The Real Investment Show (Full Show)

Oil volatility is shaking global markets after disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz triggered the largest modern oil supply shock. Crude briefly surged above $100 as geopolitical tensions escalated, sending volatility across equities, credit, and currencies. Lance Roberts discusses oil volatility, market technicals, private credit stress, and the key risks investors should be watching next. Hosted...

Retirement income planning isn’t just about withdrawal rates, portfolio construction, or tax strategies. For many retirees, the hardest part of retirement is psychological, not mathematical. Richard Rosso & Jonathan McCarty explore the psychology behind retirement spending decisions, including why retirees frequently leave large amounts of wealth unused and how behavioral finance shapes income pla...

The market narrative says investors are rotating out of expensive growth stocks and into cheaper value stocks. But is that actually happening? Jon Penn and Michael Lebowitz explain how today’s passive investing landscape can distort traditional definitions of value and growth. ETF flows and index-driven allocations often send capital into the largest and most popular companies, regardless of valua...

Jon Penn & Devoda Owens cover key financial planning and market topics affecting investors and retirees, beginning with market commentary on the Iran campaign and geopolitical risk, and what it could mean for energy prices, inflation expectations, and market volatility. Jon & Devoda also discuss Social Security depletion projections, how investors should think about benchmarking portfolios, and th...

Consider this the money talk your Dad would have given you if he knew everything about running a business. Jon Penn and Tom Allen provide straight-talking advice, walking you through exactly how to build a benefits and retirement strategy that works for you AND your employees. No jargon. No sales pitch. Just the kind of honest, experienced advice two dads would give their own kids sitting across t...

Is your IRA a ticking tax time bomb? Most retirement savers don't realize that every dollar sitting in a traditional IRA will eventually be taxed — and you may have little say over when, how much, or at what rate. Danny Ratliff & Sarah Buenger break down the three critical dimensions of IRA tax planning: a proactive multi-year conversion strategy, the risks of doing nothing, and legacy planning co...

Most investors believe diversification protects them from risk. It does not. Richard Rosso breaks down what diversification actually does, what it does not do, and why confusing it with risk management can quietly damage your portfolio over time. We also tackle one of the most overlooked questions in retirement planning: do you actually need long-term care insurance? Hosted by RIA Advisors Directo...

Are passive investors really passive? Not anymore. Lance Roberts & Michael Lebowitz break down how index funds and ETFs — the tools designed for patient, long-term investing — have quietly become weapons of short-term speculation. Hosted by RIA Advisors Chief Investment Strategist, Lance Roberts, CIO, w Portfolio Manger, Michael Lebowitz, CFA Produced by Brent Clanton, Executive Producer 0:00 - IN...

Are you watching the market and wondering what's really going on? Lance Roberts & Danny Ratliff dive straight into YOUR questions — pulled live from the chat — covering the stock market outlook, what sectors to watch, and how investors should be positioning right now. No fluff, no filler — just real talk about where the market's heading and what it means for YOUR portfolio. Hosted by RIA Advisors...

Most people will never build wealth — not because of the economy, but because no one taught them the rules. Lance Roberts & Jonathan Penn break down the 10 Immutable Laws of Money — time-tested principles that have worked for generations, regardless of your income, age, or background. From budgeting basics and crushing debt to understanding why millionaires live more modestly than you think, these...

Is the stock market topping — or just catching its breath? This week, equity markets face a triple threat: an Iranian strike rattling geopolitical risk assets, an Anthropic AI capability announcement that hammered IBM, CrowdStrike, financials, and SaaS stocks, and a technical picture showing the S&P 500 slipping below both its 20- and 50-day moving averages. Lance Roberts breaks down the bull and...

Are you paying MORE than necessary for Medicare in 2026? The IRMAA (Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount) could be adding hundreds of dollars a year to your Medicare premiums — but there's a legal way to fight back. Richard Rosso breaks down everything you need to know about the 2026 IRMAA thresholds, how to appeal, and the income strategies that could save you thousands in retirement. Hosted...

Is AI killing software stocks — or creating the buying opportunity of the decade? Lance Roberts & Michael Lebowitz review: Since peaking in September 2025, the software ETF (IGV) has crashed 30% while semiconductors (SMH) surged 30% and broad tech stayed flat. The market is pricing in a "SaaSpocalypse" — the idea that generative AI will make traditional SaaS companies obsolete. But is that narrati...

