The Rational Reminder Podcast
A weekly reality check on sensible investing and financial decision-making, from three Canadians. Hosted by Benjamin Felix, Cameron Passmore, and Dan Bortolotti, Portfolio Managers at PWL Capital.
Episodes
The Finances of Marriage | #426
In this episode, Ben Felix, Dan Bortolotti, and Ben Wilson take a research-driven look at the finances of marriage, from spending personalities and prenuptial agreements to wedding costs, joint accounts, financial infidelity, and household decision-making. The conversation explores how the way couples think about and manage money can affect both financial outcomes and relationship satisfaction.
The Ethics Problem in Financial Services (Dr. Moira Somers & Philippa Hann) | #425
In this episode, we're joined by Philippa Hann and Dr. Moira Somers, co-authors of The Fault Lines of Finance: Understanding and Preventing Financial Misconduct, for a deep dive into why good people can do bad things with other people's money. Philippa brings two decades of experience suing financial advisors, wealth managers, and banks, while Moira brings her expertise as a clinical neuropsycholo
50 Years of Evidence-Based Investing (w/ David Booth) | #424
In this episode, we welcome back David Booth, Co-Founder of Dimensional Fund Advisors and author of Stay Calm: Learn to Embrace Uncertainty in Investing and Life. David reflects on his remarkable career at the center of the evidence-based investing revolution, from studying under Eugene Fama at the University of Chicago to helping build investment strategies around decades of financial research.
The Future of AI in the Workplace | Special Episode (Mike Sullivan and Vinay Gidwaney)
In this special episode, we are joined by Mike Sullivan, Co-Founder and Chief Growth Officer at OneDigital, and Vinay Gidwaney, OneDigital's Chief Product Officer, to discuss their new book, Workforce Intelligence: The People-First Playbook for Leading Your Company Through AI Transformation. Together, they offer a practical, pro-human framework for navigating a future where artificial intelligence
The Biggest Myths in Personal Finance
In this episode, Ben Felix and Dan Bortolotti take on 10 of the biggest myths in personal finance and investing. From the idea that young people should save every possible dollar to benefit from compounding, to assumptions about economic growth, dividends, index funds, valuation ratios, stock picking, bonds, gold, and homeownership, they examine the subtle details that can make conventional wisdo
80 Years of Financial Knowledge in 53 Minutes | #422 (Bill Bernstein)
In this episode, we welcome back William Bernstein to discuss the final book of his longtime friend Jonathan Clements, Money and Me. Bill reflects on Jonathan's ideas about spending, happiness, retirement, investing, inheritance, and the psychology of financial decision-making, while sharing personal stories that bring those ideas to life. We explore why material purchases often lose their appea
Barry Ritholtz: "90% of financial products are crap" | #421
Barry Ritholtz returns to the Rational Reminder podcast to discuss the biggest mistakes investors make—and why avoiding them may matter more than finding the next great investment. Drawing on decades of experience in markets, wealth management, and financial media, Barry explains why forecasting consistently fails, how investors can distinguish good advice from noise, and why humility, probabilist
Answering Your Financial Questions | #420
In this Ask Me Anything episode, Ben Felix, Ben Wilson, and Louai Bibi tackle a wide-ranging collection of listener questions spanning investing, retirement, family finance, and financial planning. Along the way, they combine academic research, practical experience, and thoughtful discussion to separate evidence-based decisions from intuition. The conversation explores everything from teaching c
The State of Retirement Research | #419 (Jean-Pierre Aubry)
In this episode, we are joined by Jean-Pierre Aubry, Associate Director of Retirement Plans and Finance at the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College, for a research-driven conversation about retirement investing, financial advice, pension fund management, and inflation. Drawing from years of empirical research, Jean-Pierre shares insights into how households actually invest, how financi
"I Sold 50% of My Portfolio. What Now?" | #418 (AMA)
In this AMA episode, Ben Felix, Dan Bortolotti, and Ben Wilson tackle a wide range of practical investing questions submitted by listeners. They begin by discussing one of the most common investing mistakes—market timing—and explain why getting back into the market is often harder than getting out. From there, they explore the evidence behind lump sum investing versus dollar-cost averaging, why hi
A Financial Plan For Your Entire Life | #417 (Dr. Paul Kaplan)
