Podcast 31: Peer-to-Peer Lending and Target Date Funds

On today’s Consumerism Commentary Podcast, Tom Dziubek speaks with Renaud LaPlanche, co-founder and CEO of LendingClub and Rob Garcia, senior director of product strategy for the same company. The LendingClub teams discusses the benefits and drawbacks of peer-to-peer lending as an alternative to the traditional banking system.

Also in today’s episode, Flexo and Tom Dziubek discuss target date funds.

Production Number: S02E05
Segment Numbers: 42, 44

To listen, use the player above (Adobe Flash required), download the podcast here, subscribe to the podcast RSS feed, or use the iTunes link. Note: open links in a new window (Ctrl-click or Command-click) to avoid interrupting the podcast.

[00:00] Introduction from Flexo
[00:37] Interview with Rob Garcia and Renaud LaPlanche
– [00:57] Peer-to-peer lending
– [02:16] Prospective and typical peer-to-peer borrowers
– [03:49] Lending Club’s borrower screening process
– [04:37] Lending Club’s investor protection
– [05:33] Risks for investors
– [06:25] How to invest with Lending Club
– [08:04] Returns for investors
[09:23] Interview with Flexo about target date funds
– [09:39] Introduction to target date funds
– [10:45] Benefits of target date funds
– [12:30] Drawbacks of target date funds
– [14:27] Are there guarantees?
– [15:36] Costs of target date funds
– [17:05] SEC regulation of target date funds
– [19:25] What happens when the funds mature
– [20:26] The SEC and fund fees
[21:48] End

We always welcome feedback from listeners. If you have any comments for this episode or for any other, or if you have suggestions for future episodes, please leave us comments here or email us at podcast at this domain name.

Tagged as: Investing, lending club, peer to peer lending, target date funds

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About the Author

Flexo, the owner and creator of Consumerism Commentary, has been blogging and writing for the internet since 1995 and has been building online communities since 1991. Find out more about him and follow him on Twitter.

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