Product Description
Estate planning rules explained in one quick read!

Estate Planning Basics provides concise, straightforward, and easy-to-read explanations of the major components of estate planning, so that you don't have to spend hours wading through endless options (most of which apply to the wealthy).

Learn about:

Product Description
Clients nearing retirement have some significant challenges to face. And so do their advisers. They can expect to live far longer after they retire. And the problems they expect their advisers to solve are far more complex. The traditional sources of retirement income may be shriveling, but boomers don't intend to downsize their plans. Instead, they're redefining what it means to be retired—as well as what they require of financial advisers. Planners who aren’t prepared will be left behind. Those who are will step up to some lucrative and challenging work.

To help get the work done, Harold Evensky and Deena Katz—both veteran problem solvers—have tapped the talents of a range of experts whose breakthrough thinking offers solutions to even the thorniest issues in retirement-income planning:

• Sustainable withdrawals
• Longevity risk
• Eliminating luck as a factor in planning
• Immediate annuities, reverse mortgages, and viatical and life settlements
• Strategies for increasing retirement cash flow

In Retirement Income Redesigned, the most-respected names in the industry discuss these issues and a range of others. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Among the best currently available for withdrawal stage
When I retired 10 years ago I was faced with surviving on an essentially self-managed traditional IRA and Social Security. I had/have a financial planner, but have found most of the profession (except those perhaps affordable by only the very wealthy - I've no experience of them) almost as in the dark about the withdrawal stage as I was. I ended up doing an intensive year of self-education in order to vet the advice I was getting. Still, both I & the planner made some mistakes, but the IRA survived both the 2000 tech crash & the current one relatively intact.

Things have gotten a little better in the profession, but still, after a recent round of study prompted by the fact that I'm facing the dreaded RMDs in 2011, I've still got the impression that the financial planning & advice profession is just beginning to really get their heads around the withdrawal stage problems looming for the Boomers and almost-boomers like me, in view of the fact that many if not most of us are not going to have the luxury of using our IRAs as 3rd tier discretionary income, but for half or more of basic income.

And one of the areas I've found the literature most deficient if not clueless is the problem of RMDs for those of us heavily relying on an IRA.

The problem is, RMDs, if you take the inverse of the IRS's divisors, actually represent an unsafe withdrawal rate within about 4 years (>4%), and then escalate as if under an increasing rate of inflation. (Of course, DUH, the IRS wants you to go broke according to their one size fits all schedule, regardless of what your health, gender and genes are).

What that does to people like me who are taking out a safe withdrawal of less than 4%, is we are forced to take a taxable income stream in excess of what we currently need (in my case almost double what I need), which will result in more of your Social Security being taxable, a bite of the excess if you invest it (at your marginal tax rate), and possible exhaustion of your funds sooner than you thought under the "safe withdrawal rate" scenario for the life of the portfolio (ignoring the RMD effect).

And the literature totally ignores this problem, specifically How do we manage that excess cash flow in a tax efficient manner to conserve as much of it as we can until we DO need it? Because all the studies and advice are of safe withdrawal rates and ignore what the RMD's can do to you by exceeding the "safe rates" and possible forcing you to take out more than you planned on, along with the tax consequences of the excess and how to manage it.

This book still doesn't address the potential RMD problem, although the chapter on RMDs does mention "forced withdrawals" in passing (if you're paying attention, it can alert you). (The RMD chapter is good; I'd supplement it with Nolo Press "Taking Your Money Out" book, get the latest edition.)

Other than that, I found the material in this book enormously helpful and rate it among the best I've found so far. If you are self-managing your retirement funds, even with an advisor, this is a good book to study, and maybe get your advisor to read it too. Good solid stuff with a refreshing absence of the sort of hype and self-serving nonsense you find in too much of the "retirement planning" literature.

for informed retirees, too
Although this collection of articles is aimed at financial advisers, informed individuals who wish their own, independent, sophisticated information regarding income from investments during retirement should find this book extremely useful. The article on Monte Carlo simulations is worth the price of the book. This is by far the most valuable and informative book on retirement income I've found.

Best single book on distribution phase of life
Wow, I have read over 200 books about investing.....but never have I seen such a collection of valuable information about the distribution phase of investing in one book.

Twenty-five different authors contribute their own chapters covering about every aspect of the distribution phase.

I have heard both Evensky and Katz speak at the Chicago Financial Advisor Symposium, and they are both long time practitioners in the financial planning industry.

Of today's Americans who are over age 85, two-thirds of them have less than $100K in non-home assets.

On page 82, there is an interesting chart showing that at the 4% SWR level, asset allocation does have an impact on the probability of exhausting a portfolio. But once you get to a 6% SWR, asset allocation has virtually no impact on the probability of exhausting a portfolio.

On page 84, the author of this chapter argues that luck has far more impact on portfolio survival than asset selection, asset allocation, and management costs.The same author also recommends only re-balancing your portfolio every 4 years (each Presidential election year)

Pages 88-89 have 2 excellent charts which show the maximum SWR if your stocks get the same return as the DJIA......or the DJIA + 2% for a diversified portfolio.

For the case of your stock return equal to the DJIA:

40 years
30% stocks
25% bonds
45% TIPS
SWR = 3.1%

For the case of your stock return equal to the DJIA + 2%:

40 years
35% stocks
25% bonds
40% TIPS
SWR = 3.5%

The author of this chapter also develops an index for determining how much of a portfolio should be used to purchase immediate annuities.Although the author does not show how he derived his formula......I think this is his derivation process:

RWR = SWR * (1-MA) + MA*AR

Where RWR = required withdrawal rate
SWR = safe withdrawal rate
MA= percentage of portfolio to annuitize
AR = immediate annuity payout rate

In other words, your required withdrawal rate can be made up of the SWR applied to the portion of your portfolio which is not annuitized.......plus the immediate annuity payout rate applied to the portion of your portfolio which is annuitized.

Applying some algebra re-arranges this formula to:

MA = 100 * (RWR - SWR)/(AR - SWR)

If MA < 0, then no need to annuitize.

If MA is 0 to 100, then MA is the percentage of your portfolio which should be annuitized.

If MA > 100, then you should 100% annuitize.

I have seen different academic papers suggesting using 10% to 50% of your portfolio to purchase immediate annuities, but I have never seen a formula for suggesting what percentage to annuitize.

In the Monte Carlo chapter, the authors suggest stress testing a distribution plan by changing from average returns to making the first two years of distribution negative stock market returns.They suggest sometimes then using traditional Monte Carlo analysis.I wondered why even bother with the first two years of negative returns analysis versus just using Monte Carlo.........but my guess is that most investors can understand two successive bad years in the stock market.........but they probably won't understand Monte Carlo.

Bengen's chapter on SWR's is excellent.Bengen is the father of the 4% SWR rule.His research shows that the optimum retirement portfolio has 60 to 65% stocks.He also shows the impact on SWR from:

-adjusting spending to the annual return of the stock market
-the amount of inheritance to leave
-more diversified portfolios than just the S&P 500 and intermediate bonds...
...he shows a mix of small and large cap stocks

The Louis Stanasolov chapter starts out with the famous quotation, "If you are not losing money somewhere in your portfolio, you are not diversified enough."

