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Talking Real Money - Investing Talk

Don McDonald
Retirement Planning
Investment Strategies
Social Security
Investing
Financial Planning
S&P 500
Diversification
Annuities
Bonds
Roth IRA
Stock Market
Retirement
Vanguard
Private Equity
Insurance Industry
Target Date Funds
Asset Allocation
Bitcoin
Real Estate
Cryptocurrency

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 n... more

PublishesDailyEpisodes1998Founded13 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
InvestingBusinessEducationHow To

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Artwork for Talking Real Money

Latest Episodes

Don and Tom compare the S&P 500 with total-market and globally diversified investing, explain the danger of home bias, and show why owning more of the world can reduce concentration risk. Then they answer questions about Roth conversions, bond-fund l... more

Don and Tom use Disney’s infamous lemming myth to explain investor herd behavior, recency bias, and the danger of chasing whatever has recently been hot. Then they answer questions about simplifying a diversified portfolio, evaluating a long-held ann... more

Don tackles listener questions about growth versus value stocks, choosing the right time to retire, Medicaid and estate-planning concerns, the problems with infinite-banking whole-life policies, when annuities may make sense, and how mutual-fund dist... more

YouTube

Is a home always a great investment? Don and Tom compare buying with renting, explain why leverage can make home returns look better than they are, and lay out when owning makes sense. Then they answer listener questions about one-fund versus multi-f... more

YouTube

Key Facts

Accepts Sponsors
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Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

Paul Merriman
Investment educator and author
Author/Investment educator
Episode: Ep. 1921: They're Back...
Herb Weisbaum
Consumer expert, author of content for checkbook.org
Checkbook.org / ConsumerMan
Episode: Ep. 1920: Summer Travel Tips
Justin Baer
Author of House of Fidelity; Wall Street Journal editor
The Wall Street Journal
Episode: Ep. 1887: From Funds to Crypto
Christine Benz
Investment expert introduced as a guest for an on-stage interview
Morningstar
Episode: With the Cost?
Michael from Portugal
A retiree residing part-time in Portugal, looking for financial advice regarding retirement and family financial support.
Episode: Rules of Thumb
Roxy Butner
One of the advisors and guest host
Episode: T&R Q&A
Megan Gorman
Author of 'All the President's Money'
Episode: Pecuniary Presidents
Michael DeJoseph
Researcher in Investment Advisor Research at Vanguard
Vanguard
Episode: Vanguard's Advisor Alpha
Weston Wellington
Vice President with Dimensional Funds and seasoned professional in the investment industry
Dimensional Funds
Episode: A Dimensional Mind

Hosts

Don McDonald
Co-host with a long history in financial talk radio; fiduciary-focused investor education.
Tom Cock
Co-host with PBS Serious Money background; emphasizes long-term, low-cost investing with practical insights.

Reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars from 1.1k ratings
  • I Have To Admit I Like It

    I have to admit that I like this podcast and the devotion of these two guys for the breath of material they cover on practically daily basis. Definitely a top 50 financial podcast like no other.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Starman44870
    United States23 days ago
  • Love the Music

    Keep being creative, it makes me smile when it starts!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    BSLS2424
    United Statesa month ago
  • Great trustworthy show

    Talking Real Money is a great trustworthy podcast. Finding honest financial advice in this world is difficult. I really appreciate the true fiduciary advice Tom and Don give. 5 stars. Now my only criticism is Don's use of AI for music bumpers. AI should not be used for that. I would rather have no music than listen to souless AI music. I don't mind most other uses for AI such as cleaning up bad audio from the calls. That is a good use for AI.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    D Sherrill
    United Statesa month ago
  • Downhill Show

    This show used to be decent but has steadily declined. Lately, Don thinks he’s a DJ and will spend more time with his AI songs than the financial content. At least he has moved on from promoting his book every episode Tom, on the other hand will actually call listeners with the pretense that he knows what he is doing. His advice is so basic. It is a wonder he is integrated with Apella Wealth. I am really, not sure why anyone would listen to this guy.. it is obvious he thinks he knows a lot mo... more

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    South Dakota Boy1
    United Statesa month ago
  • One of the Best!