In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Paul Kaplan, economist, CFA charterholder, former Director of Research at Morningstar Canada, and co-author of Lifetime Financial Advice, for a fascinating exploration of life cycle finance. Drawing on decades of research in economics, portfolio construction, and asset allocation, Paul explains how financial planning should be grounded in optimizing lifetime c
Is VEQT Costing You? (& Other Questions) | #416
In this AMA episode, Benjamin Felix, Dan Bortolotti, and Ben Wilson tackle a wide range of listener questions covering portfolio construction, diversification, active management, pensions, fiduciary duty, and short-term investing decisions. They examine whether breaking apart all-in-one ETFs is worth the complexity, why global diversification remains the default despite long stretches of underperf
Shannon Lee Simmons: How To Stop Feeling Broke | #415
In this episode, we are joined by Shannon Lee Simmons—Certified Financial Planner, Chartered Investment Manager, bestselling author, and founder of the New School of Finance—for a wide-ranging conversation about the emotional side of money. Drawing on more than two decades of working directly with Canadians, Shannon explains why financial stress has become so pervasive, how social comparison shape
Answering Your Financial Questions | #414
In this episode, Ben Felix and Ben Wilson tackle a wide range of listener questions covering portfolio construction, home-country bias, currency exposure, ETF selection, retirement decumulation, leasing versus buying a car, discounted cash flow valuations, and the real work of portfolio management. Along the way, they revisit the Rational Reminder model portfolios, discuss how new products like CA
How Canadian ETFs Actually Work | #413 (Morley Conn)
In this episode, we are joined by Morley Conn, Director of Sales and Strategy, ETF Services at Scotia Global Banking and Markets, for a deep dive into the mechanics of the ETF ecosystem. With more than 30 years of experience across equities, foreign exchange, and money markets, Morley pulls back the curtain on the creation and redemption process, ETF liquidity, block trading, market making, and th
Ben Carlson: Investing at All-Time Highs | #412
In this episode, we are joined by Ben Carlson, Director of Institutional Asset Management at Ritholtz Wealth Management and author of Risk & Reward, for a wide-ranging conversation about market history, investor psychology, and the realities of long-term investing. Ben brings his trademark blend of data-driven thinking and plainspoken storytelling to topics like market crashes, inflation, diversif
Market Simulations & Financial Planning | #411 (John Yang)
In this episode, Ben Felix and Braden Warwick unpack the surprisingly complex world of expected return modeling and why it matters so much for retirement projections, portfolio construction, and financial advice. They explain how PWL Capital currently estimates expected returns across asset classes, why traditional Monte Carlo methods relying on Gaussian distributions may miss important market beh
Episode 410: The State of Investing in 2026
In this episode, we are joined by Shelly Antoniewicz, Chief Economist at the Investment Company Institute (ICI), for a data-rich exploration of the modern fund industry. Shelly walks us through the staggering scale of global regulated funds, how ETFs and mutual funds shape capital allocation, and why the rise of indexing may not be as disruptive as critics fear. We discuss the growth of ETFs versu
Episode 409: Investment Banker - What Private Equity Doesn't Tell You
In this episode, we are joined by Jeff Hooke, former investment banking, private equity, and private debt executive turned academic critic of alternative investments, for a rigorous and provocative examination of private equity, private credit, and institutional investing. Jeff draws on decades of experience in finance and years of academic research to challenge many of the assumptions driving ins
Episode 408: Elroy Dimson – Investing & Optimism
In this episode, we are joined by Elroy Dimson, Professor of Finance at Cambridge Judge Business School and co-creator of the Dimson-Marsh-Staunton (DMS) dataset, for a sweeping and deeply insightful conversation on financial history, market behavior, and the evolution of global investing. Elroy walks us through the origins of the groundbreaking Triumph of the Optimists, the challenges of assembli
Episode 407: Michael Kothakota - The Shape of Financial Planning
In this episode, we are joined by Michael Kothakota for a deeply technical and thought-provoking conversation on interdependent integrative financial planning theory. Drawing from his background in academic research and real-world advisory practice, Michael introduces a mathematical framework designed to capture the full complexity of financial planning—where decisions across domains like taxes, i
