"When in doubt do nothing. It’s almost always the cheapest course of action.” Jonathan Clements

In This Edition
A Great Way to Celebrate a Birthday!
AAII- Paul Merriman: Boost Returns, Not Risk
Latest Podcast
Testimonial

The Bogleheads Conference was a ton of fun and a wonderful place to be as I turned 82. What are the odds I would ever have 550 like minded investors sing Happy Birthday to me? It was a joy spending time with old friends and fellow teachers: Allan Roth, Christine Benz, Rick Ferri, Bill Bernstein, Jim and Katie Dahle, Mike Piper, Scott Burns and many more. And it was a kick to have the opportunity to spend time with folks that have been following our work, some for over 30 years.

I also had a chance to meet twice with Alan and Katie Donegan, the young couple who were awarded a beautiful medal from the King of England. The medal was to honor their public work in teaching free financial literacy classes online in the UK. They have done a tremendous job of taking rank beginners and helping them overcome all the challenges the average first time investor must face.

I’m sorry I waited until I was so old to become a Boglehead.

Paul Merriman: Boost Returns, Not Risk

November 8, 2025 9-11

For the last 60 years investing has gone from favoring Wall Street over the investor’s best interest to favoring the investor over Wall Street. Investors are now well served with broader diversification, lower fees, lower taxes,, greater liquidity and more sources of dependable information. Even though the investor is well served, there are some decisions that need more investigation that could lead to better units of return per unit of risk. In this presentation Paul will discuss five topics that should help investors make better decisions now and in the future.

What you will learn:

● The pros and cons of traditional and non-traditional index funds

● Three ways adding small cap value should improve your portfolio

● Paul’s nominations for the best 2, 3, 4 and 5 fund portfolios

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/paul-merriman-boost-returns-not-risk-registration-1772699745659?aff=oddtdtcreator

Latest Podcast- The Biggest Mistakes Beginner Investors Make—and How to Avoid Them

In this practical and inspiring ETFatlas podcast episode, host Jack Lempart welcomes Paul Merriman for a return conversation focused on the biggest mistakes beginner investors make—and how to avoid them.

The discussion reveals why most investing errors are emotional, not technical. Paul emphasizes that successful investing is usually simple, though almost never easy.

Paul Merriman draws on decades of experience as an educator, advisor, and founder of the Merriman Financial Education Foundation to spotlight key pitfalls:

Trusting the wrong advice
Starting too late with investing
Letting emotions drive decisions
Chasing recent performance

Paul’s conversation goes further, sharing actionable tips:

How defensive investing and diversification protect you from major mistakes
Practical ways to automate good habits and avoid behavioral biases
Insights from both US and European market examples

You’ll also hear why academic research has shaped today’s best investment practices. Paul strongly advocates:

Automating decisions wherever possible
Broad diversification
Maintaining discipline during market turbulence

Listeners receive clear advice on keeping investing simple, avoiding high fees, and building portfolios designed to withstand uncertainty.

The episode closes with tips for further reading—including free educational resources and helpful links—to support every investor’s learning journey.

Youtube Testimonial- Erin Moriarity Video

Just WOW!!! Love it!!!

Wish I had all this info earlier in my investment journey.

Great content, I will forward this video to my young daughters, nieces, nephews, and younger investors.

The Biggest Mistakes Beginner Investors Make—and How to Avoid Them

The biggest mistakes beginner investors make—and how to avoid them

How to retire with more money and greater peace of mind

In This EditionA Great Way to Celebrate a Birthday!AAII- Paul Merriman: Boost Returns, Not RiskLatest PodcastTestimonial

In This Edition
A Great Way to Celebrate a Birthday!
AAII- Paul Merriman: Boost Returns, Not Risk
Latest Podcast
Testimonial