Product Description
Focuses on retirement planning for the business, the business owner, and the individual. Covers qualified plans, nonqualified plans, and IRAs; the second part deals with retirement needs for individual clients. Emphasizes the practical knowledge needed for choosing the best retirement plan and designing a plan that will meet a client's needs. Discusses personal retirement planning and retirement distribution planning. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Filled with errors
I'm really upset with this book. It is filled with errors. Sometimes they say Defined Contribution when they mean Defined Benefit, Cash Balance when they Profit Sharing. I love having reference books by my side, and I had hoped this would be a good one...it is not. Moreover the prose is filled with backtalking and the outline is not clear. It's too complex to be a "general overview" and too many errors make it useless in the office.
Brian ... Read more

Product Description
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 adviser, now offers expert advice on weathering the perfect storm of financial instability that looms on the horizon. Your Complete Retirement Planning Road Map 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 focused sections, Slott combines crucial facts with checklists and questionnaires to teach investors and beneficiaries alike the best way to save and to maximize an inheritance. Inside you’ll discover

• an overview of every retirement savings account you own–from what it is and where it is to who gets it and how, plus where to put important data
• how to properly fill out retirement account beneficiary forms so that money goes to whomever you choose and not to relatives who pop up out of nowhere
• what to do when you inherit so that you won’t lose any tax benefits or make a mistake that could wipe out an inherited fortune that took years to build up
• how to handle out-of-the-box issues such as divorce or incapacity; tax issues for unmarried partners; decisions about trusts
• how to determine whether your professional retirement adviser is really up to the task of preserving and protecting your money
• the most up-to-date information on tax laws, including the Pension Protection Act, 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.

“IRA savant Ed Slott [helps] you make the most of your retirement earnings or inherited account.”
–USA Today

“Ed Slott knows more about the care and feeding of IRAs than anybody else.”
–Newsday ... Read more

Customer Reviews (17)

Requirements must be met before purchasing this book.
Requirement:You should be 60 years old, or retiring soon before purchasing this book.Main thing I received from book:hire a lawyer to go through your estate planning.That way your childern do not have to go through probate to get your money.The more you have in writing for your childern the better.You don't need a book to tell you that.

Save your money, but...
Take a tip and buy life insurance. This is the sum total of this book.

ed slott, retirement planning, retirement plans
Your Complete Retirement Planning Road Map: A Comprehensive Action Plan for Securing IRAs, 401(k)s, and Other Retirement Plans for Yourself and Your Family

Ed Slott book review
I found it to be helpful and for the price how can one go wrong if one finds anything that should be changed?Found 3 mistakes in my planning and will save thousands, nice trade for the price of this book.

Goes beyond theory, tells you what to do


Most retirement plan and IRA books cover general principles but never get down to helping you implement the advice given.Ed gives specific instructions to help you get your IRAs and retirement plans in order.If you read this book and do what Ed advises, you will be ahead of 99% of IRA and retirement plan owners.

James Lange, CPA/JD, Author Retire Secure! Pay Taxes Later ... Read more

Product Description
A helpful plan for retirement. ... Read more

Product Description
Every financial planner should be prepared to address the emerging retirement income planning need to satisfy clients perceived and actual security based on psychological and behavioral finance issues unique to today s retirees. Specialized practitioners will understand defining/reducing risk, stochastic modeling and income planning research, as well as future trends facing Baby Boomer retirement. Complete with comprehensive strategy coverage. Discover how to develop custom models targeted at replacing the stability of a regular monthly paycheck while controlling withdrawals. Create a personal pension one sustaining longer life spans and late planning.
You ve helped clients accumulate wealth for retirement. Now what?

Income risk management withdrawals, allocation & modeling
Insured solutions annuities, life insurance & living benefits
Tax Considerations vehicles, planning, rollovers & distributions
Investment strategies bonds, reverse mortgages & combination investments
The Retirement Model is All-New. Empower yourself to excel at the financial services discipline dedicated to bridging the gap between wealth preservation and the strategies for extended income needs during retirement. Tools & Techniques of Retirement Income Planning is written by leading practitioners and packed with problems/solutions facing today s retirees and the pending Baby Boomers who will reportedly compose 20% of the total U.S. population by 2030.

Have you prepared your clients? Discover the ins-and-outs of fixed immediate annuities with locking up income and hedging your bets strategies. The immediate need for retirement income planning guidance and the readiness of advisors to meet that need is at hand. The authors discuss vast plan differences related to the health of your clients from flexible cash flow aimed at contingency planning versus guarantees. A realistic retirement income strategy should extend beyond life expectancy. Chances are... you will want this invaluable reference in your personal library. Life Insurance, PACE, and CFP® CE Filed.

Chapters to feature: the top 12

Future Trends in Income Planning
Psychological and Behavioral Finance Issues
Defining and Reducing Risk
Sustainable Withdrawals
Types of Income-Generating Annuities
Early Distribution Planning Techniques
Stochastic Modeling
Asset Allocation Issues
Role of Life Insurance
Rollover Planning Strategies
Reverse Mortgages
Required Minimum Distributions



Delivers value at any knowledge level introductory, overview & review!

Testimonials
In each of our books we had one major goal in mind: To create the single best source of up-to-date, pragmatic and transferable information on the topics you need to help others.

Stephan R. Leimberg, Lead Author of Tools & Techniques ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Excellent Overview of Retirement Planning
Excellent Overview of Retirement Income Planning from a holistic perspective.This well written, easy to follow book covered every topic that I needed to better understand retirement planning as I was studying for the Certified Financial Planning Board exam this past July.The book covered the tax, financial, and legals aspects of saving for retirement and then layered in great discussions of the emotional and psychological implications of retirement.The book was a wonderful blend of technical aspects of financial planning combined with George Kinder's (among others) contributions to life planning.I recommend this book both to people like me who are new to the field as well as to more seasoned planners who are looking for a refresher (and a reminder) of the myriad aspects of retirement that impact our clients. ... Read more

Product Description
This comprehensive retirement planning guide has proven its value to individuals and organizations over many years for one simple reason-it works. Fully updated and easy to read, Comfort Zones brings together all the major aspects of retirement, including relationships, health issues, use of time, living arrangements, finances, and more. In no time, you’ll find yourself getting closer to a more defined and tangible plan for your own retirement goals as you actively work through integrated worksheets, questionnaires, and tables along the way. Take control of your future today-set the tone for your retirement to enjoy the quality of life you deserve! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The Most Complete Book I've Read on Retirement
This is one of the better retirement books around, quite possibly even the best of the bunch but I really can't say that, I haven't read them all. This book gives not only the most rounded discussion, but includes worksheets to help you define your goals and desires.