He points out that from 1966-1982, the S&P returned 6.73% while inflation compounded at 7.24%.

Stanasolov is predicting very low stock and bond returns the next 10 years.He predicts stocks will be low because current PE ratios are the 2nd highest in history. He predicts low bond returns because interest rates are historically low.He recommends 8 funds which are mostly long-short funds in real estate and commodities.

The reverse mortgage chapter is a good primer on reverse mortgages.Most academics are already predicting that since Baby Boomers under-saved for their retirements.....that most Boomers will have to use reverse mortgages.The authors correctly point out.......that due to their high costs.....reverse mortgages should be a last resort.

The chapter on immediate and variable annuities says the rule of thumb for immediate annuities is 20% to 50% of your portfolio.The authors point out that immediate annuities do not help people with very low net worth......and high net worth does not need them....so best application is for people in between these two groups.

I am a fan of low cost immediate annuities for some situations.I was disappointed there was no recommendation for low cost immediate annuity providers like Vanguard or Berkshire.

I am not a fan of variable annuities.The author forgot to point out the average annual expense of variable annuities is around 2%........and the policies and fees are so complicated that it would take a Philadelphia Lawyer to figure them out.

Another item the author forgot to point out on immediate annuities is that most state governments only insure annuity recipients to $100K annuity policies.Check your state for its limits. Most experts recommend buying less than $100K (or the particular state limit) in immediate annuities from different insurance companies to avoid the insurance company bankruptcy problem.

I agree with the author of the chapter on software for the distribution phase of investing. I find it hard to believe there is no standardized methodology for analyzing the decision on when to retire.........and no standard methodology to develop a plan for maximizing income during retirement.Maybe as the 67 million Baby Boomers begin to retire, this demand will drive improved software for the distribution phase of life.

All in all, this is an excellent book with regards to the distribution phase of life.I thought there were several thought provoking chapters on many aspects of the distribution phase.

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 are still in the accumulation phase of life, these books on investing may help you slowly grow wealthier:

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

Retirement Income Redesigned: Master Plans
The book is a series of articles by different authors. It is only appropriate for professionals or trained amateurs in the field. Quality is uneven. The best is the editors one article which is worth the price of the collection.

Practical Advice for a Control Freak
I found this collection of essays helpful in securing a better understanding of the implications of portfolio decumulation strategies in early retirement. The essays are written for the practitioner and hence are easier to understand than much of the recent academic literature. I will recommend this book to my CFA. ... Read more

Product Description
Searching for a safe, sane, proven way to a secure your retirement? Look no further than Retirement Breakthrough. This easy-to-follow, comprehensive guide is packed with financial wisdom relevant for today's turbulent times. This book delivers the key information that will help you breakthrough to a world of financial possibilities--all within your grasp.

Relying on more than forty-five years of experience as a financial consultant, Dick Duff explains how anyone can use sophisticated financial planning concepts usually reserved for America's wealthiest. These techniques will help guarantee that your retirement income comes on time and all the time. Duff explains

• How to determine how much income you ll need in retirement
• How to withdraw money from your life insurance policies
• How to use annuities to optimize your retirement income
• How to make maximum use of assets you already have, such as IRAs and your home
• How to protect your assets and income from unwanted claimants and unnecessary taxes

Product Description

Customer Reviews (11)

Response to Janet's Review
Dear Janet,

I'm sorry you were disappointed in the book. Referring to the second edition (perhaps you downloaded the first edition?) Kendal is on page 275; CCRCs (Continuing Care Retirement Communities) on 276 - 277; active adult communities on pages 271 - 273, and Chapters 5, 6, and 7 discuss places to retire.

As the back of the book says, "This all-inclusive guide covers every aspect of planning your ideal retirement." That is the target audience of the book - those who are planning for retirement. You mentioned you are already retired, so it may not be as useful to you as to the intended audience - those planning for retirement.

Again, I'm sorry you were disappointed with your purchase, but if you have the second edition, please check the pages I referenced; in addition, I have included additional resources on pages 459 - 466 that you should find useful.

Regards,
Jan Cullinane

Disappointment!
I rushed home to read this on my Kindle and having spent two hours I am disgusted.Firstly, I bought it because it was the only book I found on your site that mentioned Kendal communities, which are my interest.There was no such mention.After much search, and finding NO reviews of ANY retirement communities I used the Kindle search function and still found none.Secondly, the information was entirely about planning for retirement.... none about being retired which I am.Thirdly, the financial information seemed very out of date.And finally, little information was given about how to arrange one's finances after the planning reached its goal...... for example, annuities, were not mentioned, only paced withdrawals from capital.Altogether, a waste of $9.99, and a wasted afternoon! Janet

OK, let's go
This is a "how to" book.

Buying it is just the beginning; but be aware that it straddles the old school and new realities both - and I am not too sure that it recognizes the differences that are needed for a successful retirement in the future - no one can predict the future, but I think that this will need to be updated soon.

On the other hand, this may be one of the most comprehensive books on retirement currently available.

Superficial
This is a very superficial view of retirement.If you want something in more depth, such as understanding Social Security, your 401(k), etc., check out the Nolo Press books.

The Ultimate Guide? Yes
This book claims to be the "ultimate guide to the rest of your life" and it is, but it is a guide.Readers will still need to supplement the "ultimate guide" with books that are specific and detailed.As an example, the "Making your money last" section is 43 pages and the last chapter on taxes is just 28 pages.Your library will most probably need other books on these subjects, but as a guide, this book does contain several excellent questionnaires and an appendix with a resources list that should help readers find more specific answers to retirement issues.It includes information for retirees, and soon to be retirees, about health, relocation, working in retirement, finances, leisure time activities, finding a second career, travel, etc. I also recommend a visit to her website, www.thenewretirement.com.

Paul Puckett, Author
Investiphobia: You Can Invest Without Fear! ... Read more

Product Description
This quick read makes understanding the rules of estate planning easy!

Estate Planning Basicsprovides concise, straightforward and easy-to-read explanations of the major components of estate planning, so that you don't have to spend hours wading through endless options (most of which apply to the wealthy).

Learn about:

Product Description

Once you hit that magic age of 64 (give or take a few years) and stop working, what are you going to do with the rest of your life?

How can you accumulate enough assets to allow you to continue to live a comfortable lifestyle?

How can you use your retirement years most productively?

How can you stack the odds in your favor in terms of maintaining both physical and mental health?

These are the questions facing millions of baby boomers today.

This book provides the answers. In these pages, you'll discover a practical, common-sense approach that can lead to a happy and fulfilling retirement beyond your wildest dreams... making the rest of your life truly the best of your life.

