Retirement Investing Made Simple
Investing for retirement is far easier than Wall Street would like you to believe. They want you to think you need them, when you don't.
Episodes
Talking Real Money Minute - Investing Advice and Money Musings
Looking for real investing advice and a fresh financial perspective, but don't have time for a full podcast. Spend a minute (okay, 90 seconds) with 30-year financial talk show host, Don McDonald. Learn how to build the wealth you need for a brighter future based on solid science, not hunches.
Episodes
Miss a Day, Miss a Lot
So you got out of the market. Lucky you. Now, when do you get back in?
Covid Home Office Deduction?
Now that you're stuck working from home can you deduct anything?
Worse Than Flipping a Coin
No one can preduct the financial future, but many still pretend to be able to do so, Many of us keep believing despite evidence to the contrary. Flip a coin instead.
One Size Doesn't Fit All
Not everyone of a ceratin age shares the same tolerance for risk. That's why target-date funds may not be the best investing solution for everyone. Discover your own risk tolerance at talkingrealmoney.com/risquiz
Better Emergency Fund Returns
The current crisis has illustrated the need for an emergency fund, but where can you park it to earn more than your bank's pathetic savings yield?
Four Percent Rule Alternative
The 4% Rule isn't really a rule. It's a starting point. The key to retirement income while maintaining your asset base is flexibility.
Financial Media Lies
Marketwatch continues to play fast and loose with the facts. Example: A recent headline that portays a permanent-bear with a pricey newsletter as a stock prediction genius.
96% Losing Over $100,000
A new study found that 96% of Americans have taken Social Security at the wrong time leaving trillions of dollars on the table.
Getting Oil For Less Than Nothing?
The US crude futures contract for May 2020 dropped below $0 per barrel for the first time ever. How can that happen?
Bad News and Bears
Humans have a tendency to be overly negative. Yet, despite all the bad things that have happened the world continues to spin.
"Freedom Checks" Aren't Free
There are some very creative sales pitches out there for some really bad financial products like MLPs (master limited partnerships). Beware of "investments" that are good for the sellers and bad for you.
Bad Investments Take Time to Fail
Non-publicly traded REITs sound so good, promising big income with little risk. All "hot" investment sound great until they prove to be little more than a compelling story. It's something investors only discover after a crisis has occurred.
How Long Will This Last?
While it seems like the coronavirus crisis has been going on forever, it's only been a few weeks. How long will our isolation and economic crisis last? We will recover. We always have. But the process of doing so will feel too long for those of us living through it, but looking back it won't seem as bad.
Pick Your Stock Market Advice
Don shares five stock prediction headlines so you can choose the one that fits your perosnal belief. Good news: You have aabout a 50% chance of picking the right advice. Bad news: You have about a 50% chance of chooing the wrong advice.
Forebearance Not Foregiveness
Those struggling with mortgage payments have an opportunity for some temporary relief, forbearance. Don explains what forebearnce is and isn't and what might hapen once your payment suspension ends.
Whose Advice Should You Take?
The airwaves and Internet are filled with money advice and market forecasts. Some say the financial future looks bleak, others predict stocks will dazzle. Who should you believe?
Time to Cut Your Losses?
Don talks about the high cost of letting our emotions control our investing decisions.
Here Come the Stimulus Scams
Where there are potentially billions of dollars flowing into the hands of potentially gullible Americans there are bound to be phone and phishing scams. Learn what to watch for and how to avoid getting your stmulus check stolen. Report IRS scams to phishing@irs.gov.
Forest or Trees
You'll feel a lot better if you extend your financial horizon.
The Story of Annuities
So, what were annuities meant to be and what have the morphed into today?
Miss a Day, Miss a Lot
Missing just a few of the best days for the stock market can cost a fortune.
Stop Investing Badly
Investing is too simple to be this complicated. Learn the simple steps to better investing.