REITs

Do I Need Another REIT?

If you’re being pitched a Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT), and you already have a couple within your portfolio, do you really need another one? That’s the situation facing Cathy from California.

Next up was Lilly from Virginia who is trying to figure out a way to do a backdoor Roth IRA. The main obstacle is that she already has an existing rollover IRA.

Are you at risk of being scammed? 

Our latest guest is former con artist and bestselling author of Catch Me If You Can, Frank Abagnale, and he’s here to show you how to stop scammers in their tracks.

Maybe you're wondering how to make the scam phone calls stop. Perhaps someone has stolen your credit card number. Or you've been a victim of identity theft. Even if you haven't yet been the target of a crime, con artists are always out there, waiting for the right moment to steal your information, your money, and your life.

As one of the world's most respected authorities on the subjects of fraud, forgery, and cyber security, Frank Abagnale knows how scammers work. 

In his latest work, Scam Me If You Can, he reveals the latest tricks that today's scammers, hackers, and con artists use to steal your money and personal information, often online and over the phone. Using plain language and vivid examples, Abagnale reveals hundreds of tips, including:

  • The best way to protect your phone from being hacked

  • The only time you should ever use a debit card

  • The one type of photo you should never post on social media

  • The only conditions under which you should use WiFi networks at the airport

  • The safest way to use an ATM

With his simple but counterintuitive rules, Abagnale also makes use of his insider intel to paint a picture of cybercrimes that haven't become widespread yet.

Have a money question? Email me here.

Please leave us a rating or review in Apple Podcasts.

"Jill on Money" theme music is by Joel Goodman, www.joelgoodman.com.

The Price is Wrong

The Price is Wrong

If you feel like things are more expensive, you are right. Despite a slightly weaker than expected inflation report in April, this year, prices have accelerated faster than Fed officials anticipated just a few months ago. Last week we learned that headline inflation increased to a 14-month high of 2.5 percent from a year ago in April, due in large part to rising gas prices. Excluding food and energy the core rate increased by 2.1 percent.

Inflation-Proof Your Life

Inflation-Proof Your Life

Worries about rising inflation have spooked stock and bond investors. As a reminder, inflation occurs when the prices of goods and services rise and as a result, every dollar you spend in the economy purchases less. The annual rate of inflation over from 1917 until 2017 has averaged just over 3 percent annually. That might not sound like much, but consider this: today you need $7,272.09 in cash to buy what $1,000 could buy in 50 years ago.

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#225 Bond Summer School

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We're cramming in a summer class on bonds, led by Bond Yoda, Marilyn Cohen. Marilyn founded Envision Capital Management 20 years ago after stints at William O’Neil & Company and Cantor Fitzgerald. Besides her impressive credentials, our favorite fact on her bio is: "In her spare time Marilyn raises service dogs for the disabled and regularly conducts pet therapy sessions at the VA Hospital."

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Marilyn covers the differences between bond funds and individual bonds; the costs involved in buying bonds directly and how you can learn more about the mark up and recent trading of bonds at http://www.investinginbonds.com/.

How should you invest your bond portfolio? Marilyn advises that investors keep it US-centric (though not treasuries) and make sure to focus on 3 to 10 year maturities. She also weighs in on whether or not you should consider so-called "bond alternatives", like REITs, dividend stocks, preferred stock.

You can check out Marilyn's e-book about bonds for free at Smashwords.com or for $0.99 at Amazon.com.

I also mentioned a CBS This Morning segment on saving, which you can find here and the New York Times 1% More Calculator.

Thanks to everyone who participated this week, especially Mark, the Best Producer in the World. Here's how to contact us:
  • Call 855-411-JILL and we'll schedule time to get you on the show LIVE