Talking Real Money - Investing Talk

Another academic study looks at a popular, structured market timing system based on the relative valuation of stocks. Has it worked?How does Vanguard Small Cap Value ETF complare with the Vanguard Russell 2000 ETF?Why are the spreads between the bid and ask prices for the ETF, AVUV?Finally, Tom and Don discuss new streaming documentaries (for some reason).Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesQuestions? Comments? Click!

Every so often, a group of investing "experts" suggest that investing in cash is better than owning stocks. Last year, with rates near zero, that was terrible advice, but what about now?The listeners ask:How do you calculate the minimum distributions for an inherited IRA?Does using an expensive small-cap value fund in a company plan make sense?Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesQuestions? Comments? Click!

You can now legally bet on the stock picks of "Mad Money" host Jim Cramer. Yes, now there are even ETFs for that. Tom and Don discuss these new products and what part they should play in your financial life. Beware of the ETF with the symbol VBAL. Finally, we discuss what most people think about financial advisors and what they should be expecting.We hear from callers:What do we think of sector funds?What are the pros and cons of Medicare Advantage plans?Can capital gains taxes be avoided by switching from one balanced fund to another?Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesQuestions? Comments? Click!

Many consider the key to wealth to be highly leveraged real estate. Using borrowed money to buy properties magnifies your return. What could go wrong? Well, leverage cuts two ways. WHEN prices fall, your losses also multiply. Plus, portfolios focused on one asset class have proven dangerous. Tom almost fell out of his chair over 5% CD rates. Don Trump's that with even higher rates. Then, we compare rates at major banks.A listener asks, should I be invested in stocks after retirement?As asides, we consider the shaky future of AM radio and compare Comcast to those old party lines.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesQuestions? Comments? Click!

In today's question and answer episode, Don answers these questions:Does a non-deductible IRA make sense?How is the cost basis of restricted stock units determined?Does it make sense to have an expensive small-cal value fund?Can his regular IRA be converted to a Roth?does it make sense to convert regular Vanguard funds to ETFs?Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesQuestions? Comments? Click!

WARNING: Some Millennials will be offended by the logical conclusions reached in this episode.With so many technological innovations, we occasionally think that very new technology must make sense. One example of this tendency to confuse true innovation with simply dumb ideas. Do we really need a newer way to gamble.How do you start spending after decdaes of saving?Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesQuestions? Comments? Click!

Don continues from Retiremeet 2023 talking with tax planning expert, Diana Bacon about the importance of long-term tax planning. Then, Tom finally drops by for a few minutes to explain how you can watch. Apella Wealth's Director of Financial Planning, Jason Gentile discusses the value of a detailed financial plan.A caller asks why would a planner using a short-term bond ETF?Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesQuestions? Comments? Click!

Don discusses the importance of planning from the 9th annual Retiremeet event from Bellevue, WA in February 2023. Dimensional Fund's Apollo Lupescu spends a few minutes with Don prior to his presentation. Plus, Don talks with listeners:The first of whom believes that hew has magical market-timing capabilitiesDoes it makes sense to leave Vanguard Balanced Index and get into a stock and bond ETFs?Where should a new Roth contribution be invested?A small company controller questions the firm's 401k choices.Finally, Paul Merriman stops by for a brief chat.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesQuestions? Comments? Click!

When saving for retirement, either in a employer-plan or using IRAs, how do you decide whether to take the tax-deduction and pay taxes later or get lifelong tax-free growth using the Roth option?Then, listeners ask:When is the right time to rebalance and how is it done?How can you judge the performance of a young index fund?Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesQuestions? Comments? Click!

We are thrilled that Dimensional Funds made the Barron's Top Funds list. However, this is a hollow victory, at best (and speaking of victory...). What makes a great fund group?Then we hear from you:Who provides the best retirement advice?Why not give your child a 1099 for chores?Are American Funds too expensive for a 401k?Finally, a big fan of indexed annuities calls right at the end, so Don works overtime to discover the truth.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesQuestions? Comments? Click!

In this episode we explore our propensity to fall for financial lies, both big and small. Even the most sophisticated can get taken in by a slick con artist or a smooth broker. Then, we wade into a bunch of great calls:How do school districts pick their 403b investments and how can they be changed?Does it make sense to move a 401k into an IRA as a salepeson is advising?Why did a fund that lost money in 2022 post a taxable capital gain?Would Vanguard's 529 plan be better than a state fund?Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesQuestions? Comments? Click!

CBS News Business Analyst, joins Tom to discuss money, investing and her latest book, The Great Money Reset.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesQuestions? Comments? Click!

On this Q&A episode, listeners ask:Where is the best place to start investing at age 13?Is it better to just have VT versus using VTI and VXUS?Are non-deductible IRAs worthwhile?How should I allocate assets between growth and value?Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesQuestions? Comments? Click!

