Procrastination is one of the worst enemies of wealth and the biggest sources of happiness.

In This Edition

Tim Ranzetta- Next Generation Personal Finance
Retiremeet 2025
Latest Podcast

Tim Ranzetta is one of our Truth Tellers. Tim is one of two founders of Next Generation Personal Finance For those interested in Tim’s commitment to helping high school students nationwide, I hope you will checkout the mission statement for NGPF, as well as the range of free curriculum they provide nationwide.

And for those interested in the annual NGPF State of Financial Education Report, you can review the highlights here.

In 2024 I was honored to be interviewed by Tim Ranzella, as part of their ongoing podcast series to educate teachers on various aspects of financial literacy. This interview just made the NGPF Top 10 Podcasts for 2024.

The following is the NGPF introduction to the interview: Paul Merriman, a seasoned financial educator and founder of an investment advisory company shares his transformative journey from a stockbroker to a passionate advocate for financial literacy, detailing his efforts to integrate personal finance education at Western Washington University. He emphasizes the significance of understanding investing basics, the benefits of index funds, and the utility of target date funds for retirement planning.

And here is a link to the podcast.

Retiremeet 2025

I am thrilled to be part of the upcoming Retiremeet.

Retiremeet is celebrating its 10th year of full day educational conferences. Attend online or in person.

Join leading experts at Retiremeet 2025 to gain confidence in navigating retirement’s complexities. Learn how to build a consistent income, steer clear of common investment mistakes, and make the most of Medicare benefits—all while protecting your financial future from cyber threats. Prepare for a secure, well-planned retirement.

Don’t miss inspiring talks from Tom & Don of Talking Real Money, along with many other notable speakers. Each attendee receives a full day of education on critical retirement topics from leading experts, breakfast and lunch, and a commemorative program filled with timely articles.

For a list of speakers and their topics click here.

I will be there the entire day. Please stop by my table to say hi or to discuss an investment question on your mind.

Latest Podcast- The True Story About Small Cap Value

There has been a lot of anti small cap value articles and podcasts over the last several years. I have been asked many times whether I think the small cap value premium is a thing of the past.In this podcast I have addressed the most commonly discussed criticisms of small cap value. During the presentation I reference an article entitled, "Small-Cap Value Stocks: Diversification or Di-WORSE-fication?⁠"

The Early Retirement Now newsletter is written by Karsten Jeske, PhD, CFA. Here is a ⁠video⁠ of a friendly debate that Karsten and I had on the “Forget About Money” podcast. Listeners will learn that Karsten and I have very different beliefs about what returns best represent the small cap value premium. I reference the real time Morningstar performance results of DFFVX (2000 to present), DFSVX (1993 to present) and AVUV (2019 to present).

During my discussion I reference ⁠Table G-1b, Fine Tuning Table: S&P 500 vs. US SCV Equity Porfolio - Out-Performance⁠ and ⁠Table H2a - Sound Investing Portfolios: Comparison Data ⁠

I also referenced a Q&A response on Truth Teller Rob Berger regarding his ⁠personal take on small cap value in his own portfolio⁠.

I also mention the interview with Jim Dahle at the 2024 Bogleheads Conference. ⁠https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8C3KhRJCwCQ⁠

The Truth About Small Cap Value

I’m 12 years from retirement, the future looks like a ‘train wreck’ and I want out of the market. Should I sell?

Factor Investing with Paul Merriman in Conversation with Jim Dahle

In This Edition Tim Ranzetta- Next Generation Personal FinanceRetiremeet 2025 Latest Podcast

In This Edition

Tim Ranzetta- Next Generation Personal Finance
Retiremeet 2025
Latest Podcast

The Small Cap Value Debate Continues