Making Millions For Dummies - Robert Doyen - E-Book

Making Millions For Dummies E-Book

Robert Doyen

0,0
15,99 €

oder
-100%
Sammeln Sie Punkte in unserem Gutscheinprogramm und kaufen Sie E-Books und Hörbücher mit bis zu 100% Rabatt.
Mehr erfahren.
Beschreibung

The must-have guide to achieving great wealth Making Millions For Dummies lays out in simple, easy-to-understand steps the best ways to achieve wealth. Through a proven methodology of saving, building a successful business, smart investing, and carefully managing assets, this up-front, reliable guide shows readers how to achieve millionaire or multimillionaire status. It provides the lowdown on making wise financial decisions, with guidance on managing investments and inheritances, minimizing taxes, making money grow, and, most important, how to avoid common and costly financial mistakes. Millionaire wannabes will see how to maintain financial security throughout their life with this easy-to-follow road map to financial independence. For individuals who yearn to make millions but don't want to be restricted to owning or running a business, the book features other options, such as inventing and patenting the next big thing, consulting, selling high-value collectibles, and flipping or owning real estate.

Sie lesen das E-Book in den Legimi-Apps auf:

Android
iOS
von Legimi
zertifizierten E-Readern

Seitenzahl: 629

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2009

Bewertungen
0,0
0
0
0
0
0
Mehr Informationen
Mehr Informationen
Legimi prüft nicht, ob Rezensionen von Nutzern stammen, die den betreffenden Titel tatsächlich gekauft oder gelesen/gehört haben. Wir entfernen aber gefälschte Rezensionen.



Making Millions For Dummies®

Table of Contents

Introduction

About This Book

Conventions Used in This Book

What You’re Not to Read

Foolish Assumptions

How This Book Is Organized

Part I: Getting Your Finances in Order

Part II: Strategies for Building Wealth

Part III: Paths Paved with Gold

Part IV: Managing Your Wealth

Part V: The Part of Tens

Icons Used in This Book

Where to Go from Here

Part I: Getting Your Finances in Order

Chapter 1: Gathering the Building Blocks

Shattering Money Myths

Understanding Your Relationship with Money

Asking yourself how you think about money

Changing your thinking

Making a Plan

Choosing Your Path to Wealth

Staying There When You Get There

Things Wealthy People Know

Chapter 2: Understanding Your Money Personality

Figuring Out How You Feel about Money

The planner

The spender

The needster

The Lord (or Lady) Bountiful

The hoarder

Changing How You Feel about Money

For the planner: Focusing on flexibility

For the spender: Discovering yourself

For the needster: Unlocking emotions

For Lord (or Lady) Bountiful: Compromising

For the hoarder: Growing up

Knowing What You Won’t Do for Money

Living your values

Understanding trade-offs

Minimizing Your Risk

Knowing what you’re getting into

Developing a long-term outlook

Starting Your New Life with Money

Chapter 3: Setting Your Financial Goals

Identifying What’s Important to You

What you want in the next five years

What you want for the future

What you want now

Putting Your Goals in Writing

Starting with the general

Making your goals SMART

Keeping your goals in mind

Staying on Track

Chapter 4: Working Out Finances with Your Spouse or Partner

Spill Your Guts: Sharing Your Financial Story

How much you know

What you need to know

Why you need to know

Getting the most out of your financial partnership

You Like Potato and I Like Potahto: Identifying Your Differences

Talking about your expectations

Discussing your goals

Go Team! Setting Priorities Together

Finding a mutual comfort zone

Focusing on the positive

Part II: Strategies for Building Wealth

Chapter 5: Living below Your Means

Spending Money You Don’t Have

The instant gratification factor

Who are you keeping up with again?

