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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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).
Don and Tom tackle the timeless question: why do you invest? They challenge the “TINA” mindset (“There Is No Alternative”) and dissect new research claiming retirement savers should own no bonds at all. They argue that while stocks outperform over long stretches, bonds remain essential for emotional stability and survival during market crashes. Listeners join in with sharp questions about CD ladder withdrawal strategies, crypto-based dividend schemes, securities lending, and international ETF allocation. The show wraps with a skeptical look at Vanguard’s growing tilt toward active management and new global funds from Avantis.
0:04 Why do you invest? Defining purpose versus chasing returns
1:29 The rise of “TINA investing” — there is no alternative to stocks?
2:30 Bonds as shock absorbers when markets collapse
3:57 Questioning global overweights in new stock research
5:01 The emotional toll of chasing maximum returns
6:12 Bonds’ true role: keeping investors calm and consistent
7:50 Zweig’s conclusion — even he still owns bonds
9:06 Retirement timing risk and the case for diversification
10:29 Caller Jay from Georgia — testing a five-year CD ladder withdrawal plan
12:34 Turning the CD ladder into part of a bond portfolio
13:46 What to do with the ladder during a market downturn
14:47 Caller Jason from Washington — Elon Musk, Bitcoin, and the “Strike/Strive” gimmick
15:49 The math behind high-yield crypto preferreds doesn’t add up
17:18 When hype meets hazard: Ponzi parallels in risky yields
18:57 Why “everyone’s doing it” isn’t a defense for bad strategy
20:04 Why MicroStrategy’s dividend promises defy logic
21:15 Listener question — securities lending in IRAs
23:09 How stock lending actually works (and why it barely pays)
24:18 Why most small investors shouldn’t bother
27:15 Vanguard’s new identity crisis: the push into active management
27:47 The profitability problem of index funds
28:53 Can Vanguard’s active funds really beat their benchmarks?
31:48 Why past performance still fails as a predictor
33:14 Vanguard’s crypto flirtation and industry pandering
35:43 Caller Craig from Seattle — expanding global exposure with AVNV
36:32 The case for adding Avantis International Value ETF
37:46 Early results and long-term expectations
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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).