Episode 406: When Massive Private Companies Go Public
In this episode, the Rational Reminder team unpacks the mechanics and implications of mega IPOs like SpaceX, OpenAI, and Anthropic potentially entering public indices. They explore how index funds handle IPO inclusion, why newly public stocks tend to underperform, and how structural features of indexing can lead to systematically buying high and selling low. The conversation dives into academic re
Episode 405: Timothy Edwards - Inside S&P DJ Indices
What if the decades-long debate between active and passive investing wasn't really a debate—but a data problem? In this episode, Ben Felix and Cameron Passmore are joined by Tim Edwards, Managing Director and Global Head of Index Investment Strategy at S&P Dow Jones Indices, for a deep dive into the SPIVA Scorecard—the industry's most enduring and data-driven comparison of active versus passive in
Episode 404: The Finance Paper that Changed Everything
What if the way we think about investing—and expected returns—was fundamentally incomplete? In this episode, Ben Felix and Dan Bortolotti take a deep dive into one of the most influential papers in financial economics: Fama and French (1993). With nearly 15,000 citations, this research reshaped how we understand asset pricing by showing that market beta alone isn't enough to explain returns. Inste
Episode 403: Patrick Adams - When Stock Crashes Matter for Long-Term Investors
What if your biggest investment risk isn't the stock market—but your own income? In this episode, we are joined by Patrick Adams, a PhD candidate at MIT, for a fascinating deep dive into how income risk, spending commitments, and liquidity constraints reshape what "optimal" investing actually looks like. Drawing on large-scale administrative tax data, Patrick challenges the conventional wisdom tha
Episode 402: The Problem with Private Markets
In this episode, we unpack the growing tension in private markets—private equity, private credit, and private real estate—and examine whether their long-standing appeal holds up under scrutiny. With increasing pressure to bring these investments to retail investors, the discussion explores how illiquidity, valuation opacity, and complex fee structures may be masking risks rather than reducing them
Episode 401: Eduardo Repetto & Caitlin Ebanks - Opening the Avantis CAGE
What if factor investing in Canada became as simple—and affordable—as buying a single ETF? In this episode, we are joined by Eduardo Repetto, CIO of Avantis Investors, and Caitlin Ebanks, Director of ETF Strategy at CIBC, to unpack the long-awaited launch of Avantis ETFs in Canada. This conversation explores how a partnership built on client-first principles and fee discipline is bringing sophisti
Episode 400: The Evolution of Index Fund Investing
In this special 400th episode, the Rational Reminder hosts reflect on 50 years of index investing and the profound impact it has had on financial markets, investor behavior, and the cost of investing. The episode features a panel moderated by Ben Felix at the New York Stock Exchange—hosted by Vanguard and S&P Dow Jones Indices—bringing together leading voices in the indexing world to explore how p
Episode 399: James Choi - Portfolio Theory in a Spreadsheet
In this episode, we welcome back James Choi, Professor of Finance at the Yale School of Management, to unpack one of the most important—and misunderstood—questions in personal finance: How much of your portfolio should be in stocks? Drawing on his new paper, Practical Finance: An Approximate Solution to Lifecycle Portfolio Choice, James walks us through the classic portfolio choice problem first s
Episode 398: Tom Hardin - Ethics, Financial Crime, and Redemption
In this episode, we sit down with Tom Hardin, also known as "Tipper X," the former hedge fund analyst who became one of the most prolific informants in the largest insider trading crackdown in U.S. history. Tom walks us through his journey from rule-following soccer referee in Georgia to Ivy League graduate and rising Wall Street analyst—before crossing the line into insider trading at age 29. Wha
Episode 397: Hendrik Bessembinder - Constant Leverage & Measuring Investor Outcomes
In this episode, we welcome back return guest Hank Bessembinder for a deeply analytical conversation spanning leveraged ETFs, volatility, and the future of performance measurement. Hank walks us through his latest research on leveraged single-stock ETFs, clarifying the misunderstood concept of "volatility decay" and decomposing returns into rebalancing effects and frictions. The results are striki
Episode 396: Theresa Ebden - Protecting Investors at the OSC
