Sound Investing AAII Q&A Series (Part 3 of 3)
15 snips
Dec 10, 2025 In the final Q&A, insightful discussions include strategies using the equal-weighted S&P 500 and the pros and cons of switching mutual funds to ETFs. Listeners learn about dollar-cost averaging versus market timing, and how to build a retirement portfolio for different life stages. The conversation also touches on investing inheritances wisely, the balance between ultimate buy-and-hold and simplified strategies, and the importance of sticking to long-term plans over political influences. Advisors and resources for personalized investing are recommended.
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Weigh Tax Hit Before Moving To ETFs
- Consult a tax advisor before converting taxable mutual funds to equivalent ETFs.
- Merriman notes future ETF tax efficiency can justify conversion if you expect to hold the fund for decades, but compute the current tax hit first.
Stick With Dollar-Cost Averaging
- Continue dollar-cost averaging rather than market-timing based on current highs.
- Merriman advises automated rebalancing and warns most investors fail at market timing and later miss recoveries.
Use Boot Camp To Tailor Your Mix
- Use the boot camp asset-allocation tables to choose stocks vs. bonds for a 10-year accumulation and long decumulation.
- Merriman recommends diversifying equity exposure across multiple asset classes and tailoring the mix to risk tolerance and retirement needs.
