Podcast
Talking Real Money - Investing Talk
Hosted by Don McDonald · EN
Financial talk radio veteran, Don McDonald and former host of Serious Money on PBS, Tom Cock, join forces to talk about real money issues. In each episode, they solve real money problems, dole out real investing (not speculating) advice, and really explain the financial issues that effect all of us. Plus, it's actually fun! Talking Real Money is a podcast designed to provide the real help we all need to enjoy a really great future. Call in with your questions anytime at 855-935-TALK (8255).
57episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Retirement Myths
Mar 2500:46:14Tap to summarizeAs Talking Real Money moves into its final week on terrestrial radio, Don and Tom mix transition talk with a practical rundown of common retirement myths. They push back on the idea that expenses automatically fall in retirement, warn that Social Security was never meant to cover everything, and explain why relying on the market alone can be dangerous when withdrawals begin. Callers bring in questions about the sketchy-sounding Quantum X trading platform, required minimum distributions, whether a high-income worker can retire at 62, ETF bid/ask spreads, and where to hold bonds when a 401(k) offers outrageously expensive fund options. The episode also doubles as a preview of how listeners can keep calling and interacting once the show becomes podcast-only. 0:04 Final countdown to the end of the radio show and shift to podcast-only 1:55 Retirement myths theme introduced 2:37 Myth #1: You’ll need less money in retirement 4:02 Myth #2: Social Security will cover most of your needs 5:41 Myth #3: The market will do all the heavy lifting 7:21 Caller asks about Quantum X; Don and Tom warn it looks like nonsense or worse 9:27 Simple alternative offered: broad diversification with VT 10:52 Caller asks about RMD confusion across multiple accounts 12:01 Advice to simplify scattered retirement accounts 13:58 More digging into Quantum X raises additional scam concerns 16:13 Caller asks if he can retire at 62 with substantial savings and pension income 17:21 Don presses on actual spending, not income, as the key retirement measure 21:23 Myth #4: You’ll be able to work as long as you want 23:34 Myth #5: Taxes will be much lower in retirement 26:13 Podcast listening gets easier through the website and apps 29:22 Caller asks about ETF bid/ask spreads, especially DFAW versus VT 32:55 Caller asks where to hold bonds when 401(k) bond fund costs are absurdly high 35:12 After-hours pricing explains bizarre ETF spread quotes 36:37 Example of a shockingly expensive Transamerica bond fund 38:04 How listeners can keep calling and participating after radio ends Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Retirement Myths
Mar 2500:41:14Tap to summarizeQuestions? Comments?As Talking Real Money moves into its final week on terrestrial radio, Don and Tom mix transition talk with a practical rundown of common retirement myths. They push back on the idea that expenses automatically fall in retirement, warn that Social Security was never meant to cover everything, and explain why relying on the market alone can be dangerous when withdrawals begin. Callers bring in questions about the sketchy-sounding Quantum X trading platform, required minimum distributions, whether a high-income worker can retire at 62, ETF bid/ask spreads, and where to hold bonds when a 401(k) offers outrageously expensive fund options. The episode also doubles as a preview of how listeners can keep calling and interacting once the show becomes podcast-only.0:04 Final countdown to the end of the radio show and shift to podcast-only1:55 Retirement myths theme introduced2:37 Myth #1: You’ll need less money in retirement4:02 Myth #2: Social Security will cover most of your needs5:41 Myth #3: The market will do all the heavy lifting7:21 Caller asks about Quantum X; Don and Tom warn it looks like nonsense or worse9:27 Simple alternative offered: broad diversification with VT10:52 Caller asks about RMD confusion across multiple accounts12:01 Advice to simplify scattered retirement accounts13:58 More digging into Quantum X raises additional scam concerns16:13 Caller asks if he can retire at 62 with substantial savings and pension income17:21 Don presses on actual spending, not income, as the key retirement measure21:23 Myth #4: You’ll be able to work as long as you want23:34 Myth #5: Taxes will be much lower in retirement26:13 Podcast listening gets easier through the website and apps29:22 Caller asks about ETF bid/ask spreads, especially DFAW versus VT32:55 Caller asks where to hold bonds when 401(k) bond fund costs are absurdly high35:12 After-hours pricing explains bizarre ETF spread quotes36:37 Example of a shockingly expensive Transamerica bond fund38:04 How listeners can keep calling and participating after radio endsLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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You Can't Know