In this episode of the Rational Reminder Podcast, we are joined by Theresa Ebden, Vice President of the Investor Office at the Ontario Securities Commission, for a deep dive into how regulators are thinking about modern investor risks—from AI-powered scams to finfluencers and the gamification of investing apps. Theresa explains how the OSC works to protect investors through policy, education, beha
Episode 395: Charles Chaffin - The Psychology of Financial Planning
Ben Felix and Braden Warwick are joined by Dr. Charles Chaffin, a leading voice in financial psychology, to explore why investors so often act against their own best interests—and how better tools and frameworks can help bridge the gap between rational plans and real human behavior. The conversation blends behavioral finance, goal setting, and risk profiling, while also introducing a new evidence-
Episode 394: Equal Weight vs. Market Cap Weight Index Funds
Equal-weighted index funds sound like an elegant solution to some of today's biggest investor anxieties: high market concentration, elevated valuations, and outsized influence from a handful of mega-cap stocks. In this episode of the Rational Reminder Podcast, Ben Felix, Dan Bortolotti, and Ben Wilson take a deep, evidence-based look at whether equal weighting actually improves portfolios—or simpl
Episode 393: Engineering Financial Outcomes
What if financial planning were approached the same way engineers design aircraft, medical treatments, or complex systems—with clearly defined objectives, constraints, and rigorous trade-off analysis? In this episode, Benjamin Felix is joined by Braden Warwick for a deep dive into what it means to engineer financial outcomes. Drawing on Braden's background as a PhD-trained mechanical engineer and
Episode 392: The Rise of ETF Slop
ETFs were once almost synonymous with low-cost, sensible investing. But that era is changing fast. In this episode, Ben Felix, Dan Bortolotti, and Ben Wilson introduce and unpack the concept of "ETF slop"—the explosion of complex, high-fee, behaviorally engineered ETFs that are designed to attract assets rather than improve investor outcomes. The trio traces how ETFs evolved from simple index-buil
Episode 391: How Assumptions Shape Financial Planning Outcomes
Financial planning is built on assumptions — about markets, inflation, longevity, human behaviour, and even the questions clients bring into the room. In this episode, Ben and Braden welcome a diverse panel that originally came together at the FP Canada Conference to explore how those assumptions influence planning outcomes in practice. Joining them are Adam Chapman, a retirement-focused planner w
Episode 390: The "AI Bubble" and Stock Market Concentration
In this first episode of 2026, we sit down for a deep dive into one of the hottest concerns coming from clients and listeners lately: Is the U.S. stock market dangerously concentrated—and are we in an AI bubble? Ben, Dan, and Ben unpack the data, the history, and the psychology behind today's valuations, drawing lessons from past episodes of market euphoria such as Nortel in Canada, the dot-com bo
Episode 389: How the Rational Reminder Podcast is Made
In this special year-end episode, Ben and Cameron turn the spotlight inward for a behind-the-scenes look at the Rational Reminder podcast. They're joined by the extended team that keeps the show running—from compliance to editing to marketing—to reflect on a landmark year in the podcast's evolution. We hear from Multimedia Specialist Matt Gambino, Compliance Reviewer Ross Brayton, long-time Market
Episode 388: AMA #11 - Your Parents' Advisor, 100% Equity Portfolios, and Investing $10 Billion
In this special year-end AMA, the full PWL crew — Ben Felix, Cameron Passmore, Ben Wilson, and Dan Bortolotti — sit down together for the first time on the podcast to reflect on the roller-coaster that was 2025 and to tackle a wide range of thoughtful listener questions. The episode begins with reflections on a year that included wild market swings, an extraordinary rally few predicted, major chan
Episode 387: Lessons from The Wealthy Barber (2025)
In this episode, the team digs into the newly updated 2025 edition of The Wealthy Barber — Dave Chilton's iconic Canadian personal finance book that helped shape millions of financial journeys. Ben, Dan, and Ben walk through the biggest lessons Dave has reworked for a world of high housing costs, social-media-fueled spending pressure, new tax-sheltered accounts, and the ever-present noise of inves
Episode 386: Is anyone doing dd? with Aravind Sithamparapillai
What happens when alternative investments shift from niche products to the industry's go-to value proposition? In this episode, we're joined by financial planner and self-described "pathological nerd" Aravind Sithamparapillai for a rigorous exploration of private markets, product due diligence, advisor incentives, and the narratives driving the surging popularity of alts. Aravind has become known
