Don Lair, Author at 24/7 Wall St.

Cramer Reveals His One Rule He Never Breaks: “Every Time I Violate That Principle, I Go Wrong”

A caller named Rambo from San Jose phoned into Mad Money on May 13, 2026 with a question that separates serious investors from tape-watchers. He noted that "although a company looks attractive on a…

Don Lair · 5 months ago

A close-up of an older man with a white beard and a patterned flat cap, smiling gently. In the blurred background, a pixelated digital screen partially shows the word 'Bonds' in dark letters against a light grey background, with visible RGB subpixels.

Skip the Bank: Host Says Short-Term Bond Funds Offer Superior Yields Without the Savings Account Risk

The math on parking cash has shifted again. With the Federal Reserve holding its target rate steady at 3.75% since December 11, 2025, and short Treasury bills clearing well above what most banks pay…

Don Lair · 5 months ago

A bright pink ceramic piggy bank stands prominently on a light wooden desk. In the blurred background, a man with short dark hair, wearing a light blue shirt, is visible with his hands on his head, conveying a sense of stress or worry. Other blurred office elements and a window are also visible in the background, suggesting a home or office setting.

Clark Howard’s Simple Rule for 401(k) Loans: Don’t Do It, Even If Rates Look Good

On the May 13, 2026 episode of The Clark Howard Podcast, a caller named Lucas from Oklahoma faced a temptation millions of homeowners encounter: “I just hate seeing 80% of mortgage payments go straight…

Don Lair · 5 months ago

A man with short brown hair, wearing a grey polo shirt, stands distressed in front of a modern house under a clear blue sky. He clutches his head with both hands, eyes closed, and his face shows intense frustration, with clenched teeth. The house behind him features light-colored siding, brown shingle accents on gables, and multiple windows. A green lawn and sidewalk are visible in the foreground.

Why Solar Loans Above 4% Interest Are Financial Nightmares, According to Money Guy Brian Preston

A caller to the Money Guy Show thought she had financed solar panels on a 30-month loan. Brian Preston ran the numbers and told her the truth: at $120 a month against a $30,000…

Don Lair · 5 months ago

The $50,000 Pension Trap: Why This Teacher Should Keep Their IRA Invested

The setup sounds almost too clean. A 38-year-old Montana teacher with 8 years of service has exactly $50,000 in a rollover IRA, which happens to be the exact amount needed to purchase 5 years…

Don Lair · 5 months ago

A close-up composite image showing a worried woman's face on the left and a blurred stack of credit cards on the right. The woman has wide, green-brown eyes and freckles, looking directly at the viewer with a slightly open mouth. The credit cards are silver and dark, with the embossed word 'USD' visible on the top card, emphasizing the financial theme. The lighting is soft and neutral.

Americans Spending 93% of Income: How Debt Payoff Fails Without the Three Pillar System

On a recent episode of NerdWallet’s Smart Money Podcast titled Budget Rehab: How to Stop Paying Only Interest and Make Real Progress on Credit Card Debt, the hosts delivered the line every borrower needs…

Don Lair · 5 months ago

Jeff Hook’s Blunt Warning: Private Equity Fees Are Destroying Returns for Retail Investors

Investment banker and researcher Jeff Hook went on the Rational Reminder Podcast and offered one of the bluntest assessments of private equity any practitioner has put on tape this year. "If was enforced like…

Don Lair · 5 months ago

An overhead shot shows a woman with long, light brown hair, wearing a black top, seated at a clear glass desk. She holds a blue pen poised over a silver laptop, while her other hand points to a blue and black pie chart on a document. An open notebook and a black smartphone are also on the desk, with a tall building visible through a large window in the background.

Stop Letting Money Sit in Checking, Jean Chatzky Warns: The Roth IRA Edge Over Traditional Accounts

On a recent episode of HerMoney with Jean Chatzky, a listener named Nicole, who earns $115,000 a year, admitted she had stumbled into a problem most Americans would envy. After tracking her spending, she…

Don Lair · 5 months ago

A Caucasian couple sits on a grey couch, deeply focused on financial planning. The woman, with blonde hair and a yellow long-sleeve shirt, points at a black smartphone she holds. The man, with grey hair and a beard, wears a green shirt and holds white papers, looking down at them. A silver laptop, a light pink mug, and more papers are on a wooden coffee table in front of them. The background shows a blurred living room with bookshelves.

The $260k College Mistake: How One Parent’s Tuition Decision Could Force Working Into Her 70s

The question came from a 49-year-old mother on a recent episode of the Rich Habits Podcast: should she remortgage her house to send her son to a $65,000-per-year college? Co-host Austin Hankwitz did not…

Don Lair · 5 months ago

A young woman with dark hair holds a baby in her left arm while reviewing white papers held in her right hand. The baby, dressed in white, looks to the left. The woman wears a light blue short-sleeved top, and a blurred bookshelf filled with books is visible in the background.

23-Year-Old Earning $83k Owes $34k on a Car He Bought After Loss. Here’s Dave Ramsey’s Solution

On a recent episode of The Ramsey Show, a 23-year-old named Andrew called in with a story that turns a clean financial situation into a tangled one in a single decision. “I lost someone…

Don Lair · 5 months ago

A young woman with brown hair in a bun and round glasses sits at a wooden table, looking concerned as she holds and reads a white document. Her left hand rests on her head, and a yellow pencil is tucked behind her ear. A silver laptop, other papers, and a black calculator are visible on the table. In the background, there's a window with a potted green fern, a light pink wall, and a kitchen area with light grey tiled backsplash, a copper kettle, and a coffee maker.

