Episodes

"But, they're so nice," "She's my niece." He goes to our church, so he must be honest." We hear this stuff all the time about financial advisors. Of course they're nice. Most of them are salespeople. To sell products, you generally need to be nice. Should niceness be one of your top criteria for hiring someone to manage your future? Tom and Don discuss how you should be picking an investment advisor. Plus, a listener wonders which is best, Vanguard, Dimensional, or Avantis? Learn more about y...

A number of fiduciary advisors are being sued for not putting their clients in more expensive mutual funds. Somehow, they equate higher expenses with long-term higher returns. A listener wonders whether individual bonds are better than a mutual fund? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Questions? Comments? Click!

Despite being a proven, long-term wealth building strategy, many Americans still have no stocks on the their portfolios. We explore why. We also spend some time talking with Paul Merriman about the current market and what the future might bring. Plus, we take a question on what should be done with an inheritance? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Questions? Comments? Click!

Money market mutual funds used to be a good place to park money. That has changed as many funds have raised their expenses – some to 1% per year. These high expenses eat up what tiny yield you might have received. There are better alternatives. We also dive into all mutual fund expenses and where they go. How much are you paying, to whom, and for what? Plus, we take a question about the fee structure of funds of funds. Do you pay twice? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoi...

It's Friday (for Don anyway) and he takes a bunch of your questions: Can you sell an S&P 500 fund at Vanguard and simultaneously buy a a different S&P 500 fund at Fidelity? Who decides when dividends are declared and terminated? Who should manage a real estate portfolio? Should businesses paying her kids to do some work to fund Roth IRAs provide 1099s? Is AVGE too conservative? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Questions? Comments? Click!

Just when you thought the meme stock traders had learned their lesson, they return with new trading targets and even less knowledge. Plus, we answer our most asked question. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Questions? Comments? Click!

Market volatility frightens many investors. So, with so many financial experts out there, does anyone really understand investing markets wild fluctuations? Plus, why would would ever suggest a brand new fund with little money invested and no long-term track record? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Questions? Comments? Click!

As real estate prices peak, some of the first feel the effects are speculators like flippers. There is no easy money. Just ask Kevin Bacon. Then, on to the questions: Can you tax loss harvest from a municipal bond ETF in a total market bond ETF? What are the alternatives to to long-term care policies? Does an immediate annuity make sense? What is the purpose of bonds in a portfolio? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Questions? Comments? Click!

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 ...