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It would be great if we could all retire with a nice portfolio of savings and pension income, without having to worry about paying the bills most retired people pay.

Yet...many retirees are living out their retirement on the breadline without much hope for even going on holiday without being assisted by relatives or even handouts. Don't let yourself be one of them...it's never too late!

Title : The New Golden Door to Retirement Living in Costa Rica
Author : Christopher Howard
Rating : 5 Stars out of 5.
Summary : "This Books is my Right Hand"

This book is my Right Hand, as manager of the Residents Association of Costa Rica (ARCR), I have found that newcomers sometimes seem to know more about Costa Rica than people living here just because they read this excellent book.

Title : You're Fifty--Now What: Investing for the Second Half of Your Life
Author : Charles R. Schwab
Rating : 5 Stars out of 5.
Summary : The Best Book on Financial Planning for the Over 46 Age Set

My biggest complaint about most books on financial planning is that they try to cover everyone with one approach. Mr. Schwab's book is a pleasant exception to this rule. By at least focusing on those of around middle years (46 through 56), he can be more specific and make the information more relevant to each reader. Naturally, I would like to see future books be even more focused than this one, but Mr. Schwab has certainly moved in the right direction.

I found this book to be vastly superior to 52 Weeks to Financial Fitness by Marshall Loeb, which was also written for people in this age category.

Mr. Schwab's profits as author from this book are all being donated to the Charles Schwab Corporation Foundation to provide for the needs of seniors.

The book is divided into two parts: First, planning for the rest of your life; and second, getting organized to implement that plan.

The planning section is very well done because it covers materials at a level of perspective that goes from the needs of most beginners to handling the needs of all but the most sophisticated people. Fundamentals are covered in sidebars so as not to clutter-up the main text for those who do not need the information. The subjects covered include how much money you will need in total, determining the value of what you have available, estimating the gap between your needs and resources, understanding how to think about asset allocation in your investment funds, establishing the proper cash flow to match your needs, and readjusting your investment mix over time.

Each section is clearly written and provides formats to make it easier for you to assemble and think about your information. I was particularly pleased to see Mr. Schwab challenge some conventional wisdom about financial planning. Many people use a rule of thumb that you will need 70% of your preretirement income. In practice, many people find that they spend more than that because some costs go up more rapidly than inflation, like medical care, or they take on new interests. Mr. Schwab suggests 90%. I think even that may not be conservative enough. I think a better assumption is to have the percentage grow over time, slowly. Eventually, it will probably exceed 100%.

In addition, many people will tell you to plan on spending 6% of your assets each year after you have to start drawing on them. Mr. Schwab wisely suggests that 3-4% will be more appropriate for most people. I liked that advice very much.

The advice on investing is much more conservative than you would expect from someone who heads an on-line brokerage house. But appropriately so. He suggests you stay in common stocks as long as possible, because you may well live much longer than you think. But he has all but 10% of your portfolio in either no-load index funds or conservative bond and cash positions. If you skip the idea of owning any individual stocks, the advice is quite appropriate for the average person. It also has you reducing your exposure to stocks over time, as the years appraoch when you will need the income. So even if stocks stop performing well (as some warn) in the next few years, you will be relatively safe.

Part II of the book gets you into deciding whether you need a financial advisor or not, and how to select and work with one. It also looks at the most important questions about insurance, estate planning (get thee to a lawyer), and how to handle your donations so they bring you the most satisfaction and least after-tax cost.

The book has several other nice qualities. It emphasizes the rest of your life as being the "second half" rather than the downhill slide or some other negative concept. In sports, we all know that the winners are usually those who play the second half the best. Also, at half-time, the coach often makes adjustments that lead to winning performance. It is a very nice metaphor for financial planning at this stage in life. "What do I want for the second half of my life?" is the key question posed in the beginning of the book for you to consider.

I also liked the optimism of the book. Rather than focusing on the fear that people have about outliving their money, the book emphasizes the potential for good things to happen. You may live longer, and think of all the good things that could follow. "Anything is possible" was my favorite line from the book, which followed examples of wonderful accomplishments by seniors of advanced years.

Unless you already have been through this exercise recently with a financial advisor, I suggest that you get the book and use the exercises.

Further, I suggest you take even more time to think through the possibilities that the post child-rearing and tuition years may offer you. It's almost like getting to start over again, but with much more in the way of resources and wisdom.

Look for and find the best choices!

Title : You'Ve Earned It, Don't Lose It: Mistakes You Can't Afford to Make When You Retire
Author : Suze Orman
Rating : 5 Stars out of 5.
Summary : Very specific, useful info for BIG retirement decisions.

Orman provides very specific information and advice that you will not find unless you shell out big bucks to a financial advisor. For example, Orman tells you how to take money from your IRA before age 59 1/2 with NO PENALTY (substantially equal periodic payments), but adds VERY IMPORTANT advice on how to structure the portfolio to protect the nest egg. Another example of very specific, useful info includes the chapter on long-term care which gives instuctions on how to determine if you need LTC insurance, how much to buy, when to buy, what kind of company to buy from, etc.

The entire book is filled with this kind of specific info - a "must read" for the "do-it-your-self" personal financial manager.

Title : The Joy of Not Working: A Book for the Retired, Unemployed, and Overworked
Author : Ernie J. Zelinski
Rating : 5 Stars out of 5.
Summary : This book should be required reading for everyone over 15!

Everyone should read this book as soon as possible -- not just the retired, the unemployed, and those otherwise without work. Even though this book confirms my beliefs of making the most of life and leisure, Ernie still manages to make me think some more. I have recommended this book to many of my family, friends, and former (since I have quit the corporate life too!) colleagues. Ernie makes it clear that there is more to life than a job, TV, and materialistic dreams. I'm buying 5 copies to give to family and friends!
Ron Verstappen

Title : Pay Yourself First: A Commonsense Guide to Life-Cycle Retirement Investing
Author : Timothy W. Cunningham
Rating : 5 Stars out of 5.
Summary : One of the most insight books on investing for the future.

This is a must read for people in their 20s and 30s, especially those who are married and have children. Most people think Social Security and the company 401K will take care of their retirement. A great many of those people believe if they start saving in their mid-30s they will accumulate enough wealth to retire comfortably. This book reinforces the need to begin saving for retirement as soon as you begin working full-time because of the power of compounding and all of the various circumstances like Bar Mitzah's, weddings and other financially draining events. It made me examine my own portfolio and strategy for future financial events. It is a very easy to read and understand book and can be read in a day.

Title : Murder in Retirement: A Laura Michaels Mystery
Author : John Miles
Rating : 2 Stars out of 5.
Summary : Amusing but not riveting; too "cutesy."

Murder in Retirement was amusing but not really spell-binding. The author went a little "over-the-top" on many of the characters (the actors, Maude, etc.) in that they were stereotypes of stereotypes, not well-developed individuals. The plot was satisfactory, but some loose ends did not get tied up at the end and the final wrap-up was much longer than necessary. He could focus more on the elaboration of the main characters, Laura and Aaron. An o.k. escapist read.

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