At 82 years old, I still work. Not because I have to, but because I want to.

I joined Brian Herriot and Kirby Denison on “The Time Freedom Podcast” to talk about exactly that. But we ended up covering a lot more than I expected.

Here's something that might surprise you: I managed money for thousands of people over 30 years and built a firm to $1.6 billion under management. And I have never once managed my own money.

Why? Because I know myself too well. When the market drops, I would second-guess everything. I'd probably hesitate to put more money in, even though that's exactly what I teach people to do. So I let someone else handle it. I don't even check how I did last year.

We also got into my disagreement with John Bogle. I had the privilege of sitting with him for about 90 minutes earlier in my career. Bogle preached Enough and it's even the title of one of his books.

I respectfully disagree. I believe the goal should be more than enough. Because life gets in the way. Bad things happen. And they often happen during retirement, when you have the least ability to recover. If you stop working the moment you have just enough, you're one bad year away from trouble.

📚🎧 Brian's book Time Freedom is available for pre-order! Pre-order and get the audiobook free... instant access today, paper copy in September. Normally that takes three copies, but for my listeners, just one.

timefreedombook.com | code: PAUL

Q&A Highlights

1. How does a 4-fund portfolio compare to a 10-fund portfolio?
   
2. What is the best way to invest for a child’s future?
   
3. Is it too late to use a diversified strategy like the 10-fund portfolio at age 50?
   
4. Can I create and test my own custom portfolio using your tools?
   
5. How should I invest during periods of inflation or uncertainty?
   
6. What are some recommended fund options available at Schwab?
   
7. Is a portfolio combining large-cap value and small-cap blend a good approach?
   
8. Are there good alternatives to intermediate-term bonds?
   
9. Who are some trustworthy voices in personal finance and investing?
   
10. What is your opinion on separately managed accounts (SMAs)?
    

Key Takeaway

Long-term investment success is driven by asset allocation, discipline, and consistency—not complexity. A simple, well-structured portfolio that you can maintain through market cycles is often the most effective approach.

Listen to the individual questions here.

Paul Merriman is dedicated to helping do-it-yourself investors build portfolios they can stick with for life. In this episode, he shares what he believes is the closest thing to a perfect long-term equity strategy he's ever seen.

Paul traces the evolution of index investing — from John Bogle's cap-weighted S&P 500 funds to the academic research of Fama and French, whose factor-based work showed that small cap value, large cap value, and other equity asset classes have historically outperformed the broad market over time.

For years, the best factor-based funds from Dimensional Fund Advisors (DFA) were only available through select advisors. That changed when Avantis launched its ETF lineup in 2019, followed by DFA's own ETFs — putting institutional-quality, factor-based investing within reach of every self-directed investor.

Paul introduces a recommended ETF list spanning 10 equity asset classes across both fund families, explains the key differences between DFA and Avantis, and makes the case for owning both. He also covers where to buy them and why Fidelity's fractional shares make it easy to start with any dollar amount.

Key topics: Factor-based vs. traditional index funds · Accessing DFA and Avantis ETFs · The case for owning both · Simplifying rebalancing with M1 Finance

The Q&A Paul references was recorded separately.

In this episode, we explore how flexible (variable) withdrawal strategies can strengthen your retirement plan—and why fixed, inflation-adjusted withdrawals may increase risk over time.

Using detailed distribution tables—including Table F1.3 (flexible withdrawals) and comparisons to

Table D1.3 (fixed withdrawals)—Paul walks through real historical outcomes across decades to show how adjusting withdrawals based on market performance can improve long-term results.

You’ll learn:

• Fixed vs. flexible withdrawal strategies

• Insights from Tables F1.3, F1.4 vs. D1.3, D1.4

• How flexibility helps defend against bear markets

• The role of diversification and low-cost investing

• Why oversaving creates powerful financial freedom

If you’re planning for retirement or already taking withdrawals, this episode may offer a smarter, more adaptable approach to generating income.

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Boot Camp 7 page

In Boot Camp #6, Paul Merriman walks through real historical data starting in 1970 to test what happens when retirees withdraw 3%, 4%, or 5% from a $1 million portfolio — adjusted for inflation — across some of the toughest market conditions in history.

This episode covers:

• The difference between retiring with “enough” and “more than enough”

• How inflation quietly turns $30,000 into $130,000+ over 30 years

• What happens if you retire into a bear market

• Why 1% more in withdrawals can cost millions

• S&P 500 vs. a globally diversified four-fund strategy

• How diversification impacts lifetime income and legacy outcomes

• The real risk of sequence of returns in retirement

• Why some portfolios ran out of money — and others didn’t

You’ll hear side-by-side comparisons of:

• 100% S&P 500 portfolios

• 40/60, 50/50, and 60/40 stock-bond mixes

• A worldwide four-fund equity strategy

• Fixed inflation-adjusted withdrawals over 30 years

The results may surprise you — especially when comparing 3%, 4%, and 5% withdrawal rates.