Changing Your Spending Habits

Anticipating Changes in Your Means

Losing an income

Dealing with a struggling economy

Planning for new expenses

Chapter 6: Managing Debt and Freeing Up Your Money

Understanding Your Credit

The credit bureaus

Your credit score

Good Debt versus Bad Debt

Figuring out what your debt costs you

Getting a handle on your debt

Organizing Your Budget

Getting started

Creating your budget

Keeping it flexible

Freeing Up Your Money

Saving money with your car

Saving money at home

Saving money when you’re shopping

Avoiding Fees and Extra Charges

Overdraft charges

Maintenance fees

Late fees

Chapter 7: Starting on Your Savings Plan

Understanding Why Saving Matters

Unexpected expenses

Major life changes

Developing a Saving Attitude

Finding pleasure in saving

Saving for specific things

Changing your life

Figuring Out Where to Start

Setting your priorities

Paying yourself first

Making it automatic

Putting it beyond temptation’s reach

Filling your emergency fund

After your emergency fund is full

Chapter 8: Getting the Most from Your Job

Allocating Your Paycheck

Using direct deposit to augment your savings

Taking advantage of pretax deductions

Pensions

Stock Plans

Stock options

Employee stock purchase plans

Restricted stock awards

Restricted stock units

Using What You’ve Earned

Holiday, vacation, and personal time

Raises

Bonuses

Other perks

Changing Jobs

What to do with your 401(k)

Severance pay

Health insurance

Part III: Paths Paved with Gold

Chapter 9: Starting Your Own Business

Before You Jump In

Starting from Scratch

Determining the kind of business you want

Assessing your skills

Figuring out what you’ll need

Building it into the black and beyond

Buying a Franchise

Weighing the pros and cons

Focusing on funding

Determining the best opportunity for you

Taking Over an Existing Business

Reviewing financial statements

Keeping an eye on contracts and leases

Paying attention to potential or ongoing litigation

Investigating other areas

Chapter 10: Inventing a Better Mousetrap

Coming Up with Your Big Idea

Pairing problems and solutions

Checking out your idea

Getting Paid for Your Big Idea

Seeing the value in your idea

Outcommercializing the competition

Licensing versus producing and selling outright

Protecting Your Big Idea

Patents, trademarks, and copyrights

Confidentiality

Recordkeeping

Chapter 11: Inheriting Wealth

Dealing with the Emotional Impact

Understanding what you feel

Taking your time

Thinking of your inheritance as yours

Managing Your Inheritance

Recognizing the tax implications

Breaking out that list of goals

Matching goals and strategies

Blowing it — or at least some of it

Chapter 12: Winning Wealth

Coping with Sudden Wealth

Building Wealth from Winnings

Taking your time

Getting professional advice

Talking to your family

Implementing a management plan

Treating Gambling as What It Is

Understanding the odds

Taking the right attitude

Chapter 13: Investing for Wealth

Developing Your Investment Philosophy

Determining your risk tolerance

Getting advice from the big guns

Choosing whom to listen to

Taking control of your investments

Investing in the Stock Market

The importance of diversifying

Cultivating patience

Things to look for

Things to avoid

Getting a broker

Doing it yourself

Avoiding Big Mistakes

Hidden fees

Misrepresentations

High-pressure sales tactics

Ceding control to your broker

Chapter 14: Joining the Landed Gentry

Building Wealth in Your Home

Knowing what you can afford

Understanding your mortgage options

Building equity — and keeping it

Considering Investment Property

Figuring out your plan

Understanding the market

Dedicating your time

Developing your professional network

Exploring Real Estate Investment Groups

Understanding Real Estate Investment Trusts

Things to look for

Things to avoid

Part IV: Managing Your Wealth

Chapter 15: Going to the Pros

Choosing a Financial Planner

What to look for

Where to look

Meeting prospective planners

Knowing what you’re paying for

Choosing an Investment Broker

What to look for

Figuring out the fees

What to stay away from

Choosing an Attorney

What to look for

Where to look

What to avoid

Choosing an Insurance Agent

Independents versus captive agents

Where to look

Choosing a Tax Preparer

What to look for

What to avoid

Chapter 16: Going for Growth versus Going for Income

Determining the Right Mix for You

Factoring in your risk tolerance

Assessing other factors

Understanding Investment Risks

Low-risk investments

Moderate-risk investments

High-risk investments

Keeping Your Balance

Reassessing your goals

Avoiding common (and expensive) mistakes

Chapter 17: Minimizing Uncle Sam’s Share

Filling Out Your W-4 Form

Selecting your filing status

Claiming single/zero

Claiming allowances

Figuring deductions and adjustments

Keeping Records

Knowing what’s deductible

Investing in accounting software

Creating your own spreadsheet

Crunching the Numbers

Are you better off itemizing?

