Paul Merriman - Podcast Details

Shows

Sound Investing Sound Investing Bootcamp #3 | How to Choose the Right Portfolio (Returns, Risk & Diversification)Welcome to Bootcamp #3 of the Sound Investing Series with Paul Merriman — where real investing data meets practical long-term strategy. 📈 In this session, Paul breaks down the performance of diversified portfolios vs. the S&P 500 using decades of historical data going back to 1970. You’ll learn how different combinations of equity asset classes have performed in good markets, bad markets, and everything in between.📊 What You’ll Learn in This Video:• A deep dive into the Sound Investing Portfolios and how they work for DIY investors• Historical returns of 2-, 4- and multi-fund strategies compared to the S&P 500• Why d...

2026-02-1846 min

Sound Investing Sound Investing Q&A: ETFs, Portfolios, Risk, and RetirementIn this week’s Sound Investing episode, Paul Merriman answers a wide-ranging set of listener questions — from choosing ETFs and building portfolios to managing risk in retirement and investing wisely at every age.One of the biggest takeaways? There is no universally “best” ETF or portfolio. The right answer depends on your goals, risk tolerance, time horizon, and — just as importantly — your ability to stick with a strategy during difficult markets.Here are some of the highlights from the episode:What’s the “best ETF”?Paul explains that for simple exposure (like the S&P 500), the lo...

2026-01-1449 min

Sound Investing What 2025 Taught Us About Investing (And Why “Normal” Matters)For first-time listeners, welcome! In this opening episode of the year, Paul Merriman—founder of the Merriman Financial Education Foundation—looks back at 2025 to uncover what the markets taught us and how those lessons can help do-it-yourself investors make better decisions going forward.Despite endless predictions about what markets should do, Paul reminds us that his role isn’t to forecast the future—but to help investors understand risk, return, and how to build portfolios they can truly stick with.In this episode, Paul explores:A surprising result from the “Magnificent Seven” stocksWhy divers...

2026-01-0739 min

Sound Investing Pediheart Podcast #366: A Focus On Financial Health With Mr. Paul MerrimanThe following are Dr. Pass’ note to his podcast: This week we end 2025 with a Pediheart tradition - an episode on personal finance for medical professionals with noted authority on index investing and personal finance, Mr. Paul Merriman. Paul is a retired investment advisor who now has a popular podcast "Sound Investing" and website in which he offers advice on investing for 'do it yourself' investors. In this week's episode, the 5th of his visits to Pediheart, Mr. Merriman discusses 'factor investing' via index-like ETF's and funds. He also reviews who he believes mig...

2025-12-3143 min

Sound Investing Paul Merriman on Long-Term Investing, Compounding, and Building WealthCompounding Project Podcast – Episode 36In Episode 36 of The Compounding Project Podcast, legendary investing educator Paul Merriman shares timeless insights on long-term investing, the power of compounding, and how everyday investors can build lasting wealth.Paul explains why starting early is one of the most important financial decisions you can make, how compound growth works quietly over decades, and why low-cost index funds remain the foundation of successful investing strategies.This episode dives deep into portfolio diversification, the hidden impact of investment fees, and the role of small-cap value investing in improving long-term returns. Paul also o...

2025-12-171h 20

Sound Investing Supercharge Your Retirement with Paul MerrimanPaul Merriman brings 60+ years of investing experience to the Retire Today podcast, breaking down what really determines retirement success. Most investors think it’s about picking the right fund or timing the market—but Paul says the biggest threats aren’t headlines. They’re costs and emotions.In the 1960s, investors routinely paid 8.5% to buy a mutual fund. Today fees are far lower, but the impact is still huge. Paul notes that even a 1% difference in expenses “can cost you about $3.5 million over a lifetime” because compounding works both for you and against you.Behavior can cost even mor...

2025-11-1944 min

Sound Investing The Merriman Financial Education Foundation: Plans, Priorities & Lessons for 2026Paul Merriman welcomes back Chris Patterson, Director of Research, and Daryl Balls, Director of Analytics, for another thoughtful roundtable discussion. These three “underpaid volunteers” reflect on how far the Merriman Financial Education Foundation has come — and where it’s headed next. Together, they cover everything from new educational tools to a data-driven look at one of the most common investor questions: Has small-cap value lost its punch?The episode revisits this hot topic with evidence from decades of historical data, including several key Merriman Tables that illustrate why small-cap value (SCV) continues to deserve a place...

2025-10-2953 min

Sound Investing The Biggest Mistake Beginner Investors Make - and How to Avoid themIn this practical and inspiring ETFatlas podcast episode, host Jack Lempart welcomes Paul Merriman for a return conversation focused on the biggest mistakes beginner investors make—and how to avoid them.The discussion reveals why most investing errors are emotional, not technical. Paul emphasizes that successful investing is usually simple, though almost never easy.Paul Merriman draws on decades of experience as an educator, advisor, and founder of the Merriman Financial Education Foundation to spotlight key pitfalls:Trusting the wrong adviceStarting too late with investingLetting emotions drive decisionsChasing recent performance

2025-10-221h 46

Sound Investing Chris & Paul October 2025 Q&A: Best-in-Class ETFs, Equal-Weight vs. Cap-Weight, and How Much Small-Cap Value?Watch YouTube video here.Paul Merriman and Chris Pedersen tackle your biggest questions—from simplifying portfolios and picking best-in-class ETFs to understanding equal-weighted funds, tax efficiency, and how much small-cap value to own. They dig into factor investing (size, value, quality, profitability, momentum), why reversion to the mean matters, and how to think like an owner—not a speculator. Plus: mentors, work-life balance, and the real risk investors face.Chapters00:00 – Intro & Mentors05:07 – Portfolio Simplification10:13 – Work-Life Balance11:39 – Which ETFs will outperform?20:15 – Importance of Quality22:45 – Equal-Weighted Funds26:14 – History: how long is enough?

2025-10-1556 min

Sound Investing Paul Merriman on Money Life with Chuck Jaffe at FinConAt FinCon, Chuck Gaffe- moneylifeshow.com sat down with Paul for a wide-ranging conversation about investing and financial independence.Paul shared insights on the rise of index funds, the FIRE movement’s “one-fund-for-life” approach, and how small portfolio adjustments can boost long-term returns. He also discussed timeless investing principles like staying the course, understanding risk, keeping costs low, and diversifying wisely.At FinCon, Paul reflected on everything from the rise of index funds to the FIRE movement’s “one-fund-for-life” strategy. His message was clear: while simple investing solutions can work, small, thoughtful adjustments—like adding different asse...

2025-09-1815 min

Sound Investing 100% stocks, Crypto, customizing 4 fund portfolio and Bogleheads & morePaul Merriman is looking ahead to the 2025 Bogleheads Conference (October 17–19), one of the premier gatherings for long-term investors. The lineup includes Vanguard CEO Salim Ramji, Christine Benz, Bill Bernstein, Rick Ferri, Alan Roth, Jim Dahle, and more. Paul will be there for all three days to connect with listeners, share new projects, and learn from some of the best minds in the field. Even if you can’t make it, all sessions will be available later on the Bogleheads YouTube channel.In this episode of Sound Investing, Paul also revisits key lessons on building lasting portfolios. He explains...

2025-08-2048 min

Sound Investing Future of Financial Literacy and Smart InvestingOn this special Q&A episode—recorded July 29 2025—Paul Merriman gears up for his August 2 keynote at the Garrett Planning Network Retreat, where he will address more than 100 hourly financial advisors about the future of financial literacy. He invites listeners to email questions for the panel (paul@paulmerriman.com) and then dives into ten wide‑ranging listener questions that benefit investors of every age and stage.What you’ll learnAdding QQQ to the 10‑Fund “Ultimate Buy‑and‑Hold” portfolio: upside vs. hidden downside.Toughest markets Paul has faced—from the 1966–1981 whipsaw to the 1987 crash—and the timeless lessons they teach.Glob...