There are a few specific comments worth making:

Chapter 1 talks about retirement from a general sense, but the underlying tone is about the concern people have about being bored. I and the vast majority of people I know didn't have that problem at all. Instead we wonder how we ever found time to go to work. I wake up in the morning with nothing to do and by bed time it's only half done. There's the Arts Council, the community theater, church, two or three volunteer organizations, the grand kids, travel, Elderhostels and I'm outta time.

The chapters on money hint at some things but I think it would be better to say simply: After the house is paid for, the vehicle is paid for, the last kid is out of college, it doesn't take all that much to live.

There is one area that I wish the author would have covered. I realize that it would just be a guess, but what impact is rising oil prices going to have on retirement. Oil is now about $64 a barrel. In the future that price will double and double again. How does this impact the rest of the book? As a retired employee of an oil company I would value his guesses. ... Read more

Product Description
The premier guide for retirement and investment planning by "America's IRA Expert" (Mutual Funds magazine)-fully updated to reflect the recent tax rule changes

With the possible e xception of home property, the most valuable asset for most Americans is their retirement fund. Yet most people don't know that the IRS is waiting to grab up to 90 percent of their hard-earned retirement savings. Now, in this fully updated edition of The Retirement Savings Time Bomb, renowned tax advisor Ed Slott explains in clear-cut layman's terms what people need to know to keep their money and pass it on to their families. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (43)

Like it's sequil save your money, but
The sum total of the book is buy life insurance as a hedge on the Death Tax.

A good retirement book
I saw this first as a TV special on PBS and decided to order the book.Skimmed it once and got some good ideas. It is a book that needs to be studied and highlighted in places.I need to re read it to get the information more securely in my mind.Definitely recommend it to the person about to, or just retired.

good info
This book was easy to understand and very helpful. We are not at the retirement age but found this book to be very practical and something we could start planning now.

The Retirement Savings Time Bomb...
I've "started" reading many books that for one reason or another were never finished.Ed Slott's book "The Retirement Savings Time Bomb..." was so interesting and informative, I finished it in less than a week.A record time for me.I have both a Traditional IRA and a Roth self-directed IRA.Ed's info is right on the money.I would recommend thisbook to all owners of IRA's.

The Retirement Savings Time Bomb ... and How to Defuse It
This book probably will save me thousands of dollars in taxes. I am 55, got laid off, and will probably have to dip into my 401k. This book informed me that if I keep my 401k in my former employer's retirement account and NOT roll it over to an IRA, I can remove some money without the 10 percent penalty. My former employer's 401k fund manager sent me lots of glitzy information on the various accounts and options, but failed to inform me of this critical money-saving fact. ... Read more

Product Description
Confident from a lifetime of hard work and smart investing, most people dream of retirement as a relaxing, worry-free time in their lives. What many do not realize is that the IRS is also looking forward to the day you retire. Our complicated tax system can mean the government is entitled to a significant amount of your retirement assets -- unless you protect them properly.

Now, Rick Rodgers, founder of one of the country's top wealth managers, helps you retain as much of your hard-earned retirement assets as possible. His unique Three-Legged Stool TM approach to financial security makes it both easy to understand how to achieve this retirement security and difficult to ''lose balance'' -- that is, to get off-track once you've established your plan.

Rodgers will show you how to balance between the three ''legs,'' or components, you will need to create the most tax-effective financial structure.

- Leg One, Tax-Deferred Savings Strategies
- Leg Two, After-Tax Savings Strategies
- Leg Three, Tax-Free Savings Strategies

Plus, a closer look at - the all-important Retirement Distribution (R/D) Factor
- Social Security
- Estate planning

With real-life case studies, tips, and recommendations from Rodgers' own experiences as a Certified Financial Planner and Certified Retirement Counselor, this guide will help you establish a plan to build the retirement you and your family have always dreamed of -- and deserve. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (18)

shipping
You would think I would learn. I just have a hard time understanding why it takes 8 days from the time of order to the time of shipping, and then another 13 business days to get here.

Fake Reviews
Did you notice that many of these reviews are written by authors? It seems that Rick Rodgers has given their books 5 star reviews - seems like they're trading good reviews.So maybe the book is O.K. but don't trust these reviews.

Specific, easy to understand and most importantly - takes the guess-work out of obtaining financial security.
Here's a book that is priceless! We work hard for our money and most of us are smart enough to invest for our retirement along the way. How we invest is another question. With so many choices, it's not surprising that we often make costly mistakes. It's not about how much we earn it's really about how much we keep.

What I loved most about this book is the case studies. One can truly see the benefits or the consequences of common mistakes and misunderstandings about our investments. Our choices in these matters directly impact our lifestyle in retirement. Each person's needs at retirement are different. What works for friends and co-workers may not be the best strategy for others. There are case studies on just about all the various scenarios, making it easy to understand which options best apply to one's own life situation.

This book is loaded with valuable information, in clear and simple language. Whether you are currently retired or just beginning your career, this book will provide you with the specifics you need to secure a wonderful and fulfilling retirement.

- Chris Bledy, author of Beating Ovarian Cancer: How to Overcome the Odds and Reclaim Your Life

Wow, what a great book!
Wow, what an important book! If anybody wants to retire wealthy and not throw away all of their hard-earned money to Uncle Sam, The New Three-Legged Stool is the book to read. It was an eye-opener to read dozens of true stories of hard working citizens with a big heart and great intentions who lost millions of dollars come retirement because they were simply misguided or under-educated on how to take advantage of simple tax strategies.

Rick Rodger's motto is "Your protection is knowledge": the more knowledgable you are about asset allocation, investments, Roth IRAs and tax-free savings, the better protected you are. He is exactly right. Eventhough my husband works in the financial arena, there was not one page of this book where I didn't learn smething new -and I'm sure my husband can as well!