Winner of the 2009 Book Expo America Best New Book (Non-Illustrated) Award

"The interweaving of Marvin Tolkin's life story -- a true success story -- with folksy wisdom, practical advice, and incisive commentary is a powerful combination. Every baby boomer -- and their children -- should read this book... Within these pages you ll find a toolkit of ideas that enables the construction of a foundation strong enough to support even the longest and most active of retirements." -- From the Foreword by Dr. Robert N. Butler, Pulitzer-prize winning author and President and CEO, International Longevity Center

"This is an inspiring and practical financial memoir. It is wonderful that Marvin Tolkin, with his decades of experience, is willing to share the truth about both money and aging from a personal point of view. Marvin counsels us to have a mentor, but many of us have no one that fills the bill. Now, we do -- a mentor that propels us to a lifetime of fulfillment and relevance, both monetary and spiritual." -- Adriane Berg, author of How Not to Go Broke at 102: Achieving Everlasting Wealth

"Marvin Tolkin doesn't preach to you about how to prepare for retirement, he tells you stories that are rich in wisdom -- stories that are all the more compelling because they tell of his failures as well as his successes." -- David B. Wolfe, author of Ageless Marketing

"At a time when the world of business and the idealistic nonprofit world seem to be at odds, it is refreshing, and inspiring, to read the story of one whose life transcends any such dualism. Marvin Tolkin's well-told story is a stirring answer to the Talmudic question, 'If I am only for myself, what am I? If not now, when?'" -- Rick Moody, AARP Director of Academic Affairs

... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

Talks Good Sense, but misses the REAL point of Life - God!
Tolkin tells the story of his successes and failures in the business world, and the lessons he has learned along the way. He doesn't regret any of his failures because they taught him a thing or two about life and people.

He stresses the importance of a diversified portfolio, investing in the things you are passionate about, finding trusted mavens and sages to guide you in your decisions, and to always have a purpose in life that drives you other than just aiming toward the retired life of golfing or sitting around or taking vacations.

He says not to depend solely on social security or on employer retirement monies. He talks about investing in IRAS and in things that grow your income.

Tolking also shares the story of his marriage and the heartbreaking and sudden loss of his first wife Estelle and how a few years later, he connected with Carole, who became his second wife. He feels like he has been blessed to live two lives, one with Estelle and one with Carole.

Tolkin does a nice job of getting you to think about your plans for retirement (he says the best time to start preparing is in your 30s and 40s). He says that with a little planning and a little luck, the rest of your life can be the best of your life.

This is all good, and the author talks a lot of good sense. But you get the impression that this life is all there is. There is no discussion about life beyond this life, or to put it in other words, planning for your post mortem retirement years. In a sense, there is discussion of these things in that Tolkin is concerned about leaving a legacy and monies for his grandchildren.

But what about God and the afterlife? Regardless of theological pedigree, this is the rest and best of your life. It's more than just putting money away and leaving a few bucks for your kids, it's about loving God and serving others.

The lack of any discussion regarding spiritual or divine or metaphysical reality makes any book about the rest and best of your life come up short.

But because I am perhaps asking too much, and because the author says what he does say very well, I will give this book 5 stars

Financial- and mental- preparation for your retirement
The author was a successful lingerie manufacturer until he retired in his sixties.While some might be tempted to put the book down at this point- most of us don't own businesses, much less successful businesses- the author uses his interesting life story to illustrate his points about success, the necessity of failure, the importance of good relationships, risk, mavens, happiness and what makes for a successful retirement.

Many people have failed to adequately plan for their retirement, but the author argues that it's never too late.He goes on to say that the stereotype of the retiree playing golf and watching television until he or she dies is not only unrealistic- he makes the financial case for continuing to work at least part-time after retirement- but also unattractive.In his experiences, he has found that people who are not actively engaged in something that they are passionate about are the ones who will not only become less healthy but who will also die more quickly.

The crux of his book is the concept of "Marrying Time to Money".The phrasing might be a little awkward, but the idea is sound.Decide- preferably before retirement is on the horizon- what your interests are and design a retirement strategy that makes use of those interests.In this way, you won't just accumulate assets, you'll also be cultivating an avocation- or vocation- that keeps you engaged.In his case, the author successfully invested in art, coins and Faberge pieces.

The author spends just as much time- if not more- on his failures, particularly his inability to see that his company's most valuable assets were not his clothing business but his real estate holdings.Although the author is well-leveraged now, he would be considerably wealthier if he had made the necessary change at the right time.

The author had a happy life and is now living a happy retirement.This is not a get-rich-quick-in-the-twilight-years how-to, but rather a guide on how to maximize both your interests and your economic potential at the same time.

Easy to read.

Retirement? Bah Humbug!
Marvin Tolkin is the kind of neighbor you wish for - a man so comfortable with where he is in the realms of post working years - that he is able to take away all of the anxiety about thinking about those years when most people think they must stop working.But in today's economy, when elder people are being sought for the work force to replace those holes created by the untrained or the unenthusiastic or the victims of our multiple wars, this little book is a special guide for making those plans for a life of leisure a reality.

Tolkin has been there and knows how to guide us all there - to that place where health and finances are secure in the time when most people are facing near poverty of thought and finances.He does this not by a series of rules and regulations, but by sharing his own common sense approach to 'retirement planning'.He is a fine writer with a terrific sense of humor - a factor that helps the non-believer jump on his wagon and reap the benefits.This is a dandy little book that likely will become a best seller - given the fact that the baby boomers must cope with the messages within the covers of this book. Read this for enjoyment, for wisdom, and for sound and caring advice!Grady Harp, April 10

Old advice regarding financial planning that never gets old
There was not a single item of advice for "retirement" planning in this book that I have not heard before, yet there was not a single item that I considered superfluous, redundant or unworthy of inclusion. Successful financial planning is a mindset that is very perishable, constant reminders of the need is necessary, especially when you are under fifty. Until you hit that landmark age, sixty-four is always in the distant future, something you think about but would rather not worry about. And if you worry about it, you will plan for it.
Tolkin has had an interesting life, which he shares and uses as a fundamental primer for his bullet points about planning for the future. He is an optimistic/realist, dismissing the nonsensical investment schemes that so many tout and so many fall for. He has fallen for an occasional fraudulent investment scheme and invested in many successful ventures.His two prime points of advice are as sound as investment advice can ever get. "Invest only in things that either you or a trusted maven know about" and "You are going to fail sometimes, so accept it and move on."
By any objective standard of measure, I have done a good job in my financial planning, so I tend to dismiss any advice that I already know. In this case I did not, by being serious about what I read and using it as the stimulus to rethink what I am doing, I have identified a few small tweaks that have increased my savings rate. Not because I followed any specific suggestions put forward by the authors, but because I thought through what I am doing. The best investment advice tends to be generic, and there is a great deal of that in this book.

A Refreshing Way to Plan For Retirement
Marvin Tolkin has given us a new and refreshing way to look at and plan for retirement.Instead of thinking about retirement as "the rest of your life", he suggests that you think of it as "the best of your life."

Marvin offers a totally different way to look at retirement.Instead of taking the typical financial planner's perspective, he takes a holistic approach.Most financial planners are concerned with allocating resources among stocks, bonds and other investments.Marvin suggests that you plan for your retirement by investing in things that interest you.Stocks and bonds do not generally give you any personal sense of satisfaction.Collecting stamps, gold coins, art and other such collectables can offer a good financial investment as well as a personal satisfaction.

