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In This Edition

Stacking Benjamins
Retirmeet 2026 was a BIG SUCCESS
A Message about Facebook
Latest Podcast- Boot Camp #6 Flexible Distributions
Testimonial

Stacking Benjamins

I’m excited to share I will be on a live Youtube panel Monday, March 16 with Joe Saul-Sehy from Stacking Benjamins, Paula Pant from Afford Anything and Jesse Cramer from Personal Finance for Long Term Investors. I have never been on but from what I’ve seen it’s a combination of a little silliness, along with some seriously helpful financial advice.

The show will air Monday at 2:30 and CT at12:30. You do NOT have to watch live. The show will be on Joe's podcast feed 3/27 and our YouTube channel on April 1.

The live link for the audience.

Retiremeet 2026 was a BIG SUCCESS

Retiremeet was a big success. Tom and Don put on a lively and interesting one day conference. There were over 350 people at the event and another 250+ online. They taped the presentation so I am hoping to share some of the presentations in the coming weeks

As you will see below, this week we are releasing 2026 Boot Camp #6 Fixed Distributions. Next week we will release #7 on Flexible Distributions. After that we would normally move on to #8 on 2 Funds for Life. I am going to wait until Chris returns from his travels overseas to finish the rest of the series.

I can hear the groans as that suggests that we won’t address the Best In Class up date for another month. Since I know how important that report is, I will do a partial Best In Class discussion on the March 25 podcast and the March 26 video. The discussion regarding Best In Class will also have an extended Q&A session so I can begin getting caught up on the Q&As.

A Message about Facebook

We’ve recently been alerted to a fake Facebook account impersonating Paul A. Merriman that has been sending messages to people. Please know that Paul does not contact individuals through Facebook Messenger for investment advice or personal messages. If you receive a message from an account claiming to be Paul, it is not legitimate. We recommend blocking and reporting the account immediately and avoiding any interaction. Thank you to everyone who has brought this to our attention and helped keep the community safe.

Latest Podcast- Boot Camp #6 Fixed Distributions

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

Testimonial

The 2026 videos are excellent. I thought it would be a tough act to follow the 2025 series but you and your team have kept it salient and up to date.
M. B.

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In This Edition Stacking BenjaminsRetirmeet 2026 was a BIG SUCCESSA Message about FacebookLatest Podcast- Boot Camp #6 Flexible DistributionsTestimonial

In This Edition

Stacking Benjamins
Retirmeet 2026 was a BIG SUCCESS
A Message about Facebook
Latest Podcast- Boot Camp #6 Flexible Distributions
Testimonial

Retiremeet 2026 Was a BIG SUCCESS