2025-07-301h 07

Sound Investing Small cap value still the best , bonds and 2 funds for life Q&AIn this episode, Paul Merriman shares insights into upcoming events, including his presentation at the Garrett Planning Network Retreat, as well as his reflections on asset allocation, government bond strategies, and the benefits of various portfolios for different life stages. Tune in for a deep dive into how different funds and asset classes perform over the long term, and how to optimize your investment strategy, regardless of age or risk tolerance.Key Topics Covered:1. Long-Term Returns ComparisonPaul compares two small-cap value funds: the Vanguard Small Cap Value Fund (VSIAX) and t...

2025-07-2354 min

Sound Investing June Q&A with Paul, Chris an DarylWatch video here.Join Paul Merriman, Chris Pedersen, and Daryl Bahls for a deep dive into questions facing today’s investors! In this episode, our team tackles a wide range of topics designed to help you make smarter financial decisions, whether you’re a seasoned DIY investor or just getting started.Main Topics Covered:1. Midcap Funds – Are They Necessary? 2:24We break down why midcap funds often get left out of recommended portfolios, the impact of fund overlap, and whether including them really adds value or just complexity.2. Listener Allocation Questions 12:49Hear real-life portfolio allocation questi...

2025-06-1856 min

Sound Investing A Very Special Birthday and an investment choice foreverIn this special episode, Paul Merriman reflects on six decades of financial evolution, sparked by his son's 60th birthday. He draws fascinating comparisons between life and investing in 1965 and today, offering invaluable insights for every investor.What You'll Learn:A Look Back at 1965: Paul revisits societal norms, income levels, and the investing landscape of 60 years ago, including startling facts about mutual fund loads and stock commissions.The Evolution of Investing: Understand the monumental shift from individual stock picking to the dominance of mutual funds and the revolutionary impact of index funds since their in...

2025-06-1154 min

Sound Investing Vanguard vs. Mutual Shares, Who is the Long Term ChampIn this episode, Paul Merriman details his upcoming presentations at Western Washington University, where he will be connecting with students, professors, and staff about the critical importance of personal finance education. Paul also gives practical investing advice, including a hands-on guide to using Morningstar’s chart and comparison tools to analyze mutual funds and ETFs.Special Feature: Free Online Financial Literacy CoursePaul spotlights a fantastic, free multi-week financial literacy course led by Alan and Katie Donoghan—nationally recognized educators from the UK. This course is perfect for first-time investors of any age...

2025-05-2832 min

Sound Investing Financial Literacy and Mastering the Million Dollar DecisionsWatch Video hereApril is Financial Literacy Month, and to help us celebrate we brought in a returning guest, Paul Merriman. Paul has been on the show before to discuss investment portfolios, but today he talks with us about some extraordinary strides he's making as a financial literacy advocate through his nonprofit, The Merriman Financial Education Foundation. We also share some of our favorite financial literacy resources.RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE SHOW🌐 Visit Catching Up to FI websitehttps://catchinguptofi.comPaul's Websitehttps://www.paulmerriman.comMerriman Financial Literacy Pro...

2025-04-3030 min

Sound Investing How to Bake a Cake: An Asset Allocation Mashup | Rick Ferri & Paul MerrimanWatch the video hereJoin me on Catching Up to Fi l with Rick Ferri to discuss key investing topics like asset allocation and the pros and cons of small-cap value vs. total market funds. TIMESTAMPS / CHAPTERS00:00 ⛓️ Understanding Bonds and Young Investors02:31 🌟 Introduction to Financial Literacy Titans03:12 🎓 Paul Merriman's Financial Education Foundation04:18 🧠 Rick Ferri and the Bogle Center for Financial Literacy12:09 ⚖️ The Importance of Asset Allocation23:11 🌍 Debating International vs. US Stocks35:12 🗓️ Target Date Retirement Funds: Pros and Cons45:55 📈 Exploring Small Cap Value Investing

2025-04-161h 35

Sound Investing Small Cap Value Showdown Between Financial Legends — (This Could Add Millions To Your Retirement!)In the left corner, we have Paul Merriman, the seasoned finance veteran weighing in at 183 pounds. In the right corner, Dr. Karsten Jeske, the scrappy newcomer at 208 pounds. The bell rings, and the small cap value debate begins.This episode features a financial boxing match between two investment heavyweights with dramatically different perspectives. Paul Merriman champions diversification through the efficient frontier, which means adding small cap value to your portfolio. Dr. Karsten Jeska has “thrown cold water” on this approach, favoring simpler strategies like “VTSAX and chill.”The stakes are high — we’re talking potentially millions of...

2025-04-091h 56

Sound Investing The Index Edge: Paul Merriman’s Investment InsightsIn this insightful conversation, renowned financial expert Paul Merriman shares his wealth of knowledge and experience in investing. He discusses his journey from stockbroker to founding his own investment advisory firm, and eventually establishing the Merriman Financial Education Foundation. Paul delves into various topics, including: ✅ The importance of data-driven investing and understanding the math behind it✅ His meeting with John Bogle and their differing philosophies on investing✅ The case for small cap value investing and its historical performance✅ The challenges of market timing and the benefits of portfolio diversification✅ The emergence of ETFs and trend f...

2025-01-291h 15

Sound Investing Paul Merriman speaks with Robert Pass on Pediheart: Pediatric Cardiology Today Podcast - "When it comes to retirement, how much is enough?"The following are Dr. Pass’ note to his podcast: "This week to conclude 2024 we speak with noted investment expert Mr. Paul Merriman to discuss a few topics related to personal finance and investing. First we tackle the notion of having 'enough' to retire. Is there a magic value and how would one think about this? Why is an S&P 500 Index or Total US Stock Market Index a fine 'core' investment and how might one possibly improve upon its performance? What are some of the psychological hurdles we have as investors and potential retirees? Mr. Merriman reviews these and oth...

2025-01-0150 min

Sound Investing The 4-Fund Strategy That Beats the S&P 500Watch the video here.Paul Merriman, a former wealth manager turned financial educator, joins us to share investing wisdom that could reshape how you think about your money.We kick things off talking about portfolio diversification. Paul suggests a simple four-fund strategy that includes large cap, small cap, and value stocks. He says this mix has historically beaten the S&P 500 with lower risk.We then dive into international investing. Paul explains that while adding international stocks doesn't necessarily boost returns, it can help smooth out the ride. He keeps half his equity portfolio in international stocks...

2024-10-3059 min

Sound Investing Paul Merriman: Millionaire Index Fund Investing PortfoliosThe Marriage Kids and Money Podcast is dedicated to helping you do just that. Each week, Andy Hill interviews personal finance experts, millionaire parents and financially independent couples to find out how they achieved their success. He then takes that information and breaks it down into digestible takeaways that will help you win with money. With over 400 episodes and counting, Marriage Kids and Money has been awarded “Best Family Finance Content” by Plutus two years in a row and "Content Creator of the Year". We review everything from how to achieve family financial independence to how to...

2024-10-2344 min

Sound Investing Pediheart Podcast #279: Asset Allocation in Your Retirement AccountsEleven months a year Dr. Robert Pass produces a podcast dedicated to a review of the latest literature and thought leaders in pediatric cardiovascular care. For the last 3 years Rob has finished his podcast series with a focus on personal finance. It has been an honor to work with Rob on these special podcasts for the last 3 years. This is his podcast from December 2023. To conclude 2023 we end with noted national authority on personal finance and investing, Mr. Paul Merriman. Mr. Merriman reviews some basic ideas about asset allocation within a retiremen...

