This title features detailed table of contents: What happened and how did we get here? This section will: cover a brief history of market panics to place the current turmoil in context; trace the origins of the current financial crisis and the rise of sub prime mortgages; explain the complicated financial instruments and rationalizations used to justify sub prime mortgages; illustrate how changes in the real estate markets ultimately led to a crisis situation in the sub prime mortgage market; and, give a blow-by-blow of what happened during the weeks leading up to the collapse including the Fannie and Freddie Mac government takeover, the downfall of the investment banks, and the failure of some commercial banking institutions. Where Are We Now and Where Are We Headed? This section will describe the reaction of businesses and consumers in the face of the economic crisis. It examines what the 'new' Wall Street will look like and how will it affect the Main Street III. What Does It Mean For You? This prescriptive section will cover: what is and is not protected by the government; information about personal debt; descriptions of individual investor strategies; general lessons learned; and, forecasts about the future.

Everything you thought you knew about saving, managing risk, and securing your financial future has changed.

The world is very different in the wake of the biggest financial crisis since the Great Depression. Retirement accounts have been eviscerated, risk appetites diminished, and questions raised about age-old personal finance strategies such as "buy and hold" and the efficacy of relying heavily on stock mutual funds.

In The Wall Street Journal Guide to the New Rules of Personal Finance, Dave Kansas offers guidelines for understanding the new regulations for finance firms, the rising importance of international investing, and the very different environment that now exists for home buyers. With valuable chapters on debt reduction, diversification, retirement planning, real estate, commodities, and other vital topics, this essential volume is designed to help the individual determine which tenets of an investing strategy remain sound and which deserve re-examination. It is the ultimate guide to profitably investing your money in a world that has fundamentally changed.