- Kate Raidt, author of "The Million-Dollar Parent", founder of [...]

New Book on how to plan your finances wisely in today's economy and pay fewer taxes.
As a real estate investor and owner of multiple corporate entities, I know that it is critical to have a smart tax expert and financial planner on your team.One who knows smart strategies and all the pillars or legs of a financial plan for real net growth.Rick Rodgers's book titled The New Three-Legged Stool describes three of the core pillars of retirement planning with focuses on tax deferments and savings.

Along with tax savings, Rick also discusses methods of minimizing risk through asset allocations. I suspect that many investors would have fared far more favorable in the latest economic downturn in the financial markets, if they had better diversification in asset allocations, and a smart plan in place, and Rick's assistance.

A good read for everyone who wants their portfolio to grow.

-- Eddie Godshalk, MBA author of The Missing Keys to Thriving in Any Real Estate Market: A Risk Reduction Blueprint for Investors and Real Estate Professionals
... Read more

Product Description

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Customer Reviews (8)

new information? not really
so let me get this, having short term, medium term and long term investment buckets is a new theory?He claims that Wall Street just wants you to re-balance your asset allocation every year and that his method is different?um, no.asset allocation is not just about being diversified, but being diversified with regard to investments targeted towards timing.

The best thing about this book is that the author is going to make a ton of money off of it and get new clients.IF this is the only investment book that you read, its fine.But don't expect it to change your investment habits if you are already using a Boogle type habits.

Buckets of Money Retirement Solution
Like all of Ray Lucia's writings, I have found this book to be informative and helpful.Most of what I have read consistent with his past guidance and that this book is a continuum of same. I enjoy listening to his programming and the advice that he shares with his readers and listeners.Good book to buy and Amazon has made it affordable!

Buckets of Money Book.
This is a great book for all to read.It doesn't matter if your 20 or 70.If you follow what is laid out in this book, you will be more than comfortable when you retire or if you are retired, moving your money around to the buckets Ray Lucia outlines in this book.This guy knows what he is talking about.We are 65 and have decided to follow this plan so we don't outlive our money.Good information for most everyone to have and a must read for your future security.

What is your Certified Financial Planner up to?
An easy to read guide that offers a strategy for withdrawing your retirement funds in layman's terminology. After reading this book you may find yourself asking, "Is my Certified Financial Planner operating in my best interests?"

Silly Name, Solid Strategy
Overall, I liked this book.The idea of allocating assets in "buckets" make sense and could make retirement easier on the retiree.What I didn't like is that the book seemed a bit "salesy."Lucia also likes nontraded REITs, which seem a bit risky in my opinion. ... Read more

Product Description

You're in control of Your Retirement Future

Product Description
Planning is not the strongest indicator of a successful retirement. The research conducted by Dr. Bill Roiter for Beyond Work: How Accomplished People Retire Successfully found that the strongest indicator is confidence in your ability to retire successfully. Planning is, of course, an important contributing factor of confidence, as is knowledge. The more you know, the more confident you can feel.

Beyond Work looks at what happens as accomplished people move beyond work and enter their years as a new adult. People have made major transitions before; entering the workforce, getting married, raising a family or changing careers are some of the transitions we have navigated. The transition from a work/career-focused life to the meaning-focused life after retirement relies on the same skills we have used during our other life transitions.

Beyond Work is filled with retirement stories from people who are considering retirement and those who have retired. Interviews with experts in the fields of finance, medicine, social living and personality provide insights that will increase your knowledge and confidence as you move beyond work.

A no-cost, on-line Retirement Confidence Index is available at the beyondwork.net website to help you understand your confidence in each of retirement s four major domains.

Bill Roiter (Boston, MA) is a psychologist, executive coach, businessperson and author. Many of his executive clients are now looking to Bill for guidance on how to prepare for, and enjoy, their retirement. Bill is also the co-author of Corporate MVPs (978-0-470-83353-7), from Wiley. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Beyound Work
PRoduct was shipped and received in timely manner, Product was in very good shape and condition.

Practical and realistic
An excellent book for the "how to" crowd that wishes to understand the challenges of the transition into retirement and effectively prepare for that time.

Thank you Bill Roiters
"Beyond Work"was a kick in the butt to this boomer who until now has not
been pro-active enough in preparing for retirement.
Roiters enlightens one to all the facets of retirement that are probably
not given consideration by the average Joe.
Though feeling guilty and ignorant after reading "Beyond Work",I still
thank you,Bill,for your sharing of insight and knowledge.
J.Kent McIver
Randolph,Ma.

Ready or Not, Here It Comes!
Here is a helpful "how to" book that those of us already retired need to pass to our boomer children. This is not a book for everyone, but Roiter's focused message for professional boomers comes reinforced with reviews at the end of each chapter and spans everything from finance to emotional adjustment.He is positive in his outlook for what he terms, "new adulthood" yet realistic enough to encourage careful planning.Especially helpful is his checklist for interviewing a financial planner.The strength of Beyond Work, however is in what he labels Personal Domain where his counseling background shines through.Take heart, plan ahead, and enjoy is the message conveyed and at this time in our history all this retired pastor can say to that is, "Amen."

Peace of Mind in "New Adulthood"
This book could not have been more timely given all of the recent turmoil in the financial markets. Bill Roiter's advice on how to create a retirement plan and evaluate my retirement income were extremely helpful and gave me peace of mind. He also provided excellent criteria for choosing a financial advisor as well as other members of your financial "team."

However, Roiter's book is much more than just another financial planning guide. As the title suggests, Beyond Work is about the various facets of life after you leave the workforce, which he calls "new adulthood." These include your physical health, your social network and the importance of avoiding isolation, and understanding your emotional and spiritual awareness. Confidence and attitude are big factors when dealing with retirement. Coping with change and feeling a loss of control and structure as you move beyond work is natural, and Roiter provided me with useful approaches to overcome them. All in all, I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is retired or is planning to retire soon.
... Read more

Product Description
People who work for themselves often neglect to plan for their retirement. Yet failing to stash away money is like ignoring your taxes or keeping poor records -- it's financial roulette!