Will you run up against the Alternative Minimum Tax?

How can you offset capital gains?

Avoiding Common Mistakes

Missing deductions you’re entitled to

Setting yourself up for penalties

Doing It Yourself or Hiring a Pro

Chapter 18: Covering Your Assets

Insurance Basics

Understanding coverage and limitations

Weighing deductibles and premiums

Evaluating insurance companies

Homeowner’s Insurance

Auto Insurance

Collision

Comprehensive

Liability

Insuring against the Inevitable

How much life insurance you need

Term life versus whole life

Disability Insurance

Your employer’s plan

Private disability insurance

Social Security disability

Long-Term-Care Insurance

Insurance You May Not Need

Car-rental insurance

Travel insurance

Life insurance for your kids

Chapter 19: Planning for Your Heirs

Putting Your Wishes in Writing

Figuring out what you have to leave

Choosing an executor

Divvying up your estate

Paying final expenses

Using Trusts in Estate Planning

Defining trusts

Recognizing the advantages of trusts

Getting Professional Help

Starting early

Getting the right kind of help

Knowing what it’ll cost

Storing Your Estate-Plan Documents

Chapter 20: Keeping Your Finances in Good Health

Keeping It Simple

Engaging the autopilot

Cleaning up the clutter

Taking the universal view

Letting your money work for you

Giving Your Finances Regular Checkups

Rebalancing your portfolio

Weeding out what you no longer need

Part V: The Part of Tens

Chapter 21: Ten Traits of Millionaires

Seeking Independence

Living Life, Not the Lifestyle

Working Hard — And Long

Staying Positive

Overcoming Failure

Being Organized

Building a Network

Being the Boss

Striking a Balance between Money and Your Life’s Work

Growing, Growing, Growing

Chapter 22: Ten Ways to Find More (Of Your Own) Money

Keeping Track of Your Spending

Distinguishing Between “I Need” and “I Want”

Assigning Your Own Value to Purchases

Avoiding Bargains That Really Aren’t

Spending Now to Save Later

Getting Rid of Credit Card Balances

Eliminating Hidden Fees

Maximizing Tax Deductions

Using Coupons, Rebates, and Rewards Programs

Finding Lost Money

Chapter 23: Ten Ways to Make Your Money Work Harder

Paying Yourself First

Making Your Money Earn Its Keep

Socking Away Money in CDs and Money-Market Accounts

Maximizing Matching Funds

Finding Free Money

Saving for Major Purchases

Funding Traditional IRAs

Taking Advantage of Roth IRAs

Saving for College with 529 Plans

Taking the Long View

Chapter 24: Ten Ways You Can Tell You’re a Millionaire

What Got You Here Stays with You

You Work Because You Want To

You Focus on Yourself — Not on What Others Have

You Update Your Goals

You Stay Informed and in Control

You Say No

You See the Benefits of Risk

You’re Prepared

You Enjoy the Abundance in Your Life

You Count Your Blessings

Making Millions For Dummies®

Robert Doyen and Meg Schneider

Making Millions For Dummies

Published byWiley Publishing, Inc.111 River St.Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774www.wiley.com

Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana

Published simultaneously in Canada

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise, except as permitted under Sections 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, 978-750-8400, fax 978-646-8600. Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Permissions Department, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030, (201) 748-6011, fax (201) 748-6008, or online at http://www.wiley.com/go/permissions.

Trademarks: Wiley, the Wiley Publishing logo, For Dummies, the Dummies Man logo, A Reference for the Rest of Us!, The Dummies Way, Dummies Daily, The Fun and Easy Way, Dummies.com, Making Everything Easier!, and related trade dress are trademarks or registered trademarks of John Wiley & Sons, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the United States and other countries, and may not be used without written permission. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Wiley Publishing, Inc., is not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book.

Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: The contents of this work are intended to further general scientific research, understanding, and discussion only and are not intended and should not be relied upon as recommending or promoting a specific method, diagnosis, or treatment by physicians for any particular patient. The publisher and the author make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this work and specifically disclaim all warranties, including without limitation any implied warranties of fitness for a particular purpose. In view of ongoing research, equipment modifications, changes in governmental regulations, and the constant flow of information relating to the use of medicines, equipment, and devices, the reader is urged to review and evaluate the information provided in the package insert or instructions for each medicine, equipment, or device for, among other things, any changes in the instructions or indication of usage and for added warnings and precautions. Readers should consult with a specialist where appropriate. The fact that an organization or Website is referred to in this work as a citation and/or a potential source of further information does not mean that the author or the publisher endorses the information the organization or Website may provide or recommendations it may make. Further, readers should be aware that Internet Websites listed in this work may have changed or disappeared between when this work was written and when it is read. No warranty may be created or extended by any promotional statements for this work. Neither the publisher nor the author shall be liable for any damages arising herefrom.

For general information on our other products and services, please contact our Customer Care Department within the U.S. at 877-762-2974, outside the U.S. at 317-572-3993, or fax 317-572-4002.

For technical support, please visit www.wiley.com/techsupport.

Wiley also publishes its books in a variety of electronic formats. Some content that appears in print may not be available in electronic books.

Library of Congress Control Number: 2008939707

ISBN: 978-0-470-27674-7

Manufactured in the United States of America

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

About the Authors

Robert Doyen earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration and accounting from Drake University in the 1960s and went to work for Bankers Life (now Principal Financial Group) as a pension administrator. A few years later, he took over and expanded the family farm, supplementing his agriculture operations with income from his own tax preparation and small-business accounting service.

As part of his self-education in money management and investing over the past four decades, Doyen became an Enrolled Agent with the Internal Revenue Service and a Registered Representative with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Because he is no longer active in either of those roles, he is free of the restrictions that generally bar active agents and representatives from sharing their knowledge and expertise.

He still owns the expanded family farm in North Central Iowa, but, because he established and realized his financial goals, he was able to retire from active farming in 2004. In 2007, he closed his tax and accounting business, and he now splits his time between Iowa and Arizona, while actively managing a diverse seven-figure investment portfolio.

Meg Schneider is an award-winning writer with more than two decades of experience in television, radio, and print journalism and public relations. Meg has authored or coauthored several books, including The Good-for-You Marriage (Adams Media) and COPD For Dummies (Wiley). Her other book credits include two books for writers and one on New York State history.

Her journalism honors include awards from the Iowa Associated Press Managing Editors, Women in Communications, the Maryland-Delaware-D.C. Press Association, Gannett, the New York State Associated Press, and the William Randolph Hearst Foundation.

A native of Iowa, Meg now lives in upstate New York with two cats and an obsessively balanced checkbook.

Dedication

Robert dedicates this book to his wife, Barbara, without whose encouragement he never would’ve gotten involved in publishing. He also wouldn’t have gotten involved in the selection of fabric, tableware, bedding, color-coordinated towels, or appliances, nor would he have planted so many trees or gotten to know so many delivery people by their first names. She keeps his life exciting, and he’s never bored (except in a fabric store).

Meg dedicates this book to Dick and Jan Schneider, who exhibited patience of biblical proportions during her “odyssey years,” when she was figuring out (at an agonizingly slow pace) how to manage her own finances.

Authors’ Acknowledgments

The authors offer their thanks to the following people:

Our editors, Tracy Boggier and Elizabeth Kuball, two of our very favorite people to work with.

Our agent, Barb Doyen, for her insight, knowledge, and encouragement.

Mark Dixon, for helping Meg walk the fine line between dedication to one’s craft and irreversible madness.

Mike Elliott, our technical editor, for keeping us on track.

Doug Carson, Cliff Isaacson, Aaron Larson, Joe Vella, and Lance Vella, for sharing their stories and expertise.