He gives some fairly good advice about alternative investments.Seek out and find experts.Take their advice.Focus on the higher end, more expensive products where there is likely to be higher demand, more appreciation.One of the concepts he talks about is "marrying time to money".His view is that you should only invest in things that you are passionate about - things you love spending time doing.If you naturally are passionate about something, you will study it, devote the time and attention to looking after the investment and even if the investment does not totally pan out, you will at least have enjoyed the ride.

Marvin develops his philosophy of retirement by telling his own story.In some respects this is helpful, in others it has it disadvantages.Marvin was a highly successful businessman and therefore had many advantages that many people do not.He got to travel extensively.He had the cash flow to invest in real estate.He also was able to invest in collectables that would appreciate in value.

Many people will look at his plan and not be able to transfer the lessons or principles from his life to their own.

In addition to the financial planning, Marvin talks about staying active, living with a purpose.In my view, this is as important as the financial information.I have seen countless people retire and then sit around waiting to die.Watching TV or playing golf everyday can get boring in a hurry.Marvin suggest that you must stay active, physically and mentally to enjoy your retirement.

There is a lot of really good advice in this book.It is written in an easy to read style and the layout is reader friendly.It is never too early to start planning for your retirement.But if you are over 40, this would be a great book to read.The quality of your retirement will be directly related to the time and energy you spend planning for it.This book could be a very helpful guide.


... Read more

Product Description
How much you need to finance your retirement depends on how well you want to live and the expected length of your retirement life. Do you want to maintain or increase your standard of living? Do you want to start a new business, provide financial help to family members or engage in a new hobby or activity? How much you need to accumulate depends on the lifestyle you envision.

Securing a Retirement Income for Life will show you how much you need to accumulate to provide a retirement income for life and how to implement the very best strategies for managing, protecting and preserving your wealth.The interactive nature of this new book will show you how to go about planning to meet your retirement needs and objectives and how best to prepare for uncertainties when the future is unknown.

For many people, retirement may represent the longest stage of their life. It is a time when they can look forward to a whole new range of exciting challenges and activities - to experience their own vision - with the same passion, excitement and sense of accomplishment they had during the first part of their life. Along with a much longer life, however, comes more complex and much more expensive financial challenges.This book will help you prepare for the many challenges and uncertainties that lie ahead as you approach retirement and during your retirement years, such as the potential risk of outliving your money.

The shift away from defined benefit plans to defined contribution plans is a trend that has revolutionized retirement planning by placing more of the responsibility for saving on the individual. Since fewer retirees in the future can expect to receive a steady stream of income from employer provided defined benefit plans, individuals will have to rely more on their own resources for a much higher percentage of their retirement income.

According to author and Certified Financial Planner practitioner, Bill Griffith, Jr., CFP, "people are faced with having to make serious decisions about how to manage their company retirement plan, how much to contribute, how to invest their money and what to do with their vested balance after they retire.""They need to have a plan based on clear and accurate information to help them make decisions about when to retire, how long they can expect to live in retirement, how much they need to accumulate and how to manage their funds throughout their retirement years."

The investment needed to finance retirement depends on an accurate forecast of expenditures and rate of return assumptions well into the future. The uncertainty of traditional return assumptions and rising healthcare costs are both significant risks in retirement and can have a tremendous impact on retirement savings and security.Decisions about when to retire, how long you can expect to live in retirement and how much you need to accumulate are complicated by an ever changing set of circumstances.Throughout this book, the author emphasizes a process-driven approach for facing these and other critical issues in retirement.You will learn about the proper methods for managing retirement funds and how to protect against the risk of funding long-term liabilities.

Meeting financial obligations through an investment-based approach is only one part of the process. Securing a Retirement Income for Life will show you how to use a combination of methods to assure that your retirement income will last for life. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Worth Every Cent
I bought this book and More Money for Retirement Right Now: Unlock the Equity in Your Assets, Create Immediate Income and Live a Richer Life, which is also written by Bill Griffith, because I was concerned about my investments and retirement plan with all the market volatility and uncertainty in our current economy.

I've read less expensive books on retirement planning but I never learned as much as I did from this one.This book provides all the information and tools to achieve financial freedom based on the lifestyle you are dreaming about.It shows how to increase the probability of meeting your retirement income goal and how to maintain your standard of living during retirement.

Griffith presents the opportunities and challenges that can have a tremendous impact on your retirement savings and security.Those who are near retirement age will find out how to rearrange their funds to receive a steady stream of income throughout their retirement years and how to protect their money from a decline in the market and from other risks that most people don't usually think about.Those who are younger and still saving for retirement cannot afford to miss the opportunity to build more wealth for retirement by following the important topics discussed in this book.

One of the most important features of this book is that it describes how to design an investment strategy using protective tax savings vehicles to build and protect your wealth and how you cannot rely on your investments alone.If you haven't given much thought to retirement planning, you may be shocked by what you learn but you might be able to do something about it now.I've realized that retirement can be a very long stage of life and my employer is not gong to fund it - that's my job - so it requires some careful thought and planning.

This book has so much important information that you don't want to miss. But that's not all. . . The exercises in this book are extremely important and completing them will help you understand your own possibilities much better.Retirement isn't all about money.It's about the life you would like to live.I am more confident about my retirement and excited about the opportunities that lie ahead.Overall, I would highly recommend this book to anyone who would like to be more proactive in planning a fulfilling retirement and to anyone who would like to increase their retirement savings and feel more confident about achieving their goal of financial independence and security in retirement.

Fallacy of literature about finances
This edition, published in 2009, is based on an earlier one published prior to the financial collapse of 2007.And the reviews of the book heretofore have been done before the collapse as well.I wonder how many of those who reviewed the book then now have portfolios that have suffered and impaired their retirement standard of living today? The book certainly has historical value, but as a plan for the future, it is doubtful that ANY financial book can guide anyone through the pitfalls of investing anymore.All investing is based on certain assumptions held true for many years that have been shattered by the greed of Wall Street and the institutional incompetency of government regulators.Today, we still hear the mantra about staying the course with the expectation that eventually the market will go up; yet we see constant buying and selling on a short term to elicit quick profit taking.We are asked to rebalance our portfolios in light of the decimation of our holdings.But re-arranging where we now have our money will not change the fact that investors have lost wealth no matter how it is placed.Index funds were the rage because of their low cost, but we now see that the low cost is a minimal advantage in a declining market where careful stock picking among the bones of the S&P 500 brings better results.My advice for retirement: consider what you have right now, gauge your life expectancy, and get out as soon as you are able with what you have right now, relying on Social Security early retirement benefits and perhaps a small job to make ends meet until the market goes up.If you are within three or four years of retirement, working those extra years will not amass you any greater wealth because you will not have the early Social Security retirement benefits to use and the money you invest will not have sufficient time to grow appreciably for the risks of investing before you have to take your minimum distributions.Quite simply: you are out of time, pal!So enjoy what you have now before the government or Wall Street takes it all later, either through taxes, inflation, or spurious unregulated investment schemes.If you think I am a disgruntled loser in the game, perish the thought.The day the market tanked in October, 2007, I quit my job and have no regrets.Good luck!

