Tom and Don are Talking Real Money
Money and funny? Yes, the two can go together. Toss in honesty and transparency, mix with true financial science, and you have the most unique investing podcast in America. Listen as two of the country's top financial broadcasters and educators show you how to stop playing with your hard-earned money and start investing it for YOUR future. Tom Cock was the host of the PBS-TV show “Serious Money” for many years, and Don McDonald hosted a nationally syndicated financial talk show since 1988. Today, Tom and Don are still dishing out simple, straightforward financial advice on one of the most popular investing podcasts in the world.
Recent Episodes
1997
Oct. 12, 2026
Ep. 1997: The Lemmings Didn’t Jump
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 annuity, and why “Bank on Yourself” whole-life strategies create more problems than they solve.
00:00 The lemming film clip
00:56 The lemmings didn’t jump
02:21 The lemming corollary
04:38 Herd behavior in tech, crypto, and markets
07:58 When the crowd
00:00 The lemming film clip
00:56 The lemmings didn’t jump
02:21 The lemming corollary
04:38 Herd behavior in tech, crypto, and markets
07:58 When the crowd
1996
Oct. 9, 2026
Ep. 1996: Growth, Value, and When to Retire
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 distributions affect share prices. 00:00 Zeuhll musical intro 01:08 Friday Q&A begins 03:51 Growth stocks versus value stocks 07:43 Choosing the right month to retire 11:29 A parent’s home, Medicaid, and estate planning 14:52 Infinite banking and whole-
1995
Oct. 8, 2026
Ep. 1995: The Homeownership Trade-Off
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-fund portfolios, disciplined rebalancing, and whether delaying Social Security still pays when a spouse is waiting for a benefit increase. 0:34 The American dream of homeownership 3:42 Home returns versus stocks 8:01 When buying beats renting 11:35 B
1994
Oct. 7, 2026
Ep. 1994: The $31,000 Advice Bill
Don and Tom unpack what financial advice should cost after a retired couple discovers they’re paying $31,000 a year. They compare fee-only, fee-based, and commission models, explain how hidden fund expenses compound the damage, and show why every advisor should disclose the full all-in cost. Listener questions cover the Avantis balanced fund, building retirement income from a total-return portfolio, and where bonds belong across taxable and retirement accounts. They also compare qualified char
1993
Oct. 6, 2026
Ep. 1993: The High-Yield Trapdoor
Covered-call ETFs trade away upside for income and still carry market risk. They also discuss TSP Roth conversions, an Avantis balanced fund, a possible X Money cash offer, and other media projects. Questions? Comments? Click!
1992
Oct. 5, 2026
Ep. 1992: The Enemy Is Us
The biggest drag on an investment portfolio may be the investor. Don and Tom examine the behavior gap—the difference between what investments earn and what people actually keep after fear, greed, overconfidence, and badly timed decisions take their toll. They explain why market timing so often means selling after prices fall and returning only after the recovery is obvious. Missing even a handful of the market's best days can dramatically reduce long-term wealth, while a disciplined plan helps k
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