Publisher’s Acknowledgments

We’re proud of this book; please send us your comments through our online registration form located at http://dummies.custhelp.com. For other comments, please contact our Customer Care Department within the U.S. at 877-762-2974, outside the U.S. at 317-572-3993, or fax 317-572-4002.

Some of the people who helped bring this book to market include the following:

Acquisitions, Editorial, and Media Development

Project Editor: Elizabeth Kuball

Acquisitions Editor: Tracy Boggier

Copy Editor: Elizabeth Kuball

Editorial Program Coordinator: Joe Niesen

Technical Editor: Michael J. Elliott

Senior Editorial Manager: Jennifer Ehrlich

Editorial Supervisor and Reprint Editor: Carmen Krikorian

Editorial Assistants: Jennette ElNaggar, David Lutton, Joe Niesen

Cover Photos: © Steve McAlister

Cartoons: Rich Tennant (www.the5thwave.com)

Composition Services

Project Coordinator: Erin Smith

Layout and Graphics: Reuben W. Davis, Nikki Gately, Christine Williams

Proofreaders: Amanda Graham, Dwight Ramsey, Kathy Simpson,

Indexer: Joan Griffitts

Publishing and Editorial for Consumer Dummies

Diane Graves Steele, Vice President and Publisher, Consumer Dummies

Kristin Ferguson-Wagstaffe, Product Development Director, Consumer Dummies

Ensley Eikenburg, Associate Publisher, Travel

Kelly Regan, Editorial Director, Travel

Publishing for Technology Dummies

Andy Cummings, Vice President and Publisher, Dummies Technology/General User

Composition Services

Gerry Fahey, Vice President of Production Services

Debbie Stailey, Director of Composition Services

Introduction

As this chapter is being written, in mid-2008, the real estate market is largely in the dumps, the stock market is having a hard time hanging onto any gains it makes, credit for both businesses and consumers is drying up, and gas and food prices are straining more and more budgets every day. We may be in a recession; then again, we may be just stuck in an ill-defined “economic slowdown” — not a great place to be, but not as scary as the R word. Either way, money is tight, and it’ll probably be a while before the markets loosen up again.

So where do we get off writing Making Millions For Dummies now, against this shaky economic landscape?

The answer is that we know something every millionaire knows: If you wait for conditions to be perfect before you start on your plan for financial independence, you’ll spend your life with a lot of dreams but, most likely, very little cash.

In truth, there’s no better time to take charge of your own financial health than when the economy acts like it’s out to break your legs. You can’t will the stock market to rise or gas prices to fall, but you can control your spending, get creative with your budget, and come up with a plan that will help insulate you from the twitches, spasms, and convulsions that are so common a feature of globalization.

About This Book

Our main objective with this book is to show you that you do, in fact, have control over your financial future. Sure, the stock market, interest rates, and the overall economy play a role in how quickly and how safely you achieve your goals. But too many people rely too heavily on these outside forces for their own financial stability. We want to show you how you can run your own finances, making adjustments as required when economic conditions — or your goals — change. The nice thing about being in charge is that, instead of having to roll with the economy’s punches, you can look for the signs that telegraph those punches and revise your own strategy accordingly.

Another objective, which is only slightly less important, is to show you the simple, everyday steps you can take to achieve this control and, thus, your financial goals. Contrary to conventional wisdom, one person’s financial success does not require another’s financial failure; there’s plenty of room for everyone to be financially secure. When you understand that you do indeed control your own purse strings, you have so much fun exerting that control that you don’t have time to feel envious of anybody else’s financial situation.

Finally, this book is not just for the already-wealthy, or even just for the middle-class earners who max out their retirement contributions every year and have thousands stashed in their children’s college accounts. This book is also for people who may be struggling financially, who aren’t sure how to grasp that control over their finances so they can pursue their dreams. No matter where you are moneywise today, this book offers tips and resources and information that will help you start out on your own path to making millions.