Are you serious about achieving financial independence?
This book has changed my life! To achieve my retirement income goal, I learned how to accumulate a portfolio of over $2.4 million. I am so fortunate to have read Securing a Retirement Income for Life.

If you are serious about becoming financially independent, this book is for you. This is not the kind of book that you read, get excited about then ask yourself, "Okay, what do I do now? You are going to know what to do. It's the next best thing to having a Certified Financial Planner work with you "one on one." The great thing about this book is that you can be working on your own dreams, your own goals, how much you want to make as you are reading. You'll need a calculator but everything else is provided for you - right in the book.

Unlike other books on the subject, Securing a Retirement Income for Life is written by a Certified Financial Planner who has experience working with clients on a daily basis. His firm is known for having expertise in retirement income and distribution planning.

In this book, you will learn about proven strategies to ensure a consistent and reliable flow of income for your lifetime. How managing your retirement plan is different after you retire and how to change the way you invest during retirement. You will learn how to protect your retirement funds from uncertainties such as how long you will live, changes in rates of return and inflation. I discovered strategies the wealthy use to build and preserve their wealth.

Griffith covers the important topic of asset allocation and how a well-defined portfolio allows for several stages of lifestyle and cash flow during the extended retirement many people hope to experience. He discusses the importance of integrating your retirement plan with other aspects of your financial picture, such as investments, legacy planning and tax issues. This is what I think makes this book different from others on the subject. You will learn how your retirement plan fits in with your overall financial situation. You will learn a lot more than just how to build wealth. You will learn how to protect and preserve it. After all, who wants to have nearly half of a million-dollar portfolio wiped out because of one costly mistake?

Overall, I highly recommend this book, which serves as a "roadmap" demonstrating exactly how you can start from where you are right now to achieve your goal of financial independence.

Especially recommended for anyone confused by myriad options for retirement planning.
Written by Bill Griffith Jr. (principal of W.E. Griffith & Associates, a fee-based wealth management firm), Securing a Retirement Income for Life is a no-nonsense guide to what, in today's era of long life spans, is becoming an increasingly lengthy stage of adult life. Securing a Retirement Income for Life addresses how much to accumulate to provide a stable retirement income and fully address one's quality of life needs, how to prepare for uncertainties most effectively when confronted with unknown future variables, addressing healthcare risks, choosing the right financial advisor for one's needs, and much more. Written in plain terms for the lay reader, Securing a Retirement Income for Life features a wealth of easy-to-use tables for quickly estimating relevant figures, as well as an index for cross-reference, and is especially recommended for anyone confused by myriad options for retirement planning.

Great read that WE ALL NEED
I have finally found a book written by a Certified Financial Planner who provides a concise explanation of the investment process used by investment pros to accumulate money for retirement along with the research and illustrations to back it up.Hypothetical case scenarios show how integrating your retirement plan with other aspects of your financial life will protect you against the risk of outliving your money and other unforeseen events.

This book shows you very methodically how to determine the amount of money needed to provide a retirement income for the rest of your life.It covers the methods for managing your retirement funds and how to protect them from among other things an extended market decline.Unlike other books on the subject, Griffith provides questionnaires and tables to guide you through the process of understanding your own retirement needs and objectives.He tells you what you should be looking out for not only in investing but also with rising expenses, such as healthcare, increasing inflation and tax issues.The author gives you not only the positive side to certain issues but also some of the negatives.

If you are looking for a guide to teach you how to invest for retirement and how to make sure that your retirement income will last for the rest of your life, then I would suggest you start here.It will keep you from making the mistakes that the vast majority of people make causing them to outlive their resources.

If you are looking for an investment professional, this book will answer many of your questions and make you an educated client.

You should buy this book.
... Read more

Product Description
Retirement Plans (formerly titled Pension Planning through the ninth edition) is a classic, the book relied upon by generations of faculty and thousands of professionals throughout the world. It reliably provides the reader with the features, costs, investment opportunities, and regulatory issues governing all the various types of retirement and other deferred compensation plans. The 10th edition keeps the book once again at the forefront of the discipline, with extensive coverage of the new Pension Protection Act, defined contribution plans, ethical plan administration, and much more. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Great Guide For All Employee Sponsored Retirement Plans!
This is a great book for all of you who are learning about retirement plans for the first time or like me, a seasoned professional, looking to have a guide I can always refer to at any time with any question. Great book! I'm glad they updated the book for PPA 2006! ... Read more

Product Description
The tools you need to escape the rat race and enjoy your life!

Productivity in the American workplace is the highest in the world. But perhaps that amazing work ethic you've always embraced has left you wondering, "Is this it?"

Consider semi-retirement. Work less hours and enjoy more time to be with your family and pursue your passions. Find out what it will take for you to semi-retire with The Work Less, Live More Workbook.

Based on the bestselling Work Less, Live More, this workbook provides the tools you need to crunch the numbers and make a plan that works. Easy-to-use worksheets, spreadsheets, charts and exercises make figuring out the numbers a snap! Find out how to:

Product Description

The Truth About Securing Your Retirement with IRAs arms you with the up-to-the-minute knowledge you need to build your retirement income, as you reduce your costs, taxes, and risks! Consumer finance expert and nationally syndicated radio host Steve Weisman offers quick, bite-size, just-the-facts information. This book distills the essential knowledge you need and presents it clearly, simply, and quickly.

• The truth about getting started with IRAs
• The truth about Roth versus Traditional IRAs
• The truth about early withdrawals, conversions, setting up IRAs for children, and more!

Product Description
In a practical and useful way, Marjory Zoet Banksonexplores the spiritual dimensions of retirement andaging. She offers creative ways for you to share yourgifts and experience, particularly when retirement leavesyou questioning who you are when you are no longerdefined by your career.
Drawing on stories of people who have reinvented their lives in their older years, Bankson explores the issues you need to address as you move into this generative period of life:

* Release: Letting go of the vocational identity associated with our career or primary work
* Resistance: Feeling stuck, stagnant, resisting change
* Reclaiming: Drawing energy from the past, discovering unused gifts
* Revelation: Forming a new vision of the future
* Crossing Point: Moving from stagnation to generativity
* Risk: Stepping out into the world with new hope
* Relating: Finding or creating new structures for a new kind of work ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

product review


Discover Your Unique Gift

"Creative aging is a choice.... If we remember that transition always begins with endings, moves on to a wilderness period of testing and trying, and only then do we reach the beginning of something new, then we can embrace this encore period of life with hope and curiosity, remembering always that it is our true nature to be creative, to be always birthing new ways of sharing our planet together."--from the Epilogue

In a practical and useful way, Marjory Zoet Bankson explores the spiritual dimensions of retirement and aging. She offers creative ways for you to share your gifts and experience, particularly when retirement leaves you questioning who you are when you are no longer defined by your career.

