Paperback(Updated and Expanded Edition)
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Overview
Investing 101: Updated and Expanded removes both roadblocks, putting people on a path that they can understand and stick with. Kristof is renowned for taking the mystery and anxiety out of investing by keeping choices manageable.
Kristof walks readers through the entire investment cycle and the way they think of their financial lives, rather than presenting stand-alone concepts like stocks and real estate. This expanded edition has new information about 529 college savings plans, annuities, Roth IRAs, reverse mortgages, and why declining markets can be good for you. It includes a cautionary look at home mortgages as investments. There's even a portfolio for the lazy investor.
Kristof's loyal readership and the success of this book's first edition demonstrate that she understands what's on the minds of investors as intimately as she knows what’s happening in financial markets.
Winner: Cover and Interior Design, The Bookbinders Guild of New York/2009 New York Book Show Awards
About the Author
Read an Excerpt
Table of Contents
Introduction xi1 Fixing Money Problems 2 Finding and fixing the psychological ills that keep us from investing wisely.
2 Risk and Reward 16 The basics about how taking a few risks can reap long-term benefits.
3 The Starting Point 30 How to allocate your assets based on your goals.
4 Diversification 54 Dividing your assets among different investment categories is easier when you think about what different types of investments can do for you, rather than what they are. When you boil things down that way, there are just five investment categories, each of which offers an array of specific investments. Here are the categories and the choices within them.
5 Picking Individual Stocks 86 Using fundamental indicators of value to pick good stocks.
6 Tough Sell 108 How to figure out when it's time to call it quits with an investment.
7 Investing in Bonds 118 Where to put bonds in your portfolio and which bonds to choose.
8 Mutual Funds 126 A primer on mutual funds, from what they are to where to find one that suits your needs.
9 Socially Responsible Investing 150 What socially responsible investing is about and how to find socially conscious mutual funds.
10 Real Estate Investment Trusts 156 REITs allow individuals to invest in commercial real estate to diversify their portfolio and stabilize investment returns.
11 International Investing 162 The basics on investing outside of the United States.
12 Tax-Favored Investing 172 Uncle Sam gives Americans lots of ways to defer taxes while we save. Using these tax-favored vehicles can give your portfolio a boost. Here are your choices and what they can do for you.
13 Starting Small 190 Think you can't invest because you don't have a pile of cash to start? Never fear. There are several choices for people with as little as $20 or $25 a month.
14 The Lazy Investor's Portfolio Planner 198 The quintessential hands-off portfolio for the wise investor with very little time on his hands. You can do well quickly and easily with only a few hours a year.
15 How to Fix Your Broken Records 218 Record keeping is one of the most important—and widely ignored—steps in wise investing. But good records can help you monitor your portfolio and help you determine when to buy and sell. They can also save you a small fortune in taxes.
16 Getting Help 224 Read it all, but still don't want to go it alone? Here’s a quick guide on how to hire someone to help you.
Glossary 234 Definitions for commonly used jargon so you can interpret Wall Street speak.
Index 237
Worksheet Reference
Monthly Budget 6
Risk Quiz: How Much Risk Can You Take? 23
College Cost Calculator 48
Is It a Buy 93
Calculating the Tax Implications of Selling Too Soon 116
Picking a Fund That Suits You 143
Determining What You Have.
Cash 201
Income Investments 201
Growth Investments 203
Real Estate 204
Debt 204
Keeping Tabs on Your Investments 221
What People are Saying About This
"Investing 101 is a sensible, well-written, and comprehensive guide to investor options. I learned much from this book and am certain you can too." —Stephen Brobeck, Executive Director, Consumer Federation of America
Praise for the first edition:
"In Investing 101, Kathy Kristof skillfully guides the novice investor, step-by-step, along the path to investment success. It's an ideal primer for anyone who wants to enter the financial world and would like a helping hand." Myron Kandel, Founding Financial Editor, CNN
"Too many of us give too little thought to the underpinnings of investing: how much risk to shoulder, when to sell, etc. Kathy Kristof explains these basics in language we all can understand. Investing 101 is sure to become a great reference guide for novices and longtime investors alike." —Steve Dinnen, Personal Finance Columnist, The Des Moines Register
"Kathy Kristof knows investing inside and out. She can take even the most complicated information and make it easy to understand—and entertaining." —Ilyce R. Glink, National Syndicated Columnist, Author of 100 Questions You Should Ask about Your Personal Finances
"If you're just getting started in the investing world, this is the book you need. Kathy Kristof's smart, sensible advice demystifies the markets and shows you exactly what you need to know to achieve your financial goals. Investing 101 offers a road map to financial success without gimmicks or secret formulas—and it's a whole lot of fun to read, besides." —Liz Pulliam Weston, Personal Finance Columnist, Los Angeles Times