Sound Investing

PlanVision: Low Cost Flat-Fee Financial Planning for Do-It-Yourself Investors

Paul Merriman sits down with Mark Zoril, founder of PlanVision, in the first episode of a new series spotlighting affordable financial planning options for do-it-yourself investors.Mark built PlanVision in 2012 around a simple premise: investing isn't as complicated as the financial services industry makes it seem, and technology makes it possible to deliver thoughtful, unbiased financial advice at a price almost anyone can afford.In this episode you'll learn:What you get for $489 in the first year — including access to the eMoney financial planning platform and one-on-one advisor sessionsHow the $8/month ongoing subscription works, and when it makes sense to stay on vs. cancelWhy PlanVision has no commissions, no affiliate links, no insurance sales, and no conflicts of interestHow the firm handles complex situations: Roth conversions, Social Security timing, 529s, pension vs. lump sum, and tax planning (with a CPA on staff)What PlanVision will and won't do — no estate planning, no market timing, no gold hedging strategiesHow they serve expats in over 180 countriesWhat happens when a client passes away and a surviving spouse needs guidanceMark's own investing philosophy — and why he puts his own money in a Vanguard target date fundHow PlanVision works with clients who follow Paul Merriman’s, Rick Ferri's, Larry Swedroe's, or any other multi-equity asset class  indexing philosophyLinks mentioned:PlanVision websitePlanVision testimonialsRob Berger interview with Mark Zoril (expat investing, 60+ min)Stan the Annuity ManBogleheads PlanVision commentsWatch the full video on YouTube

Paul Merriman on Managing $1.6 Billion But Never His Own Money

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 Deep Dive

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

DFA & Avantis ETFs: Building the Ultimate Lifetime Equity Strategy

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 FinanceThe Q&A Paul references was recorded separately.

Flexible Retirement Withdrawals: Why Taking Less Can Give You More

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 strategiesInsights from Tables F1.3, F1.4 vs. D1.3, D1.4How flexibility helps defend against bear marketsThe role of diversification and low-cost investingWhy oversaving creates powerful financial freedomIf you’re planning for retirement or already taking withdrawals, this episode may offer a smarter, more adaptable approach to generating income.Watch YoutubeBoot Camp 7 page