Episode 385: A Case Study on Pension Benefits vs. Commuted Values
In this episode, we feature two conversations that highlight PWL's culture, values, and intentional approach to advice. We first sit down with Trevor Daigle and Brett Watt, founders of EB Wealth in Halifax, to talk about why they chose to merge their thriving independent practice with PWL — PWL's first acquisition in Atlantic Canada. Trevor and Brett open up about what they saw in PWL's infrastruc
Episode 384: Mamdouh Medhat - A Profitability Retrospective, and Private Fund Performance
In this episode, we're joined by Mamdouh Medhat, VP and Senior Researcher at Dimensional Fund Advisors, for an exceptionally deep, exceptionally nerdy exploration of factor investing—focusing on profitability, value, defensive equity, and the persistent misunderstandings that surround them. Mamdouh walks us through his retrospective paper (co-authored with Robert Novy-Marx) on the profitability pr
Episode 383: AMA #10 - Dollar cost averaging & mutual funds vs. ETFs
In this episode of Rational Reminder, Ben Felix, Cameron Passmore, and Ben Wilson return with a classic AMA format—answering listener questions that dig deep into the behavioral and evidence-based foundations of sensible investing. From lump-sum investing to the psychology of advice, the trio blend data, humor, and clear thinking to demystify complex financial ideas. They discuss the behavioral lo
Episode 382: Ted Cadsby - The Power of Index Funds, and Being Human
In this episode, Ben, Cameron, and Dan are joined by Ted Cadsby, former executive at CIBC, author of The Power of Index Funds, Closing the Mind Gap, and Hard to Be Human. Ted brings a rare combination of experience in both finance and cognitive psychology, having helped introduce index investing to Canada before turning his attention to how human thinking itself often misleads us. Ted shares insid
Episode 381: Investing 101
In this special Investing 101 episode, the Rational Reminder hosts—Ben Felix, Dan Bortolotti, and Ben Wilson—team up to revisit the fundamental concepts that every investor should understand before diving deep into portfolio construction or market theory. Drawing from Ben's original "Investing 101" presentation and years of client experience, the trio lay out why investing matters, how inflation s
Episode 380: John Y. Campbell - Fixing Personal Finance
What if capitalism itself is confusing your personal finance decisions? In this week's episode, Harvard economist John Y. Campbell joins us to unpack his new book, Fixed: Why Personal Finance Is Broken and How to Make It Work for Everyone, co-authored with Tarun Ramadorai. John argues that the financial system—while essential—is failing ordinary people through complexity, hidden costs, and misplac
Episode 379: AMA #9: Covered Call ETFs, Currency Hedging, and Bond Misconceptions
In this AMA episode of the Rational Reminder Podcast, Ben Felix and Dan Bortolotti return to answer listener questions across a wide range of topics—from covered call ETFs and dividend tax credits to currency hedging, bond mechanics, leverage, and career reflections. They open with a striking quote from Harvard economist John Campbell on how markets cater to perceived benefits rather than real one
Episode 378: Learning from Market History
In this episode, we are joined by Mark Higgins, an award-winning author and institutional investment advisor, to discuss the power and importance of studying US financial history. Mark brings his wealth of knowledge as a financial historian to the show as he shares the value of studying financial history, the role the financial system plays in the overall success of the US, and the impact Alexande
Episode 377: Investing in Your Health
Your health may well be the most important investment you ever make, and the earlier you start, the better your outcomes are likely to be. In this episode, Ben Felix is joined by Ben Wilson, Portfolio Manager and Head of M&A at PWL Capital, who steps in as today's co-host to unpack why decisions about exercise, nutrition, sleep, and mental well-being matter just as much as financial ones. They dra
Episode 376: Climbing The Wealth Ladder
Are your financial decisions evolving as your wealth grows? In this episode of the Rational Reminder Podcast, we welcome back Nick Maggiulli to unpack his approach to climbing the wealth ladder and creating the life you want. Nick is the Chief Operating Officer at Ritholtz Wealth Management, the author of The Wealth Ladder and Just Keep Buying, and creator of the blog Of Dollars and Data. He is re
Episode 375: Covered Calls: A Devil's Bargain
In this episode, Ben and Dan take a deep dive into covered call strategies—popular ETFs often marketed on their eye-catching distribution yields. While these products promise steady "income," the reality is more complicated. Drawing on recent research from the Journal of Alternative Investments ("A Devil's Bargain: When Generating Income Undermines Investment Returns"), Ben and Dan unpack why cove