2024-05-2249 min

Sound Investing Your top retirement questions answered with Christine BenzJoin Christine Benz, Director of Personal Finance and Retirement Planning at Morningstar, for answers to seven of the biggest questions facing those entering or in retirement. Financial literacy is empowering—yet good, practical education about financial management is too often out of reach for people, especially those with limited incomes. Former BCF Board member Paul Merriman—founder of The Merriman Financial Education Foundation—has dedicated his retirement to providing free education for all ages about how to secure a more stable financial future. On behalf of BCF, every year Paul organizes ⁠free virtual events⁠ with speakers...

2024-05-011h 27

Sound Investing Your top retirement questions answered with Christine BenzFinancial literacy is empowering—yet good, practical education about financial management is too often out of reach for people, especially those with limited incomes. Former BCF Board member Paul Merriman—founder of The Merriman Financial Education Foundation—has dedicated his retirement to providing free education for all ages about how to secure a more stable financial future. On behalf of BCF, every year Paul organizes free virtual events with speakers who are nationally renowned experts in their fields in order to help educate our community on how to better plan for our futures. These events target al...

2024-05-011h 27

Sound Investing Financial Gurus Collide: JL Collins and Paul Merriman Debate Wealth StrategiesToday, we bring you an exclusive conversation between two investment gurus, JL Collins and Paul Merriman. They debate the secrets of building wealth, focusing on investment strategies, index funds, and the potential power of small-cap companies. If you're looking to sharpen your investment acumen, this episode is full of knowledge and insights! Join us as we navigate through the crucial aspects of long-term investing, risk management, and the dynamics of the S&P 500 and Total Stock Market Index Fund. Paul and JL dissect the importance of diversification, disciplined strategies, and the psychology behind successful investing. Whether you're a seasoned...

2024-04-241h 21

Sound Investing My Worst Investment Ever! What You Do When You Are Young, Is GoldenPaul is interviewed by Andrew Stotz and the My Worst Investment Ever podcast BIO: Paul Merriman is a nationally recognized authority on mutual funds, index investing, and asset allocation. After retiring in 2012 from Merriman Wealth Management, which he founded in 1983, Paul created The Merriman Financial Education Foundation, dedicated to providing investors of all ages with free information and tools to make better investment decisions. STORY: Paul has had a series of bad investments, and they were all driven by emotions. It wasn’t until Paul got the emotion out of that process th...

2023-10-2541 min

Sound Investing The Lifelong Process of Financial EducationHow Can Mindfulness Help You Reach Financial Independence? Do you want to reduce money anxiety, but don’t know who to trust? Would you like to learn how to set up and manage your own retirement plan? Do you want to know how we create a passive income stream you can’t outlive? If yes, join us and learn how to answer the 4 critical financial independence questions: Am I on track for financial independence? What do I need to do to get on track? How do I design a mindful inve...

2023-10-041h 01

Sound Investing Three Keys to Long Term Investment Success“Three Keys to Long Term Investment Success” was my presentation at the 9th Annual Retiremeet America Conference. For those who wish to watch other presenters here is a link to the entire almost 6 hour video. 0:00 Welcome from Tom Cock and Don McDonald 13:17 "Financial Fysics" with Don McDonald 46:16 "Paying for Retirement" with Tom Cock 1:15:00 "The Value of a Financial Plan" with Jason Gentile 1:46:00 "Getting Medicare Right" with Kevin Peterson 2:15:00 "Planning for Long-Term Care" with Barbara Devereaux 2:41:48 "Saving on Taxes in Retirement" with Diana Bacon 3:17:00 "Critical Investing in Retirement" with Paul Merriman 3:49:00 Investing Q&A with Tom Cock and Paul M...

2023-03-2231 min

Sound Investing Paul Merriman on "Informed Decisions" with Paddy DelaneyIn this episode, Paddy has a great chat with Paul Merriman from The Merriman Financial Education Foundation in the USA. The foundation is dedicated to providing financial education to those of all ages. Paul shares his wealth of knowledge from decades of experience from starting his own Merriman Wealth Management after retiring to setting up his foundation. Key topics covered: Investing successfully Equity asset classes Emotions of Investing Hardest thing about investing Maths of investing Follow the history

2023-03-011h 07

Sound Investing Should You Manage Your Investments Yourself or Hire a Professional?If you’re looking to get started investing wisely for retirement, or want a refresher course in what’s important, watch this broadcast in which Paul Merriman addresses the Washington Society of Certified Public Accountants. He speaks to issues of trust, pointing out that investing following the math is simple. He illustrates the compelling differences small savings in expenses can make over a lifetime and discusses the major decisions every investor needs to consider. While it’s easy to be an investor today, there are many pitfalls to be aware of and Paul explains how you can...

2023-02-011h 10

Sound Investing Battling the Bear: Thriving in a Bear MarketHow will you thrive in a bear market? Paul Merriman joins Tom Cock, co-host of “Talking Real Money,” for this 90-minute live workshop on “How to Manage a Portfolio in a Bear Market,” jointly sponsored by The Merriman Financial Education Foundation and Apella Capital/Wealth. Includes Q&A from the audience. We suggest podcast listeners watch the video for accompanying slides. You will learn: • Why you need true diversification • How to avoid decade-long S&P 500 market crashes • How to create & manage a long-term bond strategy • How to create retirement income without expensive and confusing ann...

2023-01-251h 29

Sound Investing How do you measure real wealth?Paul Merriman is a compulsive list maker and his Thanksgiving list is his favorite of the year. In this podcast, he covers a range of subjects for investors related to real wealth and giving thanks. He describes getting up very early on Thanksgiving Day to spend a few hours listing names of people for whom he is thankful. While many of the people would be unknown to our audience, others are responsible for helping our Foundation reach and be of service to those who find our work helpful. One such essential behind-the-scenes person is Angela Moore, Senior Ed...

2022-11-2345 min

Sound Investing 20 Minutes to Double Your Lifetime Spending PowerChris Pedersen, Director of Research for The Merriman Financial Education Foundation, joins Paul Merriman to explain and elaborate on his ideas and tables published as the cover story in the AAII Journal(October 2022), titled, “Double Your Lifetime Purchasing Power in 20 Minutes.” As Chris states in this broadcast, the article particularly pertains to people doing open enrollment, especially if they have an employer-provided 401k program. “For those who invest in defaults of the 401k programs, most typical across the industry, and do that for 40 years of their career, and then do fixed 4% withdrawals in retirement, and you look at all...

2022-11-0253 min

Sound Investing 10 Life-Changing Lessons from The Merriman Financial Education FoundationIn this presentation to the Boston Bogleheads® Chapter (Sept. 12, 2022), Paul presents the “10 most important new lessons learned by The Merriman Financial Education Foundation.” The foundation is celebrating its 10-year anniversary of helping the DIY investor make sound investment decisions for a lifetime and become the best advisor to the most important investor on earth…you! Paul also gives an overview of the 12-million-dollar decisions covered in his book, We’re Talking Millions: 12 Simple Ways to Supercharge Your Retirement. Stay tuned to about 1:20 for some great questions: • Does Total Market Index or S&P 500 approximate your 4-Fund approach and...

