A bull market seems to encourage us to watch our investment portfolios more closely, which can lead to bad, emotionally-driven decisions. Why do we rush into the hot stocks? Plus, an example of studying an advisor's form ADV, Part 2. Listeners want to know: What kind of impact would moving investments have on average annual returns? Is paying bills from a checking account or with a credit card better? What do we think of Vanguard's new $ 25-a-month fee per mutual fund or brokerage account? Learn...
Jun 19, 2023•40 min•Transcript available on Metacast In this week's Q&A episode: Is it true you can live off of capital gains tax-free? How should young adults' Roth IRAs be invested? What do we think of the cash product from MassMutual's "Flourish" program? Does monthly rebalancing make sense? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jun 16, 2023•19 min•Transcript available on Metacast As we approach retirement, several things cause concern, but what do retirees worry about most? Discover how to reduce concerns about running out of money before running out of life. Then, we hear from listeners: Sharing a trick to own the market without using ETFs or funds. Is Morningstar a good source to research funds recommended by my LPL advisor? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jun 15, 2023•22 min•Transcript available on Metacast Do you need a robo advisor to help you create a fixed-income portfolio? Can they make you more money while also charging you more? We compare a robo advisor bond buying service to cheap bond ETFs. Plus, we take listeners' questions: Will returns rise if you never rebalance your portfolio? A salesperson suggests moving an old 403b to his Roth IRA. Should I ask if he's a fiduciary? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jun 14, 2023•21 min•Transcript available on Metacast Dave Ramsey received $30 million to promote a deceptive timeshare seller and now faces a huge lawsuit. Much of the financial advice in the media is bought and paid for, leaving you to wonder whose advice to trust. Then a listener: Shares his Tesla excitement, and we explain our concerns about owning Tesla or any other individual stock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jun 13, 2023•41 min•Transcript available on Metacast Look at that. Despite all of the "economic uncertainty," the longest bear market since 1948 has officially ended. How many stocks were responsible for the return of the bull? What does that mean for your portfolio and future? We also talk about small side hustles and the changes and troubles at Vanguard. Then listeners ask: How can an investor in a Fidelity retirement plan invest in international small-cap value stocks? What can be done with an old annuity that is slow to pay out assets to the o...
Jun 12, 2023•40 min•Transcript available on Metacast Don fields your comments and questions: Praise for Vanguard's customer service. Taking us to task over life insurance advice. How to invest when Roth ineligible? What would happen if Apple failed? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jun 09, 2023•22 min•Transcript available on Metacast Most Americans invest primarily in US stocks. The same holds true for other countries. How has that worked out for, say, the Japanese. With the help of a recent Morningstar study, we make the case for global portfolios. Listeners want to know: If it makes sense for a child to skip collge and go directly to a trade? Is it okay to invest in Avantis ETFs like AVGE? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jun 08, 2023•25 min•Transcript available on Metacast "Investors" – and we use that term a loosely as possible – are pouring money into anything that seems even remotely connect to AI (artificial intelligence). The end result is not likely to be pretty. Listeners want to know: What do we think of the Oxford Club's 200+% return bond trading strategy? Why own international stocks when the US has done so well? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jun 07, 2023•28 min•Transcript available on Metacast Another fearful event passes and will soon be forgotten. The debt deiling "crisis" is over. What's next? We discuss why we panic financially and how we can make market movement less painful by controlling emotions. What is happening in the Asian markets and should you be concerned? How much had non-fiduciary advice costing investors? Listeners ask: What do we think of a Vanguard advisor's portfolio recommendations? What should be done with some excess cash? Bonds or annuities? Should a hodgepodg...
Jun 05, 2023•41 min•Transcript available on Metacast It's Friday! That means Don is answering a few more of your questions: What should be done with some old, expensive funds in a Roth? Does a pre-tax retirement contribution reduce Social Security earnings penalties? Does it make sense to use RMDs to make charitable contributions? Is an expensive, actively managed small-cap value fund better, and do target-date funds have hidden fees? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jun 02, 2023•20 min•Transcript available on Metacast In the past, talking about money has been considered taboo. It's time to start talking with your family about this critical topic that effects both your future and theirs. Then, listeners want to know: Do we agree with Paul Merriman's equally divided 10-fund portfolio? How should an HSA be invested and in how many funds? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jun 01, 2023•22 min•Transcript available on Metacast We hate listening to our elders, but often their experiences can make your life better. We share some of those retirement investing mistakes. An almost record number of listeners ask: How is my Vanguard international fund up almost 100%? Does Fidelity or Schwab offer a globally-diversified total market index fund? Will old baby boomers selling stock in retirement destroy the stock market? Is there a place to find forgotten company retirement plans? What do we think of the Washington state capita...
May 31, 2023•42 min•Transcript available on Metacast Many people believe that higher interest on safe bank instruments makes this a good time to get out of the stock market for a while. The market habitually makes fools of those who think they are smarter than the market. We also discuss the foolishness of paying high commissions to that friend in the business. Don rips into a "radio host" who claims to be honest and sell indexed annuities. Then, we discuss the annoying proliferation of tipping screens at businesses. We hear from listeners: How to...
