Do activist hedge funds including Carl Icahn's add value? Should you invest in Icahn Enterprises L.P., a conglomerate with a 15% dividend yield and a stake in Carl Icahn's hedge fund?Topics covered include:How Icahn Enterprises' (IEP) investment performance compares to Berkshire HathawayHow to analyze individual stocks and why it is challengingWhat are activist hedge funds and do they make a positive performance differenceWhat are the risks and opportunities of investing in IEPFor more information on this episode click here.SponsorsMoney Pickle – Schedule a free 45-minute video chat with a vetted financial advisor and ask them anything about your financial situation. Go here to schedule your free session.NetSuite – the leading integrated cloud business software suiteShow NotesIcahn Enterprises L.P.The Activism of Carl Icahn and Bill Ackman by Jason D. Schloetzer and Richard Lee—SSRNThe Long-Term Effects of Hedge Fund Activism by Lucian A. Bebchuk, Alon Brav, Wei Jiang—SSRNDid They Live Happily Ever After? The Fate of Restructured Firms After Hedge Fund Activism by Jongha Lim and Wonik Choi—SSRNRelated Episodes242: Should You Let Warren Buffett Manage Your Money?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Why long-term U.S. stock market outperformance could be because it has avoided major catastrophes. Does an over-reliance on historical U.S. stock returns when modeling retirement outcomes lead to spending rates that are too high?Topics covered include:Why you might consider earthquake insuranceWhat is survivorship bias and what are some examplesWhy the U.S. is an outlier when it comes to stock market performanceWhy the 4% retirement spending rule might be too highIf the 4% spending rule is too high, what can retirees do instead to have enough for retirementWhy the size and scale of the U.S. economy provide some resistance to catastrophesFor more information on this episode click here.Thanks to our SponsorsShopifyMasterworks – invest in contemporary artShow NotesHomefactsSurvivorship Bias—Matt RickardIs The United States A Lucky Survivor: A Hierarchical Bayesian Approach by Jules H. van Binsbergen, Et al.—SSRNThe Financial History of Emerging Markets: New Indices by Bryan Taylor—SSRNThe (Time-Varying) Importance of Disaster Risk by Ivo Welch—Financial Analyst JournalThe Safe Withdrawal Rate: Evidence from a Broad Sample of Developed Markets by Aizhan Anarkulova, Et al.—SSRNThe 2.7% Rule for Retirement Spending by Ben Felix—YouTubeTrends in Retirement and Retirement Income Choices by Tiaa Participants: 2000–2018 by Jeffrey R. Brown, Et al.—SSRNRelated Episodes250: Investing Rule One: Avoid Ruin326: The New Math of Retirement Spending and InvestingSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What are the pros and cons of a simple stock and bond portfolio consisting of two funds or ETFs? Given U.S. stocks have significantly outperformed the rest of the world over the past decade, is there even a role for non-U.S. stocks in your investment portfolio?Topics covered include:How have 60/40 and similar portfolios performed over the long-termWhat are the advantages and disadvantages of a 60/40 portfolioWhat is the expected return of a 60/40 portfolio and what should be included?What has contributed to U.S. stocks outperforming non-U.S. stocks over the past decadeWhy have emerging markets stocks done so poorlyWhat has to happen for U.S. stocks to continue to outperform non-U.S. stocksFor more information on this episode click here.SponsorsUse this link to post your job for free on LinkedIn Jobs.Go here to sign up for the free weekly Money For the Rest of Us Insiders Guide email newsletterShow NotesBlackRock vs. Goldman in the Fight Over 60/40 by James Mackintosh—The Wall Street JournalBattered 60-40 portfolios face another challenging year by Adrienne Klasa—Financial TimesThe case for the 60/40 portfolio in equities and bonds by Erin Browne—Financial TimesInvestors wonder if the 60/40 portfolio has a future by Michael Mackenzie—Financial TimesHas the tried and tested 60/40 strategy soured? by Maya Bhandari—Financial TimesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We consider four case studies in which individuals struggle to decide what to do with their investment portfolios.Topics include:Why it's so difficult to reenter the stock market after sitting on the sidelines and what to do insteadWhat are the risks of having a too aggressive portfolio allocation in