In this episode we explore one big long answer to an email from Bob about why people refuse to spend money in retirement despite having more than adequate resources. We touch on the math and psychology of the Possibility Effect and how to use Base Rates to overcome that, what the numbers say you really should be afraid of, how to break down expenses to alleviate fears and the real underlying problem in many cases, which is not fear, but personal identity rooted in "Frugality Inertia." And THEN w...
Jul 06, 2025•1 hr 3 min•Season 5Ep. 436
In this episode we answer emails from Tracy, Mike and "Some Call Me" Tim. We discuss the speculations and gambles of Forex, portfolio transitions, the Vanguard Market Neutral Fund and moving overseas. And we have a mystery guest reader! Links: Father McKenna Center Donation Page: Donate - Father McKenna Center Catching Up To FI Website: Financial Independence - Catching up to FI VMNFX Testfolio Comparative Analysis: https://testfol.io/analysis?s=eFgblWT8SJO VMNFX Home Page: VMNFX-Vanguard Market...
Jul 02, 2025•28 min•Season 5Ep. 435
In this episode we answer a question from Ness. We have fun with The Untouchables, retirement clubs, Portfolio Visualizer and many other things. And THEN we our go through our weekly portfolio reviews of the eight sample portfolios you can find at Portfolios | Risk Parity Radio . To donate to the Top of the T-Shirt campaign and double your fun, please visit the Father McKenna Center donation page and note "Risk Parity Radio Match" when making your contribution. Additional Links: Father McKenna C...
Jun 29, 2025•56 min•Season 5Ep. 434
In this episode we answer questions from Mason, Brian, and Anonymous. We discuss portfolio transitions from a highly overlapped portfolio and related consideration, treasury strips funds and leveraged ETFs (twice), and the power of advice from the great Jim Rohn. UNLIMITED POWER. Just remember that "Affirmation without discipline is the beginning of delusion." And we discuss our campaign for the Father McKenna Center and Quebecois updates to our website. Links: Father McKenna Center Donation Pag...
Jun 26, 2025•42 min•Season 5Ep. 433
In this episode we answer emails from Isaiah, Jack, Jon and Luke. We discuss preliminary transition issues and de-risking, Jack's "25 x 4" risk parity style portfolio, Invictus and similar themes, treasury bonds and gold as co-diversifiers and ESG funds. And revel on how we Tom Sawyer'ed Paula Pant into creating a nice 'Risk Parity Portfolio Blueprint" for us. And THEN we our go through our weekly portfolio reviews of the eight sample portfolios you can find at Portfolios | Risk Parity Radio . T...
Jun 21, 2025•49 min•Season 5Ep. 432
In this episode we answer emails from Luc, Craig, Luke and Lucky. We discuss updating the website, my recent roundtable on the Stacking Benjamins podcast, Achilles heels, and the inherent problems with not using proper forecasting techniques applied to CAPE ratios and other things, new funds like AVUQ and FFUT, and gold versus bonds in a portfolio. Links: Father McKenna Center Donation Page: Donate - Father McKenna Center Stacking Benjamins YouTube Live Stream Roundtable: Decumulational Strategi...
Jun 11, 2025•35 min•Season 5Ep. 431
In this episode we answer emails from I Have No Name, Deep and Joel. We discuss the extraordinary generosity of our listeners and how it uplifts the workers in the FMC trenches, rebalancing in accumulation, tax considerations for an intermediate term portfolio, saving for college, and what to do with new money just a few years from retirement. And THEN we our go through our weekly portfolio reviews of the eight sample portfolios you can find at Portfolios | Risk Parity Radio . To donate to the T...
Jun 07, 2025•39 min
In this episode we answer emails from Brent, Peter and Cy. We discuss our Father McKenna Center Top-of-the-T-Shirt Matching Campaign (again), Peter's risk-parity style portfolio in retirement and what to do with new cash coming in, and Cy's small cap value direct indexing experiment. If you'd like to support the Father McKenna Center and get your questions answered on the show, please donate through the link in the show notes. Every dollar will be doubled through our matching campaign. Links: Fa...