Fortunately, it's not difficult to establish a nest egg. Nolo's new book, Creating Your Own Retirement Plan, provides the straightforward information you need to select, establish and operate a retirement plan. It covers:

*simple IRAs

*SEP IRAs

*traditional IRAs

*Roth IRAs

*profit-sharing plans

*defined benefit plans

*401(k) plans

In plain English, the book explains how to select the best plan, set it up, make contributions, administer the plan, and then -- finally -- receive distributions. The latest edition is completely revised to reflect the massive changes wrought by the 2001 Tax Law, which altered many of the rules and regulations governing retirement plans. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Clear text makes things easy to understand...
This book has a distinct chapter for each type of retirement plan for the self-employed. It is written in a style that is very easy to understand compared to reading an IRS publication. The book also compares different scenarios so you can see what would be different.It gives examples such as if you are both self-employed and have a retirement plan through your full time day job, can you have a SEP and an IRA, can you have two SEPs, what if you have two self-employed businesses, and more.

While the first chapter explains this book is not for the self-employed with employees, there is a short section in the chapters reminding you of a "heads-up" as to things that might be different if you have employees.

I am not sure there is new information that would not be included in the IRS related publications but as I mentioned, this book may be something to read first as the language is more simplistic and ideas are explained using more than one sentence (which is often all you will find in the IRS publications). Of course, you will still have to get the current IRS publications since things change so quickly with retirement issues.

Good Overview of Retirement Plans for the Self-Employed
This and Twila Slesnick's earlier book "IRAs and Keoghs for the Self-Employed" are the only books that I've found that deal specifically withsetting up a retirement plan for sole proprietors. Most books deal with them from the perspective of employees.I found the earlier book to be woefully out of date, because it doesn't address changes that make it easier for business owners to set up their own 401k plan.

In this book, the authors do provide detailed information on 401k plans. In fact, the book devotes a chapter to each type of retirement plan for business. It also includes comparisons for each type of plan to make it easier to decide with one is best for you.

This is highly recommended for sole proprietors that want to set up their own retirement plan.I found it particularly helpful in demystifying how 401k plans work. However, because the book was published in 2002, it doesn't address current changes in the law that will allow after tax contriburtions to a 401k plan. Hopefully, a new edition (or another book on the same subject) is forthcoming from Nolo Press.

Don't read this book if you have any employees
I have used Nolo Press books in the past and found them extremely helpful, detailed and precise.So, I was excited to find this title which sounded like it was exactly what I was looking for.And it is just as good as any of the other Nolo Press titles I have seen, so I was very disappointed to find this statement on page 2 of the introduction..."If you have any non-owner employers in your business, this book is not for you."It would have been more helpful if the sample pages had included the introduction, which clearly lays out the intended audience and use of this book.That said, I recommend this to other self-employed people because every option is clearly laid out for your consideration, along with good instructions for taking action on your decisions.It could be called "Retirement Plans for Not-So-Dummies." ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (5)

Review of 'Choose Mexico for Retirement, 10th'.
This was the most informative, engrossing travel book I have ever read.I am partial to Mexico anyway, but this was written almost like a novel, which made it more interesting. It was full of interesting and entertaining tidbits of information gleaned from the collaborators' many years of experience in traveling to that country.I had initially looked at about 5 different titles and authors on the topic, decided I didn't need that many books, and zeroed in on this one.I'm very glad it's the one I chose to order.

Retirement Information
Anyone thinking about living outside the United States should read a book like this. It contains a lot of very valuable information. It gives many explinations of issues you will face and have to deal with. It gives you information about some of the countries you may move too and the requirements their governments will require of you.It also gives you ideas of the areas to live within the country and the cost of realestate, hiring local help. and costs of living there. Excellant book, reasonable cost, very informative.

A must read!
If you ever considered retiring in Mexico, and we ARE, this is the book. It gives US and Canadian citizen the right information, in an easy to read and understand format.

You will find excellent suggestions on where to live, what to expect and how to deal with Mexican immigration laws. Our experience is limited to Lake Chapala area, but the information in the book are accurate and up to date for that region.

I only gave 4 stars as I felt the book could cover a bit more about Mexican life style. I know there are other books on the topic, but it would have been nice to cover some here too.

Mexico is changing rapidly. I strongly suggest that you try buying the most recent edition on any Mexican books.

Retire someplace else
I really didn't think this book was very helpful except in talking me out of retiring to Mexico. Mostly negative.

Curious enough to read this book
Like I would imagin many that purchase this book I'm considering retiring and am seeking the opportunities to experience a different culture, a slower pace, an area with better values and less crime, lower taxes and a lower cost of living. I'd like to find that secure feeling of rural-town america of years ago before everyone sought entitlement, special interest groups recieved preferiental treatment, and we passed laws ensuring evryone's individual rights became far more important than our societies needs. Is this Mexico? This book provides an insight to some of the cultural differences, climate differences of areas, cost of living differences and some other very benefitial information. I would reccomend this well-written book to anyone considering an extended trip to Mexico. ... Read more

Product Description

The Wall Street Journal Guide To Planning Your Financial Future

provides clear explanations of the things you need to know and guidelines for the decisions you have to make to enjoy a comfortable retirement. It covers the advantages of salary reduction plans, clarifies the difference between Roth and traditional IRAs, and describes the benefits of effective tax planning. And it provides practical, helpful ideas to get you started. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

A Good Overview of Retirement Planning
This book promotes financial literacy in the area of basic retirement planning. The book provides readers with important financial information. In our schools, students are taught subjects such as english, math, and history. While these subjects are important, we as a society are poorly educated in matters of finance and economics.

Financial knowledge and fiscal literacy are a major weakness in our society. This books helps to educate consumers and provide a working knowledge of the rules related to basic retirement planning. Unfortunately it does little to discuss some of the inherant perils associated with traditional retirement planning techniques, such as compound taxes...which often accompany the percieved gains in tax deferred accounts.

Ivy League Wealth Secrets: That the Master Planners don't want you to know!

Good but dated
A good basic guide for those new or young to understanding the path to retire with cash

WSJ Guide to Retirement
I am really enjoying.It covers all aspected of planning for retirement in simple to understand manner.It also has numeric examples of the principles.

