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PODCAST

Talking Real Money - Investing Talk

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).

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All Episodes

41:37

60/40: Down, Not Out

Talking Real Money - Investing Talk ·

2025/07/23

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 tackle fixed indexed annuities head-on, debunking the myth of market returns without risk, citing high commissions, surrender charges, lack of liquidity, and poor transparency. Several listener calls highlight confusion over annuity strategies and Roth vs. pre-tax retirement

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41:56

Small Stocks, Big Upside

Talking Real Money - Investing Talk ·

2025/07/22

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 why chasing big winners like Nvidia and Apple could backfire, and why broad diversification with a tilt toward small and value still makes sense. Callers get help with tax drag from old mutual funds, switching from expensive active funds to ETFs, household asset allocation, Roth

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33:20

Big and Beautiful?

Talking Real Money - Investing Talk ·

2025/07/21

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. They also tackle listener questions on Roth vs. IRA asset protection, portfolio rebalancing confusion, and lazy robo-advisory allocations. Bonus: helium speculation, trade school love, and a jab at politicians who pander. 0:04 Intro: “Dearly beloved…” it’s tax time 1:10

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25:12

Suze Q and A

Talking Real Money - Investing Talk ·

2025/07/18

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 confusing advice, breaks down the logic of the 4% rule, and dismantles a fear-mongering insurance pitch claiming to “save retirement.” Expect sarcasm, clarity, and one well-aimed diatribe at the insurance-industrial complex.0:04 Summer slowdown in listener questions and

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44:42

ETF Madness

Talking Real Money - Investing Talk ·

2025/07/16

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 shipping futures. They debunk the myth that “ETF” means safe and highlight the rise of investing as entertainment. Later, they discuss disclaiming inherited assets, why tax planning and estate titling matter, and why deferred compensation plans should be part of a bigger

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48:16

Melt-Up or Melt-Down?

Talking Real Money - Investing Talk ·

2025/07/15

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 whether these changes actually warrant different investing behavior—or if they’re just the latest in a long line of panics dressed up as paradigm shifts. Along the way, they debate market melt-ups, the logic of diversification, and why equities pay more (hint: it’s not because they’re

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32:48

Income Generation

Talking Real Money - Investing Talk ·

2025/07/14

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 hybrid—and make the case for why a well-managed total return strategy usually comes out on top. Listener questions cover Roth IRA gifts to a niece, inherited IRA distribution rules, Paul Merriman’s small-cap stance, and whether long-term care insurance is a smart bet or an emotional

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26:52

Big Q&A DAY

Talking Real Money - Investing Talk ·

2025/07/11

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, rebalancing strategies, and inherited IRA hacks. A master class in how to stop making dumb money moves.0:04 Intro – Friday Q&A episode with a goal: 6 questions in one show 1:18 How to ask your questions (and why spoken questions get on air) 2:55 Rachel (NC): Friend sold a

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42:01

Vanguard's Advisor Alpha

Talking Real Money - Investing Talk ·

2025/07/10

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. They break down the origins of the concept (internally coined back in 2001), clarify what alpha actually means, and dig into where that added value comes from: behavioral coaching, tax-efficient strategies, lower costs, smarter withdrawal planning, and disciplined asset

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46:26

Burgers for Bitcoin

Talking Real Money - Investing Talk ·

2025/07/09

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 “nobody uses Bitcoin” remark by digging into the actual numbers: only 15,000 businesses worldwide accept it, out of over 359 million—roughly 0.0004%, making it statistically more rare than a lightning strike. They also break down the real costs of converting Bitcoin to dollars:

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46:54

Annuity University

Talking Real Money - Investing Talk ·

2025/07/08

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 organization isn’t accredited and exists primarily to funnel attendees into high-commission indexed annuities sold by Strategic Wealth Investment Group. The duo break down the tangled relationships, the legal gray zones (including a likely violation of Florida law), and the wildly

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37:22

Brokers and Models

Talking Real Money - Investing Talk ·

2025/07/07

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—versus the growing adoption of model portfolios based on actual research (not just a hunch and a handshake). Along the way, they torch high-fee index fund imposters, answer smart listener questions on global diversification, CD ladders, tax traps in variable annuities, and even

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29:00

Solar Scams, Pig Butchers

Talking Real Money - Investing Talk ·

2025/07/03

In this fast-moving, fraud-fighting episode of Talking Real Money, Tom Cock is joined by longtime consumer advocate Herb Weisbaum (aka The ConsumerMan) to expose two of the fastest-growing scams in the U.S.: predatory solar sales and the “pig butchering” crypto scam. Herb details the dangerous combination of shady sales reps and shadowy financing pushing overpriced, underperforming solar systems door-to-door. Then, the duo dives into long-con crypto scams, deepfake romance cons, and the

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43:32

Gen Z's Retirement Edge?

