Talking Real Money - Investing Talk

What if you invested in the S&P 500 decades ago and did absolutely nothing? The answer is shocking. Plus, a special segment featuring a "Last Week Tonight" piece on the forecasting abilities of Jim Cramer. We hear from listeners: What is our opinion of Mint and Nerdwallet and are they safe? Is another firm with a financial podcast worth considering? Learn more about your ad choices....

Tom and Don explore another goofy investing advice article (as if something has actually changed). Our listeners ask us: How should assets be consolidated for upcoming retirement? What should be done to create a backdoor IRA with an excess contribution? Which Vanguard fund should replace an American Funds tax-free fund? How safe is Schwab as an investment advisory firm's custodian? What shoul...

Does owning a home make financial sense anymore? Could it be wiser to rent and invest instead? Plus, Tom takes calls about: The effect of joint tenancy on estate taxes. The tax advantage of ETFs over mutual funds. Should a cash account be moved into qualified dividend stocks? Does it make sense to invest in a high-yielding real estate trust? Are there any decent money newsletters? Learn more about...

An extra large helping of listener questions today: A young investor seeks our portfolio blessing. Does a Merriman-suggested ETF make sense to own? Should he keep shoveling money into savings? Do RMDs impact Social Security taxation? In which types of accounts should various assets be located? Is this a strategy to avoid backdoor IRA taxes? Don is called on to settle a couple's dispute about...

Despite its recent run-up, gold remains a terrible investment. In fact, by our definition, it isn't even an investment as it cannot become more valuable on its own. Then we hear from some of you, wondering: Why do we suggest AVUV when it's an "active" ETF? If an individual fixed-income investor can beat a bond fund or ETF? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/ad...

How soon we forget. After years of low to non-existent interest rates on fixed-income securities, suddenly, everyone wants to invest in bonds or CDs. Did the equity markets take that big a beating, and will they return less moving forward? Then we hear from listeners: Does it make sense to move money from a Vanguard S&P 500 fine to the identical ETF? Should a bond fund be added to a diversifie...

Can someone who provides investment advice be just a little bit fiduciary? What is wrong with investment advisors also being commissioned brokers? How can you find a 100% fiduciary advisor? Listeners ask: In which types of accounts should various investments be held? Which is better: Fidelity or Vanguard? Should we be buying bank stocks right now? Can securities be sold by a new broker? Learn more...

Don shares a new study that, again, illustrates the futility of trying to beat the market. The future remains unknowable. Plus, he discusses the darkest side of cryptocurrencies; power hungry miners. Callers join in to: Praise the show. Is there way to reduce taxes on an investment property sale? What should be done with an extra $20K? What are the tax advantages of putting your life in an LLC? Wh...

Another day, another five questions answered. Today's topics: How do I know who is a true fiduciary? What's our opinion of "Infinity Investing?" Where can I look up financial advisors? What should be done with an inheritance? Why do we like the flexible withdrawal strategy for retirement income? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Questions? Comments?...

We have gotten a bit behind on answering phoned-in questions, so today, Don answers the following: How do you get out of a bunch of individual stocks? What should be done with too much of a single stock in a retirement portfolio? What is a good place to "safely" invest for retirement? How will smaller bank spreads affect the market? How can someone eventually retire with no assets except...

Hard to believe, but the US government allows investors to generate tax-free income from a well-diversified portfolio – without using municipal bonds. Plus, a listener wonders if the extra fees for the Avantis Small-Cap Value ETF (AVUV) are worth paying. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Questions? Comments? Click!

The world has changed dramatically. So, how do you manage your money in this mad new world? Plus, we hear from listeners asking: How do you get restarted on a retirement investment path? Will other world currencies supplant the US Dollar? What do we think of these two stocks? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Questions? Comments? Click!

Rather than tell you which investments make the most sense, we decided to share with our list of the worst investments. These are some of the things we believe you should avoid. Some examples: Cryptocurrencies Variable and Indexed annuities Options and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Questions? Comments? Click!

Don tackles more of your questions: What happens if an exchange-traded fund (ETF) sponsor goes bankrupt? Can a Roth IRA conversion count as a required minimum distribution (RMD)? Should old retirement plans be moved into the new plan? After moving from Ed Jones to Schwab, where should some extra money be invested? Does a precious metals fund belong in a diversified portfolio? Learn more about your...

Many investors seem to believe owning a portfolio of dividend-paying stocks is a safe and effective way to create retirement income. Are there better ways to create investment income in retirement? We explore the evidence. Then, we hear from two listeners: What should be done with a windfall that will eventually go into an IRA? A trick to avoid the "pro rata rule" for backdoor Roths. Lea...

So, how did the investment market perform this past quester? Investors are only now starting to avoid stocks. Plus, listeners ask: Where should I put some new money? Is Ally safe? Is it normal for a credit union to limit how much cash you can withdraw? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Questions? Comments? Click!

Money is important. Today we present our second episode devoted to what you need to know about both building wealth and beginning to use it. For example, how much real money is available from your home? What's the best portfolio for retirement? Plus, we hear from a slew of listeners: What should be done with poor-performing investments? Some fiduciaries don't always act in your best inte...

Today, we present part one of a two-part series focused on what you must know about money. In this episode, we discuss spending and credit. Then, we hear from listeners asking: For help looking up his fee structure and an ADV Part Two. You'll be shocked at what we found. Seeking the best plan for reducing company ESOP stock holdings. Wondering why a bank would limit the amount of cash allowed...

On today's episode, Don is asked: Does this "granular" DIY portfolio make sense? Why would he even consider suggesting a reverse mortgage? What should be done with a portfolio that has always lost money? Is there any trick to rescue a Backdoor Roth from ponderous taxes? Does it make sense to build a 5-year income ladder with fixed annuities? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit m...

Like financial leeches, old online subscriptions slowly suck your bank account dry. What can be done about these almost to impossible to cancel services? Then, we hear from listeners asking: What should I expect from a wealth manager? Which assets should be in what kind of account? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Questions? Comments? Click!

One of the biggest annuity collapses in history is progressing in slow motion. This has left the annuity investors stuck without access to their money for years, with no relief in sight. So, just how safe are annuities, and how can those selling them claim they are "guaranteed?" Don is given a fee disclosure document for an Invesco fund, and the costs are shocking. Then, a listener asks:...

Two (or more) of the biggest reasons you shouldn't rely on the S&P 500 for your stock market diversification. How should you properly diversify your equity portfolio? Listeners want to know: What do some of the numbers mean for ETF market quotes? Do DFA funds charge 12b-1 fees? How is a transfer from a regular IRA to a Roth reported? What is the difference between investing with an insura...

Don's away, so Tom discusses the billions of dollars that have been moved to cash. Where is it being stashed and where should you be putting your money? How protected are various financial firms? We hear from listeners: With some investing advice. How to check out a Vanguard advisor? How to derive tax breaks from unleveraged investmet property? Looking for our opinion of Vanguard target date...

Today's questions: Why did my ETF distribute capital gains? Will this tax harvesting and repurchasing strategy run afoul of the "wash-sale" rule? Is there any reason to pay off a mortgage in retirement? Why do banks have 11-month CDs? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Questions? Comments? Click!

Millions of retirement accounts have been left behind and apparently forgotten. We're talking REAL money. You need to find yours. A listener asks: What about buying stocks with shareholder perks? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Questions? Comments? Click!