2022-10-121h 53

Sound Investing How do you manage investments during major declines?Tune in Sept. 17 at noon (eastern time) for a Zoom presentation and Q&A on “The 10 most important new lessons of the past 10 years,” as Paul Merriman addresses the Boston Bogleheads Chapter. See info below. In this broadcast, Paul, founder of The Merriman Financial Education Foundation, Chris Pedersen, Director of Research, and Daryl Bahls, Director of Analytics, answer a variety of questions from our listeners, viewers and readers. See links below. 1. Can you compare 3 years of returns of your Vanguard ETF, Vanguard mutual fund and Best-In-Class (BIC) ETF recommendations? Chris answers and discusses the likely reason for the...

2022-09-1454 min

Sound Investing The most important investment decisionsEnjoy this wide-ranging conversation between Rob Berger and Paul Merriman on Rob’s “Financial Freedom Show” (YouTube video channel) as they discuss these important investor topics: Timestamps 0:00 - Welcome to the Financial Freedom Show! 0:61 - Small Cap Value 20:44 - Other consistent funds 22:59 - Equity portfolio 27:00 - Deciding/4 fund strategy 30:13 - Links below/Quilt chart 45:19 - Stock vs Bond allocation/Market Timing 49:37 - Investing strategies/risk 50:50 - Retirement withdrawal strategy 53:14 - Challenge 55:23 - Glide Path 58:18 - Market Timer's s...

2022-08-311h 20

Sound Investing This new tool helps you invest in specific fundsThis video and podcast introduces the "Sound Investing Portfolio Fixed Allocation Configurator.” This new tool helps investors figure out how to implement the portfolios we analyze using different fund families. Chris Pedersen, Director of Research joins Paul Merriman to discuss Chris’ latest investor education project. The process is simple, involving four choices: portfolio strategy (e.g., Ultimate Buy and Hold, Worldwide 4-Fund, All-Value, etc.), account tax status, fixed income percentage, and fund family (e.g., Best-in-Class ETFs, Vanguard Mutual Funds, etc.). Once selected, the configurator shows the required percentage investments in particular funds and several characteristics of the r...

2022-08-1756 min

Sound Investing The one asset class you must ownPaul presents, “The #1 Reason I Want Small Cap Value in Your Portfolio” with compelling evidence as to why SCV should be the one asset class you must own. This is further illuminated by the tables and charts shown in the video presentation and available in the slide show and handout. (links below). This presentation was recorded at the “Retiremeet 2022” conference, sponsored annually by our friends at Vestory and billed as “The Northwest’s Premier Retirement Event.” Click here for handout: https://7112649.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/7112649/HAND OUT Paul Merriman Retiremeet-2022-Final.pdf Click here for the slide show...

2022-08-1025 min

Sound Investing Invest Successfully with Just Two FundsAre you seeking a simple but effective lifetime investment strategy? In this podcast and video, Katie Gatti, host of “Money With Katie,” interviews Chris Pedersen, Director of Research for The Merriman Financial Education Foundation and author of Two Funds For Life – A quest for simple & effective investing strategies. Chris explains: • The Two Funds for Life strategies during accumulation and retirement stages • Addresses criticisms of target date funds • Explains why this two-fund strategy is well justified by deep historical analysis • Why it can be ideal for those looking for a simple but effective lifetime investment stra...

2022-08-0323 min

Sound Investing How can the combo of S&P 500 and Small Cap Value be less risky than the S&P 500 by itself? (and other topics)Paul Merriman and Chris Pedersen, Director of Research for The Merriman Financial Education Foundation, address a number of topics and questions: • Is the combination of the S&P 500 and Small Cap Value really more risky than the S&P by itself? • Why the exceptional performance of Chris’ Best In Class (BIC) during the first 6 months of 2022? • If small and value outperformed large and growth, why did the Total Market Index underperformed the S&P 500 by more than 1%? • Are the higher costs of the Avantis Funds likely to pay a higher premium than lower cos...

2022-07-131h 01

Sound Investing What’s New for Social Security 2022This is MUST LISTEN presentation for everyone yet to claim Social Security and/or survivor benefits, and otherwise learn how to maximize your benefits. MaryBeth Franklin, author of Maximizing Social Security Retirement Benefits, shares her expertise in this interview with Paul Merriman and answers a number of viewer questions. This presentation is part of Financial Literacy Month, sponsored by the Bainbridge Community Foundation (https://bainbridgecf.org/) and The Merriman Financial Education Foundation (https://paulmerriman.com/the-merriman-financial-education-foundation/) You’ll learn: • How claiming age affects the amount of Social Security benefits received by retirees and their surviving spouses; ...

2022-05-181h 20

Sound Investing Simple & Effective Balanced Lifetime Portfolios, 2022 UpdateLooking to achieve massive diversification across industries, geographies, stocks, bonds, and various equity premium factors? Chris Pedersen, Director of Research at The Merriman Financial Education Foundation and author of 2 Funds for Life: A quest for simple & effective investing strategies, shows several simple portfolios that do that. He also discusses 2 Funds for Life strategies that augment target-date funds to reduce risk with age, increase expected returns, raise safe withdrawal rates, and achieve higher overall survival rates. Chris’ analysis compares past performance to more complex approaches, and shows that complexity is not a necessity in accumulation or retirement. Watch via...

2022-05-0450 min

Sound Investing The Inside Story About ESG investingPaul Merriman talks with Larry Swedroe and Sam Adams about their new book, Your Essential Guide to Sustainable Investing: How to live your values and achieve your financial goals with ESG, SRI, and Impact Investing https://amzn.to/3KiV1Vh, and they address a broad range of audience questions. Larry is a prolific and respected academic-based writer committed to helping investors find better ways to invest. Co-author Sam, CEO of Vert Asset Management and former DFA advisor, describes himself as both an environmentalist and a capitalist. Topics include: • The history of the Socially Responsible Investing mo...

2022-04-271h 22

Sound Investing How to build a great long-term portfolioHow can you best combine equity asset classes to build portfolios for the long term? This is one of the seven most important topics we focus on at The Merriman Financial Education Foundation. Paul Merriman is joined by Daryl Bahls, Director of Analytics and Chris Pedersen, Director of Research to discuss their personal favorite portfolio, and suggested exposure to fixed income, for three different groups of investors — first time, pre-retirees and retirees. Chris also brings us up to date on changes in the Best-in-Class ETF recommendations. (https://paulmerriman.com/best-in-class-etf-recommendations) Resource: See the Fine Tuning Tables, built to...

2022-04-131h 06

Sound Investing How to strategically invest for your financially secure retirementWhat are the best practices for building retirement savings and ensuring those savings last throughout retirement? Christine Benz, director of personal finance at Morningstar, Roger Young, CFP with T. Rowe Price, and Paul Merriman, president of The Merriman Financial Education Foundation, introduce you to the latest research and strategies to increase your odds of enjoying a financially secure retirement. Enjoy this panel discussion from the AAII Conference 360 in October 2021, moderated by Charles Rotblut, vice president and financial analyst at AAII. American Association of Individual Investors: https://www.aaii.com/ Christine Benz: article archives: https://www.morningstar.co...

2022-03-301h 01

Sound Investing Your questions answered, our plans revealedThis podcast (also a video) answers questions from our listeners, viewers and newsletter subscribers, and updates you on our upcoming projects. Paul Merriman, founder and president of The Merriman Financial Education, is joined by Chris Pedersen, Director of Research and author of 2 Funds for Life — A quest for simple & effective investing strategies, and Daryl Bahls, Director of Analytics. Topics: What’s on the trio’s to-do list over the next few months? Chris will update the Best-In-Class recommendations. Daryl will update all of the important tables, including: Ultimate Buy and Hold, Fine Tuning Your Asset Allocation, Accumulation and Di...