Welcome to Q & A Wednesday: Straight Talk on Your Money — a live, unscripted Q&A show pulled directly from our YouTube chatroom. No canned slides. No rehearsed talking points. Just practical, plain-English answers to real-world money questions with Lance Roberts and Danny Ratliff. Lance & Danny tackle topics like retirement planning, Roth vs. traditional decisions, tax-smart withdrawal strategies,...

Most investors don’t realize how quickly a good plan can get derailed by one bad question: “What will your investments return this year?” Lance Roberts and Jonathan Penn break down why asking an advisor for short-term performance predictions is usually the wrong framework—especially when comparisons start with “Can you beat Treasuries this year?” Hosted by RIA Advisors Chief Investment Strategist,...

Is China really “dumping” U.S. Treasury bonds—or is that headline missing key context? Lance Roberts examines what Treasury International Capital (TIC) data does (and doesn’t) show, why China’s reported holdings can shift for reasons that have nothing to do with panic selling, and how custody chains and financial centers can complicate the narrative. Hosted by RIA Advisors Chief Investment Strateg...

Some 401(k) plans let you put in extra after-tax money and move it into a Roth so it can grow tax-free—but you have to know what your plan allows. Richard Rosso & Jonathan McCarty share 10 questions to ask your 401(k) provider so you don’t miss it. Rich & Jonathan also explain a new bill that would make the $6,000 senior deduction permanent. It’s not the same as “no tax on Social Security” for eve...

Ray Dalio’s Davos comments aren’t a “next-week collapse” call—they’re a long-cycle warning: rising debt supply can eventually force higher yields and tough policy trade-offs. Meanwhile, the S&P 500 looks calm on the surface, but sector/factor dispersion and low correlations show a fierce rotation under the hood. Lance Roberts & Michael Lebowitz examine the calm index ≠ calm market—watch dispersion...

It’s Q&A Wednesday—your questions drive the show. Lance Roberts & Danny Ratliff break down what’s moving markets right now, key economic and Fed signals to watch this week, and the practical portfolio decisions that matter most (risk, allocations, income, taxes, and retirement timing). Drop your question in the live chatroom and we’ll tackle as many as we can. Topics we often cover: market volatil...

Choosing a corporate trustee is one of the most important decisions in estate planning—especially if you’re naming a bank, brokerage trust department, or independent trust company to manage assets and carry out your wishes after you’re gone. Lance Roberts & Jon Penn break down how to compare corporate trustees beyond just “lowest fees,” including fiduciary standards, investment flexibility, servic...

What happens when the “perfect” financial plan doesn’t happen—your kid skips college, your retirement clock is ticking, and the family budget gets ambushed by costs you never saw coming? Jon Penn and Jonathan McCarty connect three real-world money stress points that are showing up everywhere right now: 1) The kid isn’t going to college—now what about that 529? 2) Retirement vs. college: the househ...

“Value is back,” the headlines say—so investors rush from mega-cap growth into “boring” staples, utilities, and healthcare. But here’s the problem: sector labels aren’t valuation metrics. In many cases, the so-called “value rotation” is an illusion—because investors may be rotating into expensive stocks while selling the actual value hiding inside “growth.” Lance Roberts & Michael Lebowitz break d...

It’s Q&A Wednesday: You ask ’em, we’ll answer—and today’s episode covers the questions investors actually wrestle with when markets get noisy. Lance Roberts & Danny Ratliff start with a preview of upcoming economic reports and what recent data may be signaling about slowing growth and the next bout of market volatility. From there, we dig into real portfolio decisions—especially for investors head...

Markets rallied back into positive territory today, but the real risk-management lesson isn’t the chart—it’s behavior. Lance Roberts & Jon Penn unpack the “WD-40 & Duct Tape” framework: WD-40 reduces emotional friction when headlines and volatility try to lock up decision-making, and duct tape is the discipline that keeps your portfolio plan intact (allocation, diversification, rebalancing rules,...

Technology stocks started February on the back foot as volatility spiked and leveraged trades unwound across markets—crypto first, then metals, then equities. The key question: is this a real breakdown in tech leadership, or a mechanical liquidation that’s creating selective opportunity? 0:00 - INTRO 0:19 - Superbowl Recap & Looking for BLS & CPI 4:41 - More Trapped Longs & Volatility to Come 10:3...