In the wake of the financial crisis and Great Recession, the health of state and local pension plans has emerged as a front burner policy issue. Elected officials, academic experts, and the media alike have pointed to funding shortfalls with alarm, expressing concern that pension promises are unsustainable or will squeeze out other pressing government priorities. A few local governments have even filed for bankruptcy, with pensions cited as a major cause. Alicia H. Munnell draws on both her practical experience and her research to provide a broad perspective on the challenge of state and local pensions. She shows that the story is big and complicated and cannot be viewed through a narrow prism such as accounting methods or the role of unions. By examining the diversity of the public plan universe, Munnell debunks the notion that all plans are in trouble. In fact, she finds that while a few plans are basket cases, many are functioning reasonably well. Munnell's analysis concludes that the plans in serious trouble need a major overhaul. But even the relatively healthy plans face three challenges ahead: an excessive concentration of plan assets in equities; the risk that steep benefit cuts for new hires will harm workforce quality; and the constraints plans face in adjusting future benefits for current employees. Here, Munnell proposes solutions that preserve the main strengths of state and local pensions while promoting needed reforms.

From the founder and superstar CEO of DailyWorth.com, the go-to financial site for women with more than one million subscribers, comes a fresh book that shows women how to view money as a source of personal power and freedom--and live life on their own terms.Millions of women want to create financial stability and abundance in their lives, but they don't know how. They are stuck in overwhelming confusion and guilt, driven by internalized "money stories" that have nothing to do with what is really possible. As the founder of DailyWorth.com, a financial media and education platform, Amanda Steinberg encounters these smart, ambitious women every day. With this book, she helps them face their financial situations head on and wake up to the prosperity that awaits them. Worth It outlines the essential financial information women need--and everything the institutions and advisors don't spell out. Steinberg gets to the bottom of why women are stressed and anxious when it comes to their finances and teaches them to stay away from strict budgeting and other harsh austerity practices. Instead, she makes money relatable, while sharing strategies she uses herself to build confidence and ease in her own financial life. Through her first-hand experiences and the stories from other women who've woken up, Steinberg's powerful and encouraging advice can help women of any age and income view money as a source of freedom and independence--and create bright financial futures.

When it comes to personal finance, the rules may have changed, but the time-tested principles of sound personal financial management haven't. Those starting out on their paths to financial security just need to learn them better and apply them earlier than ever before - ideally, right from the start. Previous generations have had some help in achieving financial security that young people can't count on today: generous employer pensions, steady housing price increases, and a well-funded Social Security program, to name a few. In short, the old "muddle through" approach won't cut it anymore - not even close. A steady income is still a must, but parlaying this into long-term financial security is now an entirely different proposition than ever before. The institutions of the past can no longer be relied upon to handle the process; each person now needs to manage the long-term financial planning and decision making on their own. Fortunately, though, anyone just starting out can still achieve a very strong financial future from almost any income level - but only by doing the right things to make it happen. Those things aren't particularly hard to understand or to do, but it is important to do them right, to do them consistently, and to do them in the right order. Most importantly, if you get an early start, the risks are minimal and the payoff is substantial. But each year that passes, the risks go up and the payoff goes down. If you have just started out in your financial life, or if you are just about to, and you want a complete and practical education in the fundamentals of personal finance for a secure future, then this book is for you. Chris Smith guides readers through the basics of saving, investing, and financial planning in language that is clear, accessible, and lively, making difficult concepts understandable to the novice, and enjoyable to those who already have some understanding. He shows readers how to apply this knowledge, and to avoid the most common pitfalls, to insure the best possible outcome for long-term financial security.

Does the world of finance mystify you? Need to sort your money matters out but don't know where to start? You may not have been born into money; you might not be able to overthrow the whole financial system, but the good news is that you don't need an economics degree to improve your financial position. Over time, small changes will make a big difference to your bank balance. From micro-investing to side-hustling, couponing, freecycling and consolidating debt, every step you take in the direction of financial freedom will inch you closer towards a brighter future. Whether you're a student, freelancer, business owner or professional, mastering the art of money management can - and will - change your life.