The $290 Monthly Trap: Why Middle-Class Families Can’t Escape the Debt Cycle

On a recent episode of NerdWallet’s Smart Money Podcast, the hosts laid out a number that should stop any middle-income household cold: middle-income earners are spending 95 cents of every dollar they earn and…

Don Lair · 5 months ago

I Have 90% of My Net Worth in One Stock. How Do I Diversify Without a Massive Tax Bill?

Ben Carlson of Ritholtz Wealth Management has flagged what he calls “one of the biggest trends that I’ve seen in the wealth management space in the last 5 years”: clients walking in the door…

Don Lair · 5 months ago

A man with short dark hair and glasses wears a light blue button-up shirt and sits at a white desk. He is looking down at a stack of papers in front of him, holding one document in his hands. A silver laptop, a black mug, and a white smartphone displaying a calculator are also on the desk. In the background, there's a large window, green potted plants, and part of a yellow sofa with a patterned cushion.

I’m 29 with $6,000 in debt and $48,000 annual income: will skipping the Baby Steps to invest more hurt my wealth building?

On a recent live audience taping of The Ramsey Show in Denver, a 29-year-old named Trayvon asked Dave Ramsey, Rachel Cruze, and Jade Warshaw whether he should bend the famous Baby Steps to invest…

Don Lair · 5 months ago

A man in a dark suit presents in a modern, glass-walled boardroom. On a large display screen behind him, a chart illustrates investment returns, comparing 'Complicated Portfolios' (Hedge Funds, Private Equity, Real Estate, with abstract tangled lines and a red downward trend line) to a 'Simple 60/40 Index' (60% Stocks, 40% Bonds, with a blue and green bar graph showing higher returns). Five executives, also in business attire, are seated at a long dark wooden table, attentively listening. Through the expansive windows, a city skyline at dusk is visible.

Investment Banker Reveals Why Pension Funds Choose Worse Returns Than a Simple 60/40 Index Portfolio

Pension funds and university endowments pour billions into private equity, hedge funds, and private real estate. According to investment banker Jeff Hook, the reason has less to do with returns and more to do…

Don Lair · 5 months ago

A middle-aged woman with dark, curly hair and glasses smiles directly at the camera while holding a black tablet. She wears a teal collared shirt and black pants. She is standing in a brightly lit, modern open-plan office with desks, computer monitors, and an office chair visible in the background, out of focus.

I’m 45 with $3.2 million saved. Can I really quit my toxic job without risking retirement?

Priya, a 45-year-old caller to Jill Schlesinger’s Jill on Money show, opened with a common knot: she loves her career but her current job has turned ugly. “I have been working a long time,…

Don Lair · 5 months ago

Old grandmother and adult granddaughter hugging at home and looking at each other. Happy senior mother and young daughter embracing with love on sofa. Happy woman hugging from behind grandma with love

I want to pay my late 60s parents $1,000 monthly for babysitting. They refuse the money: should I invest it for them instead?

A listener named Carrie Anne wrote into the Rich Habits Podcast with a problem most adult children would recognize. She wants to pay her late 60s parents $1,000 a month for watching her kids.…

Don Lair · 5 months ago

Don Lair

Cramer Reveals His One Rule He Never Breaks: “Every Time I Violate That Principle, I Go Wrong”

Skip the Bank: Host Says Short-Term Bond Funds Offer Superior Yields Without the Savings Account Risk

Clark Howard’s Simple Rule for 401(k) Loans: Don’t Do It, Even If Rates Look Good

Why Solar Loans Above 4% Interest Are Financial Nightmares, According to Money Guy Brian Preston

The $50,000 Pension Trap: Why This Teacher Should Keep Their IRA Invested

Americans Spending 93% of Income: How Debt Payoff Fails Without the Three Pillar System

Jeff Hook’s Blunt Warning: Private Equity Fees Are Destroying Returns for Retail Investors

Stop Letting Money Sit in Checking, Jean Chatzky Warns: The Roth IRA Edge Over Traditional Accounts

The $260k College Mistake: How One Parent’s Tuition Decision Could Force Working Into Her 70s

23-Year-Old Earning $83k Owes $34k on a Car He Bought After Loss. Here’s Dave Ramsey’s Solution

The $290 Monthly Trap: Why Middle-Class Families Can’t Escape the Debt Cycle

I Have 90% of My Net Worth in One Stock. How Do I Diversify Without a Massive Tax Bill?

I’m 29 with $6,000 in debt and $48,000 annual income: will skipping the Baby Steps to invest more hurt my wealth building?

Investment Banker Reveals Why Pension Funds Choose Worse Returns Than a Simple 60/40 Index Portfolio

I’m 45 with $3.2 million saved. Can I really quit my toxic job without risking retirement?

I want to pay my late 60s parents $1,000 monthly for babysitting. They refuse the money: should I invest it for them instead?

Should You Sell Your Best Rental Property to Pay Off Another? Here’s What Paula Pant Says

I Retired at 50 on $8,000 a Month: Here’s Why I Finally Got My Budget Right

High School Student’s Plan to Become a Stay-at-Home Wife Reveals Why Financial Dependence Requires a Dangerous Gamble

I earned $403k and spent $24k in a year. Here’s how I turned that gap into $800 monthly housing income