retirement and what to do insteadWhat to do when an investment strategy has worked really well but you feel it is time to make a changeHow to decide on an appropriate portfolio mix after a significant financial changeYou can learn more about Money for the Rest of Us Plus here.For more information on this episode click here.Related Episodes306: Three Approaches to Asset Allocation401: Why Diversifying Your Portfolio Feels AwfulShow NotesCase studies were pulled from the following Plus episodes:287 Plus: Coronavirus Update, Mid Month Investment Conditions and Overcoming the Fear of Investing306 Plus: Member Profile, Bond Investing, and Emerging Technology310 Plus: Mid Month Update and a Member Wants to Reallocate from Growth Stocks331 Plus: Member Profile, Tail Risk Protection, Rental Real Estate as Bond Substitute, and YYY ETFSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What you need to know to confidently invest in bonds.Topics covered include:Key components of bond investing include face value, coupon rates, yield-to-maturity, duration, and convexityHow to decide between owning longer-term or short-term bondsHow to decide whether to own individual bonds or bond funds and ETFsWhen to use active bond management versus bond indexingHow bullet bond ETFs work and when to use themHow to know when to invest in municipal bonds and corporate bondsWhen should you own foreign bondsShould you own bonds in taxable or tax-deferred accountsA bond case study based on current interest ratesFor more information on this episode click here.SponsorsMoney Pickle - Schedule a free 45-minute video chat with a vetted financial advisor and ask them anything about your financial situation. Go here to schedule your free session.Fundrise - The largest direct-to-investor alternative investment platform in the U.S.Show NotesA Complete Guide to Investing in I Bonds and TIPS—Money for the Rest of UsInvestments MentionediShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF (TLT)Vanguard Short-Term Treasury ETF (VGSH)iShares® iBonds® Dec 2025 Term Treasury ETF (IBTF)iShares® iBonds® Dec 2025 Term Corporate ETF (IBDQ)Vanguard Total Bond Market Index Fund ETF (BND)Doubleline Total Return Bond Fund (DBLTX)Related Episodes337: Why in the World Would You Own Bonds?378 Plus: A Frustrating Time To Invest and Did Bulletshares Underperform?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

How sophisticated AI apps from OpenAI and other companies create articles, art, and other works that have never existed. How generative AI will impact business owners, employees, students, and financial markets.Topics include:How AI is creating personal finance articles and other creative worksChatGPT's attempt at writing a script for the Money For the Rest of Us podcastHow ChatGPT and other large language models workWhat are the risks and flaws of generative AIHow can we adapt and take advantage of generative AIFor more information on this episode click here.SponsorsMasterworks – invest in contemporary artNetSuite - the leading integrated cloud business software suiteShow NotesWe Are Here To Create: A Conversation with Kai-Fu Lee—EdgeCNET Is Quietly Publishing Entire Articles Generated by AI by Frank Landymore—FuturismCNET Money—CNETShould You Break a CD Early for a Better Rate by AI engine and edited by Jaclyn DeJohn—CNETNerdWallet, Inc. Q3 2022 Earnings Call—NerdWalletOpenAIThe Backstory of ChatGPT Creator OpenAI by Berber Jin and Miles Kruppa—The Wall Street JournalGPT-3.5 + ChatGPT: An illustrated overview by Alan D. Thompson—Life ArchitectAI-generate answers temporarily banned on coding Q&A site Stack Overflow by James Vincent—The VergeAlarmed by A.I. Chatbots, Universities Start Revamping How They Teach by Kalley Huang—The New York TimesA Coming-Out Part for Generative A.I., Silicon Valley's New Craze by Kevin Roose—The New York TimesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We analyze the worrisome national debt situation in the U.S., UK, and Japan and consider what will determine the likelihood of defaultTopics covered include:How big is the national debt in the U.S., UK, and JapanWhy Japan and UK interest rates have increasedWhen do federal government debts jump the mostWhat two numbers are key to whether a level of national debt is sustainableWhat are five ways indebted countries have reduced the relative size of their debtWhy quantitative easing is not a solution to a national debt crisisFor more information on this episode click here.SponsorsShopify FundriseShow NotesDebt to the Penny—U.S. Treasury Fiscal DataFederal Debt and the Debt Limit in 2022—Congressional Research ServiceCan the Central Bank Alleviate Fiscal Burdens? by Ricardo Reis—London School of Economics and Political ScienceUK government debt and deficit: June 2022—Office for National StatisticsJapan's Experience with Yield Curve Control by Matthew Higgins and Thomas Klitgaard—Liberty Street EconomicsWhat is the national debt?