Jun 04, 2025•33 min
In this episode we answer emails from Anonymous, Tim, Mark and Luc. We celebrate the overwhelming generosity of our listeners and discuss using risk parity style portfolios for intermediate savings, heavy metal, tax efficient portfolio management, and some investing and retirement resources. And THEN we our go through our weekly and monthly portfolio reviews of the eight sample portfolios you can find at Portfolios | Risk Parity Radio . To donate to the Top of the T-Shirt campaign and double you...
Jun 01, 2025•44 min•Season 5Ep. 428
In this episode we answer emails from Katie, Sean, Glen, Anonymous and Kelly. We discuss our matching campaign for the Father McKenna Center (rolled out in Episode 426), the BOXX ETF and the Rorschach test it presents, direct indexing, Risk Parity Chronicles, and the real purpose of Financial Independence and how to win at retirement and life. Links: Father McKenna Center Donation Page: Donate - Father McKenna Center Interview of Wes Gray about BOXX and other tax strategies: Episode 70: Dr. Wes ...
May 28, 2025•31 min•Season 5Ep. 427
In this episode we answer emails from Pete, Kevin and Dale. We discuss Pete's "Berry Pie" portfolio experiments on the testfolio site, the ongoing debate about the size and value factors and why it doesn't matter that much for constructing diversified portfolios due to Shannon's Demon, and some basics on the process for constructing portfolios moving from asset classes to specific ETFs. We also roll out our "Top of the T-Shirt" Matching Campaign to benefit the Father McKenna Center. Please suppo...
May 25, 2025•36 min
In this episode we answer emails from Andy, El Yama and Paulo. We discuss a follow up to the question on margin accounts at Interactive Brokers in Episode 424, the use of SCHD fund as a large cap value fund in a risk parity style portfolio, the meaning of "safe" in "safe withdrawal rates" and the current popular obsession with international funds, as well as diversification considerations for using them. And an upcoming appearance on the "Afford Anything" podcast. And the famous SCTV parody "The...
May 21, 2025•37 min•Season 4Ep. 425
In this episode we answer emails from Yangon, The Value Stock Geek, and Graham. We discuss the ins and outs of margin accounts at Interactive Brokers, some annoyances with gold ETFs and 1099s, and BTAL vs. treasury bonds. And THEN we our go through our weekly and monthly portfolio reviews of the eight sample portfolios you can find at Portfolios | Risk Parity Radio . Additional Links: Father McKenna Center Donation Page: Donate - Father McKenna Center Tyler On The Security Analysis Podcast: Tyle...
May 18, 2025•37 min
In this episode we answer emails from Dave, Jeff and Peter. We discuss a new risk parity ETF, ALLW, a social security claiming question and considerations, and how a listener has been misled regarding so-called dividend investing by misinterpreting a misleading source. Links: Father McKenna Center Donation Page: Donate - Father McKenna Center ALLW Fund Main Page: ALLW: SPDR® Bridgewater® All Weather® ETF Open Social Security: Open Social Security: Free, Open-Source Social Security Calculator Har...
May 15, 2025•37 min•Season 5Ep. 423
In this episode we answer emails from Ed, Joe and Jack. We discuss a commodities fund, BCI, some more cowbell, and Fidelity's share lending program. And THEN we our go through our weekly and monthly portfolio reviews of the eight sample portfolios you can find at Portfolios | Risk Parity Radio . Additional Links: Father McKenna Center Donation Page: Donate - Father McKenna Center BCI vs. PDBC vs. COM vs. DBMFX: testfol.io/analysis?s=3NIFkA7mNB9 Small Cap Value vs. S&P 500 In 21st Century: te...