Conventions Used in This Book

For the sake of consistency and readability, we use the following conventions throughout the text:

Terms we’re using for the first time are in italics. Plain-English explanations or definitions of these terms are nearby, often in parentheses.

When we give you steps to follow in a particular order, we number the steps and put the action part of each step in bold.

Web addresses are in monofont. Note: When this book was printed, some Web addresses may have needed to break across two lines of text. If that happened, rest assured that we haven’t put in any extra characters (such as hyphens) to indicate the break. So, when using one of these Web addresses, just type in exactly what you see in this book, as though the line break doesn’t exist.

One last thing: We’re writing this book as a team, but when one of us has something to say, we use our first names — for example, “When Meg’s husband died . . .” or “Bob recommends. . . .”

What You’re Not to Read

As with all For Dummies books, this one is structured so you can skip over the parts that don’t interest you or apply to your situation. But even in the chapters you do read, there are some things you can skip if you want. Anything labeled with a Technical Stuff icon, for example, is safe to ignore. These are snippets of information that some readers may enjoy, but you won’t lose anything by not reading them. (For more on icons, turn to the “Icons Used in This Book” section, later.)

In some chapters, you may come across sidebars, shaded boxes of text. We present this information for the curious reader, but our feelings won’t be hurt — and you won’t be missing out on any vital information — if you decide to skip them.

Foolish Assumptions

In putting together the information we present in this book, we’ve made some assumptions about you, the reader. We assume that you:

Want financial security, even if you don’t want or expect to amass millions

Want to understand how you can take control of your financial situation today so you can meet your goals for the future

Want practical advice that you can use immediately, even if you don’t have a lot of extra money (or even any) to devote right now to your financial security plan

Are ready to examine your own relationship with money and figure out ways to cultivate more productive money attitudes and habits

Aren’t interested in get-rich-quick schemes, plans that sound too good to be true, illegal activities, or anything that forces you to take risks you’re not ready for

Are interested in knowing how others have achieved their financial dreams, so you can take away from these experts those insights that apply to you

Want a comprehensive resource that demystifies the world of finance and brings it down to ground level — without making you feel like a dummy

How This Book Is Organized

We split the information in this book into five parts to help you find the information you want quickly and easily. Here’s an overview.

Part I: Getting Your Finances in Order

As Yogi Berra once said, if you don’t know where you’re going, you’ll end up somewhere else. We start with the basics in this part. First, we look at money personalities, because different personalities have different relationships with and attitudes toward handling finances. Then we devote a chapter to setting goals and figuring out what you can do today to reach goals that are a year, five years, ten years, and longer away.

Money consistently ranks among the top three problem areas for couples, so we also discuss ways you and your spouse or partner can resolve your money differences and come up with a plan that suits each of you and still lets you achieve the goals you’ve set together.

Part II: Strategies for Building Wealth

This part focuses on the things you can do immediately to improve your finances, no matter how poor they may be at the moment. These are the things millionaires do regularly, even after they’ve made their fortunes. But, more important, they’re the basic things you have to do if you’re serious about long-term financial security.

Here, we show you how living below your means lays the groundwork for all your financial-security goals, and we give you solid, practical advice for adjusting your lifestyle so you’re following this golden rule.

Because debt is such a problem for so many Americans, we discuss the difference between good debt — the kind that helps you build wealth — and bad debt — the kind that drains your wallet without building any value for you. We also offer tips on getting rid of your bad debt and protecting your creditworthiness by handling your debt responsibly.

If you believe the statistics, saving doesn’t come naturally to Americans, at least not in the 21st century. Yet getting into the saving habit is a vital component of your overall financial health. We show you how to start a savings plan and stick with it, even if you’ve got only a few dollars to work with.

Finally, because most people rely on third parties — employers — for a regular paycheck, we show you how to get the most out of the various benefits your job provides.

Part III: Paths Paved with Gold

Making millions is a goal, and there are lots of ways to achieve any given goal. In this part, we cover the most common ways people build wealth, as well as some less common methods.

