Saving Investors

With Don out, Tom Cock and advisor Roxy Butner tackle the increasingly hot question: should you trust a human or a machine with your money? They dig into two recent studies—one showing AI beating most fund managers, and another suggesting no long-term winner at all. Listener questions range from DIY ETF portfolios and Roth IRA conversion pitfalls to a wildly complex $2.5M retirement scenario involving crypto, precious metals, and a self-directed IRA full of land. Tom and Roxy break it all down with practical advice and a few well-placed jabs at donut holes, Darth Vader, and inheritance headaches.

0:04 More machine than man? Tom opens with AI vs. human money management

1:14 Stanford AI outperforms 93% of human fund managers—sort of

2:35 Another study says: no clear winner between AI and humans

3:12 Why persistent outperformance doesn’t exist—and that’s OK

3:39 Roxy joins: paddleboards, decorating, and financial clarity

4:16 Listener question: DIY ETF portfolio for granddaughter (too complex)

5:54 Portfolio breakdown: too much large cap, bonds in a Roth?

7:44 Listener question: Switching from Vanguard Star Fund to ETFs

9:32 Roth IRA tips: stock-heavy, not for bonds or cash

10:25 Listener question: Deductible IRA mistake—now what?

11:54 Backdoor Roth IRA rules, income limits, and pro-rata traps

13:19 Recharacterization forms and Social Security timing advice

14:44 Listener question: ETF dividends—should I reinvest or not?

15:14 ETF tax basics: capital gains vs. dividends

16:42 Listener question: $2.5M+ retirement plan review from Woodstock, GA

17:14 Income breakdown: Air Force pension, SS, rental income, part-time job

18:43 Self-directed IRA full of land, CDs, and cash

19:59 Precious metals and crypto: too much risk, not enough balance

20:35 Bonds or not? Depends on goals, not age

21:55 Planning questions: What’s the money for?

23:25 RMDs and taxes from a self-directed IRA

24:27 Fair market value complications and IRS penalties

25:46 Inheriting land in an IRA: yes, it’s a pain

27:28 Wrap-up: Why human advice still matters—even if AI’s getting smarter
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