2022-01-1953 min

Sound Investing Part 2- Strategic Planning for Investing in Every Stage of LifeJacek Lempart, the Belguim-based host of System Trader “The craft of investing,” interviews Paul Merriman in this extraordinary in-depth conversation, unlike others you may have heard. It has been divided into two parts. You’ll learn: Who’s Paul, and what’s the story of his careers? How have markets changed over the years? Why is Paul a big fan of academic/scientific knowledge? What should we do to feel satisfied and have a happy life? How to adjust strategy so that it has an appropriate level of risk? Where’s the border between passive and active investing? A systematic app...

2021-12-291h 01

Sound Investing Part 1 - Strategic Planning for Investing in Every Stage of LifeJacek Lempart, the Belguim-based host of System Trader “The craft of investing,” interviews Paul Merriman in this extraordinary in-depth conversation, unlike others you may have heard. It has been divided into two parts.. You’ll learn: · Who’s Paul, and what’s the story of his careers? · How have markets changed over the years? · Why is Paul a big fan of academic/scientific knowledge? · What should we do to feel satisfied and have a happy life? · How to adjust strategy so that it has an appropriate level of risk? · Where’s t...

2021-12-221h 07

Sound Investing Simplify investing with Chris PedersonChris Pedersen talks with Ed Fulbright, CPA, on Ed’s “Mastering Your Money” podcast, about the 2 funds for life strategy he developed as Director of Research for The Merriman Financial Education Foundation, and his new book, 2 Funds for Life: a quest for simple and effective investing strategies. Chris tells the story of how Paul Merriman’s meeting with Jack Bogle, the founder of Vanguard and father of index funds, led to his development of 2 funds for life. The challenge was to greatly simplify Merriman’s Ultimate Buy and Hold strategy so it is accessible to everyone. At the same time, keepi...

2021-11-0328 min

Sound Investing Get smart or get screwedIn this podcast, Paul examines the outright lies made by industry leaders about the difference between index funds and active management. They hope to skew your thinking to their advantage – not yours. Trillions of dollars in Americans' retirement savings are invested in large and small accounts managed by banks, brokerages, mutual funds, and insurance companies, which continue to fight the regulation of fiduciary responsibility. Whether your IRA or 401K will assure a safe retirement remains largely a gamble. In the documentary “The Retirement Gamble” – as true today as it was when made in 2013 – producers Martin Smith and Marcela Gavi...

2021-10-0640 min

Sound Investing What can we learn from the Bogleheads?In response to the continued discussion on the Bogleheads forum asking, “Why Does Anyone Listen to Paul Merriman?" Paul takes this opportunity to "share a wonderful teaching moment" from the comments of those who follow the work of John Bogle. Particularly, Paul considers the criticisms leveled against him regarding the recent performance of small-cap value funds, which he has been recommending for almost 30 years. While some Bogleheads counter that recommendation based on short-term returns, Paul reminds listeners even the idea of investing in any kind of common stock was once considered very unpopular. He cites Edgar Lawrence Smith’s best...

2021-09-0155 min

Sound Investing Why does anyone listen to Paul Merriman?Paul addresses a long thread on Bogleheads.org forum asking, "Why does anyone listen to Paul Merriman?" and recommends listeners follow the Bogleheads site for a variety of perspectives, and especially Rick Ferri’s excellent podcast interviews. Then, taking a detailed look at the latest return data on the 11 "No-Nonsense Portfolios,” he compares the annual and decade returns of the portfolios. Much of this discussion is focused on Table 3a but the other tables (links below) are for investors who want to dig deeper. Also, Paul shares early feedback on the newly-released interactive Lifetime Investment Calculator, developed by Craig Appl and gener...

2021-08-251h 00

Sound Investing The Merriman Financial Education Foundation Lifetime Investment CalculatorThe Merriman Financial Education Foundation Lifetime Investment Calculator is built from the 2021 fine tuning tables and includes enhancements like showing nominal vs. real returns, growth with contributions, fixed and flexible distributions. We don’t know the future, but the past contains many events that could happen again. The last 51 years include numerous wars, booms, busts, and periods of high and low inflation. We consider these last 51 years a sequence of returns and have chosen to loop through this 51 year sequence to support calculating up to 200 years of returns. The Merriman Educational Foundation creates numerous tables and charts, up...

2021-08-181h 03

Sound Investing 3 Investor Myths DebunkedIn this episode of "Talking Real Money/Sound Investing,” Paul Merriman, Tom Cock and Don McDonald each bring a “common investor myth” that the three discuss. Paul’s myth: “We don’t believe in market timing.’" Tom’s myth: Rebalancing means beating the market and makes you more money. Don’s myth: "I’m entitled to a high rate of return on my investment." The conversation on myths starts at 1:35. Get for FREE: We’re Talking Millions! 12 Simple Ways to Supercharge Your Retirement by Paul Merriman and Richard Buck at paul merriman.com/sig...

2021-06-1340 min

Sound Investing Financial education can change the worldPaul Merriman interviews Tim Ranzetta, President of Next Generation Personal Finance (NGPF.org), about his organization’s commitment to financial education for teachers and students, which is extraordinary. NGPF was created on the belief that financial literacy is the key to creating stable futures for the next generation. It promotes financial education in our public schools, and provides free engaging curriculum and professional development for any educator who is interested in the program, with an abundance of free resources for all. Learn about the results NGPF is tracking and the reasons not every student in the U.S...

2021-05-191h 20

Sound Investing Supercharge Your Retirement and Shut Out the NoiseStan The Annuity Man®, by the title of this podcast, summarizes two key points of this conversation with Paul Merriman, as part of Stan’s “Fun With Annuities Podcast Celebrity Series.” Stan writes in his podcast notes, “I’d choose Paul Merriman advice over that of Warren Buffet. Once you listen to this podcast, you will know why.” Meanwhile, Paul considers Stan “a Truth Tellers among financial educators.” They discuss: Making decisions that are in your individual best interest. Understanding what you’re trying to achieve and what you want to do with your investments in the market. Naviga...

2021-05-1254 min

Sound Investing How to Plan for a Successful and Secure RetirementPaul Merriman interviews Larry Swedroe, renowned speaker and prolific writer on the science of investing, about his new, updated book, The Complete Guide to a Successful and Secure Retirement. But the discussion focuses on the validity of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, including the Dogecoin, the $36 billion dollar joke. Larry wrote a blog about cryptocurrencies in 2017. He stands by those statements. The interview also covers the following topics: investor challenges with markets at very high prices and lower expected future returns Historically low bond yields and low expected future returns Steps investors should take to live in a...

2021-04-281h 31

Sound Investing How to Invest in a Bubble- “Take Control of Your Financial Future” SeriesThe world of investing had a wild ride in 2020, and is continuing into 2021. In this presentation, Paul Merriman explores the history and nature of stock market bubbles, long bull markets and short bear markets, day trading, hedge funds and the uncertainty that can accompany market bubbles. Issues covered include the good, the bad and the ugly about Robinhood, 4 free lunches of investing, whether Bitcoin is the “new gold,” how to invest in a bubble and much more. Click here for the slideshow materials. This is the first in a 5-part series of Financial Literacy Month Event...

2021-04-151h 58

2021-04-1432 min

Sound Investing Morningstar’s “The Long View” podcast hosts interview Paul MerrimanPaul talks with Christine Benz and Jeff Ptak about his commitment to indexing, why he believes in small value stocks, the perils of performance-chasing, and more. They covered such topics as: Best ways to get young people to understand investment process How to get investment information to people who need it most Why Paul was attracted to index funds and DFA The future of the value premium The risk of value investors capitulating The pros and cons of 2 Funds for Life Why target date funds have more value The risk of bonds in a rising interest rate market ...

