Money For the Rest of Us

How using a deferred income annuity can increase retirement income compared to an immediate annuity or a bond ladder. Topics covered include: How immediate annuities and deferred income annuities work What are mortality credits, and why they are a key diversifier Examples of how mortality credits lead to a 1% to 1.5% higher annualized return over several decades How to decide whether an annuity is...

The U.S. and the UK each announced they were establishing sovereign wealth funds. We explore the purposes and types of sovereign wealth funds, how they invest, and some concerns with the U.S. establishing one. Topics covered include: What are the four types of sovereign wealth funds, and why the U.S. doesn't fit the typical use case How sovereign wealth funds navigate between politics and generati...

This week on episode 510, we share a conversation between Ben Inker of GMO and Greg Dowling of FEG Investment Advisors on contrarian investing, deep value stocks, and the rise of passive investing. David introduces the episode by sharing his key takeaways from the discussion. FEG Investment Advisor is David's former institutional advisory firm, where he worked for 17 years, before founding Money f...

We explore what private credit, or direct lending, is and how to invest in it. We also show how it is similar and different from investing in leverage loans and CLOs. Topics covered include: Why more companies are staying private How private credit differs from the leverage loan market Why private credit is growing so rapidly What are the benefits to private credit investing What are liquid and le...

Natural disasters are becoming more severe and costly—who should bear the financial burden? We explore the tension between socialized risk and market-based insurance. Topics covered include: The surprisingly large percentage of natural disaster losses that are uninsured Why natural disaster severity is increasing A deep dive into the complexity of the home insurance market, including state-run hom...

How geography contributes to economic growth and can increase or lower the cost of living. Topics covered include: Why living in a developing country like Costa Rica is still relatively expensive How Amazon and e-commerce platforms lower the cost of living Why we should consider slowing down our rate of consumption How geography is impacting the rollout of AI Episode Sponsors LinkedIn Jobs – ...

In episode 506, Joshua shares the pros and cons of living outside of your home country. He convinces David why he needs more than one passport. Finally, Joshua makes a strong case for not retiring, and if one does, under what circumstances. Episode Sponsors Delete Me – Use code David20 to get 20% off Acorns Insiders Guide Email Newsletter Get our  free Investors' Checklist when you sign up fo...

In our final episode of the year, I converse with author and data scientist Coco Krumme about the benefits and costs of optimization in finance, industry, and our daily lives. We explore AI and its overlap with optimization. We also consider the pros and cons of life optimization and finally discuss the extreme challenge of opting out. Episode Sponsors NetSuite  Delete Me – Use code David20 t...

How asset class returns move in cycles with periods of above-average returns followed by periods of lower returns. How has the rise of passive indexing led to higher stock valuations, and what does that mean for markets? Sponsors NetSuite  - Download the CFO’s Guide to AI and Machine Learning LegalZoom - Use code David10 to 10% off Insiders Guide Email Newsletter Get our  free Investors'...

What are the tangible and intangible factors that have contributed to long-term U.S. stock market outperformance compared to the rest of the world? Despite these advantages, why might we still want to continue to be globally diversified? Sponsors Delete Me – Use code David20 to get 20% off LegalZoom - Use code David10 to 10% off Insiders Guide Email Newsletter Get our  free Investors' Checkli...

Why has there been renewed interest in nuclear power generation in the last couple of years, and how can we invest in it? Topics covered include: Why did Microsoft sign an agreement to reopen a nuclear reactor at the infamous Three Mile Island nuclear facility How much does nuclear energy contribute to global power generation Why is demand for electricity accelerating What are the advantages and c...

We explore what strategy and systems are and how we craft and change them. We consider how investment strategies and financial systems have changed over the decades and why this matters to your financial decisions. Sponsors LinkedIn Jobs –  Use this link to post your job for free on LinkedIn Jobs Delete Me – Use code David20 to get 20% off Insiders Guide Email Newsletter Get our  free In...