Lots of folks build wealth working for themselves in their own business. Others invent gadgets that take consumers by storm. Still other invest in the stock market or real estate to make their fortunes. Then there are those lucky few — a very few — who win the lottery or beat the house at blackjack, and others who get their wealth the old-fashioned way: by inheriting it.

This part provides an overview of each of these wealth-building methods, including the pitfalls and poor practices that can sabotage your dreams of financial independence.

Part IV: Managing Your Wealth

You’ve heard stories again and again of people who have made (or, often, won) vast fortunes, only to see their newly drilled financial well dry up in an alarmingly short time. Making your millions is only the first part of the equation; keeping your wealth is the second, and arguably more critical, part.

In this part, we look at elements that go into managing — and keeping — your wealth after you’ve amassed it. We discuss the various professionals who can help you manage your money and how they can hurt you if you don’t know what to look for. We look at your options as your priorities change from acquiring wealth to maintaining it and using it to enhance your lifestyle. We talk about taxes and how to minimize your tax liability — legally, of course.

We also cover planning — both for the unexpected and for the inevitable — and the roles insurance and estate planning play in your overall financial picture. And we discuss how to stay on top of your finances so you don’t have to start all over again sometime down the road.

Part V: The Part of Tens

We love The Part of Tens, because it’s a chance to share our favorite information and advice in snack-size nuggets — and in a simple format that makes those nuggets easy to digest.

Here, we give you ten of the most common traits millionaires exhibit. We also share our ten favorite ways to free up your own money, and our ten favorite ways for making that free money work for you. And we end by telling you ten ways you can tell you’re a millionaire.

Icons Used in This Book

Throughout the book, you’ll find icons in the margins that alert you to specific kinds of information. Here’s what each of the icons means:

This is practical information that you can use right away to make managing your finances easier. It may include a Web site to visit, a suggestion for keeping your goals visible, or even a couple of financial options to check out.

This icon indicates information that we want to reinforce and that you may want to file away for future reference.

This little bomb tips you off to potential problems or murky financial waters you should be aware of.

Building and keeping wealth is part knowledge, part discipline, and part attitude. This icon alerts you to the things wealthy people know, the ways in which they stay on track to meet their goals, and the attitudes they have about handling their money.

Finances can be complicated. We do our best to break down complex financial terms and ideas into everyday language, but sometimes we just can’t avoid going into the technical details. We mark those sections with this icon. You can safely skip anything marked with this icon if you want — or you can read it and gather all kinds of information to impress your friends with.

Where to Go from Here

For Dummies books are structured so you can either start at the beginning and go straight through to the end or jump around among the chapters or sections that interest you most right now.

If you’ve got a stash of money you want to put in the stock market, go to Chapter 13 for advice on developing an investment philosophy and picking stocks that will help you meet your goals. Chapter 16 offers a discussion of investing for growth versus investing for income, as well as information on determining your risk tolerance, which may change over time.

If you’re more interested in the options real estate offers, check out Chap-ter 14. If your path to wealth lies in starting your own business, go to Chapter 9. If you’re concerned about whether you have enough (or too much) insurance, head to Chapter 18. For information on estate planning, turn to Chapter 19.

Even if you’ve been working on building your financial security for a while, you may find useful reminders in the chapters on money personality (Chapter 2), setting goals (Chapter 3), and working out finances with your partner (Chapter 4).

Part I

Getting Your Finances in Order

In this part . . .

You could be like many people and leave your fiscal health to chance, figuring it will all somehow work out fine. But if you’re serious about making millions, you have to take charge of your money, and that means budgeting, setting goals, and devising a plan to build your wealth. You also need to understand your own emotional relationship with money, and, if you’re married or mingling finances with a significant other, you need to know how to pull together to reach the goals you’ve set.

In this part, we take you through each of the building blocks you must assemble as a foundation for your financial future. We show you how your feelings about money can sabotage your financial goals, and how to overcome those issues. We show you how to create a budget you can live — and save — with. And we show you how to talk to your partner about money and reach reasonable compromises that will allow both of you to feel more comfortable with your finances.

Chapter 1

Gathering the Building Blocks

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!

Lesen Sie weiter in der vollständigen Ausgabe!