If you're approaching retirement, already retired, or helping someone make distribution decisions, this episode breaks down the numbers in plain English and shows how small choices can create million-dollar differences.

Next week: the strategy Paul considers the very best distribution method — for investors who retire with more than enough.

Watch Video Here

Catch up on the previous Boot Camp 2026 here

In Boot Camp #5 of 10, Paul delivers what he believes is the most important session in the series—especially for new and early investors (teens, 20s, 30s, and anyone just getting started).

Instead of treating investing like speculation, Paul reframes it as building—or buying—a business over decades.

Using clear, data-driven tables and “fine-tuning” comparisons, he walks through a simple, repeatable plan: start with $1,000 per year (about $83.33/month), increase contributions by 3% annually, and stay invested for 40+ years. You’ll see how long-term outcomes change based on asset allocation (100% stocks vs. 60/40 stocks and bonds), and why diversification can matter when markets go sideways.

Paul also compares an S&P 500-only approach with a globally diversified “worldwide four-fund” strategy (mixing U.S. and international, large and small, value and growth). Along the way, he explains the real power source in early investing: your contributions, not short-term market performance—and why tax-advantaged accounts like a Roth IRA or Roth 401(k) can dramatically increase the impact of compounding over a lifetime.

If you want a practical framework for long-term, low-cost, diversified investing, plus a clear-eyed discussion of volatility, sequence of returns, and retirement withdrawals (including the concept of a 5% annual withdrawal strategy), this episode lays the groundwork.

• Why Paul believes this is the most important boot camp session

• Investing as building a business (the “portfolio mortgage” analogy)

• Starting with $83/month and increasing contributions by 3% annually

• Understanding the fine-tuning tables and historical market returns

• S&P 500 vs. 60/40 portfolio: balancing growth and volatility

• The Worldwide Four-Fund Portfolio and the benefits of deeper diversification

• How sequence of returns impacts accumulation and withdrawals

• Why you rarely notice individual company failures inside diversified funds

• The long-term advantage of Roth IRA / Roth 401(k) compounding

• Staying disciplined through crashes, recessions, and sideways markets

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How much should you really have in stocks vs. bonds — and what happens when the market turns south with a vengence?

In Boot Camp #4, we break down the fine-tuning asset allocation tables that show exactly how different combinations of equities and bonds have performed from 1970 through 2025. This episode goes beyond average returns and dives into what investing actually feels like during the worst 3-month, 12-month, and 60-month market declines.

You’ll learn:

• Why equities have historically dominated bonds for long-term retirement investing

• How the S&P 500 compares to diversified strategies like the Four-Fund portfolio

• The real impact of worst-case drawdowns (including 50%+ bear markets)

• What happens to a 100% stock portfolio during retirement withdrawals

• How 50/50, 60/40, and other stock-bond allocations reduce volatility

• Why median returns matter — and why averages can mislead

• How to control risk through asset allocation, low costs, tax efficiency, and index investing

We explore real historical data — including the 1973-74 bear market, the 2000-2002 tech crash, and the 2008 financial crisis — to help you understand both accumulation and retirement distribution phases.

Whether you're in your 20s building wealth, in your 50s preparing for retirement, or already retired and managing withdrawals, this episode helps you align your portfolio with your risk tolerance, return needs, and long-term financial goals.

If you want to be a confident do-it-yourself investor — without paying a 1% management fee — this episode gives you the framework to make informed decisions about stocks, bonds, diversification, and risk control.

Watch Boot Camp #4 video

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 diversification matters and how it can reduce risk and improve returns
• How different portfolios performed in tough decades like the 1970s and 2000s
• Practical takeaways for long-term investors, retirees, and those choosing equity allocations

Whether you’re a beginner or experienced investor, this Bootcamp episode gives you real numbers and evidence-based insights to help shape your portfolio strategy with confidence.

💡 Topics Covered:
✔ Sound Investing Portfolios explained
✔ Risk vs. return comparison
✔ Historical performance of diversified portfolios
✔ The role of small-cap & value stocks
✔ Why a 2-fund strategy can compete with the S&P 500
✔ How to think about risk in real market conditions

🔗 Useful Resources & Tables - https://www.paulmerriman.com/sound-investing-portfolios-2026
To follow along with the charts, tables, and data Paul references during the presentation, check the pinned links and video notes.

📈 Perfect For:
✔ DIY investors
✔ Retirement planners
✔ Anyone curious about portfolio diversification
✔ Investors who want to avoid common mistakes

📩 Questions? Paul encourages you to leave comments and reach out — he often uses viewer questions in future episodes!

➡️ Don’t forget to subscribe for more deep-dive investing education and future Bootcamp episodes from the Merriman Financial Education Foundation: Paul Merriman’s mission is to help you make more money with less risk and more peace of mind.