Mar 2400:39:08Tap to summarizeQuestions? Comments?With geopolitical tension rattling markets and investors stampeding into cash, gold, and energy, Don and Tom step back to deliver a familiar message: nobody knows what’s next—and anyone claiming otherwise is selling something. They walk through the behavioral traps of market timing, explain why diversification (especially beyond U.S. large caps) is quietly doing its job, and highlight the role of small cap and micro-cap stocks as part of a broader portfolio—not a silver bullet. Along the way, they mix in listener calls, practical tips (including liquidity strategies and avoiding irreversible investments), and a running acknowledgment that while their radio era is ending, the core mission—keeping investors from doing something dumb—isn’t going anywhere.0:04 CBS Radio shutdown vs. TRM leaving radio—industry shift toward podcasts1:32 War-driven market anxiety: money flows to cash, gold, and energy2:54 Interest rate expectations flip—uncertainty dominates3:16 Jason Zweig warning: beware “I know what’s next” pitches4:24 Market timing trap—getting back in is the real failure point5:37 Diversification reality—why global exposure smooths outcomes7:08 Financial Fysics Kindle release and podcast transition reminders9:53 “Retirement Plan” film event plug and discussion preview13:37 Listener question: small cap value vs. large cap performance15:44 Correlation explained—why asset classes don’t move in lockstep16:29 Small cap value premium—historical outperformance rationale21:49 Micro-cap ETF discussion (DFMC)—extreme diversification option24:47 Caution: aggressive funds are optional, not necessary27:52 Listener success story—laddering cash with CDs for caregiving33:40 Core advice: avoid irreversible financial decisions34:49 Liquidity matters—dangers of annuities and illiquid investments35:55 Wall Street “new ideas” skepticism—most benefit the seller36:21 Final push: transition to podcast-only formatLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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You Can't Know
Mar 2400:44:08Tap to summarizeWith geopolitical tension rattling markets and investors stampeding into cash, gold, and energy, Don and Tom step back to deliver a familiar message: nobody knows what’s next—and anyone claiming otherwise is selling something. They walk through the behavioral traps of market timing, explain why diversification (especially beyond U.S. large caps) is quietly doing its job, and highlight the role of small cap and micro-cap stocks as part of a broader portfolio—not a silver bullet. Along the way, they mix in listener calls, practical tips (including liquidity strategies and avoiding irreversible investments), and a running acknowledgment that while their radio era is ending, the core mission—keeping investors from doing something dumb—isn’t going anywhere. 0:04 CBS Radio shutdown vs. TRM leaving radio—industry shift toward podcasts 1:32 War-driven market anxiety: money flows to cash, gold, and energy 2:54 Interest rate expectations flip—uncertainty dominates 3:16 Jason Zweig warning: beware “I know what’s next” pitches 4:24 Market timing trap—getting back in is the real failure point 5:37 Diversification reality—why global exposure smooths outcomes 7:08 Financial Fysics Kindle release and podcast transition reminders 9:53 “Retirement Plan” film event plug and discussion preview 13:37 Listener question: small cap value vs. large cap performance 15:44 Correlation explained—why asset classes don’t move in lockstep 16:29 Small cap value premium—historical outperformance rationale 21:49 Micro-cap ETF discussion (DFMC)—extreme diversification option 24:47 Caution: aggressive funds are optional, not necessary 27:52 Listener success story—laddering cash with CDs for caregiving 33:40 Core advice: avoid irreversible financial decisions 34:49 Liquidity matters—dangers of annuities and illiquid investments 35:55 Wall Street “new ideas” skepticism—most benefit the seller 36:21 Final push: transition to podcast-only format Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Icy Market
Mar 2300:29:05Tap to summarizeQuestions? Comments?The housing market is stuck in an unusual freeze, driven by the lingering effects of ultra-low COVID-era mortgage rates, reduced housing inventory, and sharply higher income requirements for buyers. With fewer people moving, less new construction, and more all-cash purchases, affordability has deteriorated and first-time buyers are older than ever. Don and Tom argue that homeownership is often overrated as an investment and suggest renting may be the more rational choice for many. They also tackle listener questions on Robinhood’s 2% transfer bonus (tempting but tied to a five-year lockup), comparisons between today’s market and 1929 (very different structurally), and the limits of 529-to-Roth conversion strategies. Along the way, they remind us that humans—like chimps—are irresistibly drawn to shiny objects, which often leads to poor financial decisions.0:04 Housing market shift and mortgage demand decline1:18 COVID-era rates and the “locked-in homeowner” effect2:23 Inventory shortage and collapse in new construction2:41 Income needed to buy a home jumps dramatically3:27 First-time buyers getting older and priced out4:21 Why the housing market feels “frozen”5:35 Mortgage rates