Talking Real Money - Investing Talk
Episodes
Modern Bucket Shops
07 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Don and Tom kick things off with a colorful history lesson on 19th-century “bucket shops,” drawing a sharp parallel to today’s emerging world of...
Retiree Ripoffs
06 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
This episode shifts from investing to the growing threat of scams—especially targeting older adults—breaking down how common fraud tactics work, f...
Questions Aplenty
03 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Questions? Comments?This Q&A episode tackles a mix of practical retirement and investing questions, starting with why spousal Social Security bene...
Yield Trap
02 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
This episode opens with a blistering takedown of sensationalized financial media, using a Kiplinger income piece as the latest example of how risky, h...
Yield Trap
02 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Questions? Comments?This episode opens with a blistering takedown of sensationalized financial media, using a Kiplinger income piece as the latest exa...
Final Broadcast - Two
01 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
Final Broadcast - Two
01 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Questions? Comments?In the final hour of the radio show, Don and Tom blend nostalgia with a blunt reality check—highlighting the looming Social Secu...
Final Broadcast - One
31 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
The final live radio episode of Talking Real Money blends nostalgia, listener appreciation, and core investing philosophy. Don and Tom reflect on near...
Final Broadcast - One
31 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Questions? Comments?The final live radio episode of Talking Real Money blends nostalgia, listener appreciation, and core investing philosophy. Don and...
College Pays
30 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
This episode mixes studio banter with a surprisingly substantive look at education and investing trade-offs. Don and Tom walk through data on the lowe...
College Pays
30 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Questions? Comments?This episode mixes studio banter with a surprisingly substantive look at education and investing trade-offs. Don and Tom walk thro...
Asking Away
27 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
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 f...
Asking Away
27 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Questions? Comments?A lively Friday Q&A kicks off with some unintended voice effects courtesy of Don’s grandkids before diving into listener que...
Your Retirement Number
26 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
The idea of a universal “retirement number” gets dismantled as misleading and overly simplistic, with Don and Tom arguing that retirement planning...
Your Retirement Number
26 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Questions? Comments?The idea of a universal “retirement number” gets dismantled as misleading and overly simplistic, with Don and Tom arguing that...
Retirement Myths
25 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
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 my...
Retirement Myths
25 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Questions? Comments?As Talking Real Money moves into its final week on terrestrial radio, Don and Tom mix transition talk with a practical rundown of ...
You Can't Know
24 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
With geopolitical tension rattling markets and investors stampeding into cash, gold, and energy, Don and Tom step back to deliver a familiar message: ...
You Can't Know
24 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Questions? Comments?With geopolitical tension rattling markets and investors stampeding into cash, gold, and energy, Don and Tom step back to deliver ...
Icy Market
23 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
The housing market is stuck in an unusual freeze, driven by the lingering effects of ultra-low COVID-era mortgage rates, reduced housing inventory, an...
Icy Market
23 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Questions? Comments?The housing market is stuck in an unusual freeze, driven by the lingering effects of ultra-low COVID-era mortgage rates, reduced h...
Fewer Q Friday
20 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Don fields listener questions on asset allocation, advisor timing, and investing complexity with his usual bias toward simplicity and self-awareness. ...
Fewer Q Friday
20 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Questions? Comments?Don fields listener questions on asset allocation, advisor timing, and investing complexity with his usual bias toward simplicity ...
Optimal Income?
19 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
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 tra...
Optimal Income?
19 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Questions? Comments?Morningstar’s latest research nudges the “safe” withdrawal rate down to 3.9%, but Don and Tom make it clear there’s no mag...
Everything Ends
18 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
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 S...
Everything Ends
18 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Questions? Comments?The show opens with a major announcement: Talking Real Money is leaving terrestrial radio and going fully podcast-only, marking th...
Retired Broke
17 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
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 grow...
Retired Broke
17 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Questions? Comments?As Talking Real Money prepares to leave terrestrial radio and become a podcast-only show, Tom and Don pivot from logistics to a de...
More Questions!
16 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Questions? Comments?This Friday Q&A episode tackles several thoughtful listener questions covering 401(k) investment choices, Roth conversion stra...
Exchange Traded Gambling
16 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Exchange-traded funds began as simple, low-cost index vehicles, but their popularity has sparked a flood of increasingly speculative products. Don and...
Exchange Traded Gambling
16 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Questions? Comments?Exchange-traded funds began as simple, low-cost index vehicles, but their popularity has sparked a flood of increasingly speculati...
Questions Four
13 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this Friday Q&A episode, Don answers four listener questions covering fund recommendations, special-needs financial planning, retirement withdrawal...
Questions Four
13 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Questions? Comments?In this Friday Q&A episode, Don answers four listener questions covering fund recommendations, special-needs financial plannin...
Don't Invest?
12 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Don't Invest?
12 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Questions? Comments?A debate over jelly bean flavors quickly pivots into a takedown of a flashy Inc. Magazine article claiming people shouldn’t save...
Retiremeet 2026 Part Two
11 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Broadcast from RetireMeet 2026 in Bellevue, Don and Tom reflect on the evolution of retirement planning—from a narrow focus on investments to a broa...