May 11, 2025•29 min•Season 5Ep. 422
In this episode we answer emails from Luc, Ellen and Andrew. We discuss Luc's target portfolio, the process for evaluating and choosing new assets for a portfolio -- comparing why managed futures pass the test, while covered call fund and TIPs funds don't --, what's actually in our personal variation of the Golden Ratio portfolio, finding old podcast episodes and basic rebalancing principles as to timing. And learn some Canadian French and Minnesota vernacular along the way. Links: Andrew Beer I...
May 08, 2025•42 min•Season 5Ep. 421
In this episode we answer emails from Anderson, Ian, FFS, and Michael. We discuss using Roths earlier in accumulation and tax considerations, wrestling with an expensive 401k plan with limited options, and the various and sundry deficiencies of this program and its website. Rest assured, we have "top men" working on it. Top. Men. And THEN we our go through our weekly and monthly portfolio reviews of the eight sample portfolios you can find at Portfolios | Risk Parity Radio . Breathless Unedited ...
May 04, 2025•38 min
In this episode we answer emails from Chris, Will and Neelix. We discuss the basics of transitioning from accumulation to decumulation, choosing funds for accumulation from a limited selection, more transitioning questions from an alien, my lawyerly approach to personal finance and why the public personal finance landscape is often not very helpful and leaves much to be desired. Frank addresses listener questions about transitioning from accumulation to retirement portfolios, focusing on timing ...
May 01, 2025•42 min•Season 5Ep. 419
In this episode we answer emails from Jeff, Jenzo and Sam. We discuss spending money on relationships, a 72(t) situation, what to do with an unused Coverdell, GDE (again), a nice risk parity write-up and some random musings about the history of free speech and communications technologies. And THEN we our go through our weekly portfolio reviews of the eight sample portfolios you can find at Portfolios | Risk Parity Radio . Additional links: Jenzo's GDE Backtest: testfol.io/?s=0SLNjC7As4b Sam's Mo...
Apr 27, 2025•43 min•Season 5Ep. 418
In this episode we answer emails from Marco Esquandolas and Multi-Family Investor. We discuss a long-term diversified Roth portfolio for a 13-year old, modelling Delaware Statutory Trusts in a portfolio, transitioning out of an all S&P 500 allocation in a taxable account, PFIX, Sabine Royalty Trust and individual stocks in retirement portfolios, and M1 Finance. Note/Correction: Sabine is actually NOT structured like an MLP but as a true trust and therefore issues 1099s, not K-1s like most co...
Apr 24, 2025•33 min•Season 5Ep. 417
In this episode we answer emails from El Yama, Graham, and James. We discuss using risk parity-style portfolios for intermediate term needs, the short-term bond allocation in the Golden Butterfly, accounting for child credit, rising equity glidepaths, the fundamental differences between 100% stock portfolios and diversified portfolios and why you want the latter for retirement unless your goal is to die with the most money, and a CAPE ratio critique from Meb Faber's podcast. And THEN we our go t...
Apr 20, 2025•43 min•Season 5Ep. 416
In this episode we answer emails from Corn Pop, Dustin and Jim. We discuss annuities for elderly parents, TIPS ladders in retirement, REITs in small cap value funds, currency speculation, the GDE fund (again) and an aggressive portfolio construction. Link: Interview of Michael Kitces Re Problems With TIPS Ladders: Michael Kitces: How Higher Yields Affect Asset Allocation and Retirement Planning | Morningstar Breathless and Promotional AI-Bot Summary: Dive into the mailbag as Frank tackles comple...
Apr 16, 2025•28 min•Season 5Ep. 415
In this episode we answer emails from Jeremy, Brad, and James. We discuss a more aggressive risk-parity portfolio similar to the Weird Portfolio, the problems with data analysis and recency bias and considerations in accounting for Social Security or pensions in retirement portfolio planning. And THEN we our go through our weekly portfolio reviews of the eight sample portfolios you can find at Portfolios | Risk Parity Radio . Additional links: Jeremy's Portfolio on Portfolio Visualizer: https://...