vs. psychological anchoring to 2% loans6:23 Advice: rent before buying in uncertain markets7:36 Flexibility in location and housing expectations9:20 Helping family vs. accepting renting as a long-term solution10:05 Why homeownership is not a great investment11:05 Hidden and unpredictable costs of owning vs. renting11:56 Possible long-term shift toward renting culture13:46 Robinhood 2% transfer bonus—too good to be true?15:13 The five-year lockup and real cost of “free money”16:38 Temptation vs. trust issues with Robinhood17:18 Listener question on 1929 comparisons18:25 Why today’s market is fundamentally different from 192920:34 Extreme leverage and speculation in the 1920s22:03 Regulatory differences and modern safeguards23:32 529 plan to Roth IRA conversion rules explained24:47 Beneficiary changes reset the 15-year clock25:29 “Shiny object” behavior and investing mistakes27:12 Human nature, speculation, and financial decisionsLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Icy Market
Mar 2300:29:05Tap to summarizeThe housing market is stuck in an unusual freeze, driven by the lingering effects of ultra-low COVID-era mortgage rates, reduced housing inventory, and sharply higher income requirements for buyers. With fewer people moving, less new construction, and more all-cash purchases, affordability has deteriorated and first-time buyers are older than ever. Don and Tom argue that homeownership is often overrated as an investment and suggest renting may be the more rational choice for many. They also tackle listener questions on Robinhood’s 2% transfer bonus (tempting but tied to a five-year lockup), comparisons between today’s market and 1929 (very different structurally), and the limits of 529-to-Roth conversion strategies. Along the way, they remind us that humans—like chimps—are irresistibly drawn to shiny objects, which often leads to poor financial decisions. 0:04 Housing market shift and mortgage demand decline 1:18 COVID-era rates and the “locked-in homeowner” effect 2:23 Inventory shortage and collapse in new construction 2:41 Income needed to buy a home jumps dramatically 3:27 First-time buyers getting older and priced out 4:21 Why the housing market feels “frozen” 5:35 Mortgage rates vs. psychological anchoring to 2% loans 6:23 Advice: rent before buying in uncertain markets 7:36 Flexibility in location and housing expectations 9:20 Helping family vs. accepting renting as a long-term solution 10:05 Why homeownership is not a great investment 11:05 Hidden and unpredictable costs of owning vs. renting 11:56 Possible long-term shift toward renting culture 13:46 Robinhood 2% transfer bonus—too good to be true? 15:13 The five-year lockup and real cost of “free money” 16:38 Temptation vs. trust issues with Robinhood 17:18 Listener question on 1929 comparisons 18:25 Why today’s market is fundamentally different from 1929 20:34 Extreme leverage and speculation in the 1920s 22:03 Regulatory differences and modern safeguards 23:32 529 plan to Roth IRA conversion rules explained 24:47 Beneficiary changes reset the 15-year clock 25:29 “Shiny object” behavior and investing mistakes 27:12 Human nature, speculation, and financial decisions Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Fewer Q Friday
Mar 2000:20:26Tap to summarizeDon fields listener questions on asset allocation, advisor timing, and investing complexity with his usual bias toward simplicity and self-awareness. He emphasizes that the decision to add bonds isn’t about age but about emotional tolerance for loss, shares his own shift to a more conservative 55/45 portfolio, dismisses futures markets as largely speculative noise for most investors, and advises a listener nearing retirement that while there’s no urgency to hire an advisor, the value of planning—especially around taxes and income strategy—becomes increasingly important in the early 60s. 0:04 Thunderstorm intro and Q&A format setup 1:37 100% stock portfolio—when (and how) to add bonds 5:47 Don’s personal portfolio breakdown and evolution 10:25 Futures markets explained (and why to ignore them) 13:00 When to hire a financial advisor approaching retirement Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Fewer Q Friday
Mar 2000:20:26Tap to summarizeQuestions? Comments?Don fields listener questions on asset allocation, advisor timing, and investing complexity with his usual bias toward simplicity and self-awareness. He emphasizes that the decision to add bonds isn’t about age but about emotional tolerance for loss, shares his own shift to a more conservative 55/45 portfolio, dismisses futures markets as largely speculative noise for most investors, and advises a listener nearing retirement that while there’s no urgency to hire an advisor, the value of planning—especially around taxes and income strategy—becomes increasingly important in the early 60s.0:04 Thunderstorm intro and Q&A format setup1:37 100% stock portfolio—when (and how) to add bonds5:47 Don’s personal portfolio breakdown and evolution10:25 Futures markets explained (and why to ignore them)13:00 When to hire a financial advisor approaching retirementLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Optimal Income?