Drawing on stories of people who have reinvented their lives in their older years, Bankson explores the issues you need to address as you move into this generative period of life:

Release: Letting go of the vocational identity associated with your career or primary work

Resistance: Feeling stuck, stagnant, resisting change

Reclaiming: Drawing energy from the past, discovering unused gifts

Revelation: Forming a new vision of the future

Crossing Point: Moving from stagnation to generativity

Risk: Stepping out into the world with new hope

Relating: Finding or creating new structures for a new kind of work
... Read more

Product Description
Tired of commuting? Fed up with your boss? Bored with your job? There is a solution: Start living and doing what you want to do. Lie in a hammock or on a beach, swing your golf club, or hit the open road. Get control of your life, become financially independent, and RETIRE EARLY. If you want to retire early - before age 65 - you are not alone. In a survey of workers ages 30 to 50, more than half plan to retire at 60 or younger and only 6 percent plan to work past 65.
There are three things you need to do to retire early: 1) Manage your expenses and reduce or eliminate debt, 2) accumulate capital, and 3) save and invest wisely. It is easy, but requires patience and self-control, and with the guidance of this new book you will be on your way to achieving this goal. You will learn how to take control of your life, set realistic long-term goals, choose appropriate lifestyle trade-offs, and learn effective savings techniques and simple investing strategies. You will learn how to calculate how much you need to retire early, get the most from your investment portfolio, reduce your taxes, use retirement planning tools, increase your income while retired, reduce living expenses, deal with inflation and deflation, and calculate social security and pension payments. This book will be your road map to turn the dream of early retirement into reality. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Early Retirement: Not Simple But Possible
This is a book I wish I'd had 20 years ago. According to author Sandy Baker, early retirement can become a reality for just about anyone. But it takes long-term planning, financial self-control and a clear set of goals. This book, as the subtitle states, is a "Step-by-Step Plan for Making It Happen." It's an easy-to-follow guide that leads you through the mysterious terrain of retirement planning. The author addresses both the financial and emotional aspects of giving up your professional identity and spending the last forty or fifty years of your life as a man or lady of leisure.

One of the most in depth and helpful parts of the guide is the clear explanation of various kinds of investments and tax-deferred retirement plans. The author assumes, accurately in my case, that the reader doesn't know an S & P Index Fund from a Sector Fund, a Keogh from a 401K. An entire chapter is devoted to explaining the different types if IRAs available. The book also discusses the pros and cons of various kinds of financial professionals who can help you orchestrate your master plan.

The charts, tables and worksheets help the reader figure out things like what your living expenses will be 30 years from now, taking inflation into account. A glossary helps define jargon. An index, as well as helpful chapter titles and subtitles, makes information easy to find.

While Baker doesn't sugarcoat what it will take to reach the dream of early retirement, she makes the reader see that dream as a potential reality. I think I'll start giving this book to the college graduates in my life.

A Must-Have Retirement Checklist
Get started planning your early retirement today with Your Complete Guide to Early Retirement: A Step-by-Step Plan for Making It Happen. Retiring at age 40 is no longer a pipe dream for today's middle-aged Americans thanks to this helpful how-to on managing your time and money prudently. When do you need to start saving for retirement? What kind of retirement benefits can you expect? How can you ensure you don't overextend your retirement budget? What happens when you do?

These questions and more are answered once you read the do's and dont's in Your Complete Guide to Early Retirement. If you are thinking about an early retirement, then this book is for you.

Oh Sign Me Up!
Who has not entertained thoughts about early retirement?I certainly have.Before reading the book Your Complete Guide to Early Retirement: A Step-by-Step Plan for Making It Happen, it seemed more like a fantasy than a reality.
Step-by-step, line-by-line Sandy Baker teaches how you determine what your retirement goals are, how much they will cost, and how to start on the road to achieving them.She makes it clear that while it will not be easy, age, income-level, and family situation do not keep you from being able to succeed.She talks you through making and sticking to a reasonable budget.She teaches you how to sort out and pay off your debt, once and for all.Calling you a 'Millionaire in Training', Sandy describes what to do to build your savings through wise investments, finding 'free' money, and living below your means.She details the role of a financial planner and how to find the one that is right for you.Describing the many varieties of financial plans in detail, she explains how each will benefit you and your loved ones.Sandy even tackles the difficult subjects of the emotional toll retirement and planning your estate take and how to plan for it.In the end, you are left feeling as though you are well-versed inbecoming financially sound and have taken the first steps to turn your dreams into a reality.

It's a 'must' for any general-interest lending library.
This step-by-step plan for early retirement offers in-depth advice on three key tips to early retirement: managing expenses and eliminating debt, accumulating capital, and investing it wisely. Chapters cover all the basics, from building a portfolio geared to these goals to handling inflation and considering income payments from social security and other sources. It's a 'must' for any general-interest lending library.

One of the best I've read!
Whether you're years or light years away from retirement this is the "how to" for anyone looking to put the ball in motion.The Complete Guide to Early Retirement takes the reader through the financial and emotional issues that you want to think about now in order to do it successfully later.
Is it really all about the money and having enough of it--or is it about changing your lifestyle?If you're asking yourself these kinds of questions then read this book for the skinny on what retirement is really all about.

Author Sandy Baker takes a bird's eye view of the whole picture, looking at the truth of our day to day spending habits, the facts and figures on inflation and how we can get behind the wheel and steer toward a much brighter future.This book takes a direct approach from the beginning by asking the reader to define retirement--which is different for all of us--keeping the focus on our individual goals and how to achieve them.

Exploring the inevitable changes we face both before and after retirement is covered concisely with a solid understanding of the most important short and long term issues.Putting your plan together is well defined also, with great suggestions, insights and a clear, common-sense approach that makes the important distinction between having money and being secure.You can't afford not to read this book. ... Read more

Product Description
More than 78 million baby boomers, representing some 29% of the U.S. population, are approaching retirement, and about 58 percent of retirement assets are in defined contribution plans.

If you want or need to take money out of your retirement plan-whether you've inherited a retirement plan, wish to buy a house, or just need money-IRAS, 401(l)s & other Retirement Plans will help you make the best choices concerning these plans, and cope with the accompanying rules and regulations. Filled with sample forms and charts, this book covers:

Product Description
This short story explores the pros and cons of utilizing immediate annuities for retirement income. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

DALE WRITES A GOOD BOOK
You can be sure that Dale researches what he writes when it comes to personal finance. I have several of his books and short stories. ... Read more

Product Description
The newest edition of Natalie Choate's best-selling book. These are new books, (not used), direct from the publisher. Intended audience: lawyers, CPAs, financial planners, other professionals who advise individuals regarding tax treatment of their retirement benefits. The "Bible" on IRA distribution planning. Expected publication 10/1/06. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Just what the doctor ordered . . .
As an estates attorney, this guide to retirement benefits planning is exactly what I have been looking for.Well organized, well written, and well referenced.Absolutely worth the money and I doubt you can find any other guide to this area of law, from an attorney's perspective, that even comes close.If you know of one, let me know.If there's anything that I've learned, it's that this area of law can always benefit from another perspective.

"The Source" for retirement account rules and planning ideas
As an estate planning attorney with over 23 years' experience, I've had a long time to review the books in my field and discern the good from the bad, the worthwhile from the worthless. Without a doubt, Ms. Choate's exhaustive review and analysis of the IRS statutes, rules, regulations, private letter rulings, and planning ideas related to IRAs and qualified plans is THE "source" not only for myself but for 1,000s of attorneys and financial planners all across the U.S.

