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).
Episodes
1865 episodes
Questions Aplenty
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 limits of basic retirement calculators vers...
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25:28
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 as safe income solutions for yield-hungry investors. Do...
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29:51
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 a decade. They explore politically painful solutions (tax in...
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40:38
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 timeless message: consistent investing be...
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39:36
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 degrees—especially in education and t...
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29:05
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. traditional 401(k) decisions in high tax brac...
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22:39
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 sources, and lifestyle. They walk through a pract...
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27:43
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 the idea that expenses automatically fall in retirement, warn that Social ...
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41:14
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 is selling something. They walk through th...
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39:08
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 fewer people moving, less new construction,...
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29:05
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 age but about emotional tolerance for lo...
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20:26
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 strategies, why spending adaptability matters more ...
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27:08
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 from Don’s wife Debbie reflects on decades of friendship, ...
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39:55
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. With fewer than 3% of Americans over 65 holding $1M in retir...
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39:13
More Questions!
This Friday Q&A episode tackles several thoughtful listener questions covering 401(k) investment choices, Roth conversion strategies, bond market fears, inherited IRA planning, and investment club mechanics. Don explains why opaque collective ...
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22:31
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 in the past year—many involving leverage, cryp...
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30:02
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 r...
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16:51
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 investing” pitch from entrepreneur Joseph Drups, exposing the ...
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35:10
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 after work. They interview Paul Merriman, w...
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37:33
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 continue exclusively as a podcast. The episode features conversations ...
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37:31
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 leads to a discussion of modern prediction markets like Kalshi and...
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30:20
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 economics behind universal basic inc...
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27:54
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, while arguing for evid...
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39:10
