Product Description
FROM THE BACK COVER: Are you caught up in the financial thinking of the last century? That's when we learned to buy a home and pay it off as quickly as possible. It made sense in the conditions that existed back then. It doesn't make sense today. How would you like to: 1) Safely leverage and compound assets you didn't realize you had? 2) Become your own bank and build family wealth? 3) Pile up stock market gains, but never take the losses? 4) Lock-in a rich, secure and carefree retirement? 5) Transform the IRS into your wealth-building partner? 6) Create real wealth, empowering you to help others? 7) Get to your existing retirement funds with little or no taxes? 8) Leave a fortune to your heirs? STOP SITTING ON YOUR ASSETS make these strategies crystal clear -- and you can apply them with security and ease. If you own a home, you owe it to yourself to know about today's new reality: You are sitting on a potential fortune that can safely and confidently be put to work to build a massively abundant financial future. A future so rich that -- before STOP SITTING ON YOUR ASSETS -- could have only existed in your dreams.
Customer Reviews:
Home Owner Beware.......2007-10-17
This will be short. I have already wasted enough time ready the book (actually I stopped reading in Chapter 9) At first, I thought the examples were funny and than I realized there may be people reading this book that actually are taking notes. This is intended for those few. Seek out the help of a Professional Financial Advisor. This book should come with a warning label.
don't waste your money on this book or its strategy.......2007-10-05
First of all, the author has enough material for a magazine article at best and she has padded and stretched it into a book. That makes for an annoying read.
Secondly, her math is deceitful. She says to borrow the equity from your home at 8% and put that money to work getting an 8% return and you will end up with a huge pile of money. What about the payments? Oh, yeah. She subtracts those as a lump sum at the end from your pile of money. Everyone knows the payments have to made every month so if you're borrowing at 8% and getting an 8% return you're simply going to break even. If you're as smart as a fifth grader you know that math calculations have to be performed in the correct order or you'll get the wrong answer. She also gives an example of someone who could pay cash for a house but takes out a mortgage anyway and invests the money. She conveniently ignores the fact that the person could simply pay cash for the house and then invest what they would have made in payments each month and that money would grow to almost the same amount as her "safety fund"
The third problem with this strategy is that the only way to get this 8% tax free, totally safe return is to buy a questionable insurance product that she or her friends will be happy to sell you. Then you'll have the IRS looking over your shoulder.
I'm not a big fan of a mortgage free house for a number of reasons but if you're going to harvest equity and invest it, you'd better know what you're doing. For the average person it's way too risky.
Start saving some money by NOT buying this book.
This book has been done before, called Missed Fortune 101.......2007-09-22
Sad to see people trying to ride the coattails of another book and rip it off so blatantly. The orignal book called Missed Fortune 101 introduces the world to these strategies. Well Stop Sitting comes in and basically changes a word here and a word there to try and be different. For example Missed Fortune 101 talks about "going down the highway of life with one foot on the gas and one on the brake" Ms. Snow talks about going down the highway with 4 flat tires and a broken windshield...Come on!
Read Missed Fortune 101 Missed Fortune 101: A Starter Kit to Becoming a Millionaireto read the real story first, Read Stop Sitting for a rehash, if you like that kind of stuff...
I know I'm gonna write a book called Elbib and have it start out with a guy named Aaron and a girl named Emily who live in the jungle, then get kicked out of the jungle for eating the forbidden vegetable...
Looking for answers.......2007-08-19
I, too, was in awe after reading this book. The ideas are presented in a simple, easy to understand way, and it seems to me to be very logical. I'm no financial genius, rather a former math teacher and the numbers seem to work on paper. But, really, after the awe has worn off and reality hits, what's the catch? This seems too easy. If this idea has been in existance for several years, then why hasn't it caught on with the "masses?" Why don't more financial advisors recommend this? Is there something I'm missing or does it really work that simply and just nobody knows about it? Somebody....give me the real scoop!
Very, Very dangerous book.......2007-08-02
As I began to read this book, my first challenge was to get over the unearned arrogance of the author. Marion Snow may have a "scientific mind" and have a little experience in the mortgage industry selling people mortgages, but she is no financial planner.
The book is absolutely full of errors and misrepresentations of how some very complex financial products work. She literally demonizes financial planning professionals who have spent years of their lives helping clients and studying the ever changing landscape of both financial planning, estate planning, as well as the Internal Revenue Code.
Some of her VERY dangerous errors are as follows:
First, nearly all of her calculations discuss saving taxes at a 30 or 33% tax rate. While this sounds good, the average American is nowhere near the 33% tax bracket. The 33% tax bracket does not begin for most married Americans until they have over $195,000 of annual income.
Secondly, the insurance products that she describe do not function as she indicates. On page 110, she casually mentions that her insurance strategy will work as "long as you are careful not to deplete your cash value." She does not mention that the "tax advantaged policy loans" she advocates are 1)charged interest by the insurance company, and 2) taxable if the policy lapses in later years. Additionally, she neglects to mention that Universal life policies have increasing costs which will cause them to lapse using her strategy.
