Paul Merriman

Paul compares the returns of buy-and-hold and timing portfolios for the period 2000-2014. You’ll learn about all the advantages and disadvantages of timing. If you are interested in using timing in your portfolio, Paul discusses what he thinks is the best combination of asset classes and market timing systems. The post The Best Market Strategy I know appeared first on Paul Merriman.

This podcast accompanies the annual update to Paul’s Fine Tuning Your Asset Allocation 2015 update. Paul reviews the many lessons investors can learn from the returns and risks of 12 different levels of investment risk with all bonds to all stocks. This update includes new numbers to better understand the short and longer term risks […] The post Fine tuning your asset allocation 2015 appeared first on Paul Merriman.

What Do You Want To Know About Bond Funds? Paul answers the 14 most common questions about bond funds. He references the following article about bond risk:  http://www.finra.org/investors/alerts/duration-what-interest-rate-hike-could-do-your-bond-portfolio 1.   Why invest in bond funds when equity funds make so much more money? 2.   What bond funds should I own in a rising interest […] The post Answers to your questions about bond funds appeared first on Paul Merriman.

  What are the most important things investors should know about the performance of their investments? This is the first in a series of podcasts about performance to give investors an in-depth knowledge of the asset classes Paul encourages investors to hold in their portfolios. This podcast covers many of the misleading aspects of performance(...) The post How Is Your Investment Portfolio Performing? appeared first on Paul Merriman.

What are the most important things investors should know about the performance of their investments? This is the first in a series of podcasts about performance to give investors an in-depth knowledge of the asset classes Paul encourages investors to hold in their portfolios. This podcast covers many of the misleading aspects of performance including(...) The post How Is Your Investment Portfolio Performing? (Introduction to Performance) appeared first on Paul Merriman.

Paul answers these common questions on investing from his readers and listeners. You can find more articles, recommendations and resources – including three FREE “How To Invest” eBooks – at PaulMerriman.com. 1.  Why don’t you recommend a technology fund? (0:46-7:17) 2.  What is the difference in the risk of each of your portfolios? Why did your portfolios do(...) The post Seven Investment FAQs appeared first on Paul Merriman.

Paul’s answers six recently received questions from his readers and listeners. Please note that start times are included so you can go right to the question of interest to you. 1.  Can you make recommendations for the commission free ETFs at E-trade? (1:17-9:10) 2.  Should I move my money from the U.S. Government TSP to(...) The post Six Questions and Answers appeared first on Paul Merriman.

In this podcast, Paul reviews 2014, and all the way back to 2000, to consider the performance of the major asset classes used in the Vanguard portfolios he recommends. He shares a terrible truth about the S&P 500 that may surprise most investors, and he describes how investors can make an already terrible return much(...) The post Review of 2014 and Long Term Returns appeared first on Paul Merriman.

Paul gives you the steps to put together the perfect retirement portfolio. What may be the perfect retirement portfolio for you may be very different from what Paul thinks is the best for him and his family. The key is matching your personal need or desire for return with a portfolio that gives peace of mind, even during the most turbulent markets. The risk(...) The post The Perfect Retirement Portfolio appeared first on Paul Merriman.

John Bogle is one of the most respected experts in the investment community, considered “The father of index funds.”  In this podcast Paul responds to many of John Bogle’s misguided recommendations in an interview at ETF.com. During the interview John makes a “big bet” about the future return of small cap, value and international asset classes. Paul thinks he is dead wrong and would take his(...) The post John Bogle’s Big Bet appeared first on Paul Merriman.

Paul presents the many financial education resources at paulmerriman.com to help investors improve their financial future. Learn about free access to a library of Marketwatch.com articles, podcasts, free books, and free recommendations for mutual funds, ETF’s and 401(k) plans to improve returns and reduce risk.  The post How To Get the Most Out of PaulMerriman.com appeared first on Paul Merriman.

The most common question I receive is about moving cash positions into the market. I have addressed this topic several times, but here’s one more try.  There is no “answer” other than to find a comfortable way to get back to the asset allocation that’s appropriate for the long term. I hope these comments will(...) The post How Do I Make the Move Back Into The Market? appeared first on Paul Merriman.

The Outrage of the Year!   For most of the last 30 plus years I have been a pain in the backside for brokers, as I have tried my best to warn investors about the dangers of doing business with an financial advisor who is compensated on a commission basis. In my book, “Get Smart(...) The post The Outrage of the Year! appeared first on Paul Merriman.

With the recent rise in the S&P 500 it’s happening again.  Investors are wanting to know if we should be reducing our positions in international equity asset classes and investing more in the S&P and other U.S. equity asset classes. In this podcast I discuss the challenges of owning a more diversified portfolio.  Have there be changes in international(...) The post Is it time to make changes in our portfolios? appeared first on Paul Merriman.

Paul talks with Ken Roberts of Ken’s Bulls and Bears Report about distributions in retirement. Paul answers many of the most common questions about distributions, such as when, how much do you need to retire? From where in a portfolio should you take money? How much should you be able to take out of investments in retirement?(...) The post Retirement Distribution Strategies appeared first on Paul Merriman.