In wonderful condition!
This book arrived in new condition and all of my expectations were met or exceeded. Thank-you kindly!

Great information
I was very much impressed by the book.It had all the information you would ever need and to find it in one book was great. ... Read more

Product Description
Saving for retirement is a difficult task, especially during these challenging economic times. Individuals who participate in their retirement plans are being charged billions in fees annually—and no one is looking out for their best interests—even though the laws say both plan sponsors and employers should be held responsible for acting in their employees’ best interests. The fact is that unless individuals are willing to stand-up and secure their financial future, they’re likely to face less money in their retirement plan accounts and have to work longer to accumulate the funds they need for retirement. In Stop the Retirement Rip-off, author David Loeper provides the necessary tools for readers to take action and make the most of their retirement plans. It offers a road map for employees to understand the fees and costs associated with their plans; as well as improve their standing within their company by proactively helping their employer to take needed action. The book features a non confrontational positive approach to bringing your retirement plan problems to the attention of your employer. Written in a straightforward and accessible style, Stop the Retirement Rip-off provides readers with sensible strategies for making the most of their retirement funds, and will put them back in control of their financial future. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

401k
if you handle your own 401k--is a good book. but like most of us that has our 401k through work--don't need the book

Not what I was expecting...
It focuses exclusively on the retirement plans of corporations. Being self employed with my own retirement plan this was useless. I read 2 chapters and put it in the pile to go to Goodwill.

Very helpful
Unfortunately, I am at the age where retirement is looming in the future (okay, its still 12 years away - but still it feels pretty close).I have been reading up on retirement and more specifically on how to make every penny of my retirement money work for ME instead of for my broker, government or bank.This has proven to be quite the challenge as it seems as though every where you turn, someone is sticking their hand out wanting a chunk of your savings.

I was thrilled to discover Stop the Retirement Rip-Off.This is one of the best books I have read on this subject to date, especially since it takes a very step by step look at one of my huge pet peeves - hidden and not so hidden extra fees in the banking systems, governement or elsewhere.

In fact, using 5 specific steps (which are all clearly explained in this book) author Loeper encourages us by telling us that WE ARE responsible for our money and that it is up to us to stay informed and on top of our money - and that by following his 5 steps and keeping our eyes open and keeping informed - we can avoir being ripped-off when it comes to our retirement.

This book is written for the lay person, there are no fancy financial terms here and the steps, suggestions and recommendations are all very logical and easily done.

I highly recommend this book - it is very well worth the investment.

Important Guide for Retirement Plan Participants and Employers
Loeper's updated book contains a "how to" guide written for retirment plan participants - expanded beyond just 401(k) participants in this edition. But the guide is equally important for plan sponsors, where if they haven't done proper due diligence on the full, often hidden, costs of plans they offer their employees they could end up in a minefield of litigation risks.

Besides showing the reader the right questions to ask to determine what, usually undisclosed, or obsurely disclosed, costs are being deducted from their plan balances every year, Loeper shows what even a fraction of 1% in excess costs means in real terms to a plan participant.Be it working longer, having less to spend in retirment, subjecting themself to more investment risk, or having to save a lot more - these are all the types of actions effectly imposed on a participant to offset the long-term impact of excessive costs that can be eliminated by a knowledgeable employer. Reading this book can make that employer knowledgeable enough to easily reduce plan costs.

Loeper walks a participant step-by-step in how to approach and alert their employers to industry abuses in this area - to raise the alarm bell and help prevent unnecessary systematic reduction of hard-earned participant plan balances.

Updated version of 401(k) Rip-off
This book is an updated version of Stop the 401(k)rip-off that includes other types of retirement plans like 457 and 403b plans. Other than that and some updated portfolio allocation information, it is basically the same. It is an easy read and actually, the author's writing style is very entertaining considering the topic.

Getting participants informed about excessive fees and conflicts of interest and providing them with easy to execute steps to get their employer to fix their "costly clunker" retirement plan is the only way to help investors make the most out of their retirement plan since the DOL has tabled new disclosure regulations about fees and conflicts of interest.

The steps are easy to follow and allow you to approach your employer in a positive, non-confrontational way to fix your retirement plan.

With what the author discloses about conflicts of interest and hidden fee skimming about retirement plans, I'm anxious to get his next book, Stop the Investing Rip-off that supposedly will show the inner workings of rip-off artists from Wall Street brokers, financial planners and advisors, newsletters, discount brokers and even the media.
Stop the Investing Rip-off: How to Avoid Being a Victim and Make More MoneyI might also consider getting his book about retirement plans designed for employers, advisors and attorneys as a gift for our benefits manager. The Four Pillars of Retirement Plans: The Fiduciary Guide to Participant Directed Retirement Plans ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Textbook
The book is a good supplement to the College for Financial Planning textbooks.
Look around for the newer(sixth)edition, future classes will likely require it.

Retirement Planning & Employee Benefits
Product is in overall good shape.The binding is coming slightly undone in the center but this is nothing more than a minor annoyance.I would definitely buy from this seller again. The service has been excellent.

Much better than the class textbooks
I've found this text by Dalton to be much clearer, better organized, and it has a nice flow that makes it easier to comprehend the material, compared to the other class textbooks. I'm really glad I decided to purchase this book! ... Read more

Product Description
This book is intended to serve as an easily accessible, up-to-date guide to creative employee benefit and retirement planning for use by financial planners, insurance agents, accountants, attorneys, and other financial services professionals, as well as company managers, personnel departments, and CFP, law, and graduate school students. It covers almost every popular employee business arrangement used in business today. Although special consideration is given to employee benefit arrangements as applied to smaller, closely held businesses, most of the benefits described here are used by both small and large companies, and the same tax and other regulatory rules apply to both. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Tools
The book had more highlights than I thought.The pages were falling apart within a week of receipt.