Third, all of her calculations are "assumed and hypothetical." They do not address real numbers. About halfway though the book she indicates she "got her insurance license" just to verify her findings. Unfortunately, an insurance license is viewed by most credentialed financial planners with the same reverence that training wheels are viewed by Olympic bicycle racers...
Fourth, her mortage strategies advocate taking illegal tax deductions - the tax deductions she describes are not allowable to the degree the advocates, in the tax brackets she uses as examples. The deductions "phase out" well before a taxpayer can use them to the degree she illustrates. Simply put - the numbers are INCORRECT.
Ms. Snow should spend a few years in school and learn what she is talking about - and a few more years working with real world financial clients -before being arrogant enough to throw stones at those who do.
She is flat wrong in many areas and will hurt a great many people who take her cutesy approach to financial planning seriously.
Jon - CFP, ChFC
Book Description
Do you know your Number?
What happens if you don't make it to your Number?
Do you have a plan?
The often-avoided, anxiety-riddled discussion about financial planning for a secure and fulfilling future has been given a new starting point in The Number by Lee Eisenberg. The buzz of professionals and financial industry insiders everywhere, the Number represents the amount of money and resources people will need to enjoy the active life they desire, especially post-career. Backed by imaginative reporting and insights, Eisenberg urges people to assume control and responsibility for their standard of living, and take greater aim on their long-term aspirations.
In 1999, Eisenberg was in the midst of downshifting from having served as the Editor-in-Chief of Esquire and other high profile positions. He was "half-in, half-out of the workplace" with an enviable consulting position at Time, Inc., and a family comfortably settled in the suburbs. That's when he received an unexpected offer from the Wisconsin-based Lands' End which, in the end, he couldn't resist. It meant uprooting his family and moving to the rural heartland, and taking on the challenges of an entirely new way of life. Before the move, he admits, "I was worried about the Number." Once in Wisconsin, Eisenberg confesses that the "Number was leading us around by our noses."
From Wall Street to Main Street USA, The Number means different things to different people. It is constantly fluctuating in people's minds and bank accounts. To some, the Number symbolizes freedom, validation of career success, the ticket to luxurious indulgences and spiritual exploration; to others, it represents the bewildering and nonsensical nightmare of an impoverished existence creeping up on them in their old age, a seemingly hopeless inevitability that they would rather simply ignore than confront. People are highly private and closed-mouthed when it comes to discussing their Numbers, or lack thereof, for fear they might either reveal too much or display ineptitude.
In The Number, Eisenberg describes this secret anxiety as the "Last Taboo," a conundrum snared in confusing financial lingo. He sorts through the fancy jargon and translates the Number into commonsense advice that resonates just as easily with the aging gods and goddesses of corporate boardrooms as it does with ordinary people who are beginning to realize that retirement is now just a couple of decades away. Believing that the Number is as much about self-worth as it is net worth, Eisenberg strives to help readers better understand and more efficiently manage all aspects of their life, money, and pursuit of happiness.
* According to Eisenberg,
"Number chasers" fall into four personality types:
--"Procrastinators" enter their forties and fifties ensconced in a cloud of avoidance and denial about the years ahead of them, or simply do not understand investing in their futures.
--"Pluckers" often lazily or arrogantly pull ephemeral, albeit specific, Numbers from thin air with little attention to developing a realistic and coherent plan to achieve their goals.
--"Plotters" crunch every practical aspect of their financial history, hoping to cement their Number in black and white, even at the expense of not having fun and leisure.
--"Probers" visualize their Numbers not as an end but as the means to pursuing dreams and passions, and completing inner and outer journeys to self-fulfillment.
* The current
"Debt Warp" is the "silent Number killer that afflicts young and old" that has been brought on by our "whip-it-out credit-card culture."
* The
"Lost Years" describes a person's 20s, 30s, and 40s wherein sensible financial foundation-building bows to oblivious and careless spending, and the tug-of-war dichotomy between the "old Rest of Your Life" and the "new Rest of Your Life."
* A surprise
"Lifestyle Relapse" attack around retirement age can be induced by debt, aging, long term care, and self-absorption. Living longer and spending more, people will eventually experience dire consequences in response to the debt-drenched, expense account-driven lifestyles to which they have grown accustomed.
* The six tenets of the
"Eisenberg Uncertainty Principles" outline the dubious state of living in a carpe diem-addicted, indebted culture with little financial guidance or responsibility.
*
"Downshifting" is an important skill one needs to know how to do in the expanse between leaving a career and before death in order to maintain financial stability and a happy life.
Eisenberg's book is not an investment guide, but rather something wholly original: a revealing look behind our most common financial and emotional conflicts and how we can begin to get a grip on them. Eisenberg gives each reader a unique and unprecedented tool with which to virtually craft his or her future. This encompassing book is a priceless, step-by-step prelude to initiating, or continuing, discussions with a qualified financial advisor. The bottom line for The Number is that Eisenberg offers each reader a fresh and promising beginning to the rest of his or her life.