Tom and Don explore Retiree's biggest retirement regrets. Of course, the biggest one is not having enough money.Then, we respond to listeners:One shares a story of an overfunded 529 plan and a new bonus.Another seeks advice on the best way to start spending retirement assets.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesQuestions? Comments? Click!

"Experts" have been been writing books filled with investing advice for over 300 years. After all of that information, why are we still such lousy investors? Plus, a couple of listeners join in:What impact will rising debt have on the economy and investments?A young investor requests our opinion of his portfolio?Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesQuestions? Comments? Click!

Do you have an old 401k or 403b languishing in some bad investments? Maybe it's time to get those rolled over into something better.We hear from lots of listeners:How can the cost basis of multiple funds we determined?Can I-Bond interest be declared annually, even though it's deferred?Where should money from an inherited 401k be parked temporarily?Which is better: Fidelity or Vanguard?Does it make sense to create a T-Bill ladder?Are there long-term bonds that pay a higher rate?Does it make sense to sell taxable assets to fund a Roth?Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesQuestions? Comments? Click!

Yet another study of Jim Cramer's stock shows just how bad his prediction have been. You would have been better off shorting his picks. Plus, we hear from you:How do you move money from one "advisor" to another?How can you determine the stock/bond ratios of various target date funds?What do we think of a covered call writing ETF? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesQuestions? Comments? Click!

After a bit of a troubled trip to Hawaii, Tom turns to ConsumerMan, Herb Weisbaum to discuss your rights and protections when travelling by air.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesQuestions? Comments? Click!

Another great Q&A episode with a surprise ending:We start with a question on money market funds.Where can one get more information on Medicare options?Why do people manage active mutual funds when they must know they can't win?A caller with a good mic has a broker who can systematically invest in ETFs.Does it make sense to just add a new investment manager to a 403b account?Finally, a caller shares a story about a promoter of gold IRAs who seems to have vanished with investors funds. Read the Daily Beast article.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesQuestions? Comments? Click!

It seems that most investors are expecting continued volatility for the stock market. Yet, the stock market is always volatile. So, it it really volatility they're concerned about?In today's question time:Are CITs more risky than a mutual fund or ETF?Where should money for retirement be parked?Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesQuestions? Comments? Click!

Investing "responsibly" is harder to do it might appear. What makes a compmnay environmentally or socially responsible? Does everyone agree with your definition? You know they don't. These terms elude a business definition and even a sonsensus opinion.Then we take questions:Is there a downside with saving with Bread Financial or other high-yield savings providers?What should be done with a "friend" who is pitching overfunded whole life as a retirement investment?Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesQuestions? Comments? Click!

We are more comfortable talking about death than money. Yet, financial planning is an critical part of an estate (and even, life) planning. Then, a school district employee gets us talking about using the tool at 403bWise to look up many school district 403b plan investments. We hear from listeners:How can school district employees get school boards to improve plan investments?You may want to include your actual phone in you estate package.Please explain the process of meeting with one of our advisors.What do we think of Thrivent?Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesQuestions? Comments? Click!

Nothing stops the excitement of trading your way to wealth in the stock than the inevitable bear market. You claim to follow our advice, but many of you seem to be hearing something else.Callers want to know:How to get retirement plan trustees to invest more aggressively?What's the best way to invest for a younger beneficiary?Does it makes sense for his wife to take Social Security at full retirement age?Should she invest in a fixed annuity?Can money from household chores be invested in a Roth?Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesQuestions? Comments? Click!

Another potpourri of great questions:Should the cost basis in an IRA be documented?Is M1 Finance a decent brokerage service?How do we determine which funds are likely to outperform in the future?Do mutual funds offer an advantage over ETFs for systematic investors?What's the real deal with a Lincoln Financial 403b?Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesQuestions? Comments? Click!

The term "passive income" has been used to refer to everything from buying houses to selling stuff on Amazon. Funny how most of those ideas pitched as providing passive income are actually a lot of work. Usually, the only one making a lot with little effort are the folks teaching you how to do it.Then, we hear from you about:How do I pick the best funds for my risk tolerance?Why would a fund generating capital gains be a bad thing?Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesQuestions? Comments? Click!

Watch out for this year's tax mutual fund tax forms. Many actively managed mutual funds have a surprise for you. Despite losing money in 2022, you might find you owe taxes on a distributed capital gain.Then, we take your questions:How should money from a broker sold portfolio be invested?Is an inherited Roth IRA subject to the 10-year withdrawal rule?Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesQuestions? Comments? Click!

