Finance Review

Are your personal finances in order? Are you saving money and allowing your investments to grow or are you paying heavy interest the wrong way on credit card debt? It matters, and even if you are in your twenties or thirties it still matters. Why? Because the sooner you start planning for your non-working years the more worry-free your retirement years will treat you.

It is for this reason perhaps that I’d like to recommend a very good book to you. It is two decades old now, but it is one of the books I read that helped me retire early (age 39). If you will follow this book and perhaps do a little reading of similar current books, as some of the laws have changed, then together this learning experience will allow you to retire early and carefree too. The book is: “Retire Worry Free – Financial Strategies for Tomorrow’s Independence” by Michael E. Leonetti; Longman Financial Services Publishing; division of Longman Financial Services Institute, Inc, 1989.

Mr. Leonetti, has a financial services and financial planning background and his common sense approach is a breath of fresh air compared to the hype that so many personal financial “How to” books present their information. This book is broken into 2-parts; Part I asks the reader simple questions and then allows them to compare notes as to where they are now and where they need to be. Questions such as:

• Do you have a retirement plan?
• Do you know why you had better?

As well as; How to pick goals, and chart your direction towards retirement and which choices are prudent and why? Thus allowing the reader to create a lifestyle for your later years.In Part II, Leonetti, associated the reader with key points of contention such as; Understanding risks and How to take financial inventory; how to do Estate Planning and the very basics of Investing. Also are tips on how to live on a budget, within your means, and the art of stretching your money. Please consider this book and the wisdom within.

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