Download Description
"Do you know your Number? What happens if you don't make it to your Number? Do you have a plan? The often-avoided, anxiety-riddled discussion about financial planning for a secure and fulfilling future has been given a new starting point in The Number by Lee Eisenberg. The buzz of professionals and financial industry insiders everywhere, the Number represents the amount of money and resources people will need to enjoy the active life they desire, especially post-career. Backed by imaginative reporting and insights, Eisenberg urges people to assume control and responsibility for their standard of living, and take greater aim on their long-term aspirations.
Customer Reviews:
Pulp Non-Fiction.......2007-10-24
This book was a waste of paper and time!
There is much false talk of how Eisenberg has hit "the sweet spot" on the back cover of this book. Bah! Humbug! Sweet nothings is more like it.
Entertainingly and personably written, it is, nonetheless, as informative as a Jerry Seinfeld tv skit about finances.
Eisenberg writes extremely well, but his efforts are all much ado about nothing in the end.
Read the last two short chapters at the bookstore and put the money you save on this hardback book into your 401K.
Get's the reader moving!.......2007-10-24
Look- this book is about ideas, not formulas. I just made an appointment with a Fidelity advisor and I'm motivated.
Fidelity is going to be my "mother ship" in 10 years and I'm driving 2 hours to meet with a field office. The author gave me the idea after his comical discussion on retirement. Also, he brings the humanity into the equation. Thank God somebody has the huevos to bring up the fine points of where we really want to be after slaving for an employer . Living in a planned community is fine for some, but would be purgatory for me and he "gets it". Thanks Lee- I'm going to pass this book on to one of my buddies.
The Number.......2007-10-08
I have read many books about planning for retirement and investing. I enjoyed this book immensely. I see that many reviewers were somewhat disappointed with the book. Since I am from the era of Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance this book was right up my alley. We all are out there (or should be out there) chasing the number, but as with Zen there is a much bigger picture you must look at then just the number. My wife and I have had several conversations because of this book. As Mr. Eisenberg says in his book you can get a number with only a few taps of a calculator, but what you want to do with the rest of you life is a much deeper consideration. We feel that we are in a much better place to move forward with the rest of our life. Bravo Mr. Eisenberg!
Waste of money.......2007-08-26
Why can't we give "0 stars"? No insightful content. Self-important name-dropping. I felt cheated out of my $20+ for a book saying, "Retirement is about more than money."
More like 3.5 stars..........2007-08-09
A reader's perspective on this book will probably vary a lot based on their individual experience and knowledge. For some it may be eye-opening, for others it may be more like "tell me something I don't know".
It is a fast read, and full of interesting factoids. The history of how people have looked (or not looked) at their retirement plans (actual drawdown and spend, as opposed to micromanaging their 401ks) was interesting.
Pros:
- easy to read, light humored.
- Interesting stats, and good references to experts in the field
- Nice thumbnail sketches of types of individuals and their exposures to risk
- has some interesting frameworks. For example, think about your retirements spending as being equal to 4% of your intended nest egg. If you need more than 4% in retirement, you may need to save more to get your Number up.
Cons:
- may be too basic for someone who has done analysis for their actual long term planning. It should also come as no surprise that the current generation has their own accountability to save for retirement (not the government or your employeer).
- can be alarmist for people...i.e. Guess what, you could be in trouble. And even worse, you can't necessarily trust people who say they are 'experts'.
- middle section of the book drags a bit compared to intro, I thought.
In summary, if you have thought about retirement, but haven't yet really done some detailed planning, this book can be an enabler for how to think about plans. It won't solve your problems, but it will highlight the considerations you should be making.
I tend to believe that people get scared of the complexities in financial planning, when in fact, several basic principles can be applied to help an individual along a reasonably healthy path. The internet provides a lot of resources to do this, but there probably needs to be a better standard primer out there.
Book Description
Most investors spend too much time trying to outguess the market and not enough time thinking about their long-term financial futures. That’s why today’s retirees (and soon-to-be retirees) need strategies, not stock tips. Nationally recognized Certified Financial Planner®, radio talk-show personality, and author
Raymond J. Lucia shows you little-known concepts that can fatten your savings and boost your standard of living in retirement.
In an easy-to-understand and often humorous style, Lucia details how ideas such as nontraded real estate investment trusts, 72(t) elections, and equity-indexed annuities can give you, the investor, a leg up on the path to retiring in comfort and safety. Lucia brings his 30 years of experience to bear in revealing how and when to tap your retirement plans, ways to use your home as a source of retirement dollars, and how to lower taxes on appreciated company stock. He’ll also explain how investing in low-income housing tax credits can help you tax-wise even as you assist others.
Filled with hands-on, in-depth insights and practical advice, this book will give you all the tools you need to win at the retirement game.