Episode 374: The Underperformance of Target Date Funds
In this episode, we're joined by David C. Brown, Associate Professor of Finance at the University of Arizona, for a deep dive into the mechanics, performance, and pitfalls of target date funds (TDFs)—the most common investment vehicle in U.S. retirement accounts. David has spent years researching glide paths, benchmarking methods, and industry practices to uncover whether these "set it and forget
Episode 373: Asset Allocation in Practice
What if choosing your asset allocation was as personal as your life story—and as consequential as your retirement? In this episode, we are joined by PWL Capital's Louai Bibi and Ben Wilson for a deep dive into how advisors guide clients through the most important portfolio decision they'll ever make. Louai walks us through the research, psychology, and planning frameworks behind determining the ri
Episode 372: Elie Hassenfeld - (Approximately) Optimal Philanthropy
In this episode, we are joined by Elie Hassenfeld, Co-Founder and CEO of GiveWell to discuss how data, transparency, and moral trade-offs can guide charitable giving with maximum impact. Elie brings his background in finance and philosophy to the world of global philanthropy—explaining how GiveWell rigorously evaluates programs to determine which ones save or improve lives most effectively. We exp
Episode 371: Banks Sell Products, Not Advice
In this episode, Ben Felix and Cameron Passmore take a critical look at the Canadian banking system's mutual fund advice model. A newly released study by the Ontario Securities Commission (OSC) and the Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization (CIRO) confirms what many already suspected: Canadian bank branches aren't in the business of giving impartial advice—they're selling financial products.
Episode 370: Dave Chilton (The Wealthy Barber): Timeless Financial Advice
What if the most impactful financial advice isn't about picking the right investment—but about understanding human behaviour, simplifying your life, and laughing along the way? In this episode of the Rational Reminder podcast, we're joined by none other than David Chilton, author of the legendary personal finance book The Wealthy Barber. David shares insights from decades of experience helping Can
Episode 369: The Most Important Quotes in Investing
In this episode of the Rational Reminder Podcast, Ben Felix and Dan Bortolotti celebrate the show's 7th anniversary with a conversation centered around timeless investing wisdom. Drawing from a vibrant thread in the Rational Reminder community, they unpack dozens of quotes that distill decades of financial insight into actionable mantras. What begins as a curated list of one-liners quickly evolves
Episode 368: Jim Rowley & Andy Maack - Implementing Index Funds at Vanguard
What if index funds weren't as "passive" as you think? In this episode of the Rational Reminder, we are joined by Jim Rowley, Global Head of Investment Implementation Research, and Andy Mack, Head of US Equity Portfolio Management at Vanguard. These two experts offer a rare, behind-the-scenes look into what it really takes to run some of the world's largest index funds—and it's far from "set it an
Episode 367: AMA #8 + Insurance Needs Analysis with Louai Bibi
What if early RRSP withdrawals aren't always the tax-smart move they're made out to be? In this special AMA edition of the Rational Reminder podcast, Ben and Cameron are joined by PWL Financial Planner Louai Bibi for a wide-ranging discussion on RRSP decumulation strategies, insurance planning, and the practical complexities that real clients face when theory meets reality. Ben walks through a lis
Episode 366 - Avoiding Investment Scams
What happens when your favourite financial educator's identity is hijacked by scammers? In this episode, Ben and Cameron pull back the curtain on a disturbing but increasingly common reality: sophisticated scammers using Ben's name, voice, and online content to steal from unsuspecting investors. Ben breaks down exactly how these scams work—everything from fake WhatsApp investment groups and cloned
Episode 365 – Rob Carrick's Eight Lessons Learned in 27 Years of Covering Personal Finance
In this episode, we welcome back Rob Carrick—one of Canada's most trusted personal finance journalists—for his third appearance on the Rational Reminder podcast. Rob recently retired after an incredible 27-year career at The Globe and Mail, where he shaped how millions of Canadians think about investing, advice, and their money habits. Rob joins Ben, Cameron, and Dan to reflect on the biggest less
Episode 364 – Martijn Cremers: Is the Conventional Wisdom on Active Management Wrong?