Talking Real Money - Investing Talk ·

2025/07/02

Gen Z may just be schooling the rest of us in retirement savings—sort of. Don breaks down why the kids are all right… and also why they’re misled. Auto-enrollment rules, social media misinformation, and shaky FinTok advice are all under the microscope. He then tackles smart ETF choices for young investors, questions about windfall investing and burial plots, the overhyped Shell-BP merger rumor, the madness of MicroStrategy’s crypto-fueled valuation, and how to responsibly (and legally) cash out

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45:12

Highs Hype

Talking Real Money - Investing Talk ·

2025/07/01

The market hit another “all-time high”—shocking no one. Don dismantles the myth that record highs are reasons to panic or pull back, reminding listeners that long-term investing and diversification remain undefeated. He breaks down the actual recent S&P 500 data, explains why global diversification matters (even when it lags), and skewers both single-stock overconfidence and scammy ETFs promising outrageous yields. Listener calls dig into retirement withdrawal strategy, Roth conversion tactics, and

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29:30

Dr. Doom or Dr. Boom

Talking Real Money - Investing Talk ·

2025/06/30

Don and Tom tear into the lunacy of financial predictions—starting with famed doomsayer Nouriel Roubini suddenly turning optimistic (is that a good sign or a terrifying one?). Then it’s onto Ron Baron and his wildly volatile, high-fee Barron Partners Fund, which beat the QQQ—barely—by taking massive concentrated bets on Tesla and SpaceX. Finally, they answer listener questions about portfolio diversification, international exposure, and outrageously overpriced 401(k) fund options (Nationwide, we’re

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21:31

Question Time with Tom & Roxy

Talking Real Money - Investing Talk ·

2025/06/27

Tom welcomes Roxy Butner back to field listener questions on retirement income, Roth vs. traditional 401(k) choices, car financing math, leftover 529 rollovers, and bond price confusion. Listeners hear sharp, practical advice on optimizing savings and withdrawals—without slipping into tax traps. Plus, a shoutout to the record 401(k) savings rate and a surprising mini-lesson on estate planning trends.0:05 401(k) savings rates hit a new high—why 20% total savings should be your goal 2:40 Roth vs

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28:35

Behavior Beats Brilliance

Talking Real Money - Investing Talk ·

2025/06/26

In this episode, Don and Tom dive into a revealing YouGov survey that shows Americans might not be as overconfident as we thought—except when it comes to trustworthiness, loyalty, and… mechanical skills? The guys unpack what this means for investors, especially the surprising gaps between men and women in self-perception. Then they outline the traits that actually do make for above-average money managers—like patience, discipline, and optimism—before answering a pair of strong listener questions

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45:46

Can't Have Everything

Talking Real Money - Investing Talk ·

2025/06/25

Don tackles the dangerous myth of “safe” high-yield investments, calling out misleading financial advice around covered call funds and non-traded real estate deals. He takes calls on 529 plans vs. UTMA, long-term care insurance pitfalls, robo-advisors for special needs planning, and a shady pitch for a fixed-indexed annuity disguised as a fiduciary recommendation. He ends with a birthday shoutout and a reminder of why good advice matters.0:04 Greed and the myth of “safe” investments 1:27 Human

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45:29

Gold Medal Worthy?

Talking Real Money - Investing Talk ·

2025/06/24

Don flies solo from Florida while Tom continues his Euro-tour, tackling the deep flaws in Morningstar’s mutual fund and target-date fund ratings. He skewers their cozy relationship with high-fee fund companies and explains how commission-based funds keep getting top honors while cheaper, investor-friendly alternatives like Vanguard are buried down the list. Don also fields live calls about asset allocation, inherited IRA distribution rules, Roth IRA contribution strategies, and the all-too-real pain

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1,752 results

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