuity, with whom should she talk? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Questions? Comments? Click!

Real estate prices can fall. That truth is becoming obvious as we learn that the Seattle area is falling fastest. Plus, we talk about all of the misleading advice from idustries with commissioned salespeople. Do you have to withdraw from a Roth 401k. Tom asks Don about the latest Florida Hurricane. We share JPMorganChase CEO's Jamie Dimon's thoughts about cryptocurrency. We follow that with the story of Michael Saylor's multi-billion dollar BitCoin bet. We also hear from listeners: What are the...

For the second time in a row, investors have faced a second 20%+ decline in 2022. What happened and what does it mean to you? With stocks down and bonds down, at least that bear market protecting, inflation hedging asset class, gold, must have bailed you out? Right? Think again. So, how are those complaex hedging type mutual funds done? Find out. Plus, we talk about both hurrican and market panic. Then, we take your calls: What happened to your podcasts in mid-September? How to buy treasury se...

Don is slowly mending as the podcast maintains a shortened schedule of three to four episodes a week. There will be no videos for the nest few weeks. Today, is the American retirement system broken and what can you do to avoid poverty in your final years? PlUs, a reformed stockbroker wonders about using actively managed funds to create an income portfolio? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Questions? Comments? Click!

Don and Tom consider the question that plagues many during times after markets have lost money: Is it a bad idea to retire from work in a bear market? Should you go after a "guaranteed" 9% return? Then, on to your questions: What do we think of an "advisors" advice to use American Funds in lieu of Vanguard funds? How much can a working teenager contribute to a Roth? How can money be given to grandkids and yet protected being used too early? Is her bank advisor actually a fiduciary and how do...

Don returns to the mic and explains his recent surgical absence (and catches some flack for his disdain for emergency room procedures). Then, we discuss the recent improved performance of active mutual fund managers. Could it simply be luck? Plus, Robin Hood is creating a stupid trader index. From there we take listeners questions: When should a 529 plan be funded? Immediate joint annuity...? Moving money to Fidelity. How should he switch to indexes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit ...

Program note: We apologize for the delay in getting this episode posted. Don had a major medical emergency on September 9th that both kept him from doing the show and caused him to undergo some intensive surgery on Monday. Thanks so much for your understanding. What is the diffrenece between stocks and bonds and why do you need those boring bonds? He also discusses the power of broad diversification and a long period during which owning the S&P 500 alone was disasterous. Plus, Tom takes question...

Program note: We apologize for the delay in getting this episode posted. Don had a major medical emergency on Friday that both kept him from doing the show and caused him to undergo some intensive surgery on Monday. Thanks so much for your understanding. He plans to be back for the Saturday show and subsequent episodes. Tom uses the passing of Queen Elizabeth to make a point about investing consistency. Do you know your retirement number? Can you really retire in a recession? Can iBonds be used ...

Don and Tom and John Rekenthaler share some lessons learned about the latest hot boutique funds. Then we take some questions: Which mutual funds should be used in new Fidelity IRAs? What's a good ETF in which to park tax loss assets? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Questions? Comments? Click!

Sure, you might correctly guess the future direction of the stock market once, but can you do it every time? Then, we hear from a bunch of listeners: One shares a great Vanguard experience. Another with some really bad investments. Are Vanguard and few other fund groups facing government intervention? We hear about the elcetic concept of private foundations avoiding RMD. Must money be in Roth for five years before withdrawals? Finally, what do we think of the Fidelity Zero funds? Learn mo...

We start with off-topic discusssions about holidays and changes in office work. Then we discuss a concern that many share: Can I afford to retire? Plus, we question a retirement portfolio suggestion. We hear from listeners: About Vanguard's declining level of customer support. Wondering if Tom remembers him? Bashing us for bashing crypto. It was a holiday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Questions? Comments? Click!

Don discover a number of articles in Entreprenuer magazine that seem to be created from the same formula by a stock "research" firm in Kalkota. Plus, a comment of our tax-free investing advice. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Questions? Comments? Click!

Tom and Don take a look at a couple of popular investnents that no one needs; buffer funds, private real estate. Then a listener wonders how to get into Dimensional Funds' products? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Questions? Comments? Click!

United Healthcare has been using expensive funds in their 401k plan. Should they have looked for cheaper products? Looks like a court will decide. Then we take lots of listener questions: Is Vanguard getting out of mutual fund business? How do ETFs work and why use them? What might happen to a company when all shares are held internally? Will savings rates ever get reasonable again? How do Treasury Bills work? Must IRA accounts have beneficiaries named? Learn more about your ad choices. V...

As the market collapsed again, how bad has the market actuall been for real investors? Then, what should you do with your student loan forgiveness? How do you pick the right mutual funds? We share the latest chapter in the AMC meme stock stupidity. Listeners ask: Does it make sense to tax-loss harvest in tax-advantaged accounts? How long does the IRS expect us to live? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Questions? Comments? Click!

Don spends another day answering listeners questions: What to we think about market timing? How can he add small and emerging markets with a mediocre 401k? What is the worst case scenarion for an I-Bond buyer? What is a basis point and is Tom caffeinated? Can a retored spouse have a Roth IRA and Personal Capital's new savings account? What should be done with next year's Roth contributions? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Questions? Comments? Click!