Customer Reviews:
Helpful book !.......2007-10-01
This is the follow up to buckets of money. I learned a lot and enjoyed the approach. Some sections will be difficult for new investors to understand.....but stick with it, very good info and it is now one of my new reference books to review and share with others. Thanks Ray
Nondirected approach.......2007-09-10
The information given is a little disjointed and a common theme in integrated throughout without proving it.
ready-set-retire.......2007-09-09
Well written. In-depth analysis of bucket two strategies including annuities and complex trust/insurance alternatives. Recommend reading "Buckets of Money"- author's first book- prior to reading this book.
Good Book, but...........2007-07-09
Ray pretty much has a one size fits all philosophy. He is simply trying to get his name out there to promote his firm, which is not always known for doing what is best. He hosts a Radio show as well. If you are going to trust a radio guy, then make it Moe Ansari of Marketwrap.
Ready Set Retire.......2007-06-27
It was 5 star item for me as I have saved and have
< 10 years to retirement. It is easy to read and understand. It is a practical and conservative plan for a secure finacial retirement. You will want other books to cover other aspects of retirement but for a investment plan it is the best I have read.
Book Description
AT LAST, SOUND, INFORMED, REALISTIC ANSWERS FOR RETIREMENT FINANCE
Use the simple, step-by-step guidance in J.K. Lasser's Your Winning Retirement Plan to double your money for your golden years. Whether you're forecasting how much you need to be saving for retirement or are deciding how much you should be spending once you're there, acclaimed planning expert Henry K. Hebeler can get you the results you need. You'll analyze your investments and start getting the highest possible returns--with the least amount of risk; take a real-world look at your total financial picture, without inappropriate planning assumptions; and make use of a new concept called the Retirement Autopilot, which can help you budget more wisely today and ensure that your investments will last a lifetime.
Key coverage will help you:
- Beat reverse dollar-cost averaging so your money will continue to grow
- Make use of modern feedback theory to secure your finances today--as well as tomorrow
- Find solutions to different retirement scenarios, including early retirement and when only one spouse is retired
Customer Reviews:
Lasser Let Me down.......2007-08-26
Lasser is a known name in the consumer 'financial' publishing business. This book about retirement planning is very outdated and even misleading in some areas. The calculations it asks the reader to do are with pencil and paper. As my daughter used to say "A,DUUh!" There are a myriad of easy PC based tools in the market that are far superior. I would have returned the book the next day if I bought it at a local book store.
Financial Realism in Retirement.......2007-05-10
This is what happens when a highly qualified person writes a book to help others understand their retirement finances so that they can realistically plan and feel as comfortable as is possible with their present and future financial well-being.
It is based on realistic historical and mathematical facts. The planning methodology is as good as it gets. I can't say enough about how useful this book has been to me to say nothing of the confidence I now have in my personal finances. It's not enough to say that Mr. Hebeler is to be congratulated!
Good stuff.......2007-01-11
This book is different that others I have read and makes much more sense. Just wish I had it 30 years ago.
Thinking of retirement .......2006-06-28
JK Lasser's Your Winning Retirement Plan was very informative. If you are thinking of retirement you may want to read this book first. I found it helpful, and more than ever realize that I need to hire a Financial Advisor, because this is a big step. My money is going to have to get me through my golden years, hopefully for a long time.
Sage advice that will keep you on track.......2003-03-26
Hebeler's approach answered for me my most challenging questions: 1] Will my retirement assets allow me to spend what I need (want) to spend each year during my years in retirement? 2] Can I grow my assets at my desired rate while simultaneously lowering the risk of my portfolio? 3] How can I evaluate my financial health each year in a meaningful and action-oriented manner?
All your family members should read it. And if after reading Hebeler's book you still feel the need for professional financial planning, insist that he/she read it as well.
Book Description
This is the same diagnostic system I use with my own clients and with the financial advisors I train. So, going through it will be like having me sitting beside you, whispering in your ear, guiding you every step of the way.”
–from Your Complete Retirement Planning Road Map
Corporate pensions are disappearing. Social Security is in trouble. And the sizable postwar generation is reaching retirement age. With the futures of millions of Americans at stake, Ed Slott, the country’s foremost retirement planning advisor, now offers expert advice on weathering the perfect storm of financial instability that looms on the horizon. Your Complete Retirement Planning Road Map, Slott’s most essential and accessible book yet, provides clear step-by-step directions through the highways and byways of IRAs, 401(k)s, 403(b)s, and other major accounts.
In five helpfully focused sections, Slott combines crucial facts with interactive checklists and questionnaires (those he uses with his own clients) to teach investors and beneficiaries alike the best way to save and to maximize an inheritance. Inside you’ll discover
• My Account Inventory: an overview of every retirement savings account you own, whether you’re thirty or sixty-five–from what it is and where it is to who gets it and how, plus where to put important data for easy access and where to store your essential documents (hint: not in a safe-deposit box)
• The Account Owner’s Care Solution: how to properly fill out retirement account beneficiary forms so that whatever amount of money is left in your account after you’ve fully enjoyed retirement will go to whomever you choose and not to relatives who suddenly pop up out of nowhere
• The Account Beneficiary’s Care Solution: what to do when you inherit so that you won’t lose any of the tax benefits and other opportunities your benefactor has created for you, or make a mistake that could wipe out an inherited fortune that took years to build up
• The Special Issues Care Solution: how to handle the out-of-the-box issues that could affect you or your beneficiaries (e.g., life events such as divorce or incapacity; tax issues for unmarried partners; decisions about trusts)
• The Follow-up Care Solution: how to keep your planning on track and make adjustments when circumstances change, and how to determine whether your professional retirement advisor is really up to the task of preserving and protecting your money
• Plus: the most up-to-date information on tax laws, including the Pension Protection Act of 2006, which provides major new retirement incentives that you can take advantage of
Your Complete Retirement Planning Road Map is an indispensable planning solution that is sure to become the standard how-to on a complex subject that is becoming relevant to more people every day.
