Talking Real Money - Investing Talk

Ep. 2006: Five Questions, No Magic Answers

Don takes five listener questions with no magic tricks required: how simple a young investor’s Roth IRA can be, whether socialist economies have stock markets, and what r

Ep. 2005: The Habanero Portfolio

A little hot pepper can improve a meal. Eating the whole habanero is another experience entirely. Can the same be said for your portfolio? Don and Tom explore why small-c

Ep. 2004: The Annuity Rules Keep Changing

Indexed annuities promise market-like gains without market losses—but Don and Tom explain how commissions, surrender charges, spreads, participation rates, and even chang

Ep. 2003: Seven Styles, One Portfolio

Don and Tom dismantle the idea that investors need to choose one narrow “style.” Growth, value, small companies, momentum, and passive investing are ingredients—not compe

Ep. 2002: The Buggy Whip Theory

The “Buggy Whip Theory” is a reminder that even when investors correctly see the future coming, they rarely know which company—or which part of a new industry—will actual

Ep. 2001: A New Millennium of Money Questions

Episode 2001 begins a new millennium of money questions—with Don sorting out the numbering before tackling inherited IRAs, CD ladders, Roth conversions, workplace retirem

Ep. 2000: Bonds Are Doing Their Job

Bond prices are falling as yields rise—and that does not mean diversification has failed. Don and Tom explain why high-quality bonds can decline when stocks and the econo

Ep. 1999: IRA Mistakes You Can’t Undo

Some IRA mistakes cannot simply be reversed. Don and Tom explain the traps around non-spouse beneficiary transfers, the one-rollover-per-year rule, 72(t) plans, the same-

Ep. 1998: The S&P 500 or the Whole World?

Don and Tom compare the S&P 500 with total-market and globally diversified investing, explain the danger of home bias, and show why owning more of the world can reduce co

Ep. 1997: The Lemmings Didn’t Jump

Don and Tom use Disney’s infamous lemming myth to explain investor herd behavior, recency bias, and the danger of chasing whatever has recently been hot. Then they answer

Ep. 1996: Growth, Value, and When to Retire

Don tackles listener questions about growth versus value stocks, choosing the right time to retire, Medicaid and estate-planning concerns, the problems with infinite-bank

Ep. 1995: The Homeownership Trade-Off

Is a home always a great investment? Don and Tom compare buying with renting, explain why leverage can make home returns look better than they are, and lay out when ownin

Ep. 1994: The $31,000 Advice Bill

Don and Tom unpack what financial advice should cost after a retired couple discovers they’re paying $31,000 a year. They compare fee-only, fee-based, and commission mode

Ep. 1993: The High-Yield Trapdoor

Covered-call ETFs trade away upside for income and still carry market risk. They also discuss TSP Roth conversions, an Avantis balanced fund, a possible X Money cash offe

Ep. 1992: The Enemy Is Us

The biggest drag on an investment portfolio may be the investor. Don and Tom examine the behavior gap—the difference between what investments earn and what people actuall

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