How Canadian ETFs Actually Work | #413 (Morley Conn)

More from The Rational Reminder Podcast All episodes →

1. 

   S2 · E418 · 16 Jul 2026 · 1 hr 6 min

   "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 high valuations rarely justify sitting in cash, and how your discomfort with investing may reveal a mismatch between your portfolio and your true risk tolerance. The conversation also pulls back the…

2. 

   S2 · E417 · 9 Jul 2026 · 1 hr

   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 consumption rather than relying on disconnected rules of thumb. We explore how life cycle finance integrates consumption, saving, investing, and retirement spending into a single framework, why risk…

3. 

   S2 · E416 · 2 Jul 2026 · 59 min

   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 underperformance, and how investors should think about risk when they have defined benefit pensions or short-term financial goals. Along the way, they discuss the limits of active management, why simplicity…

4. 

   S2 · E415 · 25 Jun 2026 · 1 hr 20 min

   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 shapes spending habits, and why a well-built financial plan can be one of the most powerful antidotes to money anxiety. We also explore decision-making during financial crises, the psychology of regret,…

5. 

   S2 · E414 · 18 Jun 2026 · 1 hr 15 min

   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 CAGE have changed the DIY investing landscape, and explore whether Warren Buffett's long-term record still provides evidence that active management can outperform. The conversation also offers a…

6. 

   S2 · E412 · 4 Jun 2026 · 50 min

   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, diversification, and why investors are so tempted to time the market. We explore the lessons from Japan's historic asset bubble, the lingering impact of the Great Depression, and why diversification remains…

7. 

   S2 · E411 · 28 May 2026 · 1 hr 17 min

   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 behaviors, and how new research could improve the realism of long-term financial planning simulations. The conversation also explores a fascinating collaboration between PWL and Columbia Engineering…

8. 

   S2 · E410 · 21 May 2026 · 58 min

   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 versus mutual funds, increasing concentration among large fund sponsors, and how financial advisors are reshaping portfolios around low-cost investment products. Shelly also explains why fund fees keep…

9. 

   S2 · E409 · 14 May 2026 · 1 hr 16 min

   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 institutional and retail allocations to private markets. We discuss why pension plans and endowments continue pouring capital into alternatives despite evidence of underperformance, how private market…

10. 

    S2 · E408 · 7 May 2026 · 1 hr 14 min

    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 assembling over 100 years of global return data, and the critical biases that once shaped our understanding of markets. We explore how expanding beyond U.S.-centric data reshaped expectations for the equity…