The everything personal finance in your 20s and 30s book
Book - 2012
Learn how to manage, save, and invest wisely-- starting today!
Saved in:
- Subjects
- Published
-
Avon, Mass. :
Adams Media
c2012.
- Language
- English
- Main Author
- Other Authors
- Edition
- 3rd ed
- Item Description
- Rev. ed. of: The everything personal finance in your 20s & 30s book : erase your debt, personalize your budget, and plan now to secure your future / Debby Fowles. 2nd ed.
- Physical Description
- 301 p. ; 24 cm
- Bibliography
- Includes bibliographical references and index.
- ISBN
- 9781440542565
- Top 10 Personal Finance Tips
- Introduction
- 01. Setting Goals: Your Financial Road Map
- Why Financial Goals Are Important
- Calculating Net Worth: Your Financial Snapshot
- Decide What You Want to Achieve
- Break It Down
- Evaluating Your Progress
- Educating Yourself about Money Matters
- 02. Guilt-Free Budgeting
- It's All about Attitude
- Customizing Your Budget
- Set Spending Goals by Category
- Monitor Your Progress Monthly
- Plug Any Spending Leaks
- Personal-Finance Software
- Stay Motivated
- 03. The Secrets to Saving Money
- The Magic of Compounding
- The Rule of 72
- The Danger of Inflation
- The Time Value of Money
- Building an Emergency Fund
- The Fun of Frugality
- Luxury Items and Loss of Value
- 04. Banking Basics
- Choosing a Bank or Credit Union
- Online Banking
- Banking Costs
- Overdraft Protection
- Automated Teller Machines
- Debit Cards
- Balance Your Checkbook
- Best Places to Stash Your Cash
- 05. Credit Cards 101
- The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
- What's Out There
- Choosing What's Best for You
- If You Have Damaged Credit
- Using Credit Cards Wisely
- Pay It Off!
- Protecting Yourself Against Losses
- The Credit CARD Act of 2009
- 06. Digging Out of Credit Card Debt
- Your Credit Report and How It Works
- Paying Down Debt on Your Own
- Finance Companies and Bill-Paying Services
- Transferring Credit Card Balances
- Borrowing from Your 401 (k)
- Credit-Counseling Service
- Negotiating with Credit Card Companies
- Avoiding Credit-Repair Scams
- 07. Other Credit Issues
- Installment, Secured, and Unsecured Loans
- Creditors and Debt Collectors
- Filing for Bankruptcy
- Chapter 13 Bankruptcy: Reorganization
- Chapter 7 Bankruptcy: Liquidation
- Bankruptcy as a Debt Management Tool
- Avoiding Financial Scams and Schemes
- The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
- 08. Living with Student Loans
- Stafford Loans
- Federal Perkins Loans
- PLUS Loans
- Keep Track of the Interest Rates
- Defaulting on Your Student Loan
- Rehabilitating Your Defaulted Loan
- Resolving Student Loan Disputes
- Consolidating Your Student Loans
- A Tax Break
- Income-Based Repayment Plans
- Creative Financing for Your Children
- 09. Show Me the Money: Work and Career
- Choosing a Job with Potential
- Your Worth to an Employer
- Negotiating Your Salary and Benefits Package
- Evaluating Your Employee Benefits
- Employee-Ownership Plans
- Asking for a Raise
- Losing Your Job Without Losing Your Shirt
- So You Want to Be Your Own Boss?
- The True Cost of Happiness
- 10. Moving On: Finding New Living Space
- Your Housing Options
- Finding an Apartment
- Signing the Lease
- Deposits and Other Charges
- Renting with Roommates
- Renters' Insurance
- Cost of Living Differences
- Automotive Costs Related to Moving
- Tax Issues Related to Moving
- 11. Buying a Home
- Getting Ready for Home Ownership
- How Mortgages Work
- Types of Mortgages
- Choosing the Best Mortgage for You
- The Home-Buying Process
- Making and Negotiating the Purchase
- Closing the Deal
- Home Ownership Tax Savings
- Be Prepared for Other Expenses
- Owning a Condo
- Owning a Co-Op
- 12. Living with a Mortgage
- Planning Home Improvements
- Building a Home
- Home-Equity Loans and Lines of Credit
- Escrow Accounts
- Refinancing Your Mortgage
- Tax Deductibility of Mortgage Interest
- Prepaying Your Mortgage
- Facing Foreclosure
- The Short Sale Alternative
- 13. Getting Deals on Wheels
- New or Used?
- Paying for a New Car
- What about Leasing?
- Negotiating the Price
- The True Cost of Ownership
- Extended Warranties
- Buying Credit Life Insurance
- 14. Marriage and Family
- Tying the Financial Knot
- Do You Need a Prenuptial Agreement?
- Planning an Affordable Wedding
- What about the Marriage Tax Penalty?
- Beneficiaries, Name Changes, and Wills
- Planning for a Baby
- Can You Afford to Stay Home?
- Raising Financially Savvy Kids
- The Financial Impact of Divorce
- 15. Unwed but Not Unwise
- Moving In Together
- Nonmarital Agreements
- Common-Law Marriages
- Mingling Your Assets
- Buying a House Together
- Sharing Expenses
- Taxes for Unmarried Couples
- Other Issues
- 16. Minimizing Income Taxes
- Federal Income Taxes-the Basics
- Standard and Itemized Deductions
- Preparing Your Tax Return
- Hiring a Tax Accountant or Service
- Making Tax-Wise Financial Decisions
- Keeping Good Tax Records
- Surviving an Audit
- When You Can't Pay Your Taxes
- Credits and Deductions
- 17. Investing: Profits and Risks
- The Big Picture
- Investing in Stocks
- Investing in Bonds
- Mutual Funds
- Alternative Investments
- Using a Financial Planner
- Sample Investment Allocations
- Investing in a Low Interest Rate Environment
- 18. Retirement: Planning for Tomorrow
- The Younger, the Better
- Defined-Benefit Plans
- Defined-Contribution Plans
- 401(k) Plans
- 403(b) and 457 plans
- Individual Retirement Accounts
- Roth 401(k) and Roth 403(b)
- Small Business Plans
- Choosing the Right Investments
- A Word on Social Security
- 19. Insurance and Estate Planning
- Life Insurance
- Health Insurance and COBRA
- Disability Insurance
- Homeowner's and Auto Insurance
- Other Types of Insurance
- What Is Estate Planning?
- Where There's a Will, There's a Way
- Durable Power of Attorney for Finances
- Probate and Trusts
- Estate Taxes
- 20. Living in a Postrecession World
- Be a More Savvy Consumer
- Institute a Savings Program
- Investing in a Postrecession World
- Keep Your Investment Decisions Simple
- Appendix A. Glossary of Financial Terms
- Appendix B. Internet Resources
- Index