In this Friday Q&A edition, Don tackles five listener questions spanning kids’ UTMAs vs. 529 plans, Roth vs. pre-tax 403(b) contributions, filling portfolio gaps when a workplace plan lacks small-cap value, why indexed annuit...
Don and Tom dive headfirst into the wild world of bad financial predictions—specifically, the apocalyptic ramblings of Rich Dad Poor Dad author Robert Kiyosaki. They dissect his decades-long streak of failed forecasts, poke h...
This Talking Real Money episode dives into America’s millionaire boom—1,000 a day—and what it really takes to join the club. Don and Tom discuss inflation’s impact on wealth, the real sources of millionaire status (spoiler: i...
Don and Tom open the show with a lighthearted reminder that money doesn’t sleep—so neither do they. They dive into a New York Times article featuring Goldman Sachs researchers who identify five patterns that influence retirem...
In this episode, Don and Tom tackle investor emotion during market highs and use a Schwab-inspired scenario to show how discipline beats market timing—every time. They walk through four fictional investors (lucky, disciplined...
With Don out, Tom Cock and advisor Roxy Butner tackle the increasingly hot question: should you trust a human or a machine with your money? They dig into two recent studies—one showing AI beating most fund managers, and anoth...
Don and Tom take a reality sledgehammer to investors’ wildly inflated expectations for stock market returns. A new survey shows average Americans expect 12.6% after inflation, even as historical real returns rarely crack 9%. ...
In this episode of Talking Real Money, Don and Tom dive into the latest crypto chaos, pushing back against Ric Edelman’s bold prediction that ETFs will vanish within five years due to tokenization. They explain why that claim...
Despite lousy headlines—tariffs, weak earnings, flat revenues—the market keeps climbing. Don and Tom explain why trying to guess the “why” behind short-term moves is a fool’s errand, and why global diversification (including ...
Don takes a fiscal detour into the world of AI, introducing his ChatGPT co-host “Cath” in a strikingly lifelike discussion about the future of jobs, the role of artificial intelligence in our lives, and how we can adapt to ma...
Don flies solo for another Question-and-Answer Friday (not Freaky Friday… despite Hollywood’s best efforts). Listener questions cover everything from Roth IRA choices for young investors to tax loss harvesting and reducing po...
Don and Tom explore the value of changing your mind in the face of new data—financial and otherwise. Sparked by Christine Benz’s recent Morningstar piece, they reflect on how their own views on DIY investing, target date fund...
Don and Tom defend the long-maligned 60/40 portfolio, diving into a 150-year Morningstar study that reveals its lower volatility and emotional survivability—even if it underperforms an all-stock portfolio over time. They tack...
Don and Tom highlight what may be today’s biggest stock market bargain: small-cap value stocks, which have drastically underperformed large-cap growth and now appear poised for long-term reversion to the mean. They explain wh...
Don and Tom dive into the new “big, beautiful” tax bill with humor and skepticism, covering changes to Social Security taxation, tips and overtime exemptions, expanded SALT deductions, and the controversial $1,000 baby bonus....
Don answers a handful of listener questions, offering sharp, practical insight on investing myths, flexible retirement withdrawals, taxable brokerage accounts, and misleading financial scare tactics. He critiques Suze Orman’s...
Don and Tom dive into the wild world of “speculative” ETFs inspired by Jason Zweig’s WSJ piece, mocking the absurdity of funds like the Icelandic stock market ETF (35 stocks, really?) and those tracking things like crude oil ...
Don and Tom take on the ever-persistent phrase “This time it’s different,” as Bloomberg and NYT articles suggest AI, financial fragmentation, and inflation have permanently changed the investing game. The duo questions whethe...
Tom returns from his surprise Canadian adventure and the duo dive into the age-old retirement question: How do I get my money out? They break down the three most common withdrawal strategies—dividends, total return, and hybri...
Don tackles six listener questions in a rare full-stack Q&A Friday. He breaks down a shady universal life insurance pitch, dismantles the myth of “smart” market timing with limit orders, and offers clarity on Roth conversions...
Don is joined by Mike DeJoseph from Vanguard to unpack the meaning and real-world impact of Advisor’s Alpha—Vanguard’s research showing how good financial advisors can add up to 3% annually in net value to client portfolios. ...
Don and Tom kick off this episode by responding to a one-star Apple Podcast reviewer who promised to upgrade to five stars—if they correct their allegedly false Bitcoin claims. Challenge accepted. Don clarifies his earlier “n...
In this hard-hitting episode, Don and Tom expose “Retirement Planning University”—a slick, misleading marketing operation posing as a legitimate educational program. Despite hosting seminars at respected universities, the org...
Is your portfolio built by a broker or a model? Don and Tom break down the surprisingly persistent patterns of old-school broker portfolios—loaded with local stocks, overpriced “index” funds, and actively managed everything—v...
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