From whom should you get you financial and investing advice? Robert Kyosaki, Suze Orman, Dave ramsey, economists? We look at the various mainstream financial education providers. Plus, why is Tesla rising so fast?We hear from listeners, too (mostly about banking):Why don't banks pay more on savings?What is the advantage to taking lottery winnings in a lump sum?How do high-yield savings products pay so much more?Will a 72-year old need to take RMD in 2023?Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesQuestions? Comments? Click!

The news can be disconcerting and push us to react emotionally. What should you do just in case the US government defaults on its debut? Why do you keep making horrible investing decisions? What is driving the huge disparity in savings rates?Then a lot of you get in touch:First, the old "...what should I do with this money?" question addressed.How can money be moved from an employer retirement plan?How do you find a safe online bank?Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesQuestions? Comments? Click!

Tom loves interviews. Now that he's figured out the technical aspects of creating them, look for more weekend specials featuring prominet money guests.This weekend, Tom spends time with Bill Conerly, PhD discussing the possible economic future, why highre rates were needed, the future of unemployment, and much more.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesQuestions? Comments? Click!

In today's Q&A session:Is earned income needed to roll 529 money into a Roth IRA?Where is the best place to park emergency money?Are Wisdom Tree core portfolios sensible portfolio additions?After going to cash in 2019, what should I do now?What do we think of Betterment and how should he get help for his mom?Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesQuestions? Comments? Click!

The vast majority of people believe themselves to be above average. That is statistically impossible. One area in which you are dangerously overconfident is investing, and it shows.Then, a listener wonders if he should use some extra income to invest for retirement or pay off a car loan?Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesQuestions? Comments? Click!

While Wall Street would like you to think that there are new financial products, being created, all the time, real financial innovations are few and far between. In fact, the last significant change happened exactly 30 years ago, with the creation of the exchange traded fund (ETF).Then, a listener wonders if it makes sense to keep 30 inherited individual stocks to collect the dividends.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesQuestions? Comments? Click!

Most of us don't know what we don't know about money and investing. That lack of knowledge can be more costly that you can imagine. Getting financially educated is hard and yet essential for your future. How much do you pay for investments? Do you really know?Listeners want to know:Does an individual TIPs ladder make sense for portion of a portfolio?What should a real estate investor do with new money?Why her experience with Social Security benefit delays does not add up to 8% per year?How do the returns of the Merriman 10 fund portfolio compare to 2 or 3 fund portfolios?What do we think of a friend's advice to move from a target-date fund to a money market fund?Where do we suggest a mix of investment accounts be consolidated?Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesQuestions? Comments? Click!

Everyone wants to know how how to invest for the next... whatever. Many, included one of the most famous "stopped clocks" of all time, Robert Kyosaki, want you to believe they know. In fact, we do know how to invest for a recession and everything else. It's just pretty boring.Listeners want to know:Which Vanguard ETF is the same as the Total Bond Index fund?What changed to make us prefer ETFs over mutual funds?Which site do we use to look up securities?What are our thoughts about SCHD (a Schwab dividend fund)?Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesQuestions? Comments? Click!

Today, Don starts the Q&A edition with a powerful follow-up from a past caller. Then, it's on determining a brokers fees, the differences between exchange-traded funds and mutual funds, a portfolio allocation check, and the best income ladder building materials: CDs, Treasuries, or TIPS?Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesQuestions? Comments? Click!

The French are rioting over a proposal to raise the national retirement age from 62 to 64. The US may need to raise the full retirement age beyond 67. When should you retire and how should you plan for it?A listener wants to know how to get into the financial advice business.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesQuestions? Comments? Click!

Is the avalanche better than the snowball? Paying off debt can be challenging. What's the best way to get out? Plus, a listener finds that giving up control is hard to do.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesQuestions? Comments? Click!

The SEC claims that all "financial advisors" are supposed to act in your best interests and fully disclose any conflict of interest (including high fees, commissions, and expenses). Yet, high-cost, dangerous financial products are still being offered by the many billions of dollars. What can be done to protect you?Merv from Denver is back to take Don to task for his "misleading" comments about cryptocurrencies. Surprise, he failed to change Don's mind. In fact, we have even more anti-crypto information.Tangent: What's a Hokie?Listeners ask:Can he still make contributions in a Roth with a 401k?How can massively appreciated stock be sold to avoid taxes?When should money be withdrawn from retirement accounts?Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesQuestions? Comments? Click!

Stop deluding yourself. As much as you want them, there are no higher returning, lower risk investments. Yet, far too many investors are are falling prey to impossible promises from purveyors of high-priced, illiquid investments. Do index-style funds need a track record? Plus, a group that once called index funds "Un-American" now touts it's market beating index fund portfolio.Is Tesla really worth the combined value of almost every other car maker combined?We also hear from listeners:Is it better to invest all at once or slowly average in?How much is needed in an emergency fund and should money g o into a Roth or I-Bonds?Where should short-term money be kept?Is there any need to diversify among fund groups or brokerage firms?What percentage of a total portfolio should be allocated among various asset classes?On what fund was Tom's small-cap value return based?Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesQuestions? Comments? Click!