2021-04-0756 min

Sound Investing How to simplify the Ultimate Buy and Hold and get higher returnsThis is the second podcast in a series of what Paul Merriman thinks are "the most important investment information” the Merriman Financial Education Foundation updates annually. Paul starts with a quick review of the previous podcast, The Ultimate Buy and Hold Strategy Update 2021 regarding the 10 equity asset classes. For those who did not hear the previous, it will help to download 2 tables: Table 1a, which reflects returns of a 50/50 split between U.S. and international equity asset classes and Table 1b, which reflects the returns of a 70/30 split between U.S. and international equity asset classes. From these two tables inve...

2021-03-0333 min

Sound Investing The Ultimate Buy and Hold Strategy: 2021 UpdatePaul Merriman discusses the 2021 updated Ultimate Buy and Hold Strategy, designed to show why the 10 equity asset classes should be part of a diversified portfolio. This new study uses an expanded base of returns so that all 10 equity asset classes are reflected in the 1970 to 2020 period. While the expansion of returns makes the returns more dependable, the results are virtually the same as with the previously limited data base. Every year since 2012, The Merriman Financial Education Foundation updates this UB&H Strategy as among its most important work. The 2021 study makes reference to two tables that listeners will want to...

2021-02-2446 min

Sound Investing Paula Pant and Paul Merriman: The present and future of investingIn this fast-paced, fun and educational interview by Paula Pant — the self-described “writer and instigator” behind the weekly podcast, “Afford Anything” — Paul and Paula discuss: Meeting Vanguard founder John Bogle 2 Funds for Life What’s wrong with Target Funds? What’s different about investors today? Why should investors make more in future? Should you add internationals to your portfolio? What happens to bond portion of portfolio in 2 Funds? What should investors do with the market at historical highs? How can you know the risk you’re taking? As Paul commented, “It was the 300th podcast of “Afford Anything” and I can see wh...

2021-02-171h 21

Sound Investing Which investment portfolio is best for you?Of the many mutual fund and ETF portfolios on our website, paulmerriman.com, which of the dozen-plus portfolios is most appropriate for you, given your risk tolerance and need for investment return? The goal of this lively discussion — with Paul Merriman, Chris Pedersen and Daryl Bahls — is to help you decide. Topics covered include: A short history of the Vanguard,Fidelity,T Rowe Price and Schwab portfolios — offered first on the Merriman Wealth Management website and moved to the website for The Merriman Financial Education Foundation. The Vanguard ETF Portfolio as well as the many Best-in-Class ETF portfolios...

2021-02-101h 11

Sound Investing Why I bought GameStop under $10 a sharePaul Merriman is amazed at the interest in GameStop. People he's known for years and never had an interest in the stock market are getting involved…. only emotionally for most, but for many both emotionally and financially. In this podcast, Paul explains the difference between going “long" and ‘short” in the market, and what drove him to buy GameStop when it was selling for under $10 a share. He addresses the problems with short selling and why the unit-of-return per unit return stinks. If people are happy to see hedge funds fail, they should be happy to learn that only about 5% of...

2021-02-031h 00

Sound Investing Best-in-Class ETFs 2021 ExplainedPaul Merriman, founder and president of The Merriman Financial Education Foundation, Chris Pedersen, director of research, and Daryl Bahls, director of analytics, discuss the 2021 Best-in-Class ETFs Paul starts the discussion with a short history of his commitment to providing mutual fund recommendations He makes it clear that they are not CFPs, CFAs or registered investment advisors, and he notes that selecting the “best" ETFs has its limitations and is not a science. Chris then discusses the steps he takes to identify the final choice in each equity asset class, and why he chose several new ETFs, including his expectation for addit...

2021-01-271h 13

Sound Investing 2021 ETF & mutual fund recommendations and 8 Q&APaul announces Chris Pedersen's Best In Class ETF Recommendations for 2021 and Paul’s updated Mutual Fund recommendations for Vanguard, Fidelity, T. Rowe Price and Schwab. In anticipation of next week’s Zoom call to discuss the new portfolios and fund recommendations, Paul Merriman, Chris Pedersen and Daryl Bahls are soliciting questions from you, our listeners. If you have questions related to this work, please submit them to info@paulmerriman.com with subject line: ETF/MUTUAL FUND QUESTION. They will try to address them in next week’s recording. Paul answers these recent questions from our readers and lis...

2021-01-201h 01

Sound Investing "Stacking Benjamins" talks millions!Joe Saul-Sehy, of the award-winning podcast "Stacking Benjamins,” interviews Paul on the a wide variety of topics, such as: What was the key to your investing success? How do you bridge the gap between the spender and a saver in a relationship? Why did you started the latest book, We’re Talking Millions! 12 Simple Steps To Supercharge Your Retirement, with a discussion of inflation? What’s the impact of fixed vs. variable distributions? What’s the choice between stocks vs. real estate How is diversification a million dollar decision? What is the 10-million-dollar decision? What are the most important o...

2020-12-1628 min

Sound Investing Supercharge Your Retirement and Make Millions MoreIn this insightful interview by Doc G of Earn & Invest, authors Rich Buck and Paul Merriman talk about their new book, We’re Talking Millions: 12 Ways To Supercharge Your Retirement. They cover topics such as their long-time professional collaboration, simplicity in investing, risk, beating the market, portfolio recommendations and the magic of compound interest over time. Buy We’re Talking Millions: 12 Ways To Supercharge Your Retirement in Kindle or Amazon Print editions. (Soon to be available at other outlets and on Audible). Watch Paul’s video about the book. Visit the book’s website. ...

2020-11-3056 min

Sound Investing Paul Merriman on Vestory's Talking Real MoneyIn this interview on Vestory’s “Talking Real Money” podcast, Tom Cock and Paul Merriman discuss these four topics: The new book, We’re Talking Millions! 12 Simple Ways To Supercharge Your Retirement by Paul and Rich Buck. The biggest mistakes people make when preparing for retirement and how to avoid them. Young investors: how to overcome robinhood fever: desire for making big profits trading high tech or penny stocks. How to invest in a pandemic. What seniors should do with their maturing CDs. We’re Talking Millions! 12 Simple Ways To Supercharge Your Retirement is available now at Kindle Pre-Sale...

2020-11-2534 min

Sound Investing “Money Talks” with Swedroe, Ferri & Merriman — Part 2This “Money Talks” event brought together Rick Ferri, Larry Swedroe and Paul Merriman to discuss personal finance and investing from their various perspectives. It was a free live online event hosted by Choose FI’s Community Director Jennifer Mah on Oct. 7, 2020. Due to length of the conversation, we are presenting it in two parts. Here are some of the diverse topics covered. You can access Part 1 here for Video and here for Podcast. Rick discussed the 4 levels of getting to investment nirvana. Larry recommended anyone getting ready for retirement read Your Retirement Quest: 10 Secrets for Creatin...

2020-11-1857 min

Sound Investing “Money Talks” with Swedroe, Ferri & Merriman — Part 1There is something of interest for every investor in this “Money Talks” event that brought together Rick Ferri, Larry Swedroe and Paul Merriman to discuss personal finance and investing from their various perspectives. It was a free live online event hosted by Choose FI’s Community Director Jennifer Mah on Oct. 7, 2020. Due to length of the conversation, we are presenting it in two parts. Here are some of the diverse topics covered. Part 2 will be broadcast next week. The topics covered were diverse and included: The difference between the desire, willingness and need to take r...

