You must be aware of the value, potential return and risk of your own human capital (your job, career and what you do for a living as opposed to stocks and bonds or other investment choices) as well as financial capital and investments to plan a secure future. Human capital is the most valuable asset that you will own over your lifecycle. You need to balance all financial decisions with the characteristics of your human capital. The key trends identified in the first edition of the book namely, the decline of Defined Benefit (DB) pension provision, the continued increase in human longevity and the risk of personal inflation, are as relevant today as they were five years ago. The financial crisis has taught us that all types of capital - human, financial and even social - are key to a secure financial future. If your career has "stock-like" growth and risk characteristics, Milevsky helps you balance your "portfolio" by tilting investments towards safer "bonds." If your job is more secure but offers lower financial upside, you'll learn to tilt your investments towards stocks that compensate for your lower earning potential. Either way, Milevsky shows you how to integrate investments, insurance, annuities, and retirement plans to generate the safe and reliable income you'll need. This Edition's updates include: New 2012 data, charts, figures, and references More coverage of incorporating "human capital" into financial planning Advice reflecting the aftermath of the financial crisis Easier, more usable techniques, and less math!

Become a savvy investor with this updated Wall Street Journal bestseller Want to take charge of your financial future? This national bestselling guide has been thoroughly updated to provide you with the latest insights into smart investing, from weighing your investment options (such as stocks, real estate, and small business) to understanding risks and returns, managing your portfolio, and much more.Get time-tested investment advice -- expert author Eric Tyson shares his extensive knowledge and reveals how to invest in challenging marketsDiscover all the fundamenta.

You must be aware of the value, potential return and risk of your own human capital (your job, career and what you do for a living as opposed to stocks and bonds or other investment choices) as well as financial capital and investments to plan a secure future. Human capital is the most valuable asset that you will own over your lifecycle. You need to balance all financial decisions with the characteristics of your human capital. The key trends identified in the first edition of the book namely, the decline of Defined Benefit (DB) pension provision, the continued increase in human longevity and the risk of personal inflation, are as relevant today as they were five years ago. The financial crisis has taught us that all types of capital – human, financial and even social – are key to a secure financial future. If your career has "stock-like" growth and risk characteristics, Milevsky helps you balance your "portfolio" by tilting investments towards safer "bonds." If your job is more secure but offers lower financial upside, you'll learn to tilt your investments towards stocks that compensate for your lower earning potential. Either way, Milevsky shows you how to integrate investments, insurance, annuities, and retirement plans to generate the safe and reliable income you'll need. This Edition's updates include: New 2012 data, charts, figures, and references More coverage of incorporating "human capital" into financial planning Advice reflecting the aftermath of the financial crisis Easier, more usable techniques, and less math!

If you want to learn how to juggle the world of stocks and bonds investments, read on! Every day there are news related to equities and bonds, descending and soaring prices, but not many who really understand what we are talking about. Everyone knows that stocks and bonds can be an interesting sources of income, but few have the skills to invest in them profitably. Have you always wanted to know what stocks and bonds really consists of? Would you like to understand how to invest in stocks and bonds and what are the techniques to do it? Would you like to learn which are the most effective methodologies to reduce risks? This book will provide you with complete training on the main topics related to the world of stocks and bonds. Reading it you will learn: to understand what stocks consist of to take your first steps in finance to understand what the main techniques to invest in stocks and bonds consist of to identify the main risk analysis tools and... to identify alternative instruments that allow investment in shares to analyze shares and bonds through tools to understand what are the main indicators for the selection of shares and bonds and much more! Although today the world of finance may seem particularly dark to you, reading this book ensures adequate training, sufficient to direct you and move you in the correct direction. Buy "Stocks and Bonds for Beginners" now! Enjoy the reading! - also available in paper format -

A simple guide to a smarter strategy for the individual investor A Wealth of Common Sense sheds a refreshing light on investing, and shows you how a simplicity-based framework can lead to better investment decisions. The financial market is a complex system, but that doesn't mean it requires a complex strategy; in fact, this false premise is the driving force behind many investors' market "mistakes." Information is important, but understanding and perspective are the keys to better decision-making. This book describes the proper way to view the markets and your portfolio, and show you the simple strategies that make investing more profitable, less confusing, and less time-consuming. Without the burden of short-term performance benchmarks, individual investors have the advantage of focusing on the long view, and the freedom to construct the kind of portfolio that will serve their investment goals best. This book proves how complex strategies essentially waste these advantages, and provides an alternative game plan for those ready to simplify. Complexity is often used as a mechanism for talking investors into unnecessary purchases, when all most need is a deeper understanding of conventional options. This book explains which issues you actually should pay attention to, and which ones are simply used for an illusion of intelligence and control. Keep up with—or beat—professional money managers Exploit stock market volatility to your utmost advantage Learn where advisors and consultants fit into smart strategy Build a portfolio that makes sense for your particular situation You don't have to outsmart the market if you can simply outperform it. Cut through the confusion and noise and focus on what actually matters. A Wealth of Common Sense clears the air, and gives you the insight you need to become a smarter, more successful investor.