Mar 1900:27:08Tap to summarizeMorningstar’s latest research nudges the “safe” withdrawal rate down to 3.9%, but Don and Tom make it clear there’s no magic number—just tradeoffs. They walk through fixed vs. flexible withdrawal strategies, why spending adaptability matters more than rules of thumb, and how your goals (spend vs. leave money behind) shape everything. Listener questions tackle bond fund choices (yield vs. stability), portfolio allocation math, and whether an advisor should pay for a costly tax mistake (short answer: yes). 0:04 The big retirement question: how much can you safely withdraw? 0:32 Morningstar updates the “4% rule” to 3.9% 0:55 Why their baseline uses a conservative 40/60 portfolio 1:59 Overview of multiple withdrawal strategies (guardrails, RMDs, etc.) 3:13 Why rules of thumb fail real people 4:17 Flexible withdrawals vs. fixed income strategies 5:43 Spending more vs. leaving more—values drive the decision 6:36 Why professional planning still matters (even for pros) 7:38 What Morningstar data shows about spending vs. ending balances 9:05 The real key: flexibility in retirement spending 10:22 RMD strategy—high spending, low legacy 12:36 Listener Q: Active vs. index bond funds (yield vs. quality) 15:09 Why bonds are about stability, not returns 17:13 Listener Q: Portfolio allocation math (70/30 breakdown) 17:58 How much international exposure is “right” 19:44 Listener Q: Advisor mistake causing tax penalties 21:20 Should advisors reimburse errors? (yes—and they usually will) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Everything Ends
Mar 1800:44:54Tap to summarizeThe show opens with a major announcement: Talking Real Money is leaving terrestrial radio and going fully podcast-only, marking the end of a 16-year Saturday run. A heartfelt surprise call from Don’s wife Debbie reflects on decades of friendship, trust, and listener connection before the tone pivots back to business. The main topic takes aim at perpetual crash predictors like Robert Kiyosaki, dismantling their track records with hard numbers and highlighting the absurdity of market timing. The episode then shifts to a real-world HOA investing debate, using it as a case study to expose the risks and illusions behind “buffered” or “guaranteed” return products. The core message is simple and consistent: if it sounds too good to be true—especially anything promising safe double-digit returns—it is. 0:04 Major announcement: show leaving radio, moving fully to podcast 0:34 Surprise call from Debbie with emotional tribute 2:13 Reflection on 16 years, trust, and listener impact 3:15 Don and Tom respond to Debbie and reflect on friendship 5:16 Setup: can anyone actually predict a market crash? 6:41 Media fear machine and constant crash headlines 7:44 Kiyosaki’s predictions vs real market performance 9:52 “25 of the last 2 crashes” and the contrarian indicator joke 11:05 Why crash predictions persist and attract attention 12:29 Other fear-based forecasts and why they don’t help investors 13:29 Program note: transition to podcast-only and how to listen 14:32 Caller: rebuilding an emergency fund vs investing 15:58 How to prioritize emergency savings vs brokerage contributions 16:55 Managing risk and asset allocation near retirement 17:32 Caller question: how interaction will work in podcast format 18:57 New system for listener calls and recorded conversations 21:40 HOA story: pressure to invest reserves in complex products 22:54 Explanation of buffered/structured investment products 24:06 Hidden tradeoffs: capped upside, partial downside protection 25:00 Unknown risks and 2008 comparison 25:47 “Do you know who I am?” moment and advisor pushback 27:01 Reality check: no such thing as guaranteed 10% returns 27:27 Simple logic: if 10% were safe, no one would take 4% 28:59 “People lie about money” and incentives in finance 30:12 Listener email: estate planning and Tom’s Starbucks joke 32:09 RetireMeet recording availability and follow-up 34:08 Podcast reach vs YouTube performance 35:28 How to listen and interact with the show going forward Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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