Talking Real Money - Investing Talk

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<p>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 …

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Questions Aplenty

<p>This Q&A episode tackles a mix of practical retirement and investing questions, starting with why spousal Social Security benefits rarely change the core advice to delay claiming. Don explains the …

Apr 03, 2026 · 25m

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Yield Trap

This episode opens with a blistering takedown of sensationalized financial media, using a Kiplinger income piece as the latest example of how risky, high-fee junk bond products get dressed up …

Apr 02, 2026 · 29m

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Final Broadcast - Two

In the final hour of the radio show, Don and Tom blend nostalgia with a blunt reality check—highlighting the looming Social Security shortfall that could force 20–25% benefit cuts within …

Apr 01, 2026 · 40m

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Final Broadcast - One

The final live radio episode of Talking Real Money blends nostalgia, listener appreciation, and core investing philosophy. Don and Tom reflect on nearly four decades of broadcasting while reinforcing their …

Mar 31, 2026 · 39m

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College Pays

This episode mixes studio banter with a surprisingly substantive look at education and investing trade-offs. Don and Tom walk through data on the lowest-paying college majors, highlighting that many bachelor’s …

Mar 30, 2026 · 29m

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Asking Away

A lively Friday Q&A kicks off with some unintended voice effects courtesy of Don’s grandkids before diving into listener questions on money market funds versus high-yield savings accounts, Roth vs. …

Mar 27, 2026 · 22m

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Your Retirement Number

The idea of a universal “retirement number” gets dismantled as misleading and overly simplistic, with Don and Tom arguing that retirement planning is deeply personal and depends on spending, income …

Mar 26, 2026 · 27m

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Retirement Myths

As Talking Real Money moves into its final week on terrestrial radio, Don and Tom mix transition talk with a practical rundown of common retirement myths. They push back on …

Mar 25, 2026 · 41m

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You Can't Know

With geopolitical tension rattling markets and investors stampeding into cash, gold, and energy, Don and Tom step back to deliver a familiar message: nobody knows what’s next—and anyone claiming otherwise …

Mar 24, 2026 · 39m

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Icy Market

The housing market is stuck in an unusual freeze, driven by the lingering effects of ultra-low COVID-era mortgage rates, reduced housing inventory, and sharply higher income requirements for buyers. With …

Mar 23, 2026 · 29m

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Fewer Q Friday

Don fields listener questions on asset allocation, advisor timing, and investing complexity with his usual bias toward simplicity and self-awareness. He emphasizes that the decision to add bonds isn’t about …

Mar 20, 2026 · 20m

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Optimal Income?

Morningstar’s latest research nudges the “safe” withdrawal rate down to 3.9%, but Don and Tom make it clear there’s no magic number—just tradeoffs. They walk through fixed vs. flexible withdrawal …

Mar 19, 2026 · 27m

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Everything Ends

The show opens with a major announcement: Talking Real Money is leaving terrestrial radio and going fully podcast-only, marking the end of a 16-year Saturday run. A heartfelt surprise call …

Mar 18, 2026 · 39m

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Retired Broke

As Talking Real Money prepares to leave terrestrial radio and become a podcast-only show, Tom and Don pivot from logistics to a deeper issue: the growing financial fragility of retirees. …

Mar 17, 2026 · 39m

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Exchange Traded Gambling

Exchange-traded funds began as simple, low-cost index vehicles, but their popularity has sparked a flood of increasingly speculative products. Don and Tom explain how more than 1,000 new ETFs launched …

Mar 16, 2026 · 30m

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Questions Four

In this Friday Q&A episode, Don answers four listener questions covering fund recommendations, special-needs financial planning, retirement withdrawal strategy, and tax-efficient health savings. First, he addresses whether Talking Real Money …

Mar 13, 2026 · 16m

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Don't Invest?

A debate over jelly bean flavors quickly pivots into a takedown of a flashy Inc. Magazine article claiming people shouldn’t save for retirement. Don and Tom dissect the “cash-flow over …

Mar 12, 2026 · 35m

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Retiremeet 2026 Part Two

Broadcast from RetireMeet 2026 in Bellevue, Don and Tom reflect on the evolution of retirement planning—from a narrow focus on investments to a broader conversation about purpose, relationships, and life …

Mar 11, 2026 · 37m

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Retiremeet 2026 Part One

Broadcast live from RetireMeet in Bellevue, Don announces that after nearly four decades of Saturday radio shows, Talking Real Money will end its live radio run on March 28 and …

Mar 10, 2026 · 37m

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The Wisdom of Crowds

Don and Tom start with the classic “jelly beans in a jar” experiment to explain the wisdom of crowds and why large groups often produce surprisingly accurate predictions. That idea …

Mar 10, 2026 · 30m

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Free Money?

AI hype is colliding with financial reality. Don and Tom examine Elon Musk’s suggestion that artificial intelligence could create such abundance that retirement savings might become unnecessary. They unpack the …

Mar 05, 2026 · 27m

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Teach Real Investing

Financial education is expanding nationwide—but much of it is still teaching speculation instead of investing. Don and Tom critique stock-picking contests, flawed risk frameworks, and misleading “active vs. passive” framing, …

Mar 04, 2026 · 44m

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With the Cost?

Don and Tom revisit the eternal temptation to beat the market, dismantling the appeal of equal-weight indexes and active management claims by highlighting implementation costs, tax drag, and decades of …

Mar 03, 2026 · 44m

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Funds or Ladders?

This episode dives into the surprisingly emotional world of fixed income investing, exploring whether traditional bond funds like BND still make sense or if newer laddered bond ETFs offer a …

Mar 02, 2026 · 31m

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More Qs reQuired

On this Friday Q&A episode, Don answers listener questions on international stock overweighting inside a Seattle city retirement plan, whether a Vanguard target-date fund might be a smarter emotional guardrail …

Mar 02, 2026 · 25m

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