"Friendship is like money, easier made than kept." FORBES

In This Edition
Free Online Programs: Financial Education Series
Understanding the Pros and Cons of Annuities with Stan Haithcock
Latest Podcast
Testimonial

I picture myself as a bit of a nerd who finds great joy in finding ways to improve the financial future for do it yourself investors. It also feels good when we can help investors move from the clutches of a high cost advisor to someone who will get the job done for much less. When I am asked to speak to groups I always do my best to make it happen. That has lead to opportunities to speak to high school and college students, Choose FI Chapters, AAII Chapters and Conferences, Bogleheads Chapters and Conferences, The White Coat Investor Conference, companies where an employee will gather a group of fellow employees and we discuss their 401k plan, etc. When a friend asks I’m willing to speak to as few people as their family.

How could I say “no" when Mavis Tsai, a friend of many decades asked me if I would speak at her online conference (April 22-26) entitled, "Confluence of Hearts: A Global Summit on True Self, Brave Connections, and a Love-Led World.” The Summit is presented by the nonprofit organization, Awareness, Courage & Love Global Project. The founder of the this nonprofit is my friend Mavis. I tried to convince her I am not an expert in her part of the world. She won and I enjoyed working with her.

I’m telling you all this because we will be sending you 2 email invitations to join us. While we are using our list of subscribers, we are in complete control of the distribution, as we never sell or exchange our subscriber list.

By the way, Julie and John Gottman are also speaking during the conference. I went to their all day presentation over 20 years ago. They were terrific!

Free Online Programs: Financial Education Series

I hope you will join me this evening. I will be interviewing Stan Haithcock, the expert I depend on when I have questions about annuities. We will dig into single premium life annuities (SPIA), multiple-year guaranteed annuities (MYGA) and other insurance products that are often over sold and over priced. What is the truth and how can you get what you need at the right price? Join me and Stan as he answers my questions and yours.

Understanding the Pros and Cons of Annuities with Stan Haithcock: Thursday, April 11 at 4:30PM

Stan Haithcock, also known as "Stan the Annuity Man" is recognized as one of the top independent annuity agents in the United States. Stan has authored seven books on annuities — all free on his website— and has produced over 1,000 educational videos on YouTube. His goal is to help do-it-yourself investors understand how annuities work and to protect them from costly mistakes.

Co-presented with the Bainbridge Community Foundation. RSVP through the Senior/Community Center.

Latest Podcast- 2 Funds for Life 2024 Update

Chris Pedersen shows how to automate investing with simple 2-fund portfolios. He discusses how target-date funds work and how to combine them with small-cap value funds to achieve results similar to more complicated portfolios. He highlights the 2 Funds for Life fine-tuning table in the Portfolio Configurator and shows how it can be used to set expectations based on different allocations.

He also shows how 2 Funds for Life approaches can be compared to Sound Investing portfolios using the Configurator. Finally, he takes advantage of Paul's absence to praise Paul's example and highlight the importance of non-financial investments.

Resources mentioned: ⁠https://lookerstudio.google.com/u/0/reporting/a941a5d4-0929-45ea-b22e-3bb82dc334ff/page/p_zy32acuhdd?s=hqmha3-AK5k⁠

⁠Watch the video here.

Testimonial

Thank you for your commitment Paul... can't begin to tell you how much you have helped me. Confidently retired this week thanks to you...

The truth about investing: ‘Common sense’ can be the worst advice

2 Funds for Life 2024 Update

Call To Action!

Here are a few simple ways to support the financial education work of The Merriman Financial Education Foundation, a registered 501(c)3. In so doing you help better the lives of individuals, families and communities, creating more opportunities for all.

Subscribe to our weekly “Sound Investing” podcast, available on your favorite listening platforms and leave a review. Tell us what you think!
Subscribe to our YouTube Channel, and hit the thumbs up, subscribe, leave a comment and share the link with your social media and friends.
Use our M1 Finance affiliate link to set up a brokerage account and use our portfolio suggestions. If you fund your account with a minimum of $1,000, our foundation will receive a one-time affiliate fee —at no cost to you—which helps support our financial education projects.
Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn
Buy our latest books, We’re Talking Millions! 12 Simple Ways To Supercharge Your Retirement and 2 Funds for Life: A quest for simple & effective investing strategies; all the profits help support our work.
Support our mission by making a tax-deductible donation to the Foundation.

In This EditionFree Online Programs: Financial Education SeriesUnderstanding the Pros and Cons of Annuities with Stan HaithcockLatest PodcastTestimonial

In This Edition
Free Online Programs: Financial Education Series
Understanding the Pros and Cons of Annuities with Stan Haithcock
Latest Podcast
Testimonial

Lets hear it from the brains of the Foundation