In this episode, we're joined by Martijn Cremers, Dean of the Mendoza College of Business at the University of Notre Dame and co-author of the groundbreaking 2009 paper that introduced the concept of Active Share. Martijn brings fresh nuance to the long-standing debate over active versus passive management, challenging decades of conventional wisdom built on the foundational 1997 Carhart paper. Wi
Episode 363 - The (Underappreciated) Risk of Individual Stocks
What if holding just a few "winning" stocks is riskier than it seems? In this episode, Ben and Cameron explore the hidden dangers of concentrated portfolios and unpack the data that makes a strong case for diversification. Drawing from research by Hendrik Bessembinder, J.P. Morgan, and others, Ben lays out the harsh reality behind individual stock returns: the odds are stacked against long-term su
Episode 362 – AMA #7
What if the hardest part of investing isn't building a portfolio—but sticking to it? In this AMA edition of the Rational Reminder podcast, Ben Felix and Dan Bortolotti tackle listener questions ranging from sustainable retirement withdrawals to the dangers of structured products, with plenty of philosophical insights on risk, behavior, and financial planning. The episode opens with a deep dive int
Episode 361: Alex Edmans - Finding "The Truth" in Economics, Finance, and Life
Today, Ben plays lone host for the first time as we welcome Alex Edmans to the show. Alex is a Professor of Finance at London Business School as well as an accomplished speaker, author, investment banker, and financial advisor. To start, Alex describes his involvement in the formation of a new law in the UK before defining 'misinformation' and where confirmation bias fits in. Then, we assess the i
Episode 360 – Gerard O'Reilly: The Components of Net Returns
What if "just buying the market" isn't the end of the story? In this episode, we are joined by Gerard O'Reilly, Co-CEO and Co-CIO of Dimensional Fund Advisors, for a deep dive into what really drives net investment returns. Gerard returns to the Rational Reminder podcast to explain the key principles that differentiate Dimensional's approach from traditional indexing—and why implementation, flexib
Episode 359 - The Most Controversial Topics in Personal Finance
For the first time as a host combination, Ben, Dan, and Cameron sit down to discuss the most controversial topics in personal finance. We begin with identity and how it informs decision-making. Then, we revisit the renting versus buying debate, why this remains a highly controversial topic, the ins and outs of income investing, and understating the fervor of dividend investing. We also unpack FIRE
Episode 358 – Dr. Eli Beracha: Renting versus Buying a Home
Dr. Eli Beracha has recently been recognized by The Journal of Real Estate Literature as the world's third best in research productivity, and today, we are honoured to be joined by this top industry expert to bring more clarity to the renting versus buying debate. We use Dr. Beracha's 'Lessons from Over 30 Years of Buy Versus Rent Decisions: Is the American Dream Always Wise?' and 'Housing Ownersh
Episode 357 – AMA #6
Cameron joins Ben for his first AMA as we bring you the sixth edition of our Listener Questions and Investing Lessons mini-series. Diving right in, Ben and Cameron share their stance on the multi-host format of the Rational Reminder podcast before walking us through the new PWL Retirement Planning Tool. Then, we unpack our venture with OneDigital, recent changes at PWL Capital, how we make each ep
Episode 356 – Abby Davisson: How to Make Decisions About Money and Love
How do we make the most important decisions in life with intention rather than impulse? In this episode, we are joined by Abby Davisson to unpack her practical framework for better decision-making. Abby is a Yale and Stanford alumnus, a former executive at Gap Inc., and the co-author of Money and Love. She is also the founder of the Money and Love Institute, which is dedicated to helping individua
Episode 355 – Do Index Funds Incur Adverse Selection Costs?