Everything on Treasuries, munis,bond funds, and more! The bond buyer’s answer book—updated for the new economy “As in the first two editions, this third edition of The Bond Book continues to be the idealreference for the individual investor. It has all the necessary details, well explained andillustrated without excessive mathematics. In addition to providing this essential content, itis extremely well written.” —James B. Cloonan, Chairman, American Association of Individual Investors “Annette Thau makes the bond market interesting, approachable, and clear. As much asinvestors will continue to depend on fixed-income securities during their retirement years,they’ll need an insightful guide that ensures they’re appropriately educated and served.The Bond Book does just that.” —Jeff Tjornejoh, Research Director, U.S. and Canada, Lipper, Thomson Reuters “Not only a practical and easy-to-understand guide for the novice, but also a comprehensivereference for professionals. Annette Thau provides the steps to climb to the top of the bondinvestment ladder. The Bond Book should be a permanent fixture in any investment library!” —Thomas J. Herzfeld, President, Thomas Herzfeld Advisors, Inc. “If the financial crisis of recent years has taught us anything, it’s buyer beware. Fact is, bondscan be just as risky as stocks. That’s why Annette Thau’s new edition of The Bond Book isessential reading for investors who want to know exactly what’s in their portfolios. It alsoserves as an excellent guide for those of us who are getting older and need to diversify intofixed income.” —Jean Gruss, Southwest Florida Editor, Gulf Coast Business Review, andformer Managing Editor, Kiplinger’s Retirement Report About the Book The financial crisis of 2008 causedmajor disruptions to every sector ofthe bond market and left even the savviestinvestors confused about the safety oftheir investments. To serve these investors andanyone looking to explore opportunities infixed-income investing, former bond analystAnnette Thau builds on the features and authoritythat made the first two editions bestsellersin the thoroughly revised, updated, andexpanded third edition of The Bond Book. This is a one-stop resource for both seasonedbond investors looking for the latest informationon the fixed-income market and equitiesinvestors planning to diversify their holdings.Writing in plain English, Thau presentscutting-edge strategies for making the bestbond-investing decisions, while explaininghow to assess risks and opportunities. She alsoincludes up-to-date listings of online resourceswith bond prices and other information.Look to this all-in-one guide for information onsuch critical topics as: Buying individual bonds or bond funds The ins and outs of open-end funds,closed-end funds, and exchangetradedfunds (ETFs) The new landscape for municipal bonds:the changed rating scales, the neardemise of bond insurance, andBuild America Bonds (BABs) The safest bond funds Junk bonds (and emerging market bonds) Buying Treasuries without payinga commission From how bonds work to how to buy and sellthem to what to expect from them, The BondBook, third edition, is a must-read for individualinvestors and financial advisers who wantto enhance the fixed-income allocation of theirportfolios.

Here at last are the hard-to-find answers to the dizzying array of financial questions plaguing those who are age fifty and older. The financial world is more complex than ever, and people are struggling to make sense of it all. If you’re like most people moving into the phase of life where protecting—as well as growing-- assets is paramount, you’re faced with a number of financial puzzles. Maybe you’re struggling to get your kids through college without drawing down your life’s savings. Perhaps you sense your nest egg is at risk and want to move into safer investments. Maybe you’re contemplating downsizing to a smaller home, but aren’t sure of the financial implications. Possibly, medical expenses have become a bigger drain than you expected and you need help assessing options. Perhaps you’ll shortly be eligible for social security but want to optimize when and how to take it. Whatever your specific financial issue, one thing is certain—your range of choices is vast. As the financial world becomes increasingly complex, what you need is deeply researched advice from professionals whose credentials are impeccable and who prize clarity and straightforwardness over financial mumbo-jumbo. Carrie Schwab-Pomerantz and the Schwab team have been helping clients tackle their toughest money issues for decades. Through Carrie’s popular “Ask Carrie” columns, her leadership of the Charles Schwab Foundation, and her work across party lines through two White House administrations and with the President’s Advisory Council on Financial Capability, she has become one of America’s most trusted sources for financial advice. Here, Carrie will not only answer all the questions that keep you up at night, she’ll provide answers to many questions you haven’t considered but should.

Larry Swedroe, the author of The Only Guide to a Winning Investment Strategy You'll Ever Need, has collaborated with Joe H. Hempen to create an up-to-date book on how to invest in today's bond market that covers a range of issues pertinent to any bond investor today including: bond-speak, the risks of fixed income investing, mortgage-backed securities, and municipal bonds. The Only Guide to a Winning Bond Strategy You'll Ever Need is a no-nonsense handbook with all the information necessary to design and construct your fixed income portfolio. In this day and age of shaky stocks and economic unpredictability, The Only Guide to a Winning Bond Strategy You'll Ever Need is a crucial tool for any investor looking to safeguard their money.

In Retire Before Mom and Dad, you'll learn how to unlock the superpower inside of you that is capable of transforming almost any income into lasting financial freedom. And, you'll discover that it's not about scrimping and sacrificing to get there.

Your friendly guide to trading the bond and bond fund market Bonds and bond funds are among the safest and most reliable investments you can make to ensure an ample and dependable retirement income—if you do it right! Bond Investing For Dummies helps you do just that, with clear explanations of everything you need to know to build a diversified bond portfolio that will be there when you need it no matter what happens in the stock market. This plain-English guide clearly explains the pros and cons of investing in bonds, how they differ from stocks, and the best (and worst!) ways to select and purchase bonds for your needs. You'll get up to speed on the different bond varieties and see how to get the best prices when you sell. Covers the ups and downs of today's market, which reinforces the importance of bonds in a portfolio Explains how a radical fall in interest rates make bond investing trickier than ever Explores the historic downgrade of U.S. Treasuries and its possible effects on government bonds If you're an investor looking for a resource that helps you understand, evaluate, and incorporate bonds into your portfolio, Bond Investing For Dummies has you covered.