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).
Episodes
1900 episodes
Q&A and Book Day
Don opens the show with a deeply personal announcement: the release of his first novel, The Line Uncrossed, inspired by the life of his great-great-grandfather, a teenage Union soldier captured at Chickamauga and imprisoned at Anderson...
Indexes Gone Wild
Don and Tom take on the uncomfortable reality that even supposedly “rules-based” index investing is starting to look suspiciously active, as major indexes like the S&P 500 consider bending long-standing rules to admit massive IPOs like Spac...
Fear Sells
Don and Tom unload on sensationalized financial journalism, taking aim at recent articles claiming the 4% withdrawal rule and classic 60/40 portfolios are “failing” retirees. They argue that the media increasingly prioritizes fear-driven headli...
The Great and Powerful AI
Tom and Don explore whether artificial intelligence is truly ready to replace financial advisors, sparked by a recent Wall Street Journal experiment using ChatGPT to build a long-term investment portfolio. They break down the AI-generated recom...
Selling Slowly
Tom and Don tackle one of retirement planning’s most misunderstood tools: reverse mortgages. Using the analogy of “selling your house in slow motion,” they explain how modern HECM reverse mortgages work, why they’ve become more regulated and po...
May Questions
Don opens this Friday Q&A episode with a personal reflection on finally releasing his historical fiction novel The Line Uncrossed, inspired by his great-great-grandfather’s imprisonment at Andersonville during the Civil War. Listen...
Retirement Relocation Reality
Don and Tom explore one of retirement’s biggest emotional and financial questions: where should you actually live once work winds down? They discuss the hidden realities behind “low-tax” retirement states, including insurance costs, healthcare ...
Selling Fear
Don and Tom take aim at the booming annuity industry, arguing that most annuities are sold through fear, confusion, and unrealistic promises rather than honest financial planning. They explain why indexed annuities are especially problematic, w...
Red Hot or Icy Blue?
Don and Tom tackle the strange psychology of politics and investing, exploring how Republicans and Democrats consistently perceive the economy and markets differently depending on who occupies the White House. Drawing on research from Spencer J...
Active Management Myth
Tom and Don take aim at the persistent myth that active management adds meaningful long-term value, using a new study highlighted by Larry Swedroe showing that 1,260 balanced mutual funds dramatically underperformed simple low-cost index portfo...
Another Busy Q&A Day
This Q&A episode of Talking Real Money covers a wide range of listener questions, from proposed “youth retirement accounts” and 529 plans to the deceptive marketing tactics behind indexed annuity steak dinners. Don also shares deta...
Retirement Quiz
Tom takes a Wall Street Journal retirement-account quiz while Don gleefully plays game show host, leading to a surprisingly useful (and occasionally chaotic) discussion of HSAs, Roth IRAs, Trump accounts, 529 plans, contribution limits, and ret...
Fear Sells Gold
Don and Tom react to the gold-pushing radio show that replaced Talking Real Money, breaking down misleading claims about gold investing, TSP accounts, and “tax-free” gold IRAs while exposing the fear-based marketing behind precious met...
From Funds to Crypto
This episode features an in-depth conversation with Justin Baer about his book House of Fidelity, exploring how Fidelity Investments helped transform investing from an elite activity into a mainstream necessity. The discussion traces F...
Future Proof Jobs?
A graduation-season episode turns into a surprisingly deep conversation about careers in the age of AI, anchored by a New York Times article from Jodi Kantor. Don and Tom explore the idea that successful careers are built not by chasing trends,...
Friday Querisode
Don flies solo for a Friday Q&A, fielding questions on switching into financial services careers, the risks and reality of “enhanced” direct indexing strategies, whether newer Avantis ETFs add real value, and a classic diversification debat...
Emerging Markets Matter
This podcast audio was accidentally posted yesterday, so you might want to listen to our 4/29 episode, if you’ve already heard this one.A listener-inspired revisit of emerging markets investing—sparked by the legacy of M...
Smart Money Myths
Private equity gets sold as exclusive, sophisticated, and “what the smart money does,” but the reality is far less compelling. Don and Tom break down the illusion: limited transparency, questionable valuations, high fees, and serious liquidity ...
Booking Scams
This episode shifts from investing to protection, starting with increasingly sophisticated scams—from fake Microsoft emails to deceptive hotel booking sites highlighted by The New York Times that can triple the cost of a stay while app...
Okay, Boomer
Boomers take the blame (with a grin) while unpacking the real retirement mistakes that still trip people up today—failing to plan, claiming Social Security too early, relying on bad advice, and mismatching portfolios to actual needs. The episod...
Flood of Questions
A rapid-fire Friday Q&A dives into one of retirement’s biggest debates—flexible withdrawals versus the traditional 4% rule—with Don explaining why adaptability may be the key to never running out of money. The episode also tackles ETF vs. m...
AI Trading Trap
AI-powered trading is the latest shiny object designed to make investors feel smarter while quietly encouraging more trading (and more profits for platforms). Don and Tom break down why letting an “AI agent” execute your personal market theorie...
War vs. Markets
War headlines dominate attention, but history shows they rarely have lasting impacts on stock markets. Don and Tom break down why geopolitical events—despite their emotional weight—typically cause only short-term volatility, while long-term ret...