I anxiously await each new edition, feeling secure that now I'll be up-to-date again with the latest planning ideas, tips and techniques in this area of the tax law.

Written in a down-to-earth style but with complete footnotes and citations, Ms. Choate's book is the go-to source for my questions about: what are the basic rules governing the minimum distribution payouts from retirement plans? what special options are available to a surviving spouse? what are the rollover rules? can or should the beneficiary sign a "disclaimer"? what are the Roth IRA rules? can I leave my IRA to a charity? should I name the marital or credit shelter trust as beneficiary of my client's IRA? what are the pros and cons of doing so? what are the pitfalls of naming the family trust as IRA beneficiary? what are the IRS "trust rules" to follow when naming any kind of trust as beneficiary of a qualified plan or IRA? The list goes on and on...

If you do ANY planning or advising clients in the area of naming beneficiaries of IRAs or qualified retirement plans, you simply must have a copy of this 575-page book on your bookshelf. Well worth the modest expense!

The Professional's Reitement Benefits Bible
This book is, without a doubt, the single essential reference guide for financial planning, retirement planning and estate planning professionals. While written for professionals, it is accessable to non professionals as well.

If you have a question about distributions from a qualified plan or an IRA, you will find the answer here. ... Read more

Product Description
PRE- AND POST-RETIREMENT PLANNING THAT MAKES SENSE

GETTING STARTED IN A FINANCIALLY SECURE RETIREMENT

If you want to make the most of your retirement years, you have to seriously think about the retirement lifestyle you want and the path that will get you there. In order to do this, you need reliable retirement information that will allow you to properly chart your course. Nobody knows this better than author Henry Hebeler, who retired from the corporate world more than fifteen years ago--and quickly discovered that much of the retirement planning advice available wasn't helping people accomplish their goals.

Now, with Getting Started in a Financially Secure Retirement, Hebeler shares his experience in this field with you and reveals what it really takes to achieve the retirement you want. Written in a straightforward and accessible style, Getting Started in a Financially Secure Retirement dismisses the assumptions that many popular retirement planning methods make and addresses some of today's most important retirement issues, including everything from planning with realistic economic inputs to neglected subjects such as replacement budgeting, reverse dollar cost averaging, and the need for resiliency when encountering surprise events.

Filled with in-depth insights, practical advice, and helpful retirement planning tools, Getting Started in a Financially Secure Retirement will allow you to apply Hebeler's proven principles to your own specific situation--whether you're already retired or still working--and make more informed financial decisions as you plan for the years ahead. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Great Overview Book
Hebeler's writing style is easy to read.

I have read over 200 books on investing/financial planning, and I would put this book into the top 10....with regards to general financial planning information.

Hebeler covers all the basics including saving, investing in index funds, and Social Security.

I particularly liked his list of Lessons Learned:

1. Look hard for low costs and taxes.
2. Don't invest in anything that eats, floats, drills, or is appraised with a magnifying glass or scale.
3. Avoid partnerships and tax gimmicks
4. Be wary of someone who wants to manage your money
5. You have heard of someone who has a foolproof method
6. Don't buy individual stocks and don't time the market

As a general intro to investing, you really can't go wrong with this book.

To compliment this book.....I would suggest a couple good books on index fund investing and asset allocation.


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

A Wealth of Info
The author is a designer of a website dedicated to retirement planning and that shows in his book. He has a detailed knowledge of what it takes to build and later utilize a nest egg, and spells it out in plain language for the reader.

What I liked about the book: The plethora of information about creating my own nest egg and how to preserve said nest egg, and eventually how to tap the nest egg. It did these things better than any book I have ever read.

What I didn't like about the book: Some of the charts were way too complex and detailed. They were nearly impossible to decipher.

All in all it was one of the better books about retirement I have read. I also finished reading the FUNNIEST book about retirement I've read, "Race You To The Fountain of Youth."Race You to the Fountain of Youth: I'm Not Dead Yet (But parts of me are going fast)

Getting Started in a Financially Secure Retirement
Planning on retiring someday or already retired, the information in this book will help you use your money in the most intelligent way possible.Of all the "retirement books" available, you will find information and planning tools in this book that are not found elsewhere. Since we are all concerned about having enough money in retirement, it makes sense to do the best we can to save, invest and spend money for our maximum benefit.The information in this unique book gives us the tools to do that.

Bought a copy for each of my adult children
After giving each of our four adult children copies, I've now got comments back from them.They said they appreciated the many suggestions to help them save more as well as the simple calculations to know how much to save for retirement and when to start Social Security.A son-in-law said it was very easy to read--more like a novel than a financial book.A daughter said it was very good from a woman's perspective.Another daughter advised a neighbor to a copy as well.

A must have for Successful Retirement Planning
This Financial non-fiction reads like a novel.An easy read that is extremely informative and useful for planning and executing your retirement.Readers will benefit by the many thousands of man hours or research and analysis that have gone into providing this resource.The many different types of investment are reviewed and the real world effects on growth by inflation, taxes and fees are illustrated.The book also provides much relevant information about all the relevant topics surrounding retirement planning, such as IRAs, tax strategies, Social Security, pensions etc.Chapter 2 titled "Be Aware of the Environment" is very eye opening and relevant in today's world.This book is very easy to use as a resource and provides many clear Appendixes designed to allow the reader to make some simple calculations to either check the present status of planning or to run simulations based on changes or differences in assumptions.Entertaining as well as informative. ... Read more

Product Description
Retirement can be a time of growth, or adventure, or complete and utter relaxation. Where you spend your retirement years, no matter how you may define them, has to be a place that fulfills your desires and meets your changing needs. Choose the Southwest covers many communities in Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, and Utah that are ideal for retirees of every stripe. Descriptions of scenic, vibrant places, as well as essential information about the resources and activities available in these areas, allow you to make an informed decision about selecting the Southwest as your ideal location to enjoy an affordable, active and safe retirement. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

I was expecting more.
I was looking for a more indepth look at Roswell NM based on the book review in Amazon before I bought it,I did cover some of Roswell.

Very Informative
This book is one of the better written on the southwest for retirement or relocation purposes.It gives you a lot of information to compare various areas of the state.It also allows you to compare one state to another, example AZ to NM.

Southwest Retirement
If you have lived in the Southwest (SW) in the past or have vacationed there, then you know what a magical place it is. Despite the enormous growth in the past few decades, there are still wonderful towns that have not changed and are ideal locations for retirement. My wife and I are trying to make the retirement location decision at this time and I have purchased at least a dozen books about retirement cities and towns. Most of the books focus on the financial aspects, some are merely a compilation of data from the census, FBI, Dept. of Agriculture, etc. Lots of numbers, but no other information.

"Choose The Southwest for retirement" provides the important data about each town, mentions the financial economics, and uniquely paints a picture for each location. Having lived there in the 60s and visited frequently, we thought we knew all about the SW. What nice surprises we discovered in this book!