Another excellent Tools & Techniques book
The tools and techniques books have been very helpful to me in getting a firm foundation of their respective financial planning topics.I have been using them to study for the CFP exam.I also will be keeping them in my office for future reference materials.They are well written, well organized, and easy to read.I have the entire set.In the future, I would likely buy the online subscription to the books in order to have the most up to date editions. ... Read more

Product Description
For more than 35 years, WHAT COLOR IS YOUR PARACHUTE? has guided millions of job-hunters to find satisfying careers. Now, PARACHUTE FOR RETIREMENT will help them plan for the next stage of life. Going beyond financial planning, Richard N. Bolles and retirement expert John E. Nelson tackle readiness in terms of money, health, and happiness, using the latest research from economics, medicine, and psychology. PARACHUTE FOR RETIREMENT will inspire readers to take the helm of their retirement destinies, while fulfilling their lifelong goals, passions, and dreams. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (27)

Disappointing
The text was written in a flippant style, which detracted from the points the authors were trying to make.I think a more professional, shorter version would be more helpful

Good book becoming even better
I am a psychologist who teaches classes on happiness, positive psychology and retirement well-being.People who attend wish to think about how to "end well";develop a life they enjoy and perhaps even leave a legacy of leaving the world a better place than he or she found it.I have read practically every retirement planning and advice book published since 2005.

What I liked about this book, is by using Martin E. Seligman's signature strengths, one can develop criteria for choosing among all the possible activities. Research has shown that this increases a person's happiness.Now in the revised version there will be a tool to help you focus in on your values. The key to choosing satisfying retirement activities, in my opinion is finding the sweet spot between doing something you value that uses your signature strengths.

I have to disclose that I know the author and we test drove some of the ideas at a workshop through the Wisconsin Alumni Association.Everyone of the people attending said they would recommend the program and they found it very useful.

Having been retired since 2005, I have some personal experience with this life phase.Retirement is a cycle of transitions, change and being responsible for setting your own agenda and making choices.It is very easy to get busy, but difficult to design a life you find deeply satisfying.John E. Nelson's goal is to give people tools to achieve increased satisfaction with their choices. I would recommend getting the new version when it comes out.

Makes you think
This book reminds me of a text book with lab excercises.It is an easy read and the excercises are fun.I haven't quite finished it but as I read chapter to chapter it makes me think of things that I had not really considered.I will read it again so that more will sink in.I hope to retire within a year.

A Mild Rebuttal to George Fulmore's Review

Mr. Fulmore has written such an unpleasant review that I might have skipped the book, if I hadn't actually read it already. Skipping this book would have been a mistake, though.

Like Mr. Fulmore, I read and review a lot of retirement-related books (though not, usually, for Amazon).I have also taken the time to read some of Mr. Fulmore's other reviews.He is clearly a smart and well-read man, but his preferences are somewhat idiosyncratic.It bothers him when authors cover the same ground that a lot of other books cover -- a legitimate beef from someone who reads about retirement as a hobby.

But if you are one of the 99.9% of people who are not going to read a whole shelf of retirement books, and perhaps will read only one, this is a very good one to read -- partly BECAUSE it covers the essential ground covered in most other good books on the subject.

Its most conspicuous virtue, though, is its balance.John Nelson has an approach to retirement that is explicitly, deliberately balanced -- because a life that is meaningful and rewarding should itself be balanced.Nelson believes, and builds his book upon the idea that, a good life requires a balance of money, health, and happiness.More importantly, he tells you how to do it.This is important.

Nelson deals with these topics in sufficient breadth so that you legitimately feel that the ground is being covered, and with enough specificity so that you walk away with ideas you can really use.This is no small feat, and though it is clear (and I don't mean this at all facetiously) Mr. Fulmore doesn't need this kind of information, chances are that YOU do.

I might also mention that it is one of Mr. Fulmore's personal quirks that he doesn't like to hear about working in retirement (he disses it in his other reviews, too).Such talk does seem paradoxical, but it makes perfect sense.Most people retire with the idea that they will relax and enjoy themselves the rest of their lives.This often turns out to be self-defeating, though, because doing something productive is an important part of most people's lives, and if it isn't "work," it's something that often closely resembles it, even in retirement.There is certainly nothing wrong with retiring from a career job that has become stressful or otherwise too much, and (perhaps after some time off) taking on a new job that is different and rewarding.The fact that life might deal us some financial reverses and a job can help compensate for that, is a plus, but often is not the main reason retired people go back to some kind of gainful employment.

Is this the best book on retirement you could get?Not if you're George Fulmore.But on the theory that you are someone else, it just might be your best bet.Retirement is a field crowded with many worthy books, some of them very strong on particular aspects of retirement.But if you want a BALANCED book, that will help you create and maintain a BALANCED retirement, I recommend John Nelson's book to you.

Prioritizing Grid
For those who have struggled, as I have, with the manual version of Richard Bolles' Prioritizing Grid, there is a web version, published with Bolles' permission, at: www.GroundOfYourOwnChoosing.com. ... Read more

Product Description
A practical retirement planning resource for engineers, scientists, and mathematicians

In 1995, Dr. Mike Golio, an electrical engineer, became seriously interested in planning for early retirement. In 2003, at the age of 49, he and his wife achieved their goal of financial independence and retired. Engineering Your Retirement is an outgrowth of his research. Whether retirement is imminent or many years off, this valuable guide's straightforward, analytical approach to financial independence answers the critical questions to achieving successful, comfortable, and meaningful retirement.

Written specifically for professionals in the engineering, science, and math fields, Engineering Your Retirement examines such important questions as:
* How much money will I need to retire?
* How long will it take for me to accumulate it?
* What types of post-retirement activities are available to technical professionals?


Engineering Your Retirement discusses financial independence from the unique cultural view of the technical professional and features many charts, graphs, analytical tools, and equations to help present the financial nuts-and-bolts of retiring in a logical and analytical manner. It offers practical, firsthand advice from an industry expert on:
* Effectively budgeting for investments
* Planning for health insurance
* Choosing a retirement community
* Building up a cash/bond ladder
* Considering inflation
* Portfolio requirements
* Investment allocations
* Paying off a mortgage
* And much more! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Outstanding book on basics of financial planning
I was very impressed with Golio's book.Although he wrote it for an engineering oriented audience....I would contend it is still an excellent book for non-engineers. (My background is being an engineer for the last 30 years with an MBA.)