May 30, 2023•41 min•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode: What is a P/E ratio, and why are some so much lower than "the market's?" Which is better for future taxation, pre-tax accounts or Roths? With some parental seed money, how much could be in a retirement account in 40 years? Does it make sense to borrow for a big purchase or pay cash? What can be done with mediocre, high-commission investments in a non-profit's endowment? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
May 26, 2023•28 min•Transcript available on Metacast As the United States approaches its credit limit what might that do to the investnent markets? We pose that question to Wes Crill, Senior Investment Director and Vice-President at Dimensional Funds. We also discuss active versus passive investing, the value of scademic evidence, the effectiveneed of market times, and the advantages of funds or ETFs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
May 25, 2023•30 min•Transcript available on Metacast Real estate speculators discover that leverage can cut both ways. Plus, we discuss the real estate gurus and the more likely source of their wealth. Listeners wonder: What do we think of artificial intelligence? How much small cap is appropriate for a portfolio? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
May 24, 2023•23 min•Transcript available on Metacast Why does the myth that real estate and gold are better investments than equities still persist? We show you the real numbers. Where can you get the best CD rates? Plus, we are innundated with your questions: What should be done with the profits from a home sale? What do the regular stock market reports mean? With ETFs and funds are there crappy ones and good ones? What would our firm do with a client who needed an insurance product? What do we think of a particular bank and cash investing, in ge...
May 23, 2023•37 min•Transcript available on Metacast Heck, they're not even industrials anymore. The Dow is an obsolete measure of the stock markets movement. It should have been replaced by the total market index decades ago. What is "the Dow" and what's wrong with it. Plus, investing should alwayd be based on common sense. Listeners ask: After discovering how much was being paid for funds through a broker, is there any reason to keep the expensive funds? How can a participant figure out how much is being paid for the plan? Does cash-value whole ...
May 22, 2023•37 min•Transcript available on Metacast Another day of Q&A featuring calls about: The wisdom of paying off a mortgage early? Our opinion of Paul Merriman's flexible withdrawal strategy? Would AVGE be better than VT? Taking Social Security early to save funds for a child's inheritance? Firing advisor and moving into active funds as opposed to other balanced funds? Taking a pension now or waiting? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
May 19, 2023•27 min•Transcript available on Metacast With baby boomers nearing the end of their time on earth, a huge wealth transfer is in the offing. What would you do with a big inheritance of guess? Plus, are CFPs always acting as fiduciaries? Then, it's question time: How do we avoid bad companies in our client's portfolios? Does it make sense to move from a target-date fund to a total market index? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
May 18, 2023•28 min•Transcript available on Metacast Tom and Don are joined by a rare guest, Phil McInnis, Chief Investment Strategist at Avantis Funds. This episode covers the difference between truly active fund management and rules-based stock selection, how ETFs differ from mutual funds, and much more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
May 17, 2023•32 min•Transcript available on Metacast A major new study found that investors care more about fee transparency than the return from their investments. It turns out that investors want the truth from their financial advisors. Yet, the financial industry continues to lie and obfuscate. Then, after Tom suffers a technical breakdown, Don takes calls: Is there a way to set up a 401k transfer before leaving a firm? How can misplaced IRA funds be recovered? Where are all the jobs? Thanks for a great show. Would the total market or a small-c...
May 16, 2023•36 min•Transcript available on Metacast Yet another study shows that dart-throwing monkeys (a metaphor for randomness) picked better investments than did professional human stock pickers. Plus, humans cost more. Another study shows that only a few stocks account for the bulk of the market's returns. Then, we hear from a few of you: How much do dual-registered advisors actually charge? Does it make sense to pay off a very low-interest mortgage? How much should be invested in an international ETF? Why do so few investors use indexed bon...
May 15, 2023•41 min•Transcript available on Metacast This is a particularly good Friday question and answer session: When should a portfolio be rebalanced? What is the difference between VT and VTWAX? Her CFP uses Pershing. Are they okay? Where should a small child's UTMA be invested? Where should emergcy money be invested for safety? How to we feel about Rick Ferri saying that small cap value investing has failed? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
May 12, 2023•29 min•Transcript available on Metacast Another experts predicts the financial futute with absolute certainty, despite the FACT that the future can't be known. Plus, we agree with Bill Gross for the first time. Then, we hear from listeners: Is there a need for an internation fund other than the I Fund in the Thrift Savings Plan? Can taxes be avoided by moving from the Vanguard S&P 500 mutual fund to their S&P 500 ETF? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
May 11, 2023•19 min•Transcript available on Metacast Is it the 4% rule? Should you take less in bad times and more in good times? How do you know how much income can you take from your investments in retirement? Listeners ask: What kinds of investments should a young investor have in a retirement account? Are personalized portfolios better than target dates funds? Should an investor be concerned about California bonds in a muni fund? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
May 10, 2023•20 min•Transcript available on Metacast Should you be concerned about the money you have in the bank? Listeners wonder: What would have happened if you invested at the highest point of stock market every year? What is the best way to buy gold? Should investors consider investing in high yileding structured notes? Do Schwab intelligent portfolios make sense? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
May 09, 2023•41 min•Transcript available on Metacast It is estimated that the UK spent about $100 million to crown King Charles III. What else could you get for that much money? We also discuss the huge amount of money taken out of the market lately and why we need to stop playing the markets. Then our listeners ask: How much is needed to retire comfortably? How do we feel about "direct indexing?" How can Roth funds be used for emergencies? Does a Texas gold-backed debit card make sense or serve any purpose? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit...
May 08, 2023•41 min•Transcript available on Metacast Just another Q&A Friday, Cinco de Mayo. Today Don tackles: Should the funds be inside both a regular and Roth IRA? Should siblings' contributions to mother's care be tracked, and what might happen if they help mom? Does the rate on I-Bonds remain the same for their entire term? Is it okay to go ahead and fund a backdoor IRA early in the year? Do the ERISA protections make keeping an old employer's 401k? From which accounts should college money be withdrawn first? Learn more about your ad choices...
May 05, 2023•24 min•Transcript available on Metacast 