Great, but....
The book provides a fine overview of information every retiree will want to know about the communities the author includes in his survey: cultural life, health care, housing, and so forth. However, this region is the fastest growing in the country, with hordes of early retiring baby-boomers as well as Californians leaving for the cheaper, less congested Four Corners states. This means housing prices and the general cost of living have been skyrocketing in these states. Therefore, editions need to be updated with greater frequency for readers to get a better sense of what it will cost them to move into this region and what they might expect future living expenses to be.

The region also has been afflicted with the worst drought in memory, and with worldwide climatic collapse apparently well underway, perhaps the worst drought ever. A most crucial piece of information is missing in the author's descriptions of these Southwestern communities, therefore: intelligence on local water supplies. As it is, much of the Southwest is teetering dangerously on the edge, with water harder and harder to come by and populations soaring. It goes without saying that present and future life in this most beautiful part of America is going to be impacted profoundly by these changes. Before investing large portions of their retirement in purchasing property in places like Phoenix, Tucson, Salt Lake City, Las Cruces, Santa Fe, or Albuquerque, readers need to know where and how local water supplies are obtained and what the long-term outlook is for what might be an ecological disaster in the making.

Choose the Southwest for Retirement
This book is similiar to his others which I have read and is quite good, but his omission of Henderson Nevada (2d fastest growing in Nevada) and Boulder City Both of which are rated #1 in "Retirement PlacesRated" makes it less than complete. ... Read more

Product Description

Here is an easy way for you to plan for your financial freedom in your golden years.

Learn:
•Easy steps to evaluate your present position.
•What to expect from Social Security.
•Simple instructions on how to participate in retirement planning with your spouse.
•Real-life advice from women who have already retired.
•How to take the mystery out of financial terms and plans.

A dynamic, hard-hitting and up-to-the-minute guide to prevent poverty in old age for women. Written in an easy-to-understand style, readers will be motivated to take steps to bring financial security to their futures.

Ms. Martindale and Ms. Moses have written the crucial work on women and how they relate to money on all levels: emotional, practical, and psychological. The authors offer practical suggestions for creating a successful retirement plan based on their many seminars and interviews with women of all ages.
--Focus On Books

The authors provide clear, encouraging advice for all women who need to think about their futures. Highly recommended.
--David Rouse, Booklist ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Retirement Planning for the Investment Impaired
It is so easy to believe that retirement is way out or reach, yet as women especially, we need to plan ahead.Most books are intimidating with their Wall Street Jargon and impossible graphs, but the authors of this book havebroken the information down into easily understood steps that anyone cantake.

Wonderful!
The authors have delivered an insightful and most helpful guide for planning your retirement.The book is well written and easy to follow.Although the book is written with women in mind, I would highly recommendit to both women and MEN.I wish I had read it when I was still in my20's, as Ms. Martindale and Ms. Moses point out it is NEVER too early tobegin planning your retirement.Thank you! ... Read more

Product Description
More than 5,000 people retire every day--yet there have been no retirement books that are both informative and motivational until now.101 Secrets for a Great Retirement encourages and inspires retirees to simplify their lives and pursue their dreams.The authors cover all the essential topics, including health, social life, relationships, financial matters, legal issues, and more. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

ITS A PLACE TO START
IF YOU HAVE ZERO IDEAS FOR WHAT, HOW,AND WHEN, ITS ALRIGHT.IF YOU HAVE ALREADY DONE SOME HOMEWORK FOR A WHILE SKIP IT.

Practical Wisdom
There is a great deal of wisdom in this book by Mary Helen and Shuford Smith. The Smiths cover the practical aspects of retirement as well. The Smiths retired early - ages 39 and 43. They consider their retirement lives extremely rich and provide this guide to fill in a gap that they see in retirement literature. They aren't afraid to tackle issues that many other retirement books don't address, such as the reality of death and sexual changes, while covering the practical aspects of retirement as well.

The construct of the book is in the form of 101 brief essays grouped together in eight categories. The first category, "Make Successful Transitions," is one of the critical sections that make this book stand out. The Smiths discuss the importance of developing a philosophy for life during your retirement years. Many recent retirement books talk about finding jobs, volunteering, travel and relationships, but few acknowledge that we must come to grips with the realities of aging and defining our purpose on earth - our reason for "being," rather than "doing." The Smiths replay this theme throughout the remainder of the book.
If I have one gripe with the book, it's the style of writing. The Smiths have chosen to write in the first person plural ("we," "our"). This can begin to grate if the reader chooses to read from cover to cover, because it begins to sound like a royal "we." Because of this, I recommend reading the book in short bursts, dipping into different essays as appropriate.

In spite of this shortcoming, 101 Secrets for a Great Retirement belongs on the bookshelf of everyone approaching retirement.

common sense, not "secrets"
I bought this book thinking that the "secrets" therein would enlighten me as to things we might be missing in our planning for retirement.The other reviewers on this site made it sound like the book would have advice on little-known health care deals, finding a good place to live, etc.Instead, it is filled with common sense tips, such as "enjoy sex" and "learn to forgive."Gee, thanks.This might be a good book if you're retired and bored, but don't buy this looking for much more.

Primes the pump with ideas for active retirement
This is a much more practical book than some of the "100 things you can do when retired" books that suggest babysitting, dogwalking or other simplistic ideas. Mary Helen Smith lists 101 things you should think about or do, like consider what is "quality of life"--for example, downsizing your house versus staying in an expensive piece of real estate, and listing government programs for retirees, something you may not know about. In addition, she stresses understanding about money.

Once you are on a fixed income, and one that is possibly lower than your salary, you must deal with money in a different manner. Now is the time to learn about finances and money, not after you've gotten your first social security check. With many millions of people hitting retirement or near-retirement age from the Baby Boom, this is a really good starting-off point to plan out your coming retirement years. Highly recommended. There are ideas here, but this is just the jumping-off point.

Practical inspiration
I'm impressed by how much information is packed into the conversational style of this book.An abundance of practical information is available without it feeling tedious.Your approach is positive, encouraging, and realistic.Maslow and intuition are acknowledged.Caring ways to honor yourself and others are gently and directly suggested.Thank you for writing a helpful book that will positively affect the lives of those who read it. ... Read more

Product Description
In the years immediately preceding 2008, the rage in financial planning was diversification. By not putting all your eggs into one basket, some asset classes would do poorly.......but other asset classes would do well. The theory was that investors should find asset classes which are not correlated to each other. The financial planning industry and Wall Street advocated investing in many asset classes including diversified U.S. stocks, diversified developed international stocks, emerging market stocks, commodities, timber, and bonds.
Unfortunately, in the Crash of 2008, all asset classes suffered dramatic declines except cash and bonds.Except for cash and bonds, the correlation differences between all other asset classes disappeared.....and their correlation became the same (correlation = 1.0). The U.S. stock market suffered a 37 percent decline (as measured by the S&P 500) and both international stocks and emerging market stocks declined even more.
Many investors who had 70% to 90% percent of their retirement portfolio in stocks, were devastated.Many have delayed their plans for starting retirement.Many have simply given up on investing and figure they will work until they die.Going forwards, fear of another Crash has left many investors in a quandary in regards of how to achieve retirement. This short story explores several techniques that investors can use to revise how they save and invest for retirement. ... Read more