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Artwork for Sound Investing

Sound Investing

Paul Merriman
S&P 500
Investment Strategies
Retirement Planning
Small Cap Value
Investing
Asset Allocation
Diversification
Target Date Funds
Financial Literacy
Investment Strategy
Bonds
Etfs
Mutual Funds
Financial Education
Index Funds
Market Timing
Inflation
Dollar Cost Averaging
Portfolio Diversification
Stocks

Weekly podcasts with Paul Merriman. Strategic planning for investing at every stage of life.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes563Founded7 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
InvestingBusiness

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Artwork for Sound Investing

Latest Episodes

Paul opens with news of a new opportunity to reach young investors: a five-part series for Next Generation Personal Finance (NGPF.org), available to some 150,000 teachers who use NGPF's free curriculum. Topics include the math and history of investin... more

WATCH THE VIDEO

It was a pleasure to be invited back on System Trader with Jack Lempart. Here is a list of the main topics we covered:

CHAPTERS

0:53 • My own biggest mistake

3:15 • Why “the stock market is a casino” is exactly backwards

6:48 • “I do... more

Paul and Chris reflect on Paul’s recent discussion with Rick Ferri. Paul adds information he wished he’d included, and Chris reacts to Paul and Rick’s positions. Together, they discuss the behavioral, trust, and performance benefits and trade-offs of... more

Watch the video here.

Paul sits down with Rick Ferri — not for a debate, but for the kind of honest conversation two people can only have after spending their careers chasing the same goal from different directions.

Rick makes the case against tilt... more

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Recent Guests

Rick Ferri
Investment advisor and author, known for DFA and Boglehead-related work
Independent advisor; prominent Bogleheads contributor
Episode: Paul Merriman and Rick Ferri: A Conversation Decades in the Making
Ben Carlson
Director of Institutional Asset Management at Ritholtz Wealth and Asset Management
Ritholtz Wealth
Episode: Ben Carlson and Paul Merriman on Full Disclosure
Mike Piper
CPA, PFS, blogger at obliviousinvestor.com
Bogle Head Organization; John C. Bogle Center for Financial Literacy
Episode: Mike Piper- Bainbridge Financial Literacy Series 2026
Daryl Bahls
Co-host, portfolio strategy collaborator
Sound Investing
Episode: Automating Your Portfolio: M1 Finance vs. Fidelity Basket Portfolios
Chris Pedersen
Co-host, portfolio researcher and configurator
Sound Investing
Episode: Automating Your Portfolio: M1 Finance vs. Fidelity Basket Portfolios
Bill Bernstein
Investing expert, author, and former neurologist
Independent investor and author
Episode: Bill Bernstein: 50 Years of Investing Wisdom
Christine Benz
Director of Personal Finance at Morningstar; host of The Long View podcast
Morningstar
Episode: Christine Benz: Practical Retirement Planning from Morningstar's Top Expert
Larry Swedroe
Author and investment expert known for evidence-based investing
Evergreen content in Merriman ecosystem
Episode: Larry Swedroe: The Evidence-Based Rules Every Investor Needs to Know | Bainbridge Financial Literacy Series 2026
Mark Zoril
Founder/Executive at PlanVision
PlanVision
Episode: PlanVision: Low Cost Flat-Fee Financial Planning for Do-It-Yourself Investors

Host

Paul Merriman
Host of Sound Investing

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 536 ratings
  • Respectful, thoughtful, patient and comprehensive. Terrific financial content

    Podcast Addict
    5
    Media Jack
    5 months ago
  • Great info

    This is a recipe for success. Thank you all for donating your time and knowledge to helping others.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Dman4321
    United States5 months ago
  • Love the show

    And everyone’s work! Appreciate you all so much.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Qrrvjkgxhjlkvg
    United States10 months ago
  • Great Opportunities

    By utilizing the teachings of Paul Merriman and his associates you will be presented a great opportunity to save and invest for your future. It’s not rocket science, it’s all about consistency over a 20,30,40 horizon of time. Just do it!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Hawkmaniac09
    United States10 months ago
  • Invaluable information for DIY investors.

    I’ve been listening to this podcast for several years. I always find invaluable data to help shape my understanding of managing my portfolio of investments on my own. Please keep up the great work!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    TermLimitsNeeded
    United Statesa year ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Some criticism exists around show length and presentation style, with calls for more concise delivery.
Guests are often experts or educators, contributing credible, research-backed insights.
Audiences appreciate long-term focus and avoidance of hype or short-term trading.
Listeners praise the education and depth, noting the data-driven approach to investing.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

The Investing Myths That Cost a Fortune
Q: What one practical step should a new listener take right away to improve their investing?
Create a simple, controllable plan: list what you can control (like reducing expenses and automating contributions), list what you can't (like day-to-day market timing), and automate your investments so you stay the course regardless of market noise.
The Investing Myths That Cost a Fortune
Q: What does the scoreboard say about active managers versus index funds, and is there really a star manager who can beat the market over time?
Historically, only a small fraction of active managers outperform benchmarks over long horizons, and even those that do may later underperform; in contrast, a well-constructed index or low-cost ETF approach tends to capture market returns reliably with less risk of underperformance.
Back from the Baltic and 12 of your questions
Q: How should one approach switching to Paul Merriman's 10 fund portfolio within a Roth account?
In a Roth, if already fully invested in equities, consider a single market entry to replace existing funds rather than an ongoing dollar-cost averaging approach; adjust based on overall equity exposure and risk tolerance.
Back from the Baltic and 12 of your questions
Q: What about the Four Fund international/worldwide portfolio versus all-value?
Worldwide all-value portfolios tend to show compelling long-run results and can outperform traditional four- or two-fund strategies over long horizons, though they may require more discipline and diversification across regions.
Back from the Baltic and 12 of your questions
Q: Is the Vanguard Federal Money Market Fund a good emergency fund, or should one use a Treasury money market fund?
Treasury money market funds can offer a slightly higher yield in some cases, but both are acceptable for emergencies; a short-term investment grade bond fund may offer higher yield with moderate risk.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
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Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Sound Investing

What is Sound Investing about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Long-form discussions focus on evidence-based, low-cost investing, with an emphasis on long horizons, diversification, and disciplined plans. Episodes frequently compare Avantis, DFA, and Vanguard approaches, explore two-fund-for-life concepts, glide paths for retirement, and the role of small-cap value within broad index strategies. A recurring arc blends practical portfolio construction with behavioral insights, often featuring guests who are educators, researchers, or practitioners in asset allocation and financial planning. The show is notable for its educational tone, data-driven arguments, and willingness to challenge conventional active management while providing accessible takeaways for DIY investors and families alike.

Where can I find podcast stats for Sound Investing?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Sound Investing. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Sound Investing and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Sound Investing get?

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What are the audience demographics for Sound Investing?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Sound Investing, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does Sound Investing have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Sound Investing has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Sound Investing?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Sound Investing:

1. Bogleheads On Investing Podcast
2. The Rob Berger Show
3. The Long View
4. Talking Real Money - Investing Talk
5. Stay Wealthy Retirement Podcast

How many episodes of Sound Investing are there?

Sound Investing launched 7 years ago and published 563 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Sound Investing?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Sound Investing?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Sound Investing from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

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How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Sound Investing?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Sound Investing. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Sound Investing?

Recent guests on Sound Investing include:

1. Rick Ferri
2. Ben Carlson
3. Mike Piper
4. Daryl Bahls
5. Chris Pedersen
6. Bill Bernstein
7. Christine Benz
8. Larry Swedroe

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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