Don Sowa's MoneyTalk
Diversifying with Commodities
People often use commodities as a portfolio diversifier or a hedge against inflation, and while this can be true for some materials, commodities vary broadly so knowing what types to use can be a challenge. Nathan discusses how different commodities move in relation to the markets, and how to prope…
41:45
Why You Should Freeze Your Credit
AI has created a new frontier for identity theft and consumer fraud, and more and more people are finding unauthorized lines of credit opened in their name, which can be a credit killer and a nightmare to fix. Donna and Nathan discuss how freezing your credit as a preventative measure has become ea…
41:57
The Hardship Trap
Things happen that are out of our control, and the IRS has added new flexibility into retirement account withdrawal rules to better accommodate those situations. Donna and Nathan explain how the rise in hardship withdrawals may be a signal that IRA rule flexibility is working against our collective…
42:34
Final Year Before Retirement
The year before retirement can bring a mix of anticipation and anxiety, but one way to harness those emotions is to focus on the action items that need your attention most before you take the big leap. Donna discusses some of the things that should be on your final approach to retirement checklist.…
42:11
Creating a Social Security Plan
Social Security is one of those universal retirement topics that touches just about everyone, and as such we like to give it its proper attention here on the MoneyTalk show. Nathan covers the information you need to know around Social Security rules, legislation, and the history of the program’s im…
41:23
Don’t Lose Sleep Over Money
Retirement planning is a life-long endeavor, and ruminating over the financial question marks that linger in the back of our minds can weigh on us over time. Donna and Nathan discuss retirement planning issues that keep people up at night, including whether or not their money will last, how to pay …
41:55
Gift Tax Misconceptions
Cash gifting to family members in need is exceedingly common in our inflated economy, but if you are planning on offering monetary gifts to your loved ones, it is important that you do so as part of an overall gifting strategy. Donna and Nathan discussed annual and lifetime gift tax limits, and how…
41:56
How Much Can I Afford to Withdraw?
You may have heard of the 4% Rule, which suggests 4% as the maximum sustainable rate of withdrawal from your retirement accounts, but over recent years the goal posts have been shifting, leading some to question the validity of this classic rule of thumb. Donna offers insights from experts on what …
42:30
What Is Money?
For as long as we’ve had written history, money has held three important functions in our society: as a medium of exchange, a unit of account, and a store of value. But that last function has come under pressure over time due to the presence of inflation. Nathan discusses how our understanding of m…
41:55
A Retirement Plan for the Rest of Us
In his 2026 state of the union address, the president announced a new public retirement plan with a government match for workers without access to an employer sponsored plan. Donna and Nathan discuss this bold initiative and what it could mean for future retirees. Also on MoneyTalk, why the AI disr…
39:11