    One of the best financial podcasts I’ve listened to. They are funny and informative. The humor is refreshing in an industry that seems to be competing with the funeral business in terms of seriousness.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Jon762GA
    United States2 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Overall, listeners appreciate the practical, fiduciary-focused investing guidance and approachable banter.
Positive feedback often highlights the show's balance of humor and solid financial planning tips.
Many reviews note the show's clear stance against high-fee products and sales pitches.
Listeners frequently mention the educational value and trust built over years of listening.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#74
United States/Business/Investing
Apple Podcasts
#227
United States/Business
Apple Podcasts
#53
Finland/Business/Investing
Apple Podcasts
#145
Mexico/Business/Investing
Apple Podcasts
#156
Finland/Business

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Ep. 1976: Questions Behind the Numbers
Q: Based on what you said, how plausible is retirement around 65 and what should they budget for in retirement?
Retirement around 65 looks very plausible given their savings trajectory; focus should be on building a real budget that accounts for inflation and social security, and distinguish between what they are accumulating and what they will spend.
Ep. 1996: Growth, Value, and When to Retire
Q: If someone is planning to retire early, what are the key considerations besides Social Security timing?
Key considerations include the impact on 401(k) contributions and employer matches, health insurance costs (including COBRA or Marketplace plans), potential taxes, and ensuring liquidity to cover early retirement expenses while not sacrificing long-term security.
Ep. 1996: Growth, Value, and When to Retire
Q: In broad terms, what is the difference between growth and value stocks and how would you identify them in practice?
Growth stocks are expected to grow earnings or revenue rapidly, often trading at high prices relative to current earnings, while value stocks are cheap based on fundamentals like assets or earnings and may be temporarily out of favor but have potential upside if the business recovers or improves.
Ep. 1993: The High-Yield Trapdoor
Q: Should he do a Roth conversion from the TSP to a Roth TSP given future tax brackets and the spouse situation?
The hosts suggest evaluating whether your current tax bracket is lower than you expect in the future, and to consider doing Roth conversions if taxes are paid with funds outside the retirement accounts; also, plan should be reviewed annually rather than a one‑time decision, especially with a spouse's tax filing status in mind.
Ep. 1975: Put the Brakes on Buy Now
Q: What should we consider when diversifying a 403(b) and a Roth IRA, and how do fees impact long-term growth?
Start with the big picture and determine an appropriate stock-to-bond ratio. Favor low-cost index funds through the plan or transfer to a major custodian like Vanguard or Schwab for cheaper options, especially for Roth IRAs, and be mindful that actively managed funds often carry higher fees which erode long-term growth. Balance US and international exposure and consider tax-advantaged accounts for higher-growth, tax-free growth opportunities.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Gender Skew
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Frequently Asked Questions About Talking Real Money

What is Talking Real Money about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A practical money-show hosted by two veteran financial minds focuses on long-term investing, fiduciary responsibility, and accessible guidance for real-life finances. Discussions routinely cover retirement planning, diversification, tax efficiency, and avoiding gimmicks, all delivered with light banter and a listener Q&A style. Noteworthy are strong cautions against high-fee products, advocacy for fiduciary guidance, and a clear emphasis on staying disciplined through market cycles. The sponsor relationships and tangible how-to tips (cash versus investments, bond strategies, and retirement withdrawals) help listeners translate concepts into action. This mix of approachable education, skepticism of sales pitches, and steady, real-world advic... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Talking Real Money?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Talking Real Money:

1. The Clark Howard Podcast
2. Retire Sooner with Wes Moss
3. Sound Investing
4. The Stacking Benjamins Show
5. Your Money, Your Wealth

How many episodes of Talking Real Money are there?

Talking Real Money launched 13 years ago and published 1998 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Talking Real Money?

Recent guests on Talking Real Money include:

1. Paul Merriman
2. Herb Weisbaum
3. Justin Baer
4. Christine Benz
5. Michael from Portugal
6. Roxy Butner
7. Megan Gorman
8. Michael DeJoseph

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