Barbara Weltman’s Books
- The Complete Idiot’s Guide To Starting an eBay® Business
- Bottom Line’s Very Shrewd Money Book
- The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Starting a Home-Based Business
- J.K. Lasser’s 1001 Deductions & Tax Breaks
- J.K. Lasser’s Small Business Taxes
- The Rational Guide to Building Small Business Credit
- Small Business Survival Book
Other books by Barbara Weltman:
- J.K. Lasser’s Online Taxes
- J.K. Lasser’s Finance and Tax for Your Family Business
- The Big Idea Book for New Business Owners
- J.K. Lasser’s New Tax Law Simplified 2004
- Your Parent’s Financial Security
- The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Raising Money-Smart Kids
- The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Making Money After You Retire
Very Shrewd Money Book
Everyone wants to acheive a level of financial security to pay bills, have a cushion in the bank against unforseen expenses and the promise of an even better future. To achieve this, follow a simple three step process.
Step 1 - Get Information.
You must understand how to accumulate the funds you’ll need for your financial obligations and dreams - buying a home, sending children to college, retiring, supporting parents, travel and more. You must also learn how to protect your assets so that your wealth won’t be eroded by taxes, inflation, creditors, catastrophe or death.
Step 2 - Make a plan.
Once you’ve gained insight into what it takes to get ahead financially, you need to formulate a plan. Your plan will be composed of numerous ideas that move you toward your goals. There’s no single financial plan for everyone; yours must meet your individual needs. A financial plan for a single person won’t be the same as a plan for a married couple. Those with dependant children or aging parents have distinct responsibilities and financial concerns. Some people want to live in luxury and retire young, while others are satisfied with more modest achievements. Your plan must fit who you areand what you want to accomplish. And your plan must adapt to changes you experience (the addition or loss of a family member, a sudden windfall or unforseen financial loss, relocation, job changes, litigation) as well as changes in the economy (increased infation, ups and downs of interest rates, stock market swings).
Step 3 - Take action.
After you’ve put together a plan for the things you want or need to do, you must act on your decisions. If you don't act, you've effectively elected inaction. For example, assume you have cash sitting in a money market fund. You are deciding whether to investin (A) a stock, (B) a bond, or (C) a mutual fund. If you don't act to invest in A,B, or C, you've effectively decided to continue earning the rate of return that the money market fund is paying.
Some people leap into steps 2 and 3 without having first completed step 1 - gaining a good understanding of financial options and consequesnces. No matter what your level of financial sophistication, you can always learn something new.