Apr 13, 2025•29 min•Season 5Ep. 414
In this episode we answer emails from Harry, Sally, Jack and Javon. We discuss recovering from financial set-backs, my life on the Choose FI board, assets that do well in inflationary environments and large cap growth funds like MGK in Merriman-type portfolios. Links: Father McKenna Center Donation Page: Donate - Father McKenna Center Mindset by Carol Dweck: Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol S. Dweck | Goodreads Bloomberg Presentation On Investments In Inflationary Environments: MH...
Apr 10, 2025•34 min•Season 5Ep. 413
In this episode we answer emails from Ron, Iain, an Anonymous Visitor and Mr. Data. We discuss Ron's generosity and his variable or guardrails withdrawal strategy, some helpful British website references, what we use bonds for in these portfolio and how the TSP G fund fits into that, and small cap growth vs. small cap value stocks. And some notes on recent market turmoil. And THEN we our go through our weekly and monthly portfolio reviews of the eight sample portfolios you can find at Portfolios...
Apr 06, 2025•44 min
In this episode we answer emails from Michael, Brian and Ed. We discuss Michael's situation and options as a 34-year old with growing portfolios and a growing family, Brian's questions about the infernal Cederburg paper that won't go away and Ed's questions about accumulation portfolios. Links: Father McKenna Center Donation Page: Donate - Father McKenna Center Testfolio Comparison between Total Market and Large Cap Growth: testfol.io/analysis?s=0GbmPE8D9GK Merriman Best In Class ETFs: Best-in-C...
Apr 03, 2025•46 min•Season 5Ep. 411
In this episode we answer emails from Deeps, David, James, Steven and Jordan. We discuss the PHYS vs other gold ETFs, the podcast feed link, using AVGE in a risk parity style portfolio, why we do this and tail risk hedging. And THEN we our go through our weekly portfolio reviews of the eight sample portfolios you can find at Portfolios | Risk Parity Radio . Additional links: PHYS vs. GLDM: testfol.io/analysis?s=1lK9VB9xqaM RPR Main Feed Link (all the podcasts -- open in browser): Risk Parity Rad...
Mar 30, 2025•33 min•Season 5Ep. 410
In this episode we reflect on our recent meet-up and answer emails from Chris, Gigi and Mark. We discuss preferred shares funds and PFFA in particular, considerations about allocations in a TSP based on goals and current progress in your financial life, and them thar new-fangled return stacked funds. Links: PFFA Summary: PFFA – Virtus InfraCap US Preferred Stock ETF – ETF Stock Quote | Morningstar Return Stacked Funds Page: Home - Return Stacked® ETFs Amusing Unedited AI-Bot Summary: Welcome to ...
Mar 27, 2025•34 min•Season 5Ep. 409
In this episode we answer emails from Randy, Richard and Jamie. We discuss rebalancing frequency, share-lending at Fidelity, moves in Morningstar's style boxes and strips treasury funds vs. long term treasury bond funds. And we announce the new listing of the Golden Ratio portfolio at Portfolio Charts and thank Tyler and Van for that. Links: Father McKenna Center Donation Page: Donate - Father McKenna Center Golden Ratio Portfolio at Portfolio Charts: Golden Ratio Portfolio – Portfolio Charts Go...
Mar 19, 2025•20 min•Season 5Ep. 408
In this episode we answer emails from Dustin, MyContactInfo, and Mark. We discuss the ETF GDE and combo return stacked funds generally, why you probably don't want to use economists' "life cycle model" for personal finance planning due to its unrealistic underlying assumptions, and whether we could use historical high interest rates to create market timing and allocation signals between stocks and bonds. And THEN we our go through our weekly portfolio reviews of the eight sample portfolios you c...
Mar 16, 2025•41 min•Season 5Ep. 407