Customer Reviews:
A Financial Guide, not a Complete Guide.......2007-02-19
To me the title of this otherwise excellent book is somewhat misleading. It should say something like 'Your Complete FINANCIAL Planning Road Map.' That is, it doesn't go into things like should you move to the sunbelt, or how much money will you need, or medical aspects or any of these other subjects. Instead it is a very complete discussion on the tax issues of investing for retirement.
This book talks about IRA's, and Roth IRA's, and 401(k)'s, and all the other alphabet soup of the tax system in the United States. It is complete and up to date as recent as the 2006 changes to the tax laws.
A major part of the book consists of check lists that you should go over as part of your retirement/estate planning. These also are very well thought out and force you to think about things you would otherwise ignore.
A minor complaint, these checklists are printed in the book. I'd much rather see them on the web or in a CD bound into the book. He says you should fill them in using pencil in case you later want to make changes. I'd like it better to fill them in on a computer and then print them out. Once again, the information is there and more complete than you'd imagine, so you can consider this a minor complaint.
Enough info for a.........2007-01-26
small pamphlet, not a full size book. Rambling and repetitious. Read it twice and couldn't extract any useful information that wasn't available in other sources.
Comprehensive and Infinitely Practical--A Must Buy for Every IRA Owner.......2007-01-23
Ed Slott's latest book, Your Complete Retirement Planning Road Map provides the most comprehensive, infinitely practical, hands-on set of checklists I have ever seen for IRAs and retirement plans. Ed, perhaps the best known and most trusted author on IRAs and retirement plans, takes the reader step-by-step through important concepts regarding IRAs and retirement plans and provides the reader with an action plan. Ed really rolls up his sleeves and gets into the nitty-gritty. Another outstanding feature of the book is that Ed has included the best questions--with complete answers--gathered from his clients and readers over the years. Chances are if you have a question, it has been asked of Ed, and you will find your answer. If you buy Ed's book and follow his recommendations, you will be better prepared and better documented than 99.9% of all the IRA and retirement plan owners.
James Lange, CPA/Attorney Author of Retire Secure! Pay Taxes Later: The Key to Making Your Money Last as Long as You Do
Mastering the complex with simplicity.......2007-01-22
I have personally been studying with Ed Slott in his Master's Elite IRA Advisory Group for the past two years. This new book is a composite of the various modules we have been studying in depth. This book gives an excellent overview in a version to be understood and simplified so that many can be aware of the many issues present in dealing with the one asset that for many represents their largest financial position. I applaud Ed's efforts to make such a text available and appreciate the opportunity I have had personally to train in depth in all of the issues detailed in his book. I would also commend serious readers and investors to his two earlier books my favorite of the two being, Retirement Tax Time Bomb and How to Defuse It. Anyone with a large IRA should be aware and get the book. It could make a tremedous difference in who ultimately winds up the beneficiary of all your hard long years of labor.
Same Rules, Easier to Understand.......2006-12-30
I have read all three of Ed's IRA books. As a Financial Planner, I find the Retirement Savings Time Bomb to be the best. However, if you are slightly less versed in tax code than a professional planner, his newest book is an excellent tool. I strongly recomend it to all (non-financial professional) qualified account owners. Good Job Ed!
Book Description
The vision of a retirement spent playing golf or sipping martinis can be more of a dead end than a dream. For many people, retirement may span 30 years or longer and will not be viewed as an isolated economic event but rather a part of ongoing life planning.
In a comprehensive update of The New Retirementality, popular author Mitch Anthony revisits and expands on his groundbreaking concept of Retirementality—the ability to achieve the freedom to pursue life’s goals, at one’s own pace, on one’s own terms, and at any age. This book will help readers say goodbye to dreary financial opinions and hello to a whole new way of planning for retirement.
Drawing on the latest research on lifestyles and employment, Anthony debunks common myths about retirement, such as ""Age 65 is old,"" ""My retirement income will be spent on pills and doctor bills,"" and ""Retirement means not working."" Then, he gives readers a brand-new blueprint for retirement—from making a meaningful transition and maintaining a network of connections, to contributing through volunteerism and philanthropy, while ensuring there’s enough money to last a lifetime. Innovative ideas and planning techniques from top advisors in the financial world make this book stand out from others on the shelf. Anthony demonstrates that a life well lived after retirement should closely resemble life before retirement, filled with friends, family, work, travel, and hobbies. For the more than 77 million baby boomers on the cusp of retirement, The New Retirementality helps paint a detailed portrait of this ideal future and how to achieve it.
