Sound Investing

The host dives deep into a comparison between the U.S. 4-Fund Portfolio and the S&P 500, showcasing five decades of data. Discover how diversification impacts returns and volatility. Fascinating decade-by-decade analysis reveals that the 4-Fund strategy outperformed the S&P 500, particularly in the fourth decade. The discussion also links accumulation results to retirement planning, highlighting potential starting balances. Lists of downloadable tables support the analysis, making it a must-follow for investors!

Dive into a captivating analysis of retirement investment strategies! Discover the long-term implications of choosing between an all-equity portfolio versus a classic 60/40 mix of stocks and bonds. Historical performance data sheds light on returns and risks, while examining the impact of initial investments and contributions over 55 years. Prepare for insightful discussions to guide your portfolio decisions in this intriguing exploration of saving for retirement.

Paul kicks things off with a listener's thought-provoking letter, exploring why their insights resonate more than those of investing legends. They delve into a captivating article on the evolution of financial advice, examining how math, history, and psychology intertwine in investing. The discussion underscores the well-trodden steps to success, while revealing two areas ripe for refinement: portfolio construction and fund selection. To aid listeners, Paul suggests three Boot Camp presentations to enhance their investment strategies.

Discover the critical mistakes investors often make, such as the debate over adding bonds, even in retirement. Learn how the Ultimate Buy and Hold Portfolio has performed and why diversification is crucial. Explore the importance of tailoring investment strategies to individual needs instead of simply chasing higher returns. Gain insights into balancing risk with potential rewards, particularly with small-cap value stocks. This discussion emphasizes the need for prudent financial advice, especially for those nearing retirement.

Get ready for insights on the upcoming Bogleheads Conference, featuring big names like Vanguard’s CEO. Discover why small-cap value stocks tend to outperform the S&P 500 and how a Four-Fund Strategy can simplify your portfolio. Learn the importance of financial education for young investors and how to customize portfolios with international equities and Bitcoin. Plus, enjoy a delightful poem about the ups and downs of cryptocurrency, highlighting its speculative nature. It's all about making informed and fun investment decisions!

Paul Merriman, founder of the Merriman Financial Education Foundation, shares his investment wisdom with Erin Moriarity. He emphasizes the power of starting early with small contributions and diversifying portfolios, particularly for young investors. Merriman also outlines various portfolio complexity levels and explains the importance of broad market diversification to mitigate risks. Moreover, he discusses the impact of fees on returns and highlights modern investing tools like index funds and automatic enrollment, making investing accessible for all.

What’s holding investors back from building real wealth? Talking Real Money, hosts Don McDonald and Tom Cock take aim at the 10 most damaging myths, lies, and mistakes that cost investors big—often millions.You’ll learn:Why "having a guy" isn’t a strategy—it's a setupWhy predicting the market is like calling a psychicHow starting too late can cost you over half a millionThe hard truth about individual stocks, expensive advisors, and false promises of risk-free wealthWhy diversification, low costs, and understanding your real risk profile actually workDon McDonald, a 34-year financial talk radio veteran, and Tom Cock, the former host of Serious Money on PBS, join forces to cut through financial jargon and expose what really works. In every episode, they solve real money problems, share smart long-term strategies, and bring clarity to the complex financial issues that affect all of us.Talking Real Money is designed to give you the real help you need for a really great financial future—and yes, it’s actually fun to listen to.Bonus shoutout: Don McDonald also generously donated his time to narrate the audiobook version of Paul Merriman’s bestselling book, “We’re Talking Millions!” His voice brings the content to life with clarity, energy, and heart. He’s not only a brilliant communicator—he’s also a phenomenal reader. Listen to the audiobook here.

Dive into a discussion on the future of financial literacy and smart investing. Discover the risks of adding QQQ to investment portfolios and the lessons learned from historical market crashes. Explore the benefits of global diversification versus focusing on U.S. markets. Compare small-cap value performance against the S&P 500 and uncover the trade-offs of using Avantis and DFA for deeper diversification. Learn tax-smart rebalancing strategies and the best portfolios to consider for long-term growth.

Paul Merriman shares compelling insights on small-cap value funds, comparing their long-term performances and emphasizing the impact of fund management strategies. He discusses optimal asset allocation for retirees, suggesting a balanced mix of equities and bonds based on individual factors. The podcast dives into the impressive historical returns of small-cap value investments and highlights the strategies of top firms, while also addressing audience questions about financial responsibility and the role of AI in investment queries.

In November 2020 The Merriman Financial Education Foundation released “We’re Talking Millions!  12 Simple Ways to Supercharge Your Retirement.”  The purpose of the book was to focus on a series of very simple steps any investor might take to improve their financial future.  "Understanding how to invest wisely for your future can be daunting. Many people never get started for fear of making mistakes. Others make choices based on hearsay and hope, sold on hype or risk aversion. In "We're Talking Millions!" you will learn why and how to make a handful of smart choices that can turn modest regular savings into a secure future. You'll discover "12 Small Steps with Big Payoffs," each of which can add $1 million or more to your retirement nest egg if you start in your 20s or 30s. These steps are well known.”The book has had a huge impact on an untold number of readers.  The numbers are unknown because the Foundation offer the book free as a pdf, as well as a free link to the audio version  (LINK) that was read by Truth Teller Don McDonald.While the book has had almost 400 online Amazon reviews (averaging 4 1/2 stars), the approximately 100 written reviews have over 95% 5 star ratings.  Here is one from a young student (age 19 at the time) who is now in medical school!  5.0 out of 5 stars Life-changing book for young people interested in investingReviewed in the United States on December 17, 2020Format: Paperback Verified Purchase"We're Talking Millions" was a life-changing book. I am a 19 year-old college student who was directed toward Mr. Merriman's book as a great resource for first time investors. His book was the perfect resource for someone with little to no prior knowledge about investing.It starts by outlining the twelve steps to boost a retirement fund, listing tips and tricks along the way. One of the most helpful parts for me was that all of the investment lingo was clearly defined and explained, and I could get a very clear sense as to how each of these small steps fits into the overall puzzle. The book then outlines how to get started: explaining the "Two Funds for Life" investment plan, what investment companies are best to use, and suggesting specific investment funds.I cannot recommend this book enough!! I feel confident about my investment plan after reading this book, and I plan to share it with as many of my peers as possible. I have already given it to my sister and best friend. If you are looking for information about investing and don't have the energy to read a long, dense investing book, then "We're Talking Millions" is the book for you! It is interesting, short, and extremely informative, and I hope that it helps you as much as it helped me.Now Paul has recorded this podcast and video to discuss the 12 steps.  The video was produced as part of a special offering to introduce Western Washington University alumni to The Merriman Financial Literacy Program that is working to educate all WWU students on the personal finance topics that will be an important part of their future.Our hope is you will pass along these links to others in your life who might benefit from this free educational information.Is there someone in your life you think could benefit from the discussion of these 12 huge decisions? Here are several ways to access this information:  The following link is to a free pdf of our book, "We’re Talking Millions! 12 Simple Ways to Supercharge Your Retirement.”   A second and third link takes you  to a 2 hour video  and podcast on the 12 million dollar decisions.  And finally a very short (12 minute) podcast or video review of the 12 decisions.