2020-11-111h 11

Sound Investing Q&A Follow-up to “Simple & Effective Balanced Portfolios for Lifetime Investing Success”In a live AAII webinar on Oct. 21, 2020, Chris Pedersen, Director of Research at The Merriman Financial Education Foundation, presented some very simple portfolios that achieve massive diversification and how to apply a variety of approaches during both working years and retirement. Following this presentation, Chris, Paul Merriman and Daryl Bahls, Director of Analytics, met (virtually) to address additional questions received during the event. What withdrawal strategies do you recommend? Should I take money equally or draw from the fund that has grown the most? How do RMDs change things? How do you manage a do-it-yourself 2 Funds for Life port...

2020-11-041h 02

Sound Investing Simple & Effective Balanced Portfolios for Lifetime Investing Success“This is one of the most important presentations I have seen on the topic of building balanced portfolios.” — Paul Merriman Chris Pedersen, Director of Research at The Merriman Financial Education Foundation, presented this live AAII webinar event on Oct. 21, 2020, discussing some very simple portfolios that achieve massive diversification across industries, geographies, stocks, bonds and various equity premium factors. By utilizing and augmenting target-date funds, investors can even adjust risk to age-appropriate levels. Chris compares past performance to more complex approaches and shows that complexity is not a necessity, and he also examines how these approaches apply to people accumu...

2020-10-261h 23

Sound Investing Q&A Follow-up: "Which Is The Best 1-,2-, 3- and 4 Fund Strategy?” Part 2This is the second of three Q&A sessions with Paul Merriman, Chris Pedersen, Director of Research, and Daryl Bahls, Director of Analytics with The Merriman Financial Education Foundation. It is a follow-up to Paul's webinar, “Which Is The Best 1-,2-, 3- and 4 Fund Strategy?” sponsored by the American Association of Individual Investors (AAII) on Sept. 23, 2020. At the end of that presentation, Paul was joined by Chris and Daryl to address questions for 30 minutes. As there were many more questions than time permitted answering, this podcast — also available as a video — continues to address those audience questions. In this Q&A se...

2020-10-141h 03

Sound Investing Q&A Follow-up: "Which Is The Best 1-,2-, 3- and 4 Fund Strategy?” Part 1This Q&A session with Paul Merriman, Chris Pedersen and Daryl Bahls, is a follow-up to Paul's webinar, “Which Is The Best 1-,2-, 3- and 4 Fund Strategy?” sponsored by the American Association of Individual Investors (AAII) on Sept. 23, 2020. Following the presentation, Paul was joined by Chris and Daryl to address questions for 30 minutes. As there were many more questions than time permitted answering, this podcast and video is the first of several that will address those audience questions. Paul begins this Q&A session with the 5 lessons he hoped viewers would learn during the AAII webinar, followed by...

2020-10-071h 09

Sound Investing Which Is the Best 1-, 2-, 3- and 4-Fund Strategy?In this live webinar, hosted by The American Association of Individual Investors (AAII) on Sept. 23, Paul Merriman compares 10 different simple strategies for constructing a portfolio using mutual funds or exchange-traded funds (ETFs). The strategies are favorites of the Bogleheads, Rick Ferri, Warren Buffett, John Bogle and Merriman. He provides a list of The Merriman Financial Education Foundation’s recommended funds at Vanguard and Fidelity as well as the best-in-class ETFs to build these portfolios. He was joined by Chris Pedersen, the Foundation’s Director of Research and Daryl Bahls, our Director of Analytics for a Q&A sessi...

2020-09-301h 32

Sound Investing The importance of community, luck and half a percentPaul is interviewed by George Grombacher for George’s “Money Savage Podcast”, and talks about the importance of community, the positive influencers in our lives, and the luck of timing. You will learn more about Paul Merriman’s life journey and his commitment to educating investors, both do-it-yourself investors and those who hire a financial advisor, making sure they’re doing the right thing in your best interest. For George’s “make a difference tip,” Paul offers two essential points that benefit every investor. One is the power of half-a-percent. This podcast is part of the educational offerings from T...

2020-09-2320 min

Sound Investing Spending your way to wealthPaul Merriman talks with Paul Heys, long-time friend and author of Spending Your Way to Wealth: Setting Your Compass Course to Steer in the Direction of True Wealth. They discuss what “normal" investors do, and the steps to becoming "Normal Plus," how to prevent the “spilling” of money that keep us from having what we want later in life, and the difference between the price and the value of anything. Young people will be shocked by the implications of future inflation, as Paul Heys shares what he sees in both the rear-view mirror and the road ahead. Spending Yo...

2020-08-191h 10

Sound Investing Factor Investing Part II: Interview with Rick Ferri and Paul Merriman by White Coat Investor Dr. Jim DahleIn this podcast, a continuation of Part I, James Dahle, M.D., of White Coat Investor hosts Paul Merriman and Rick Ferri, CFA, President of The John C. Bogle Center for Financial Literacy and host of the Boglehead Podcast, for a lively Zoom discussion of factor investing. In this part of the conversation, Paul and Rick share their opinions on tilting your portfolio to small and value and more. The interview starts at around 5:00. For notes and a full transcription from White Coat Investor, click here. The Merriman Financial Education Foundation thanks Jim Dahle and his team for...

2020-08-121h 12

Sound Investing Factor Investing: Interview with Rick Ferri and Paul Merriman by White Coat Investor Dr. Jim Dahle — Part IJames Dahle, M.D., of White Coat Investor brought together Paul Merriman and Rick Ferri, CFA, President of The John C. Bogle Center for Financial Literacy and host of the Boglehead Podcast, for a lively Zoom discussion of factor investing. The conversation starts with defining asset classes, total market investing and factor investing and continues with an examination of ‘is factor investing real?’, US and international stocks vs. value and growth, the “FANG” phenomenon, and tilting a portfolio. For more notes and a full transcription from White Coat Investor, click here. The Merriman Financial Education Foundati...

2020-08-0557 min

Sound Investing Am I saving enough to retire? and 5 more Q&APaul tackles six topics from commodities to retirement savings, from first-time investing to current retirement investment strategies. A special thank you to Paul’s podcast listeners who responded to his survey question: "Podcasts or videos: which do you prefer?" Your listenership, and sharing this information — to help educate and empower others — is greatly appreciated! 1: Why don’t your recommendations include commodities? 1:35 Paul’s comments focus on an article written by Dennis Tilley, Director of Alternative Investments for Merriman Wealth Management. http://www.merriman.com/advanced-portfolio-management/why-we-still-dont-favor-commodities/ 2: How should a 24-year-old first-time investor best put $5000 to...

2020-07-1555 min

Sound Investing The Past, Present, and Future of InvestingIn this special presentation to the Bainbridge Community Foundation, June 2020, Paul provides insights into the past, present and future of investing. What are the most important lessons learned about investing in the last 50 years? How can we use them to make more money for our retirement? What 3 myths cost investors up to half their retirement savings? What three people changed investing forever? And much more. If you enjoy this podcast, please share. To see the slide show accompanying the video, click here. For the slideshow, "10 Simple Investment Decisions Guaranteed to Change Your Financial Future”, click here.

2020-07-081h 16

Sound Investing 12 Q&A from San Diego AAIIOn May 9, 2020 Chris Pedersen and Paul Merriman addressed the San Diego American Association of Individual Investors (AAII) via Zoom. Chris, director of research, presented “2 Funds for Life” and Paul, founder and president of The Merriman Financial Education Foundation, presented “The Ultimate Buy and Hold Strategy.” After the presentations Daryl Bahls, director of analytics, joined Chris and Paul to respond to questions. Daryl also prepared Tables for the Q&A. When the meeting concluded there were a number of unanswered questions submitted by the attendees. The following are 12 of the 24 questions. The remaining 12 will be answered in a future podcast. Watch the...