Everyone has assets to protect.

This is a guide for anyone in the academy faculty member, administrator or professional staff at whatever point she or he may be along the career path. Whether you are a newly-minted Ph.D. landing your first job, at mid career, or even already retired and concerned about how long your money might last, Ed Bridges offers you a straightforward, easy-to-grasp, and structured way to think about money, learn how it works, understand the priorities for your stage in life, determine your objectives, and develop a personal plan most likely to achieve them.Why a book specifically for those who work in higher education? The chances are that your retirement funds are mostly invested in TIAA-CREF funds, and that the plans created by the different institutions where you have worked, or will work, impose sometimes conflicting limitations of how you can manage your retirement money. This is potentially complex terrain with which many professional financial advisors are unfamiliar. This book provides ample guidance for you to manage your retirement funds, but if you do prefer to seek professional advice, it sets out the criteria for choosing a reliable advisor, and may even be a book from which your advisor can benefit if he or she is not fully conversant with TIAA-CREF s offerings, and the quirks of academic retirement plans.What makes this book unique is that Ed Bridges shares with you his self-education about the risky business of investing and retirement planning. As he writes, In schooling myself, I adopted the mind-set that I had used as a social scientist for the past forty-six years. I distinguished between fact and opinion and scrutinized the evidence behind every author s claims; moreover, I searched for research that might corroborate or refute these claims. In the process, I learned a great deal about the route I should have taken to retirement from the time I accepted my first academic appointment to the time I submitted my intention to retire. Join me as I relive my long journey so that you may avoid my wrong turns and succeed in reaching your ultimate destination, a worry-free retirement, despite the risks and uncertainties you will surely face when you retire. The book includes simple questionnaires and worksheets to help you determine where you stand, and think through your options."

The Latino Journey to Financial Greatness gives Latinos a clear guide to basic financial principles as well as identifies the cultural barriers that have prevented them from making the most of their money. In helping Latinos discover their own powerful and personal reasons for creating wealth and happiness, Louis Barajas - named as one of America's Top Advisers by Money Magazine - offers priceless wisdom people need in order to live a better life.

THIS REVISED AND UPDATED EDITION OF THE CLASSIC "WHY SMART PEOPLE MAKE BIG MONEY MISTAKES AND HOW TO CORRECT THEM" GIVES YOU THE LATEST RESEARCH IN THE EXCITING FIELD OF BEHAVIORAL ECONOMICS.

In their fascinating investigation of the ways we handle money, Gary Belsky and Thomas Gilovich reveal the psychological forces -- the patterns of thinking and decision making -- behind seemingly irrational behavior. They explain why so many otherwise savvy people make foolish financial choices: why investors are too quick to sell winning stocks and too slow to sell losing shares, why home sellers leave money on the table and home buyers don't get the biggest bang for their buck, why borrowers pay too much credit card interest and savers can't sock away as much as they'd like, and why so many of us can't control our spending. Focusing on the decisions we make every day, Belsky and Gilovich provide invaluable guidance for avoiding the financial faux pas that can cost thousands of dollars each year.

Filled with fresh insight; practical advice; and lively, illustrative anecdotes, this book gives you the tools you need to harness the powerful science of behavioral economics in any financial environment.

It's estimated that there are over 50 million pensioners-in the United States alone. Like the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan, Italy, Germany and many other countries around the world are all in big trouble when it comes to the solvency of their pension funds. Who Stole My Pension? was written to give them guidance, resources, and tools so they can take action... and stop the looting. We are in the early stages of the greatest retirement crisis in the history of our nation and, indeed, the entire world.

According to the World Health Organization, nearly two billion people around the world are expected to be over age 60 by 2050, a figure that's more than triple what it was in 2000. For better or for worse, never before have there been more elderly people living on planet Earth. One thing is. certain: Doing nothing-sitting back, confident your pension check is "in the mail"-is not an option.