—U.S. Treasury Fiscal DataMajor Foreign Holder of Treasury Securities—Treasury International Capital System, U.S. TreasuryThe Liquidation of Government Debt by Carmen M. Reinhart and M. Belen Sbrancia—International Monetary FundRelated Episodes295: Federal Reserve Insolvency and Monetizing the National Debt338: The National Debt, Inflation, and the U.S. Dollar—What Could Go Wrong?360: Will the U.S. Default? Debt Ceilings, Government Shutdowns, and the National DebtSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We kick off 2023 by answering your questions on making portfolio changes, risk tolerance, the strong dollar, inflation and retirement, influential books, and other topics.For more information on this episode click here.Episode SponsorsThanks to LinkedIn for sponsoring the episode. Use this link to post your job for free on LinkedIn Jobs.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

How public equity REITs differ from private REITs. Why investors are selling out of private REITs and why private REIT sponsors like Blackstone and Starwood are limiting investors' ability to do so.Topics covered include:What are public and private real estate investment trustsWhy has Blackstone's BREIT been such a successWhy investors are trying to exit private REITsWhy commercial property values are fallingIs now a good time to invest in public and private REITs?For more information on this episode click here.SponsorsPolicygeniusLinkedIn – Post your job for freeShow NotesHow the gates closed on Blackstone’s runaway real estate vehicle by Antoine Gara, Sujeet Indap, and Kaye Wiggins—Financial TimesInvestors Yank Money From Commercial-Property Funds, Pressuring Real-Estate Values by Konrad Putzier and Peter Grant—The Wall Street JournalHow the gates closed on Blackstone’s runaway real estate vehicle by Antoine Gara, Sujeet Indap, and Kaye Wiggins—Financial TimesInvestors Yank Money From Commercial-Property Funds, Pressuring Real-Estate Values by Konrad Putzier and Peter Grant—The Wall Street JournalProperty Insights: Roller Coaster by Michael Knott—Green StreetRising Interest Rates Threaten to Expose Office Buildings’ Inflated Values by Konrad Putzier—The Wall Street JournalWhy Blackstone’s $69 Billion Property Fund Is Signaling Pain Ahead for Real Estate Industry by John Gittelsohn and Patrick Clark—BloombergBlackstone’s $70 Billion Real Estate Fund for Retail Investors Is Losing Steam by Dawn Lim and John Gittelsohn—BloombergRelated Episodes183: How To Invest In Commercial Real Estate230: Use Caution With Real Estate CrowdfundingSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

How to solve the conundrum that consumption reductions lead to economic disasters while benefiting the environment.Topics covered include:Why consumption, fossil fuel usage, and carbon emissions keep growingHow fossil fuel consumption goes well beyond heating and transportation uses but is tied to agriculture, steel, and cement productionThe four times global consumption fell and the dire economic consequences that resultedHow the world is consuming twice as many resources as the planet can sustainHow the economy could still grow while reducing the environmental impactFor more information on this episode click here.SponsorsMasterClass - Get two annual memberships for the price of oneMasterworks – invest in contemporary artShow NotesHow the World Really Works: The Science Behind How We Got Here and Where We’re Going by Vaclav SmilThe Day the World Stops Shopping: How Ending Consumerism Saves the Environment and Ourselves by J.B. MackinnonGlobal Footprint NetworkRelated Episodes262: Better Not Bigger, Circular Not Linear – How the Global Economy Is Changing282: Is GDP the Best Measure of Happiness and Well-Being?340: Climate Change, ESG, and What Should Investors Do?395: How Population Trends Will Impact Growth, Inflation, Investing, and Well BeingSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.