2020-06-1759 min

Sound Investing Q&A Part 2 from ChooseFI Events May 2020In May, Paul Merriman, founder of The Merriman Financial Education Foundation, and Chris Pedersen, director of research, were guest presenters at two ChooseFI online events, via Facebook Live on May 9 and Zoom on May 16. On May 9 Chris and Paul made separate presentations: Paul on “12 Investment Decisions Guaranteed to Change Your Financial Future" and Chris on “2 Funds for Life.” They were joined by Chief Analyst Daryl Bahls to answer questions. In a recent video/podcast Paul, Chris and Daryl addressed 15 questions that had not been answered during the presentation. In this video/podcast the trio address 17 more questions from the two pre...

2020-06-031h 06

Sound Investing Q&A from the ChooseFI Facebook live event May 9, 2020In this podcast (also watchable as a YouTube video), Paul Merriman, along with Director of Research Chris Pedersen and Chief Analyst Daryl Bahls get together on a Zoom call to answer additional questions submitted during the ChooseFI Facebook Live event, for which time did not permit on the original recording. The event was hosted by Jen Mah on May 9, 2020. Below are the list of questions. For an archive of hundreds of other investment-related questions and answers, see Ask Paul. What are the 2 funds you use in the 2 Funds for Life portfolio? 3:56 How do you think Vanguard Total Stock...

2020-05-201h 23

Sound Investing Questions, answers and opportunities during the pandemicWhile the coronavirus pandemic has changed everyone’s life — and hopefully without illness or loss — for The Merriman Financial Education Foundation it has been a huge game changer, in a very good way. In this podcast Paul shares some new ways he’s able to serve more investors and he answers seven questions from his listeners and readers. 1. Can you discuss the funds to hold in different types of investments, like Roth and regular IRAs, 401ks and taxable accounts? 5:00 2. I have several accounts. Should I try to build your Ultimate Buy & Hold portfolio in each account...

2020-05-1356 min

Sound Investing What's about to change in your financial life?"Many people, including myself, tend to consider the bad things that might happen before considering the good outcome that is more likely to happen,” " says Paul Merriman. "That challenging state of mind requires having a "little house” plan... just in case the list of catastrophic events actually happens. The massive loss of employment means a lot of people have experienced loss of employment for the first time in their life. Even those who are retired, and have more than they likely need, have reason to consider what that “little house” plan looks like in retirement, as my wife and I recently...

2020-05-0640 min

Sound Investing Fine-Tuning Your Asset Allocations 2020 UpdateDo you want to have a better idea of the range — or returns and risks of loss — that different equity asset classes have generated over a long period of time? In this podcast, Paul discusses 5 tables covering the S&P 500, Worldwide Equity (50% U.S./50% International), Worldwide Equity (70% U.S./30% International), All Value (50% U.S./50% International) All Value (70% U.S./30% International). In each case the table will show 50 years of annual returns of the equity portfolio, as well as returns with 9 different combinations of fixed income and equity. It will be helpful to listen to Paul’s podcast on the Ultimate...

2020-02-261h 00

Sound Investing The Ultimate Buy and Hold Strategy 2020 UpdateThe most important work we have done over the last 38 years has been to help investors identify the equity asset classes they should consider holding in their portfolio. In this podcast, along with the accompanying tables, Paul updates investors on the results of his Ultimate Buy and Hold Strategy from 1970 through 2019. These tables are designed to help investors see the changes in risk and return when 9 equity asset classes are added to the S&P 500 index. The discussion and tables compare portfolios of 50% U.S./50% international equity asset classes, (See Table) and 70% U.S./30% International equity asset classes (See Table...

2020-02-1932 min

Sound Investing The big payoff for asset class diversificationPaul was interviewed by Rick Ferri, the host of Bogleheads on Investing, on Feb. 3, 2020. During and after the recording, scores of questions and comments were written at the Bogleheads chatroom. This podcast is Paul's reply to a number of the topics discussed with Rick and the questions and comments, broken into two sections. The first section focuses on the basic difference between the investment beliefs of John Bogle and Paul Merriman or, more appropriately, of Gene Fama and Kenneth French, the academics responsible for most of the early work on “factor” investing. The second section is Paul’s r...

2020-02-121h 00

Sound Investing 10 important lessons from the 2020 Callan Periodic TablesThe new Callan Periodic Tables have been released and in this podcast Paul discusses 10 important lessons from the main table (2000-2019) and several other Callan tables he has not addressed before. Paul encourages listeners to review the tables (links below) and see how many important lessons you find, before you listen to the podcast. For those who find tables of numbers a good to learn, this is a “can’t miss” podcast. For a “numbers guy” like Paul, he says, “This was so much fun to record!" The Callan Periodic Table of Investment Returns, now in its 20th year, graphical...

2020-02-0643 min

Sound Investing How did Paul Merriman make 30% a year for 30 years? and 10 more Q&A's Can an employee convince his company’s 401k trustees to make changes? It took 4 years for this one dedicated investor to do so and he won big. Hopefully, this story will inspire others to work this hard to change the financial futures for all 401k investors. 2:00 What is the lifetime cost of an expense ratio of .15% a year? The answer is surprising. 6:50 In what kind of investment did you earn 30% a year over 30 years? Paul has mentioned the good fortune of this investment but never before given details. 10:00 Is it true your portfolio fell from $16 million to about $12.8 million during the...

2020-01-3057 min

Sound Investing Paul Merriman’s 2018 in ReviewNot all of the numbers are in, but enough are to discuss the returns of 2018. Of course a single year is not indicative of much, but it is often a test of our commitment to Buy-and-Hold. In this podcast, Paul reviews the numbers for his favorite equity asset classes (big, small, value, growth, REITs, …

2019-01-0242 min

Sound Investing Updates on ETFs and other projects with Chris Pedersen and Paul MerrimanWhen Chris Pedersen came to Bainbridge Island to tape the video/podcast on the 2 Funds for Life Strategy, he joined Paul in an interview to address some questions regarding his work on several important projects. Here is a partial list of questions: What are the pros and cons of Best-in-Class and commission-free portfolios? What variables …

2018-11-1431 min

Sound Investing What you probably don’t know about Paul MerrimanIn this interview with financial advisor Joshua J. Sheats, of Radical Personal Finance, Paul speaks of his early ventures on Wall Street and in manufacturing, what it was like to build an advisory firm in the 1980s, his life’s challenges, and the goals, affirmations and philosophies that continue to motivate his work with the

2018-08-0856 min

Sound Investing Investing for Life: Dr. Jim Dahle of White Coat Investing interviews Paul MerrimanIn this interview with Jim Dahle, M.D., Paul covers about a wide range of investment topics, from getting started to retirement planning and distributions. This is an excellent introduction to Paul’s work, including buy-and-hold, market timing, bonds, Bogleheads, the work of the Merriman Financial Educational Foundation, DFA and portfolio management, Do-It-Yourselfers, and much more. While …

2018-05-021h 09

Sound Investing Paul Merriman: 12 Investment Decisions Guaranteed to Change Your Financial FutureSam Marks from Invest Like a Boss planned a 30-minute interview, but he and Paul were having so much fun it lasted over an hour. Here is what Sam wrote about the interview: Paul Merriman is an internationally recognized authority on mutual funds, index investing, asset allocation modelling and buy-and-hold strategies. He has over …

2016-11-091h 34