Talking Real Money - Investing Talk
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 designed to provide the real help we all need to enjoy a really great future. Call in with your questions anytime at 855-935-TALK (8255).
- Update frequency
- every day
- Average duration
- 30 minutes
- Episodes
- 1726
- Years Active
- 2018 - 2025
Melt-Up or Melt-Down?
Don and Tom take on the ever-persistent phrase “This time it’s different,” as Bloomberg and NYT articles suggest AI, financial fragmentation, and inflation have permanently changed the investing game…
00:48:16 |
Tue 15 Jul 2025
Income Generation
Tom returns from his surprise Canadian adventure and the duo dive into the age-old retirement question: How do I get my money out? They break down the three most common withdrawal strategies—dividend…
00:32:48 |
Mon 14 Jul 2025
Big Q&A DAY
Don tackles six listener questions in a rare full-stack Q&A Friday. He breaks down a shady universal life insurance pitch, dismantles the myth of “smart” market timing with limit orders, and offers c…
00:26:52 |
Fri 11 Jul 2025
Vanguard's Advisor Alpha
Don is joined by Mike DeJoseph from Vanguard to unpack the meaning and real-world impact of Advisor’s Alpha—Vanguard’s research showing how good financial advisors can add up to 3% annually in net va…
00:42:01 |
Thu 10 Jul 2025
Burgers for Bitcoin
Don and Tom kick off this episode by responding to a one-star Apple Podcast reviewer who promised to upgrade to five stars—if they correct their allegedly false Bitcoin claims. Challenge accepted. Do…
00:46:26 |
Wed 09 Jul 2025
Annuity University
In this hard-hitting episode, Don and Tom expose “Retirement Planning University”—a slick, misleading marketing operation posing as a legitimate educational program. Despite hosting seminars at respe…
00:46:54 |
Tue 08 Jul 2025
Brokers and Models
Is your portfolio built by a broker or a model? Don and Tom break down the surprisingly persistent patterns of old-school broker portfolios—loaded with local stocks, overpriced “index” funds, and act…
00:37:22 |
Mon 07 Jul 2025
Solar Scams, Pig Butchers
In this fast-moving, fraud-fighting episode of Talking Real Money, Tom Cock is joined by longtime consumer advocate Herb Weisbaum (aka The ConsumerMan) to expose two of the fastest-growing scams in t…
00:28:13 |
Fri 04 Jul 2025
Gen Z's Retirement Edge?
Gen Z may just be schooling the rest of us in retirement savings—sort of. Don breaks down why the kids are all right… and also why they’re misled. Auto-enrollment rules, social media misinformation, …
00:43:32 |
Wed 02 Jul 2025
Highs Hype
The market hit another “all-time high”—shocking no one. Don dismantles the myth that record highs are reasons to panic or pull back, reminding listeners that long-term investing and diversification r…
00:45:12 |
Tue 01 Jul 2025
Dr. Doom or Dr. Boom
Don and Tom tear into the lunacy of financial predictions—starting with famed doomsayer Nouriel Roubini suddenly turning optimistic (is that a good sign or a terrifying one?). Then it’s onto Ron Baro…
00:29:30 |
Mon 30 Jun 2025
Question Time with Tom & Roxy
Tom welcomes Roxy Butner back to field listener questions on retirement income, Roth vs. traditional 401(k) choices, car financing math, leftover 529 rollovers, and bond price confusion. Listeners he…
00:21:31 |
Fri 27 Jun 2025
Behavior Beats Brilliance
In this episode, Don and Tom dive into a revealing YouGov survey that shows Americans might not be as overconfident as we thought—except when it comes to trustworthiness, loyalty, and… mechanical ski…
00:28:35 |
Thu 26 Jun 2025
Can't Have Everything
Don tackles the dangerous myth of “safe” high-yield investments, calling out misleading financial advice around covered call funds and non-traded real estate deals. He takes calls on 529 plans vs. UT…
00:45:46 |
Wed 25 Jun 2025
Gold Medal Worthy?
Don flies solo from Florida while Tom continues his Euro-tour, tackling the deep flaws in Morningstar’s mutual fund and target-date fund ratings. He skewers their cozy relationship with high-fee fund…
00:45:29 |
Tue 24 Jun 2025
Low Risk Fantasies
Don and Tom expose the seductive illusion of “wealth without risk” by dissecting the explosion of equity-hedged ETFs and mutual funds. They tear into the high fees, low returns, and false promises so…
00:29:17 |
Mon 23 Jun 2025
Fast Paced Friday
CORRECTION: During the 13:45 caller, I gave erroneous advice on the withdrawal rules for an inherited IRA. Given that this was his father’s IRA, he is not eligible to wait until the end of the 10-yea…
00:29:53 |
Sat 21 Jun 2025
Math Over Models
Don and Tom dive into the human obsession with prediction—especially in finance—and why models fail us more than they help. They dissect the CAPE ratio, Fama vs. Shiller, and why “knowing” the market…
00:45:50 |
Wed 18 Jun 2025
Home Bias Harm
Don and Tom tackle the behavioral trap of “home bias” in investing—why U.S. investors tend to overinvest domestically and why it’s dangerous. They compare global fund allocations across countries, po…
00:45:41 |
Tue 17 Jun 2025
Stock Picking Trap
In this episode of Talking Real Money, Don and Tom take aim at one of the most persistent investing mistakes: owning individual stocks. With humor and sharp skepticism, they explore why investors—eve…
00:28:47 |
Mon 16 Jun 2025
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