Highlights
Author Mitch Anthony reveals the latest thinking about retirement to show readers:Why our culture has undergone a transformational shift concerning retirement and how to adapt to this changeHow to calculate income for life using powerful new methods from leading analysts and plannersWhat are the vital signs that indicate retirement is the right decisionHow to live a vibrant life and find meaning outside the traditional world of work
Customer Reviews:
One of the best financial books I have ever read!.......2007-01-23
I highly reccomend this book to all of my financial planning clients. This book will challenge many of the traditional views/plans of most Americans and I believe will point you to an optimal plan for your life. It is a great read- very interesting. Mitch Anthony is a gifted author and his other books targeted to advisors are great as well.
Book Description
Retirement does not have to mean the end of life—in fact it can mean a whole new beginning to the life you never had time to explore. In HOW TO RETIRE HAPPY, WILD, AND FREE, best-selling author Ernie J. Zelinksi shows that the key to enjoying an active and satisfying retirement is dependent on much more than just having adequate financial resources. It means paying attention to all aspects of life, including leisure activities, creative pursuits, physical and mental well-being, and solid social support. With its friendly format, lively cartoons, and captivating quotations, Zelinski's guide offers inspirational advice on how to follow your dreams instead of someone else's, how to put your retirement in proper perspective, and how to enjoy life after work.
Customer Reviews:
One of the best books on retirement attitudes.......2007-10-16
I love this book!
Most speak about planning, goals, etc but this one discusses the emotional aspects of retirement and how to process your thoughts when you have time on your hands.
This should be required reading for everybody....retired or not!
The Best Book Available on the Non-financial Aspects of Retirement.......2007-08-08
I first noticed that "How to Retire Happy, Wild, and Free" appeared in Amazon.com's "Customers who bought this item also bought" list for virtually any other significant book on retirement. So I bought Zelinski's book. I was not disappointed.
Two reviewers state that this book is the same as Zelinski's international bestseller "The Joy of Not Working". This is not true. Although the two books have some similarities, "How to Retire Happy, Wild, and Free" is strictly for the retired or soon-to-be retired, whereas "The Joy of Not Working" is directed -- not only at the retired and the unemployed -- but also at working people who want a great work/life balance.
If I were a personal coach who gives advice to the newly retired, I would recommend "How to Retire Happy, Wild, and Free" to my clients as the best non-financial retirement book. If I was a corporate human resource manager, I would be purchasing this book in quantity to give to all of my company's retiring employees.
In short, "How to Retire Happy, Wild, and Free" is the best book I have read on the personal aspects of retirement. The chapters are devoted to the consideration of activities that enhance body, mind, and spirit. Zelinski quotes from many sources, but his attitude is reflected in this excerpt from his own writing:
"You will have attained true freedom in this world when you can get up in the morning when you want to get up; go to sleep when you want to go to sleep; and in the interval, work and play at the things you want to work and play at -- all at your own pace. The great news is that retirement allows you the opportunity to attain this freedom."
The same as Joy of not Working.......2007-08-05
This is pretty much the same book. So get one or the other but not both.
GOOD, nOT GREAT.......2007-06-22
This is one of the better books on retirement. It's presented in a light, informal manner which I enjoyed. It's also a fast read. And with retirement looming one doesn't always have time to pour over a lenthy, dry book.
I'sd recommend this book for the semi savvy near retiree. If you're a complete beginning without a lot of knowledge about saving or nivesting this may not be oyur best bet.
And for anyone interested in getting a better return and finsding financial security i recommend The Millionaire Mind. The Millionaire Mind
How to Retire Wild, Happy and Free.......2007-05-15
Very good advice for anyone either retired or within 5 years of retirement. Much infomation on the softer side of retirement most people don't consider before termination of thier work life.
Book Description
When is the right time to retire? Should you relocate, and if so, where? How can you make sure your money will last as long as you do? What kind of lifestyle will best suit your retirement years? Two million Americans reach retirement age each year, and they urgently need reliable information and guidance as they plan for the second half of their lives. Drawing on the expertise of the authors-who conduct retirement seminars and have traveled extensively investigating places to retire and talking to prospective retirees and those who have taken the plunge-as well as the insights of contributing experts in various fields, Retire Right is designed to be a comprehensive, all-inclusive resource. l Provides detailed information about particular locales, financial planning and tax considerations, lifelong learning opportunities, leisure and volunteer activities, and working after retirement l Includes interactive surveys, questionnaires, and worksheets to involve readers in the rewarding process of planning their ideal retirement l Delves into the psychological issues surrounding retirement Filled with practical information and advice, anecdotes, resources, and a healthy dose of humor, Retire Right is the one and only guide retirees will ever need.
Customer Reviews:
Addresses the new age.......2007-10-12
I found this book exremely helpful in learning how to save, invest and live in the new economy.