In the 500th episode of Money for the Rest of Us, we focus on the S&P 500 Index. How has the index changed, and why have U.S. stocks performed so well? Will U.S. stocks only return 3% in the next decade, as Goldman Sachs predicts. We also discuss major themes covered on Money for the Rest of Us over 500 episodes and what are our plans for the future. Thanks for being a part of Money for the Re...

We explore eight things that contribute to a healthy, growing economy and where Cuba and Argentina have fallen short. Topics covered include: Why Cuba continues to have rolling energy blackouts Why economic sanctions frequently don't work How Argentina's President Millei is taking a "chainsaw" to the nation's economy Why emerging markets will need to change their export-oriented growth trajectory...

In episode 498, David shares how his investing has changed over the past ten years and lessons you can apply to your portfolio. Document Your Journey Keep Experimenting Be Willing to Adopt New Asset Classes Be Very Patient Trade Less, Focus On Long-term Drivers Monetary Diversification Don't Focus on Relative Performance Ignore the Noise Take Your Time There Is No Right Way to Invest Sponsors NetS...

Why 401k and other defined contribution schemes are flawed, leading to a generation of workers unprepared for retirement. What are the solutions to fix the mess. Topics Why 401k and other defined contributions haven't worked, despite their popularity Why defined benefit pension plans declined Why 401k plans are treated like emergency funds How to combine the best of 401k and defined benefit pensio...

Why we need distinct risk buckets: balancing our natural loss aversion with the allure of opportunities that offer the potential for massive upside. Topics covered include: What is modern portfolio theory, and what are some of its flaws Why so many people have gotten wealthy by being undiversified How to balance personal risk, market risk, and aspirational risk How prospect theory explains our att...

This week on the podcast, we share excerpts from Plus episode 484 on ETF size and the impact of QE, as well as Plus episode 493 on stock market inelasticity. You can learn more about Money for the Rest of Us Plus here. Insiders Guide Email Newsletter Get our  free Investors' Checklist when you sign up for the free Money for the Rest of Us email newsletter Our Premium Products Asset Camp Money...

What does the Federal Reserve's policy rate cut mean for our portfolios? Will interest rates keep falling? What changes should we make? Topics include: What determines interest rates, and where are those drivers currently What is the best estimate of bond returns How duration works and why it changes What are some current fixed income investment options Sponsors LinkedIn Jobs –  Use this link...

How do home equity investments, income share agreements, and music royalties work, and how can you participate? Topics covered include: How a home equity investment differs from a home mortgage What is the cost of home equity investments How funding education through income share agreements has changed Why artists sell royalties to their work How individuals can invest in music royalties Sponsors...

What caused the 40% price increase in houses and rents, and what are governments doing to try to fix the problem. Topics covered include: Why 50% of the global population is frustrated with the lack of affordable housing How the housing collapse as part of the Great Financial Crisis contributed to today's affordability crisis How central bank QE programs have magnified the housing crisis How restr...

In this episode, we explore the concept of optionality—how small, strategic decisions can lead to outsized rewards with limited downside risk. From ancient philosophy to modern financial strategies, discover how recognizing and seizing options can unlock opportunities in both life and investing. Topics covered include: How call and put options work The difference between American and European styl...

In Episode 491, we explore the five layers of investing, including which assets fit into each layer, and give examples of advertisements targeting each layer. The five layers are: 1. Short-term trading 2. Longer-term speculations 3. Individual securities 4. Diversified portfolios focused on underlying drivers and factors 5. Maximum diversification with few changes and just a few holdings Episode S...

How do buyouts, venture capital, and growth equity work? Has private equity outperformed the stock market, and can individual investors pursue these investment strategies? Topics covered include: How are private equity funds structured, and what are the fees How is private equity performance measured, and how has it performed Why does private equity have such a large dispersion of returns compared...

This week, we release one of David's favorite episodes from six years ago, Episode 203: Is Investing More Like Poker or Chess. Topics covered include: What is the difference between chess and poker. Why we need to separate the decision process from the outcome. How to improve the quality of our investment decisions. What are are wu-wei and qi and what role do they play in better decision...