Paul Merriman

1.Vanguard founder Jack Bogle says it’s time to play it safe. Should we be making changes to our portfolios or stay the course? :40 2. Did active managers beat passive funds in the recent selloff? 15:15 3. What are the relative risks and returns of the S&P 500 and small cap value index? 26:33 …

Not 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, …

Paul answers some recent questions from readers and listeners. How far is the market likely to fall? How has your market timing system worked in this market decline? Which is the better Vanguard large cap ETF: VTV or VONV? Jeffrey Gundlach says investors shouldn’t invest in index funds because they are hurting investing behavior. …

At the 2018 AAII National Conference, Paul presented key concepts from the Ultimate Buy and Hold strategy and premiered the Two Funds for Life strategy, and had the great pleasure of hearing a talk by Mark Hulbert, founder of the Hulbert Financial Digest and senior columnist for MarketWatch. Considering it was the best talk of 2018, Paul asked and was …

Paul discusses 9 different lies, or myths, that keep millions of investors from investing in stocks. Some of these lies are created by the “fake news and advertising” from Wall Street, and some by the natural fear of loss.  In one example of an investment myth — “Investing is risky” — he compares the …

In this lively conversation, Paul talks with Tim Ranzetta of NextGen Personal Finance about index funds, dispelling common myths young people have about money, how to build a portfolio for life, target date funds, the importance of diversification, the commitment to helping people help themselves, and more. 

Since the market started making noises like a baby bear, more investors are asking,”What is the appropriate percentage of equities in my portfolio?" Paul addresses this question from the points of view of a young investor, a pre-retiree and a retiree, and also considers the dangerous probabilities of bad advice from commission-based advisors. In …

In wishing listeners a Happy Thanksgiving, Paul shares some of the reasons for his gratitude, and 12 important decisions/choices that every first-time investor will make. He provides a few reasons why one path is likely to lead to a better financial outcome. Attached is a list of the choices he recently used to teach …

When 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? …

This podcast, recorded before the market opened on Election Day in the U.S., begins with Paul's advice on how to respond to the election results. He then answers the following questions from his readers and listeners: Why are bond funds losing money? Are individual bonds better than bond funds? How has mid-cap value performed …

These 10 important lessons should be considered when putting to work the "2 Funds for Life" portfolio in your portfolio. Paul focuses on the likely long-term gains and the likely short-term losses, answers questions, and discusses the other sources of information on the strategies. For the video, articles, tables and Q&A about the “Two …

A simple strategy to maximize your retirement investments In this podcast, Paul Merriman and Chris Pedersen – who spent most of the last two years developing the “2 Funds for Life” strategy – discuss the rationale, research, details and benefits to easily implement this simple strategy. The discussion includes a quick review of the “Three greatest investment products” (podcast and 

In a recent conversation with Ken Roberts, of Ken’s Bulls and Bears, Paul answers some timely questions, such as: Do you expect value to be a top performer again? How much do you think investors should have in value? With the market being so high, what are you telling investors …

After making the point in “The three greatest investment products” that the target date fund is the best of the three (mutual funds second, and index funds third), Paul discusses the glaring problems inherent in almost all target date funds. While challenges include high expenses, active management and too …

Paul discusses George Sisti’s comments about the best mutual fund, best “safe" withdrawal rate, and why "working harder" doesn’t seem to help investors. And he answers questions from readers and listeners. 1.  What do you think of the new Fidelity zero-fee mutual funds? 2. Why are bonds losing money? 3. Which do you recommend: Vanguard …