Marco Sammon joins Ben and Dan to unpack his latest paper, 'Index Rebalancing and Stock Market Composition', beginning with how Marco's work (co-written by John Shim) compares to the Nobel Prize-winner Bill Sharpe's paper, 'Arithmetic of Active Management.' We investigate the missing links in Sharpe's logic before defining "the market" and ascertaining the main objectives of index funds. Then, we
Episode 354 - Jason Pereira: Expert Financial Planning
Beyond the sales pitches, acronyms, and product talk, what does it mean to be a financial planner? In this episode of the Rational Reminder Podcast, we sit down with long-time industry leader and advocate Jason Pereira. Jason is a Canadian financial planner with over 20 years of experience, dual CFP certification (Canada and US), and a passion for professionalizing the field. In our conversation,
Episode 353 – AMA #5
The fifth installment of our Ask Me Anything sessions begins with the inevitable volatility of the stock market as we urge investors to remain calm amidst recent US stock declines. Similarly, we unpack the historical resilience of stock markets and offer advice for dealing with market crashes before discussing why bonds are not the best strategy for boosting returns. We examine the proposed Albert
Episode 352 – Jessica Moorhouse: Everything But Money
What if the key to financial success isn't just a better budget, but a better understanding of your relationship with money? In this episode of the Rational Reminder Podcast, Ben and Dan sit down with Jessica Moorhouse to delve into the ins and outs of personal finance. Jessica is a money expert, Accredited Financial Counsellor Canada®, speaker, and bestselling author of Everything but Money. She
Episode 351 – DFA vs Vanguard
Dimensional Fund Advisors (DFA) and Vanguard have intersecting histories rooted in the development of the first-ever index fund. Vanguard's market-cap weighted index funds have been nothing short of revolutionary and they became synonymous with sensible investing for many good reasons, but Dimensional took implementing the ideas from academic finance a few steps further, leading to their own deser
Episode 350: Scott Cederburg: A Critical Assessment of Lifecycle Investment Advice
Our conversations with Professor Scott Cederburg from Eller College of Management have led to the most heated debates among our listeners! Today, Prof. Cederburg returns to discuss the changes he's made to his paper that was the foundation of previous conversations - 'Beyond the Status Quo: A Critical Assessment of Lifecycle Investment Advice'. We begin with the data setup and headline findings of
Episode 349 – AMA #4
In this episode, Ben, Dan, and Mark tackle another Ask Me Anything (AMA) session, covering a wide range of investing and financial planning topics. They begin with a highly requested debate on factor investing versus market cap-weighted portfolios and unpack the theory, research, and practical considerations behind both strategies. Ben explains why he prefers factor tilts when managing client port
Episode 348 - Andrew Barclay (StatCan): Measuring Inflation
Is the government manipulating inflation data? Why do so many people feel like their personal costs are rising faster than official inflation numbers suggest? In this episode of the Rational Reminder Podcast, we dive deep into one of the most debated and misunderstood economic topics: inflation. Today, we are joined by Andrew Barclay, an economist and senior analyst in the Consumer Price Division
Recommended
Good Question with Amanda Lang
Effective Budgeting
That's A Food Job!
The OBGMs: BAND PRACTICE
CAPTIVES
Awake in the World Podcast
David C Barnett Small Business and Deal Making M&A SMB
Menopause, Melanin & Aging Like A Queen
The "Becoming HER" Podcast
Kobo in Conversation
Scripture Untangled
Canada's Court: Oral Arguments from the SCC