One of the better books on retirement as it addresses the world we live in now, a big difference to the world our parents grew up in.
Great Book.......2007-07-31
This a great book for planning for your retirement. Well written and informative. Good buy.
Baby Boomer Getting Ready To Retire.......2007-06-02
I'm sure glad that I found this book! As a Baby Boomer rapidly approaching retirement, I found it to be just what I needed. There is a lot of information about planning for your retirement along with where to retire to - I didn't agree with all of them but that's okay.
If you have a retirement question then you should find your answer in this book. I refer back to it quite often.
5 Stars +.......2007-05-03
I've read through many retirement books and this one really has the right approach. This book is well written and informative. In addition, the author has a good sense of humor.
An edge over other books.......2007-02-25
This book gives you a great way to start your research on retirement. The authors have included information that you might not have considered when thinking about retirement. The book is easy to read and the "real life stories" give it an edge over other books of this type.
Book Description
Learning how to
talk your way out of credit card debt is the quickest, easiest, and most efficient way to start saving money!
It's true! You can call your credit card banks to negotiate a better interest rate and have fees waived! However, it may not be as easy as picking up the phone and asking. That's because bank representatives are trained to deter you from pursuing the deals you deserve. Overcoming their tactics can be difficult when you don't know what to expect.
Scott Bilker, author of
Talk Your Way Out of Credit Card Debt, and creator of DebtSmart.com, has spent 10+ years making banks compete for his business. Now, he's sharing his personal phone calls to banks that saved more than $43,000 for himself, his family, and friends! These 52 phone calls, out of the hundreds he has made, demonstrate exactly what worked, what didn't, and why. In each call transcript, for anonymity, banks have been renamed as dog breeds and their reps as bugs.:)
In this book you will discover proven negotiation strategies, and build your confidence, while learning how to: (1) get annual fees waived; (2) lower your current interest rates; (3) shop for the best credit card deals; (4) get late-payment, overlimit, and cash-advance fees waived; (5) compare loan options and calculate savings; (6) dispute charges and get all your refunds; (7) negotiate account settlements; and much more!
Customer Reviews:
The man has 80 credit cards!.......2007-10-22
The man has 80 credit cards! That may seem to be a crazy amount to most people, and it's one at which most financial advisers would shudder, but to do what he wants to do with the industry (save and make money), 80 credit cards--maybe more--are needed.
Scott Bilker has an interesting take on the massive credit card industry: "The banks are at our mercy!" That may seem absurd to those of us who have piled up the average debt of $8,500 or more on a Macy's or Citi Platinum card, but that's his take. He's proven it with over 400 minutes of transcripts of interactions between him or his friends and the credit card companies. There is
Bilker is also quite humorous- his New York mentality shows up in witty comments about the industry: if you're late a couple times, your APR may go up to 29.99% and you could get a better rate in North Jersey with the mafia, he says.
Bilker also touches on Credit Arbitrage, which is a way to turn a money-losing situation into a money-maker. All-in-all, this is a fascinating sociological and economics lesson that is well-recommended.
JSBM
Author, How to Take Advantage of the People Who Are Trying to Take Advantage of You: 50 Ways to Capitalize on the System
A helpful beginning.......2007-08-31
I bought this and then returned it. While I think it would be helpful for many people, it was not as focused (in my opinion) for people over their heads.
Wonderful Book.......2006-08-31
This book is simply amazing! I had previously used some of the techniques Scott teaches, but other things he tells you to do blew my mind! The things Scott talks about are easy to do AND can save you a TON of money! I would highly recommend the book to anyone with ANY amount of credit card debt, or even if you have NO credit card debt.
Real advice that works!.......2005-08-12
I am in the same field as Scott, and have recommended his book countless times to consumers. With credit card companies raising rates, fees, etc. his advice could not be more timely.
I just interviewed Scott today (8/11/05) on my EverydayWealth Radio program on [...] and he told me how he just got a 10 month old late fee waived! That's practically unheard of.
I can't recommend Scott's book highly enough. You'll easily recoup many times the price of the book if you implement his suggestions.
A valuable book from day one.......2004-05-15
I was shopping for a book that would help me with the credit card debt I have accumulated. I chose this book. It has proven to be very bemeficial to me. It contains a large amount of information your banks don't want you to know. My first night of reading the book, I got up to about page 70 and made my first phone call, with the intent of gaining information about the account and possibly getting a fee reversed. I ended up getting a $50 credit to the account, relatively easily. I cannot praise this book enough! If you need to reduce your credit card debt, this book may very well be your solution.
Book Description
Where would your dream take you if you had a whole year to just travel? But perhaps you're thinking, "if I only knew how to start planning my adventure!" This detailed "how-to" guide will get you moving from the dreaming to the doing in no time at all.
Included is step-by-step, real-life information on planning the trip you've always wanted to take -- along with generous doses of humor and advice on topics such as:
* How to pay for a year away from home * How to unravel all your current commitments - to family, work, and organizations * How to plan on the fly and enjoy every day * How to pack in 3 small drawers and 24" of closet space - for two! * How to handle the emergencies that crop up along the way * And the most asked question: How to enjoy your traveling companion on a 24/7 basis!