That's a risk you can't afford to take. According to Edward Siedle, a former attorney with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and America's leading expert in pension looting, "In the decades to come, we will witness hundreds of millions of elders worldwide, including America's Baby Boomers, slipping into poverty.

Too frail to work, too poor to retire will become the "new normal" for many of the aged." Kiyosaki, who like Siedle saw this crisis looming years ago, complements the facts and stats Siedle puts forth with strategies on how retirees can take control-not only their pensions, but their financial futures. Kiyosaki writes about the fact that his father, a highly educated man he calls his poor dad, wasn't poor until he lost his job, his paycheck-and his pension. "His PHD couldn't save him," says Kiyosaki, who has dedicated his life to teaching and financial literacy advocacy. In Who Stole My Pension? the authors focus on the most misunderstood and ignored cause of the pension crisis: mismanagement of pensions and investments. The culprits that are looting the pensions of public school teachers, firefighters, police, as well as private sector workers, are on Wall Street. The Wall Street casinos charging high fees for gambling in risky hedge funds and other speculative investments, outrageous investment-industry conflicts of interest, and outright violations of the law. Who Stole My Pension? is an in-depth assessment of the pension crisis that the world is facing today and what millions around the world-employees who expected to have pension income at retirement-can do about it.

The authors recount a history of pension failures, inexperienced boards, gambling, looting and other horror stories-with a focus on action steps workers and retirees can take to quickly determine if a pension is being mismanaged as well as the concrete steps they can take to end decades of pension mismanagement. They detail critical questions retirees can ask-and guidance regarding how to act on what they learn.

Stop risking everything to make your investment advisor rich The stock market crash of 2008 proved one thing: traditional retirement planning advice simply doesn't work. The risks are too enormous. Trusting the stock market is like gambling with your family's future. But how do you plan for retirement without risking everything? Enough Bull shows you how, with an easy-to-understand, simple-to-apply strategy for a better retirement. Enough Bull overturns the conventional wisdom about retirement planning, and offers the simple secrets to securing a comfortable retirement. In an accessible and straightforward style, this practical guide explains how it's possible to save for retirement starting later in life, retire comfortably on less money, and incur less risk. Updated to apply to both the U.S. and Canada, this new second edition offers a message of hope for average, cash-strapped baby boomers by detailing a step-by-step plan for avoiding all the traps, doing the exact opposite of what the major financial institutions recommend, and still coming out further ahead. * Invest only in safe investments that will never decline * Get out of the stock market and mutual funds forever * Why waiting to save for retirement may beat starting early * Elect to receive the CPP pension at exactly the right age * Avoid the common scams that lead to financial disaster More than ever before, retirees are frightened and stressed out about finances. There never seems to be enough to pay current bills, let alone save thousands in RRSPs and 401Ks, yet the large financial institutions bombard us with fearful messages of destitution unless we maximize our contributions. The truth is this makes them rich, and you poor. Cut through the noise, stop taking the bait, and discover how you can have a comfortable future without sacrificing the present. Enough Bull provides the plan, you just need to act.

As heard on BBC Radio 4's Start The Week. Tired of struggling to make ends meet at the end of the month? Got no clue where to begin with savings and investments? Want to start your own business? It isn't about cutting back on coffee or walking to work, and it definitely isn't about becoming a bazillionaire overnight (sorry). This book isn't going to tell you what you should and shouldn't spend your money on and, sadly, get rich quick schemes are a load of BS. Instead, it combines time-tested, expert advice with fresh insights into how money works today and how you can earn, spend and invest your way towards living your best life. Praise for Alice Tapper: 'The millennial financial guru' Independent 'A brilliant voice in modern finance' Stylist 'A financial game changer' Marie Claire 'Full of practical exercises' Moneywise 'Tapper makes budgeting and getting out of debt seem fun' Daily Telegraph

This book will spark some thoughtful self-analysis and guide you toward making the changes necessary for financial success whether you need to start your wealth building straggly or improve your established portfolio.