He hits the basics of financial planning very well, which includes:

1. Living below your means so you have money to save and invest.

2. Use automatic savings method where you pay yourself first like 401K's.

3. Adjust your asset allocation slightly to a less risky portfolio as you go through life.

4. Use low cost index funds to minimize expenses and maximize returns.

5. Determine your actual living expenses right before you retire so you can more accurately your retirement expenses.......and therefore the income you need to retire......versus using the 70% to 80% income replacement ratio rule-of-thumb when you get close to retirement

6. Don't withdraw more than a 4% inflation adjusted amount during retirement from your portfolio.

All-in-all, a very easy to read book which does an excellent job of explaining the basics of financial planning.

In this age of full disclosure, it can be noted that I am the author and publisher of the book INDEX MUTUAL FUNDS: HOW TO SIMPLIFY YOUR LIFE AND BEAT THE PROS. This book is an introduction to the concept of index funds is and is sold on Amazon.I am also a contributing author to the book THE BOGLEHEADS GUIDE TO RETIREMENT PLANNING available from Amazon with an estimated release date of October 2009.I have also written 21 short stories on investing which are also available on Amazon.

If you want practical ideas on long term passive investing, read some of the books below:

The Richest Man in Babylon
Bogle on Mutual Funds: New Perspectives for the Intelligent Investor
The Millionaire Next Door
The Four Pillars of Investing: Lessons for Building a Winning Portfolio
A Random Walk Down Wall Street: The Time-Tested Strategy for Successful Investing, Ninth Edition
The Coffeehouse Investor: How to Build Wealth, Ignore Wall Street, and Get On With Your Life
The Bogleheads' Guide to Investing

Very Good...
I am a technical professional.I thought this book was excellent.It spoke to me in a way I could understand.

This book is a great resource for people with no knowledge of investing, to a mildly experienced investor.

How much is enough?
Finally, a book that answers the retirement question, "How much is enough?"

After years of reading books on investing, and saving the way I was supposed too, I needed to know when to stop.I thought I knew -- and now I have the equations, statistics and rules of thumb to test my assumptions.This is a book that Engineers and MBAs who have done a good job on savings will love.It even gives you the secret of life! (sort of, see page 90)

Finally, a book that does its homework.Well done!

Thank you, Mike. ... Read more

Product Description

“Imagine that you board an airliner and are told that you will be piloting the plane. Such is the plight of tens of millions of Americans, on whom have been foisted a jumble of 401(k), 403(b), and 457 defined contribution plans, and are as well qualified to manage their retirement portfolios as they are to pilot a jet from Los Angeles to Boston. Since things aren’t changing any time soon, you may very well need flying lessons, and pronto. Frank Armstrong’s The Retirement Challenge: Will You Sink or Swim? is just the ground school you need.”

–William Bernstein, author of A Splendid Exchange: How Trade Shaped the World and The Four Pillars of Investing: Lessons for Building a Winning Portfolio

“Armstrong and Doss have written a simple and understandable guide through the maze that is our financial world. If your goal is to outperform the vast majority of investors on the road to retirement, The Retirement Challenge: Will You Sink or Swim? paves the way.”

–TAYLOR LARIMORE, coauthor of The Bogleheads’ Guide to Investing

“This is a great handbook for those planning for retirement. Armstrong and Doss not only tell you the right way to build a plan, they also show you how to avoid purchasing products from the wolves of Wall Street that lead investors to be sheared like sheep.”

–LARRY SWEDROE, author of The Only Guide to Alternative Investments You’ll Ever Needand Wise Investing Made Simple

“In today’s investment markets, this is an invaluable book. If you care about the quality of the rest of your life, you owe it to yourself and your family to read The Retirement Challenge: Will You Sink or Swim?”

–HAROLD EVENSKY, CFP^®, AIF^®, President, Evensky & Katz

In 48 quick, practical lessons, Armstrong shows how to assess what you have and what you’ll need to build a simple, reliable retirement plan. Better yet, the book’s easy online calculators do all the math for you. Investing for retirement has never been so sensible and simple! Includes free access to comprehensive Web-based tools and resources at www.Sink-Swim.com:

• More than 75 easy-to-use online calculators and budget spreadsheets to help you get on track and stay on track
• Sample asset allocation plans you can adjust for any stage of your career and any portfolio
• Up-to-the-minute updates on pension law, regulation, enforcement, and estate planning
• Free Sink or Swim Newsletter, and much more

Customer Reviews (41)

Lots of specific information, less on a strategy
Retirement planning is more than just saving a lot of money.This book presents a lot of information on investing for retirement, but not a lot about planning (what you need) for retirement besides money.

Some investments discussed here are specific to some people and not to others, but that's the nature of investments.The book offers a lot of tools to help you make decisions, including online tools at the companion Web site noted in the "lessons."This book mostly talks about how to save and invest to pay for what you'll need.An overall strategy on what blend of investments would be helpful.

I need an approach to tackling the enormous problem of living without a job income, starting with deciding how much I will need and when, how to guess how money will change in the future, and how to tell if you are saving enough or even too much.A chapter on things you need or may want during retirement would be helpful - for example, long-term care insurance, or investing in a retirement community that includes care.

Let me borrow the analogy of William Bernstein from the back cover:"Imagine that you board an airliner and are told that you will be piloting the plane ... you may very well need flying lessons, and pronto."This book tells you about the controls, and even points out how changing some may make the plane turn or ascend, but it does not walk you through the process of taking off, navigating to a destination, and landing.

I wanted this book to help me be my own financial planner.That's a tall order for a book this size.I guess that's why there's a section here on how to choose one.And it makes a very useful companion to a financial planner, helping you understand the terminology and options.I think this book would be more useful to a person in their 30s, who is mostly concerned with saving, than someone who needs to plan their retirement strategy, and does not know the basics.

BOTTOM LINE: It's a good book, but it does not live up to the sunny marketing prose in the description and back-cover reviews.There are tools at the book's Web site (sink-swim dot com) that bring value beyond the book itself.I give three stars to mean it's good, though not all I expected.

DISCLOSURE: Amazon provided this book in exchange for my review. All of my reviews are written honestly - exactly as I see them - and most of my reviews are for items I have purchased.

Good, basic information --
Retirement planning is something that most Americans do very poorly.There is a head in the sand approach that it will all work out somehow.This book lays it on the line about the reality of retirement planning and just how far you can expect your retirement funds to go.