Once you've decided to "leave it all behind", Live Your Road Trip Dream takes you along on an action-packed, whirlwind tour of the authors' trip - just to help you visualize what months on the road might really be like, and to offer a glimpse into how decisions and discoveries are made along the way.
This is the ultimate road trip planning guide.
Customer Reviews:
Are these people organized or what?.......2007-10-12
This is not a directory of parks where you can take your RV. Nor is it a road guide to every stop in the U.S. with details of what to see and where to sleep. It is a combination of a how-to-do-it guide and a personal journal of a trip. And it is incredibly useful in the planning of the trip. As a completely disorganized person I admire the highly tuned organization that went into this trip.
When you come down to it, this book could be used by a couple going on an extended automobile trip as well as an RV. All those questions that come up: what to do about mail and bills (especially unexpected ones). Who watches the house or do you rent it out? What happens if there is an accident--either to the vehicle or to the occupants? How do you deal with an emergency at home? (I had no idea it was so easy to simply park your RV in a motel parking lot and take a plane home if need be). And of course--how do you keep out of each other's hair?
You do get to know the Whites personally through the book. They are obviously good sports. No whining when Carol breaks her ankle. The trip goes on and she hobbles up and down the terrain. They are defintely the poster couple for active retirement--trudging through national parks, rafting down the white water, golfing when they come upon a welcoming green. They are not only active they are obviously well-to-do and are able to stay in motels and eat at the better restaurants when they desire.
It doesn't matter if you don't have their stamina or their yearly income. What they have outlined is a very usable roadmap for taking the year off and traveling while still keeping in touch with family, friends and finances. They have also worked up a budget for a more frugal journey (around $44,000 rather than $78,000).
I mention this book in my newly published "Crafting the Travel Guidebook", because I consider it an excellent example of the double category book. It also happens to be a good read!
Road Trip???.......2007-10-06
These two authors basically drive around the country and pour out verbal diahrea on boring facts about their trip that no one in their right mind should care about. They are actually proud of the fact that they only???? spent 80k in one year of travelling. They must have lived like anaimals! Also, Carol seems to use the exclamation point way too excessively in her writing! If you are not retired and are somewhat of a young age please avoid this book. I did give it one star because if you have a good sense of humour you might enjoy her little stories!
For me, more of a 3 1/2 star book but since halves are not an option, 4 stars........2007-10-03
The first chapters of this book provide excellent guidance for planning a one-year trip away from home. The authors guide you through the entire process of planning and preparation. Definitely four star information. The authors purchased a small RV, set up their budget, rented out their house and got ready to go. This book shares what worked for them and walks you through all the necessary steps that need to be accomplished prior to your departure including a planned/actual budget and a more frugal version. Both budgets seemed high to me, but if the trip were made today, both might be a real bargin.
The second portion of the book, a journal of their year on the road, seemed sketchy and a bit disjointed. There isn't a lot of information on any of the areas visited, so not as useful as it might of been for some actual travel planning. They spent so many nights at hotels that I'm not sure the motor home was a good investment, but the authors thought it was.
If you are considering traveling away from home for an extended period of time, you will find this book a helpful addition to your library along with one or two good travel guides. If, however, you are more interested in reading about traveling the USA in a small RV, Barbara Thacker's books, while older, are fun armchair travel reading along with Ron and Barb Hofmeister's books on full timing in a much larger RV.
Entertaining and loaded with great info.......2007-08-26
This is a very entertaining book loaded with great information about extended traveling. Be it just a few weeks or a year or more, the authors have dispensed great ideas on how to handle the everyday life you leave behind (for whatever period of time).
I finished the book in about a week, reading it for it's entertainment value. I will be retiring soon and my wife and I plan on taking extended "vacations" in our RV. I will read the book again (and again) so I can garner as much information as I can.
listen to the voices of first-hand experience.......2007-07-19
Phil and Carol White amply demonstrate that anyone can live "a road trip dream" as they thoughtfully share their proven insider tips for enjoyable RV travels. Interesting to discover, according to the authors, that a big mistake first-timers make is overplanning. Read this book and "just do it!"
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- The Adventures of Tintin: Tintin in America / Cigars of the Pharaoh / The Blue Lotus (3 Complete Adventures in One Volume, Vol. 1)
- The Automatic Millionaire: A Powerful One-Step Plan to Live and Finish Rich
- The Brand Gap: Expanded Edition
- The Complete Credit Repair Kit (+CD-ROM) (Complete Credit Repair Kit)
- The Complete Credit Repair Kit (+CD-ROM) (Complete Credit Repair Kit)
- The Complete Eldercare Planner, Second Edition: Where to Start, Which Questions to Ask, and How to Find Help
- The Complete Guide to Credit Repair
- The Complete Idiot's Guide to Buying Foreclosures
- The Complete Idiot's Guide to Publishing Children's Books, Second Edition
Books Index
Books Home
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