Don is still away in New Zealand so today we welcome a very special guest and friend in the form of Paul Merriman. Paul will helping to field all the questions you may have regarding investing, stocks, bonds and the market in general and we sure are pleased to have him aboard for today. We chat about some of last week’s problems including a small issue that arose on social media. We challenge the notion of stock picking and even take a call on the subject. Paul and Tom also discuss mutual funds, cryptocurrencies and the necessity of a financial advisor before finishing off looking at social security and retirement. So if you want to get with the money and hear all the latest news, you know what to do, join us as we talk real money!Last week’s social media bust up and the problem with stock picking contests.Tom’s mistake from the last episode and setting the record straight. Introducing today’s special guest, Paul Merriman!Another point about stock picking and lottery. Looking at the legacy of mutual funds from 2003. Tom and Paul’s opinion on the speculative nature of cryptocurrencies. Losing on commodities and why this is similar to cryptocurrencies.Who does not need a financial advisor? When to take social security in relation to your retirement. 



Talking Real Money — http://www.talkingrealmoney.com/Talking Real Money Quick — http://www.talkingrealmoney.com/talking-real-money/Money Thirty Podcast — https://www.moneythirty.com/Real Investing Journal — https://www.realinvestingjournal.com/Vestory — https://vestory.com/Bessembinder — https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2900447Warren Buffett — https://www.biography.com/people/warren-buffett-9230729Paul Merriman — https://paulmerriman.com/Berkshire Hathaway — http://www.berkshirehathaway.com/Spiva Report — https://us.spindices.com/spiva/Morningstar — http://www.morningstar.com/John Oliver on Cryptocurrency — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6iDZspbRMg401411 — http://www.401411.com/Vanguard — https://investor.vanguard.comRetiremeet North — http://www.retiremeet.com/