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Talking Real Money - Investing Talk

Don McDonald
Retirement Planning
Investment Strategies
Social Security
Financial Planning
Investing
Diversification
S&P 500
Retirement
Bonds
Roth IRA
Vanguard
401k
Stock Market
Annuities
Real Estate
Asset Allocation
Cryptocurrency
Private Equity
Index Funds
Etfs

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

PublishesDailyEpisodes1941Founded12 years ago
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Artwork for Talking Real Money

Latest Episodes

AI can crunch a portfolio, harvest losses, and explain an investment concept in seconds. But can it stop a nervous investor from selling at exactly the wrong moment—or understand the life behind the spreadsheet?

Tom and Don test the robot-advisor pr... more

A quarter in the piggy bank has grown into a maze of UTMAs, 529s, custodial Roth IRAs, and the new child investment accounts. Tom and Don sort the options by what the money is actually for—and who keeps control.

The 529 emerges as the flexible favor... more

Chasing performance feels like the easiest way to make money—but buying what has already gone up often means arriving late and leaving with less.

In this episode of Talking Real Money, Tom and Don examine the “behavior gap”: the difference between a... more

The episode covers market bubbles, diversification, Social Security timing, and retirMarkets aren’t mysterious—they’re driven by one of the oldest economic principles there is.

In this episode of Talking Real Money, Tom and Don explain why supply an... more

Key Facts

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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

Herb Weisbaum
Consumer expert, author of content for checkbook.org
Checkbook.org / ConsumerMan
Episode: Summer Travel Tips
Justin Baer
Author of House of Fidelity; Wall Street Journal editor
The Wall Street Journal
Episode: From Funds to Crypto
Joe Saul-Sehy
Host of Stacking Benjamins
Stacking Benjamins
Episode: Retiremeet 2026 Part One
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
Host of Talking Real Money; financial talk veteran with a fiduciary-focused approach.
Tom Cock
Co-host; experienced financial broadcaster with emphasis on accessible investing guidance.

Reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars from 1k ratings
  • Par for the course

    These guys continue to keep their heads in the sand and refuse to look at the world around them. Just a lazy put together show. Avoid it.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    TRM-7
    United Statesa month ago
  • Still Enjoying It

    Love the continuous beating of the low-cost, diversified investment portfolio drum. Keep up on exposing the crypto scam.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    AshiGaruma
    United Statesa month ago
  • The worst

    Apparently, their take on Bitcoin hasn’t improved. I listened to one episode, years ago, and they said to avoid Bitcoin because “it’s only worth what the next guy is willing to pay for it”. Which is also what everything else in the world is worth. Shortsighted and amateurish. Save your time and skip these guys.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Briles4563
    United States2 months ago
  • Avantis evangelists

    I was really enjoying this podcast for the last couple of months until I realized they are non-stop advocates of some financial management/funds manager company I’ve personally never heard of called “Avantis” which they weirdly mention over and over again and defend tooth and nail. I think that’s really weird when they are supposed to be an independent investing podcast. But maybe they aren’t independent? The hosts claim they don’t get any money from Avantis or sponsor them but that’s VERY hard ... more

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    Mabelle 25
    United States2 months ago
  • I never ever miss this podcast

    A must listen to show. They are usually right on. Please keep up the pressure on crypto. Twenty year guaranteed immediate TIAA annuities have a return of 4%. The yearly payout is about 7.5%. I don't think the wealth managers like them because they loose AUM.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Interested bystander
    United States2 months ago

Listeners Say

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

Occasional criticism notes political commentary and ads can sometimes color perceived neutrality.
Some reviews call out Bitcoin discussions as a sticking point and want more open-minded crypto dialogue.
Audience appreciates blunt, no-nonsense analysis and advertiser-friendly, low-pressure financial education.
Listeners praise practical, fiduciary-minded investing guidance and straightforward questions.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#62
United States/Business/Investing
Apple Podcasts
#228
United States/Business
Apple Podcasts
#95
Finland/Business/Investing
Apple Podcasts
#110
Mexico/Business/Investing
Apple Podcasts
#151
China/Business/Investing
Apple Podcasts
#220
Finland/Business

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Calculating Your Future
Q: Should you pay off the debt, or fund retirement more?
The hosts emphasize prioritizing debt with the highest interest (like 22% credit card debt) because the guaranteed reduction in outflow and the return on that decision often beats contributing more to a match, though the final choice can depend on your exact situation.
Qs and Stuff
Q: Hi Don, Tom. I have a question about selling mutual share or ETF funds from a brokerage account to pay an expense, and whether to sell shares with minimal capital gain rather than realizing a loss and waiting for them to come back up.
Yes, you can choose specific lots and use tax lots strategically; you can identify which shares to sell before the trade settles to minimize current capital gains and preserve other lots for future tax outcomes.
Qs and Stuff
Q: Hi Don, this is Andrew. I was wondering if it was a good idea to go from investing in Roth to traditional, if on the FAFSA form it would change my income enough to allow my children to get a Pell Grant.
It generally makes sense to look at FAFSA as it considers adjusted gross income; in most cases, shifting from Roth to traditional IRA for FAFSA purposes does not meaningfully improve eligibility and is unlikely to help with Pell Grants.
Qs and Stuff
Q: Hi Don, this is Jim in Cincinnati. Was that your voice I heard on some of the ads for the special exhibit Auschwitz not long ago, not far away at the Cincinnati Museum Center?
Yes, that was me; I was hired to read the Auschwitz exhibit copy for both the Boston original and the Cincinnati tour, and I'm proud to have been part of it.
Tom and Roxy Qs&As
Q: What should a recent graduate prioritize first when starting to manage money?
Understand spending, build an emergency fund, and start contributing to retirement to capture matching contributions while keeping debt manageable.

Audience Metrics

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

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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, fiduciary-focused investing show led by two veteran hosts who emphasize low-cost, long-term strategies and real-world financial planning over speculation. Episodes cover retirement planning, tax implications, education savings, cash flow, and the tradeoffs between passive index funds and factor-based products, often critiquing high-fee or opaque strategies. A notable strength is blunt, experience-driven guidance and a clear emphasis on understanding risk, liquidity, and credibility before making moves. Listeners can expect straightforward answers, Q&A with callers, and promotions for fiduciary-advisor resources, booklets, and workshops. The tone tends toward approachable, no-nonsense education with occasional humor and strong o... 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. Sound Investing
3. Retire Sooner with Wes Moss
4. The Stacking Benjamins Show
5. Your Money, Your Wealth

How many episodes of Talking Real Money are there?

Talking Real Money launched 12 years ago and published 1941 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. Herb Weisbaum
2. Justin Baer
3. Joe Saul-Sehy
4. Christine Benz
5. Michael from Portugal
6. Roxy Butner
7. Megan Gorman
8. Michael DeJoseph

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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