In this episode, Paul Merriman details his upcoming presentations at Western Washington University, where he will be connecting with students, professors, and staff about the critical importance of personal finance education. Paul also gives practical investing advice, including a hands-on guide to using Morningstar’s chart and comparison tools to analyze mutual funds and ETFs.
Special Feature: Free Online Financial Literacy Course
Paul spotlights a fantastic, free multi-week financial literacy course led by Alan and Katie Donoghan—nationally recognized educators from the UK. This course is perfect for first-time investors of any age, as well as anyone looking to build a solid foundation in personal finance.
Course Dates:
- The next session starts 2 June 2025 at 8pm UK time. Sessions run weekly throughout the summer.
- What’s included: Engaging lessons on investing basics, budgeting, mortgages, and money management—delivered in a fun, approachable style.
- Format: Live online sessions (with replays on YouTube), each followed by an expert Q&A.
- Who’s it for: Anyone—from college students to adults in their 40s or 50s—looking to take control of their financial future.
- Previous students give rave reviews: Over 15,000 people have enrolled, with glowing testimonials from participants who now feel confident and empowered about their finances.
- How to join: Register here for free and find the intro video and full schedule. All sessions are accessible worldwide.
Morningstar Tools & Tables Referenced:
Paul walks listeners through using Morningstar’s chart and comparison features, specifically referencing the following funds and time periods:
VFINX (Vanguard 500 Index Fund):
- Time period: From August 31, 1976 to May 23, 2025
- Used to illustrate long-term S&P 500 performance
TESIX (Franklin Mutual Shares Fund):
- Time period: From August 31, 1976 to May 23, 2025
- Compared side-by-side with VFINX to show how a value fund performed versus the S&P 500 over nearly 50 years
- DFLVX (DFA US Large Cap Value Fund):
- Time period: From 1993 to 2025
- Compared with TESIX and VVIAX for large cap value performance
VVIAX (Vanguard Value Index Fund):
- Time period: From 1993 to 2025
- Used for comparison with DFLVX and TESIX
DFSVX (DFA US Small Cap Value Fund):
- Time period: From 2000 to 2025
- Compared with TESIX for small cap vs large cap value performance
AVUV (Avantis US Small Cap Value ETF):
- Time period: From 2021 to present
- Compared with DFLVX and VVIAX for recent small cap value performance
How Paul Uses Morningstar:
On Morningstar, Paul suggests:
- Navigating to the “Chart” tab for each fund
- Selecting “Max” to see the longest available performance history
- Entering ticker symbols (like VFINX, TESIX, DFLVX, VVIAX, DFSVX, AVUV) in the “Compare” box to view multiple funds together- make sure any funds being compared to the primary fund have a track record from a date at least as long as the primary fund
Using Morningstar’s Chart and Compare tools:
- Compare VFINX vs TESIX (1976–2025)
- Compare DFLVX, VVIAX, and TESIX (1993–2025)
- Compare DFSVX vs TESIX (2000–2025)
- Compare AVUV vs DFLVX and VVIAX (2021–present)
PDF showing the above comparisons
