Your Q, Don's A

Talking Real Money - Investing Talk

Don McDonald

Education, Business, Investing, How To

4.5 • 811 Ratings

🗓️ 8 August 2025

⏱️ 31 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

In this Friday Q&A edition, Don tackles five listener questions spanning kids’ UTMAs vs. 529 plans, Roth vs. pre-tax 403(b) contributions, filling portfolio gaps when a workplace plan lacks small-cap value, why indexed annuities are a costly sales pitch wrapped in deceptive promises, and how to help a recently divorced 26-year-old daughter find hope and financial focus. Along the way, he delivers mic technique tips, portfolio simplification advice, and a blistering breakdown of annuity sales incentives—plus a reminder to prioritize life and mental recovery over rushing into big purchases. 0:04 Florida heat, Friday Q&A setup, and microphone placement tips 2:29 UTMA vs. 529 rules, Roth transfer limits, and simplification advice 6:59 Mid-40s couple weighing Roth vs. pre-tax 403(b) contributions 9:29 Workplace plan fund gaps, avoiding PIMCO small-cap, and using other accounts to diversify 12:58 Indexed annuity dinner pitch breakdown—hidden costs, low returns, and high commissions 20:58 Helping a divorced 26-year-old refocus priorities, delay big purchases, and stay patient Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Reality Radio for a really great future.
0:08.0	We're talking real money.
0:10.2	Well, I want to thank you for keeping me company as I stay locked in my home for obvious reasons because the temperature outside is ridiculous.
0:22.5	Because I live in Florida.
0:23.9	What was I thinking?
0:25.4	I guess for some reason I thought I could escape.
0:28.6	But you can't always escape.
0:31.6	So, hey, welcome to the question and answer edition of the Talking Real Money podcast.
0:39.9	This is what we do on Fridays for fun.
0:42.3	We get together with you and I answer your questions.
0:46.1	And you send them in at Talking RealMoney.com by going to the contact form and then you record them on your computer or on your phone microphone.
0:59.8	Get a good microphone. It's time for good microphones in this day and age. Good microphones.
1:05.2	And by the way, just a little microphone tip for you. You know those microphones like the Yeti
1:09.8	and things like that that sit so low on your desk and you're, you talk into them, but they're like 15 inches away?
1:17.5	Find a way to get them a little closer to your mouth. Generally speaking, a mic should be more than about six or seven inches from your mouth.
1:27.1	And at a 45 degree angle so that it doesn't
1:31.5	make these popping sounds well this one has a pop filter so it's hard to make it pop but uh you can't
1:38.8	make the mics pop so just an added tip a bonus tip as it, in the Q&A edition of Talking Real Money.
1:46.2	And you can also, if you have questions, you can type them at Talking Real Money.com.
1:51.2	Or on Saturdays, you can call us during our live broadcast on terrestrial radio from noon to two Pacific time or three to five eastern time at
2:04.7	855-935 talk and that becomes the Tuesday or Wednesday podcast unless there's a holiday.
2:10.6	There are always caveats, aren't there?
	...

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