Retiremeet 2026 Part Two
11 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Questions? Comments?Broadcast from RetireMeet 2026 in Bellevue, Don and Tom reflect on the evolution of retirement planning—from a narrow focus on i...
Retiremeet 2026 Part One
10 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Broadcast live from RetireMeet in Bellevue, Don announces that after nearly four decades of Saturday radio shows, Talking Real Money will end its live...
Retiremeet 2026 Part One
10 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Questions? Comments?Broadcast live from RetireMeet in Bellevue, Don announces that after nearly four decades of Saturday radio shows, Talking Real Mon...
The Wisdom of Crowds
10 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Questions? Comments?Don and Tom start with the classic “jelly beans in a jar” experiment to explain the wisdom of crowds and why large groups ofte...
Future Jobs
09 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
This episode begins with a look at the changing career landscape as AI and automation reshape white-collar work. Don and Tom discuss a Wall Street Jou...
More Questions!
06 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
This Friday Q&A episode tackles several thoughtful listener questions covering 401(k) investment choices, Roth conversion strategies, bond market fear...
Free Money?
05 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
AI hype is colliding with financial reality. Don and Tom examine Elon Musk’s suggestion that artificial intelligence could create such abundance tha...
Free Money?
05 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Questions? Comments?AI hype is colliding with financial reality. Don and Tom examine Elon Musk’s suggestion that artificial intelligence could creat...
Teach Real Investing
04 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Financial education is expanding nationwide—but much of it is still teaching speculation instead of investing. Don and Tom critique stock-picking co...
Teach Real Investing
04 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Questions? Comments?Financial education is expanding nationwide—but much of it is still teaching speculation instead of investing. Don and Tom criti...
With the Cost?
03 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Don and Tom revisit the eternal temptation to beat the market, dismantling the appeal of equal-weight indexes and active management claims by highligh...
With the Cost?
03 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Questions? Comments?Don and Tom revisit the eternal temptation to beat the market, dismantling the appeal of equal-weight indexes and active managemen...
Funds or Ladders?
02 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
This episode dives into the surprisingly emotional world of fixed income investing, exploring whether traditional bond funds like BND still make sense...
Funds or Ladders?
02 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Questions? Comments?This episode dives into the surprisingly emotional world of fixed income investing, exploring whether traditional bond funds like ...
More Qs reQuired
02 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Questions? Comments?On this Friday Q&A episode, Don answers listener questions on international stock overweighting inside a Seattle city retireme...
More Qs reQuired
28 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
On this Friday Q&A episode, Don answers listener questions on international stock overweighting inside a Seattle city retirement plan, whether a Vangu...
Slicing Fees
26 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Vanguard slashes fees again, pushing its average expense ratio down to six basis points. Don and Tom contrast that with outrageously expensive ETFs ch...
Slicing Fees
26 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Questions? Comments?Vanguard slashes fees again, pushing its average expense ratio down to six basis points. Don and Tom contrast that with outrageous...
It's One Portfolio
25 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
This episode focuses on smart portfolio construction across multiple accounts, using AVGV to complement limited 401(k) options, and why allocation sho...
It's One Portfolio
25 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Questions? Comments?This episode focuses on smart portfolio construction across multiple accounts, using AVGV to complement limited 401(k) options, an...
Rules of Thumb
24 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Questions? Comments?This episode moves from the origin of “rule of thumb” to why most investing rules of thumb don’t work for real people. Tom a...
Rules of Thumb
24 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
This episode moves from the origin of “rule of thumb” to why most investing rules of thumb don’t work for real people. Tom and Don explore a Yal...
Extra Income?
23 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Don and Tom examine Kiplinger’s list of top retirement side gigs and separate practical ideas from pipe dreams, questioning whether executive coachi...
Extra Income?
23 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Questions? Comments?Don and Tom examine Kiplinger’s list of top retirement side gigs and separate practical ideas from pipe dreams, questioning whet...
Crypto Qs Return
20 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
After a bump in crypto-fueled listener calls, Don tackles a mix of practical and philosophical money questions: why Fidelity’s new “stablecoin” ...
Crypto Qs Return
20 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Questions? Comments?After a bump in crypto-fueled listener calls, Don tackles a mix of practical and philosophical money questions: why Fidelity’s n...
Going So Low
19 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Vanguard lowers fees yet again, pushing its average expense ratio down to just six basis points — a move that underscores how dramatically fund cost...
Going So Low
19 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Questions? Comments?Vanguard lowers fees yet again, pushing its average expense ratio down to just six basis points — a move that underscores how dr...
Even 500 Is Too Few
18 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Don and Tom tackle S&P 500 concentration risk and the dominance of the Magnificent Seven, explaining why diversification still matters despite compell...
Even 500 Is Too Few
18 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Questions? Comments?Don and Tom tackle S&P 500 concentration risk and the dominance of the Magnificent Seven, explaining why diversification still...
Over Active?
17 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Don and Tom dissect a Morningstar article naming the “best core stock funds” for 2026, noting the sharp decline in recommended actively managed fu...
Over Active?
