Episodes

Managing your money and building a better financial future are easier than you think. All you need to know are a few simple things you must do and a few you must avoid. Plus, we hear from a bunch of listeners: In what order should retirement accounts be tapped? What happens to stocks if the banking system collapse? How should a family member's portfolio be invested for assisted living? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Questions? Comments? Click!

The very worst thing you can do with money is gambling. Unlike the stock market, which has had an upward bias due to general economic growth, gambling is a less than zero sum game for everyone but the house. Today we talk about the dispicable things that gambling promoters do to keep you filling their pockets. Listeners ask: What do we think of Schwab's Theme ETFs? Is it better to save pre-tax money for retirement or use post-tax dollars to get tax-free growth? Learn more about your ad choice...

Generation X is suffereing from a savings crisis. We know it sounds boring, but without a regular savings plan it's hard to to build wealth. The earlier you start the better. We have some ideas to make saving easier. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Questions? Comments? Click!

Here is the second part of our annual Retiremeet episode featuring a short visit from Paul Merriman and a few of your questions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Questions? Comments? Click!

It's our annual Retiremeet special program in which Don wings it from our big annual event in Bellevue. In this episode, Dimensional Fund's Weston Wellington drops by for a chat about the science of investing and Tom briefly passes through. Plus, a couple of questions from attendees and listeners. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Questions? Comments? Click!

Overconfidence is a financial killer. Far too many of us are certain that we know the direction of interest rates because there are just two choices: up or down. But, it's still just guessing. You can't know any part of the future. Then, listeners ask: What is the maximum number of clients an advisor can properly service? What do we think of Phoenix Capital Group? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Questions? Comments? Click!

This week: What is the best way to buy a new car? How should younger people plan for healthcare in retirement? Should a total bond market fund be in a taxable brokerage account? Finally, four questions in one about creating a better portfolio in retirement. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Questions? Comments? Click!

To help you avoid some of the mistakes that can spoil your retirement, we share what many retirees wish they had done differently. So, Dave, only the wealthy can afford a house? We also look at some real problems with Dave Ramsey's home ownership advice. The QQQ celebrates an anniversary, but is it even needed? Plus we hear from you: In what order should money be withdrawn from different kinds of accounts in retirement? Does it make sense to convert IRAs into a Roths in retirement? Learn more...

In an ongoing attempt to entice you into risky bets, another financial firm has found a loophole that allows it to advertise a huge yield that isn't that impressive using a risky variation on covered call writing funds. We go on to explain how covered call writing works and the risks involved. Listeners want to know: Why do we still suggest bonds in an investor's portfolio? What's wrong with his covered call writing strategy? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Que...

The Certified Financial Planner Board claims that those with the CFP designation are required to act in your best interests. However, do they always act as a fiduciary and what can be done if they don't? Plus you ask us questions: What to we think of David McKnight's (The Power of Zero) advice? Where should a small business emergency fund be invested? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Questions? Comments? Click!

On today's question and answer episode: Can a custodian move a UGMA into a 529? Will there be an online replay of Retiremeet? Why should someone consider AVGE considering its flaws? A caller shares a crypto twofer? How should money from a 401k be invested at Vanguard? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesQuestions? Comments? Click!

From a few stocks and bonds, investment options are practically beyond comprehension. How do you pick the best portfolio pieces from the bewidering mix of choices? We discuss the incredible failure of one such hot investment vehicles, ARKK. Listeners ask: Can you be both the owner and beneficiary of a 529 Plan? Do 401k assets count in the pro-rata requirements for a backfoor IRA? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Questions? Comments? Click!

Are we seeing the beginning of the end of traditional mutual funds? ETfs have proven their worth as an investment vehicle that is in many ways better than a regular open-end fund. Will ETFS take over the investing world? Plus, we talk about why some Wall Street firms are accepting crypto into their midst, with one major exception, Vanguard. We also take some questions from listeners: Is it better to give money to family from and IRA or brokerage fund? What's inportant in an advisors Form ADV, ...

