Talking Real Money - Investing Talk

Ep. 1991: Seven Questions, Clear Answers

Seven listeners bring seven practical money decisions, and Don moves through them without the usual detours. He compares ETFs with mutual funds, untangles realistic stock

Ep. 1990: Luck Isn’t Skill

One lucky streak can feel like investing genius—but anecdotes are not evidence. Don and Tom examine leveraged ETFs such as TQQQ, the brutal losses leverage can magnify, a

Ep. 1989: Two Clocks, One Plan

Retirement planning becomes a two-clock problem when spouses are a decade or more apart in age. Don and Tom explain why one household may need to fund two timelines—and w

Ep. 1988: The Guarantee Mirage

Don and Tom examine the promises behind fixed, indexed, and immediate annuities—and why the word ‘guaranteed’ deserves closer scrutiny. They explain how insurers invest p

Ep. 1987: The Fee Machine

Higher fees do not buy higher returns. Don and Tom unpack the fee-to-risk/reward ratio, show how fund costs compound against investors, and compare low-cost index funds w

Ep. 1986: Six Questions, Straight Answers

Six listener questions drive this Friday edition, starting with whether a pre-retirement car purchase belongs on a 401(k) withdrawal. Don explains why preserving tax-defe

Ep. 1985: The Just-Right Path

Retirement planning gets dangerous when people drift toward either extreme. Don and Tom unpack a survey in which savers wildly overestimate the nest egg they need, yet al

Ep. 1984: Before the Bear Arrives

Winter comes for markets, too. Don and Tom ask the useful question before the next bear market arrives: will your portfolio—and your nerves—be ready? They revisit painful

Ep. 1983: Coast FI’s Missing Passengers

Coast FI promises that if you save enough early, your retirement money can coast the rest of the way. Don and Tom run the numbers and find the missing passengers: inflati

Ep. 1982: The Price of Excitement

Exciting investments often arrive wrapped in a great story—and hide a much bigger risk. Don and Tom revisit Financial Physics Rule 10, explain the price of chasing sizzle

Ep. 1981: Money Questions, Sorted

Friday’s listener questions cover the kind of decisions that sound simple until the details arrive. Don weighs the ease of Vanguard’s total bond fund against building a T

Ep. 1980: Don’t Crack the Nest Egg

Americans’ 401(k) balances are hitting records—but nearly one in five workers has an outstanding plan loan. Don and Tom explain why a properly sized emergency fund should

Ep. 1979: Bonds Help You Sleep

Bond prices are falling as long-term rates rise, but that doesn't mean bonds have failed. Don and Tom explain why bond prices and yields move in opposite directions,

Ep. 1978: Garbage In, Money Out

Financial advice is everywhere, but useful investing guidance is strangely hard to find. Don and Tom sort through the stock-picking headlines, social-media hype, and finf

Ep. 1977: The Confusion-to-Risk Ratio

If an investment takes longer than a minute to explain, the confusion may be doing the selling. Don and Tom examine the confusion-to-risk ratio through structured notes,

Ep. 1976: Questions Behind the Numbers

Retirement questions rarely have one-number answers. Don works through a couple’s ambitious retirement goal after a late start, a new retiree’s urge to attack a 7% mortga

Ep. 1975: Put the Brakes on Buy Now

The best portfolio cannot help much if every spare dollar disappears at checkout. Don and Tom debate practical ways to slow impulse purchases, automate saving, and build

Ep. 1974: Who Watches the Insurers?

Who is looking out for insurance customers—and who is paying the people who set the standards? Don and Tom examine insurance-industry incentives, questions about the NAIC

Ep. 1973: One Size Fits Nobody

Target-date funds promise a simple glide path from growth to safety—but people with the same retirement date can have completely different needs. Don and Tom compare Vang

Ep. 1972: Your Questions, No Detours

Should retirement spending pass through a Roth? Can a nonprofit offer a 401(k) with ETFs? Does active management really win overseas? Don works through a packed listener-