17 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Questions? Comments?Don and Tom dissect a Morningstar article naming the “best core stock funds” for 2026, noting the sharp decline in recommended...
Nicer Qs
13 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this Friday Q&A episode, Don introduces a new AI audio enhancement tool that dramatically improves the sound quality of listener questions, then di...
Nicer Qs
13 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Questions? Comments?In this Friday Q&A episode, Don introduces a new AI audio enhancement tool that dramatically improves the sound quality of lis...
Know You Can't Know
12 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Markets may feel calm despite geopolitical noise, but uncertainty is the permanent condition of investing—and the price of admission for higher retu...
Know You Can't Know
12 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Questions? Comments?Markets may feel calm despite geopolitical noise, but uncertainty is the permanent condition of investing—and the price of admis...
When Dull is Desirable
11 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Talking Real Money opens with a stark illustration of why Bitcoin fails as a usable currency, showing how volatility can destroy real-life budgets ove...
When Dull is Desirable
11 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Questions? Comments?Talking Real Money opens with a stark illustration of why Bitcoin fails as a usable currency, showing how volatility can destroy r...
A Better Way
10 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
0:04 Dow hits 50,000 while most stocks lag—why it’s a meaningless headline 0:59 Robinhood and Palantir slide—speculators start getting nervou...
A Better Way
10 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Questions? Comments?0:04 Dow hits 50,000 while most stocks lag—why it’s a meaningless headline0:59 Robinhood and Palantir slide—speculators st...
Alternative Employment
09 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Don and Tom step away from pure investing talk to explore how AI, layoffs, and stagnant wages are reshaping career paths—especially for young people...
Alternative Employment
09 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Questions? Comments?Don and Tom step away from pure investing talk to explore how AI, layoffs, and stagnant wages are reshaping career paths—especia...
Nice, Warm Questions
06 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this Friday Q&A episode of Talking Real Money, Don tackles five thoughtful listener questions ranging from confusing 401(k) collective investment t...
Nice, Warm Questions
06 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Questions? Comments?In this Friday Q&A episode of Talking Real Money, Don tackles five thoughtful listener questions ranging from confusing 401(k)...
Don't Stop Saving
05 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Don and Tom take on Elon Musk’s claim that AI will make retirement saving obsolete, pushing back hard on the idea that technology or billionaires wi...
Don't Stop Saving
05 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Questions? Comments?Don and Tom take on Elon Musk’s claim that AI will make retirement saving obsolete, pushing back hard on the idea that technolog...
Investments Can Grow
04 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Tom and Don break down why gold, silver, and individual stocks remain speculative distractions rather than reliable investments, using recent volatili...
Investments Can Grow
04 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Questions? Comments?Tom and Don break down why gold, silver, and individual stocks remain speculative distractions rather than reliable investments, u...
Hot to Not
03 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Talking Real Money, Don and Tom dig into the Washington State pension system’s heavy exposure to private equity, sparked by Jason...
Hot to Not
03 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Questions? Comments?In this episode of Talking Real Money, Don and Tom dig into the Washington State pension system’s heavy exposure to private equi...
High Yield Risks
02 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Talking Real Money, Don and Tom take aim at “magical” high-yield investments, focusing on why junk bond funds often behave more...
High Yield Risks
02 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Questions? Comments?In this episode of Talking Real Money, Don and Tom take aim at “magical” high-yield investments, focusing on why junk bond fun...
Cold Days Qs and As
30 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this Friday Q&A episode, Don answers listener questions on handling backdoor Roth conversions with investment gains, whether Avantis or Vanguard ma...
Cold Days Qs and As
30 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Questions? Comments?In this Friday Q&A episode, Don answers listener questions on handling backdoor Roth conversions with investment gains, whethe...
Hard to Stop
29 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Don and Tom examine the long disciplinary history of former broker James Tuberosa and his attempt to reinvent himself as a registered investment advis...
Hard to Stop
29 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Questions? Comments?Don and Tom examine the long disciplinary history of former broker James Tuberosa and his attempt to reinvent himself as a registe...
Hedge Funds Pitch
28 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Don and Tom break down why hedge funds’ so-called “comeback” doesn’t justify their massive fees, showing how simple index portfolios continue ...
Hedge Funds Pitch
28 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Questions? Comments?Don and Tom break down why hedge funds’ so-called “comeback” doesn’t justify their massive fees, showing how simple index ...
Selling Game
27 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Don and Tom kick off the show with weekend banter and nostalgia about checkbooks before diving into why buying and selling a home remains one of life’...
Selling Game
27 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Questions? Comments?Don and Tom kick off the show with weekend banter and nostalgia about checkbooks before diving into why buying and selling a home ...
Who Do We Owe?
26 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Don and Tom tackle fears about U.S. national debt by breaking down who actually owns it (mostly Americans), why “China owns us” is wildly overstat...
Who Do We Owe?
26 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Questions? Comments?Don and Tom tackle fears about U.S. national debt by breaking down who actually owns it (mostly Americans), why “China owns us”...
ETF + Q&A
23 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this listener-driven episode, Don, Tom, and advisor Roxy Butner tackle a wide range of investing questions, starting with the explosive growth of E...