The book has many, many good points:

1 - good, clear explanation of portfolio diversification
2 - understandable information on what you can reasonably expect to be able to draw down from your retirement savings and not run out of money
3 - nice example of the power of compounding
4 - how asset allocation needs to change over time (including once you are retired)
5 - excellent explanation of how "financial advisors" are paid and many of them give advice that generates income for themselves rather than doing what is best for the investor.
6 - Lots of calculators available on-line to help make the information more personal to the individual

On the negative side :

1 - The first 90 pages or so are filled with negativity around employer-sponsored defined benefit plans. There was a snippy tone that I found to be very offensive.Having worked in the benefits department of a Fortune 500 company and dealing with this very topic for several years, I can tell you that trying to get the best possible plan in place at the lowest cost was our constant objective.What the author fails to fully understand is that the employees designing and administering these plans have to use them as well.The interest of the employees designing the plan lined up perfectly with the interest of the other employees. It is also noteworthy that investment advisors don't make any money on the assets you keep in a company-sponsored plan and that isn't addressed by the author.I can't tell you the number of times that advisors recommended roll-overs when it was obvious they were trying to get more assets under their control and increase their own paychecks along the way.

2 - Not much ink is dedicated to the way Americans live and spend their money.While he touches on the issue, many people who don't save for retirement (or don't save enough) could have with a little self discipline and awareness of how small expenditures really can add up to lots of wasted opportunity.If you drive through a fast food restaurant every day on your way to work and pick up a soft drink for $1.80 that would have cost 25 cents for the can had you purchased it in the grocery store earlier and brought it from home, you are spending almost $400 year more for the drink.Same with coffee purchases, cigarettes, etc.I can't tell you the number of times I have sat down with someone to discuss retirement and hear them talk about how they don't know how they are going to make it on their pension (100% funded by the company) since they have no savings in their 401(k) plan.Many times those same people talked about their boats, their last vacation, the new car they just purchase, or all the new clothes they bought for the new grandchild, etc.Until people spend their money wisely and learn to live within their means, saving for retirement isn't even on their radar screens.


Overall, a good source of information on the subject, particularly for those unfamiliar with the topic.

Straight forward Guide to Retirement
If you have serious questions about how to invest for your retirement in the future, this an excellent book. The author has staright forward opinions combined with facts as opposed to hedging. In particular, I like the section on life insurance particular in understanding it as a value or not. Obviously a necessary need particularly when you have kids but as an investment vehicle long term with whole or universal life? Well no. The author can tell you more about what to do with your money and still have adequate insurance, term, for the times in your life when you need it. How about annuities? Well, for straight no nonsense answers in understandable terms, this is the book.

Life Rafts
I should have read this book along time ago but the sad truth is that most people wait too long to get started on preparing for retirement.After reading Frank Armstrong III's "The Retirement Challenge: Will You Sink or Swim?", my impression is that everyone should start preparing for retirement they day they get their first job.I kept thinking of all the years I spent as a single man who enjoyed life while always keeping just enough to pay my bills.I also kept thinking of my savings plan that took a nose-dive about 10 months ago.Mr. Armstrong tell us how to do things right and how to avoid doing things wrong.There is a lot of good information and a lot of road maps to success accompanied by warning signs to pay attention to.However, the best information is to start early.

The book is well-organized and generally analyzes all common choices that exist in pension plans, investment plans, and other releated subjects.As a person close to retirement, I could have easily just read the chapters and sub-chapters that relate to my situation.However, for the benefit of my children, I read through the whole book.Some advice that has stuck in my mind is don't make company stock a part of your portfolio, be wary of all financial advisors, get it in writing, create the right kind of diversity, and (it always bears repeating) START EARLY.

There was a fair amount of good advice on how to handle things after you retire so I'll be checking and double-checking as I go through the retirement process in about 5 years.There is also a reference to a web site with lots of available calculators on investment scenarios, retirement planning and other related issues.I checked the web-site and located the different calculators.I saved it for future use.If there is a short-coming to this book it may be found in the prevailing reference to Vanguard Funds with only occassional references to other mutual fund companies.Maybe I'm just showing my ignorance but, with so many references exclusively to one investment company, I couldn't help but think that there was an agenda in this otherwise good general informatation.I also had some issues with a number of sidebar articles by a attorney who specializes in suing the financial services industry.There is a lot of risk in investing and it seemed at times that some of the arbitration was an effort to prevent anyone from losing.Still, I became alert to being more, well, more alert.This is a good book and I figure a 3 star rating is a reflection of that."The Retirement Challenge" is a good basic reference that should be of interest to all investors; from the casual to the serious.

get some real help
I got this from my mother and the general consensus is that it has no new information in it. If you have an adviser, use him or her well. The suggestions given in this book don't jive with what I've had actual advisers tell us- so proceed with caution. ... Read more

Product Description
Praise for The Four Pillars of Retirement Plans

"This up-to-the-minute book shows how the Supreme Court's recent LaRue decision has reshaped the world of retirement plans. Rules governing fiduciaries of defined benefit plans may no longer protect fiduciaries of defined contribution plans and may actually harm them. The Four Pillars of Retirement Plans is indispensable for plan sponsors and other fiduciaries, and for all those advising them, including investment advisors and attorneys."
—W. Scott Simon, JD, CFP, AIFA, author of The Prudent Investor Act: A Guide to Understanding and Morningstar "Fiduciary Focus" columnist

"This book is a must-read for all plan sponsors, financial advisors, and ERISA attorneys if they have any hope of defending themselves from the mountain of litigation looming on the horizon for all participant-directed retirement plans and provides a road map to easily modify antiquated procedures born in the defined benefit era that contradict today's participant-directed retirement plans. Plaintiff's counsel is sure to have read this book; if you don't, you will be defenseless in these suits."
—Edward Siedle, Esq., "The Pension Detective" and President of Benchmark Financial Services, Inc.

"If you are a trustee, plan sponsor, or financial advisor serious about the retirement plan marketplace, you MUST read this book, or you will be ill-equipped to deal with the fiduciary meltdown non-readers will be facing."
—John Lohr, ERISA attorney and author ... Read more