Once, dividends account for a large part of stocks' returns. Today they are far less important. Does it make sense for investors to chase after high dividends? Don shares the past power of a simple balanced fund. Listeners ask: Is a CD the best place to invest real estate proceeds for retirement income? How does rental income compare to income froma diversified portfolio? Can large positions in single stocks be combined into a fund to avoid capital gains? Learn more about your ad choices. Vi...

Most feel the only way to save for retirement is through qualiried, tax-advangatwed retirement plans like 401ks, 403bs and IRAs. But are they always the best choices for long-term investing? Plus, listeners ask: What do we think of Fidelity Zero funds now? Can someone with a retirement plan at work still contribute to an IRA? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Questions? Comments? Click!

In this episode Don answers more of your questions from talkingrealmoney.com: What portfolio adjustments should be made to avoid IRMAA? How should the bond portion of a portfolio be invested? Is investing in high dividend stocks a good way to create retirement income? Can backdoor Roth conversions be done in the same year for two different tax years? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Questions? Comments? Click!

There is a lot of misinformations about retirement. Much is spread by people pitching products. Tom and Don go after many of the myths about retirement income, Social Security, Medicare, and more. They also hear from listeners: Wondering if a financial planner is needed goinf into retirement? Taking us to task over a mathematical misundertanding. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Questions? Comments? Click!

Happy to see Jason Zweig back from his sabbatical, Don shares his WSJ article on the wisdom of ignoring the stock market's fluctuations. Tom calls in from Vegas to explian his five-second $100 loss. Listeners ask: What should a house rich person do to create a decent retirement income? Is moving 401k money into an indexed annuity a wise move? This call sets Don on a rant against the horrible "advisors" who will say almost anything to sell these high-commission, complex insurance-based "invest...

Now that there are potential fees to be collected from selling Bitcoin ETFs, many Wall Street firms have grwond enamored with this ephemeral speculation. A few firms are still standing firmly opposed. Bitcoin is the best of a bad bunch. The other 8000+ tokens have even less going for them. Don also shares the story of another crypto fraud. Listeners ask: Can a 529 be used as a "carrot" to reward good behavior in college? After the sale of a house, do they have enough to retire comfortably? Le...

Burton Malkiel and other academics continue to tell us that consistently "beating the market" is essentially impossible. Investors need to understand the impossible natire of accurate prognostication and focus on those things that are in our control. Tom and Don explain the simple path you can take to reasonable investing success. Don talks about the Talking Real Money summer road trip. Listeners ask: Does a Fidelity 250-stock direct indexing plan make sense? Is it better to max out a Roth IRA...

This Friday: A listener corrects one of Don's statement about Bitcoin ETFs. Can buying a building for a business replace a REIT in a portfolio? What's the best way to invest a court settlement for a minor? A suggestion that an umbrella insurance policy could lower other P&C rates. A discussion of the difference between dividend reinvestment in mutual funds and ETFs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Questions? Comments? Click!

Sure, building the wealth we want to retire well is hard work. However, let's look at the bright side. One hundred years ago, we'd probably be dead. Tom and Don talk about the current state of retirement in the U.S. and share some ideas for making it better. Listeners ask: What's the correct asset allocation for a portfolio including an HSA? How should I invest in retirement? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Questions? Comments? Click!

In very short order, the market sprouted thousands of exchange-traded funds (ETFs). While most were solid concepts with decades of research supporting them, a few were just silly. Thankfully, we are now seeing the demise of these crazy products. We also look at some of the worst ETFs from last year. With so many living with parents, what's the best way to help adult children become financially independent? Don goes back to some comments he has made about the need for homeowners insurance in a fe...

High-yield CDs are nothing new. It's just been a long-time. While a 5% rate feels pretty good after years of low rates, how long will they last? What should you do when rates fall again? Are there better ways to invest, particularly for younger investors? Did God really tell a Colorado preacher to create and sell a worthless cryptocurrency to his flock? We hear from a listener who believes that the Federal Reserve FedNow program is designed to control behavior. Another wonders if Fidelity c...