Overcome obstacles, achieve your life's goals, and live your life on your own terms! In Choosing to Prosper! Triumphing Over Adversity, Breaking Out of Comfort Zones, and Achieving Dreams, celebrated company founder and finance leader Bola Sokunbi delivers an uplifting and practical message of success and resilience in the face of formidable obstacles. The book challenges readers to examine their own financial and personal dreams and find the strength and resilience they need to achieve them. The author provides the tools readers need to build confidence, find their voice, and realize personal growth. Imposter syndrome, mental health challenges, and common familial obstacles are all explored in the context of the author's incredible and inspirational life experiences. Readers will find: First-hand stories that highlight the challenges faced by women of color and proven ways to overcome them Expert and honest advice on how women can build a successful, career and/or a profitable, and flexible business depending on their chosen path Hands-on strategies for women to achieve their extraordinary goals and dreams With a particular emphasis on the experiences of women of color as they seek to succeed in a world that seems stacked against them, Choosing to Prosper! is the perfect resource for women trying to navigate the challenges posed by modern life, career, and business.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR TONY ROBBINS BRINGS YOU 7 SIMPLE STEPS TO FINANCIAL FREEDOM 'Tony Robbins needs no introduction. He is committed to helping make life better for every investor. Every investor will find this book extremely interesting and illuminating' Carl Icahn, billionaire and investor 'Tony Robbins is a catalyst for getting people to change' Oprah Winfrey 'Tony Robbins is a genius . . . His ability to strategically guide people through any challege is unparalleled' Steve Wynn, CEO and Founder of Wynn Resorts Tony Robbins, the multimillion-copy bestselling author of Awaken the Giant Within and Unlimited Power has created a 7-step blueprint for securing financial freedom. Based on extensive research and one-on-one interviews with more than 50 of the most legendary financial experts in the world - from Carl Icahn, to Warren Buffett, to Jack Bogle and Steve Forbes. Robbins has a brilliant way of using metaphor and story to illustrate even the most complex financial concepts - making them simple and actionable. With expert advice on our most important financial decisions, Robbins dispels the myths that often rob people of their financial dreams. Money: Master the Game contains expert advice for readers of every income level, providing guidance through the steps to become financially free by creating a lifetime income plan. This book delivers invaluable information and essential practices for getting your financial house in order. It's the book millions of people have been waiting for.

Stop making a living and start making a life with The New Retirementality(TM) In 2000, when top financial philosopher and bestselling author Mitch Anthony first presented a new way of thinking about retirement, it was novel, and many critics didn't buy into it. Originally written to get the attention of baby boomers, Mitch ended up starting a revolution by showing us that everything we had read about retirement was wrong--we needed a "new retirementality." Fast-forward to today, when most of us are facing a very different retirement: fewer pensions, escalating healthcare costs, and inadequate savings. For many of us, retirement may never happen, or it will take place much later than we expected. Far from being full of doom and gloom, The New Retirementality, Fifth Edition, offers a message of hope, along with a roadmap for navigating the choppy waters of retirement planning. While most books focus on Return on Investment, Mitch shows us that Return on Life(TM)--living the best life possible with the resources we have--is a more fulfilling and achievable approach. New to this edition: The latest research and studies, as well as a discussion of Life-Centered Planning(TM)--a unique approach to financial and retirement planning, focused on individual goals and needs instead of the outmoded one-size-fits-all approach. Explores the role of purpose in retirement planning, including the expanding role of work in retirement, and why it can take three or four tries to get retirement right. Features the New Retirementality Profile, the ROL Index for helping you analyze and reflect on how you are using your money toward improving your life, and worksheets to help you get organized. Filled with engaging anecdotes, practical advice, and inspirational suggestions, this book will motivate you to rethink what retirement means--and put you in a better position to enjoy the new retirementality you deserve.