Talking Real Money - Investing Talk
Talking Real Money - Investing Talk
Don McDonald
Advice Evolution
37 minutes Posted Jun 15, 2026 at 3:00 pm.
Origins of the Show
Index Funds Take Hold
Factor Investing Arrives
ETFs and the Flash Crash
Why Avantis Beats the Skepticism
Tax Planning for Retirement
Layered Income Pitch
Closing and Disclosures
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37:11
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Show notes
Don takes listeners on a journey through nearly four decades of investment advice, explaining how his thinking evolved from recommending active mutual funds in the 1980s to embracing index funds, factor investing, and eventually ETFs. Along the way, he and Tom discuss Vanguard’s rise, Don’s early relationship with Paul Merriman, the emergence of Dimensional Fund Advisors and Avantis, and why their recommendations have changed over time. They also address listener skepticism about fund recomme...