This Friday the 13th is your lucky day as Don answers some important questions that could help you build wealth better:How much can an employee contribute to a 403b?Can money in 529 education plans be rolled over into a Roth IRA?What should be done with some extra monthly investing money?Now that Vestory is part of Apella Wealth, what's changed?Should funds in an IRA be moved from Vanguard mutual funds to ETFs?What are the best fund to use in a qualified plan to match personal risk tolerance?Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesQuestions? Comments? Click!

Today, Tom and Don share what they believe those who provide financial and investing advice should do for you, their clients. Plus, we hear from two listeners asking:Does his strategy get around wash sale rules for tax losses?Will the Treasury be sending annual 1099s for I-Bonds?Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesQuestions? Comments? Click!

A few mutual funds turned a profit in 2022. Are the managers magicians? Investors need to face reality. No one has a secret (legal) way to make you lots of money in good markets and lose you nothing when they turn bad.Plus, a listener wants to know the best way to build the best portfolio in his 401k?Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesQuestions? Comments? Click!

The demise of the 60/40 portfolio appears to have been short-lived as sharply higher rates on bonds have lifted the returns for the 40% invested in fixed income funds and ETFs.Listeners want to know:What happened to Vestory?Which is better mutual funds or ETFs?How can a value tilt be added to portfolio?Can a tax loss be taken now for last year?Would taking a tax loss on VTWAX and immediately investing in VT invoke wash-sale rule?What's our opinion of high-yield savings accounts?Are Northern Trust funds good investments?Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesQuestions? Comments? Click!

Have we already forgotten the lessons imparted by the 40-year Madoff scheme that collapsed in 2008? We revisit the unbelieveable story of the biggest investor robbery in history as a new Bernie Madoff documentary airs on Netflix.Plus, we hear from listeners:Should investment changes be made in a 529 plan?How is the impact of a existing IRA on a backdoor Roth?What is our opinion of a covered call writing fund?Then, we go on to explain what covered call writing is and how it works.What is a backdoor Roth?Is her firm a high-fee advisor?Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesQuestions? Comments? Click!

After being away for two holiday Fridays, Don is catching up on your questions (and comments):Invest or pay off mortgage?Thanks for helping a friend.Looking for a good financial charity.Will crypto trading hurt Fidelity?Why does a bank pay its customers far less interest on CDs?Do we suggest more bonds in a portfolio?Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesQuestions? Comments? Click!

What's hot eventually cools and you will never see it coming. Discover why you need to avoid hot investments and sectors.Then Tom crams in a bunch of questions:Does it make sense to reduce qualified retirement account contributions?How soon can I-Bonds be purchased in the new year?What are the possible issues with moving a from TD Ameritrade?Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesQuestions? Comments? Click!

After a year in which most securities took a beating, the "no-risk" investment touting free steak dinner offers should soon be filling mailboxes across the country. Don't let your emotion drive you to make foolish decisions.Then, listeners chime in:Have they picked a reasonable ETF allocation for an IRA?What does Don think of his 403b investment options?Does this five-year fixed annuity make sense?Which accounting method should be used for selling securities?What is the best withdrawal strategy to spend most of his money?Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesQuestions? Comments? Click!

Every year about 133 million babies are born. Is there any way to predict which of them will die famous enough to make the TV retrospectives? Of course not. Do you believe you can predict when the investment markets will rise again (and fall again, thereafter)? Then, the phones light up:Does it make sense to use a regular 403b to help reduce income enough to qualify for a Roth IRA?What's the best way to own bonds in a portfolio?Is there reason to be concerned about market volatility during a transfer from a work plan to a private IRA?What might happen with Central Bank Digital Currencies?Does an investor need multiple bond funds?Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesQuestions? Comments? Click!

Tom and Don look at your top financioal resolutions and what they believe you should do to start growing your wealth. Plus, we take a question:Why do we prefer total market funds as opposed to a US dividend funds?Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesQuestions? Comments? Click!

Most people have no idea how much they are paying for their investments and investing advice. In this case what you don't know can really hurt you in the future. Plus Tom gets a surpriningly larger number of holiday calls:One listener call him out for using the show to get out of holiday choses and also seeks advice on fixing a bad mortgage loan.Another wants to know more about tax-loss harvesting.One caller wants to talk about qualified charitable distributions (QCDs).Tom helps figure out how to transfer old work retirement plans.Finally, he takes a question on the impacts of an inheritance.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesQuestions? Comments? Click!