Soldier of Finance

Book description

Too much debt? Not enough savings? Stop your whining and get to work. It's time to become a battle-ready financial warrior, prepared to tackle any money challenge. Modeled on the Soldier's Handbook, which is issued to all new U.S. Army recruits, Soldier of Finance is a no-nonsense, military-style training manual to overcoming financial obstacles and building lasting wealth. Written by Jeff Rose, a Certified Financial Planner(t) and army veteran with extensive combat experience, the book is divided into 14 modules, each section covering an essential element of financial success. You will learn how to: * Evaluate your position and commit to change * Target and methodically eliminate debt * Clean up your credit report * Create tactical budgets * Build emergency savings * Invest for the short and long term * Determine an affordable mortgage size, insurance needs, and more. Complete with tales from the trenches and useful tools including quizzes, debriefings, and more-Soldier of Finance is the survival guide you need to face down your finances and bring order and prosperity to your life.

Table of contents

  1. Cover Page
  2. Title Page
  3. Copyright Page
  4. Dedication Page
  5. Contents
  6. Acknowledgments
  7. Introduction
    1. The Soldier's Handbook
    2. The Purpose of Soldier of Finance
  8. Part One - Discovery Phase: What is your why?
    1. 1 - Why are you here?
      1. Shaky Beginnings
      2. What's your Story?
      3. What is a Soldier of Finance?
      4. Debriefing: A Soldier of Finance Success Story
      5. Go/No Go
      6. Summary
    2. 2 - Time to Enlist and take an Oath
      1. Soldier of Finance Creed
      2. Finding a Battle Buddy
      3. Identifying Blue Falcons
      4. Down to Basics
      5. Summary
  9. Part Two - Initial Training Phase (Weeks 1–5)
    1. 3 - Week 1: The Army Physical—Measure your Debt
      1. Your Financial Status: Stop Being in Denial
      2. Debriefing: The Meaning of “not much Debt”
      3. The Situation Report
      4. P/X Rangers (or Living Beyond your Means)
      5. Summary
    2. 4 - Week 2: Roster Number—your Credit Score for Life
      1. 740 is the New 720
      2. Credit Scores and your Mortgage
      3. Finding your Credit Score
      4. Summary
    3. 5 - Week 3: Land Mines—Your Credit Report
      1. My First Credit Report
      2. Where to get your Free Credit Report
      3. Carefully Verify the Information
      4. Set up your Recon
      5. Summary
    4. 6 - Week 4: The Low Crawl—Credit Repair
      1. Stop the Bleeding
      2. My Unnecessary Debt
      3. Pay down your Debt
      4. Debriefing: No Credit to Good Credit
      5. Get the Most out of your Credit Cards
      6. Watch Out for Credit Card Company Dirty Tricks
      7. Summary
    5. 7 - Week 5: Land Navigation Certification—Identify your Goals
      1. Define your Mission Objectives
      2. Op Orders: How to Achieve your Mission
      3. Summary
  10. Part Three - Campaign Phase (Weeks 6–12)
    1. 8 - Week 6: Accomplishing Goals—From Chaos to Precision
      1. Into Action
      2. Execute the Mission
      3. Twenty-One Days to Change
      4. Dealing with Setbacks
      5. Review the Mission
      6. Summary
    2. 9 - Week 7: Destroying the Enemy—Paying Off Debt
      1. Field Artillery: Matching the Cannon to the Objective
      2. Ammunition for Targeting Debt
      3. Debriefing: Operation Motherhood
      4. Don't be Content with Debt
      5. Getting Cash Flow Positive
      6. Summary
    3. 10 - Week 8: Sensitive Items Report—Tactical Budgeting
      1. Tie Budgeting to your Goals
      2. The Sensitive Items Report
      3. The Basic Training Budget: Identify your Unnecessary Spending
      4. Online Resources
      5. Debriefing: Operation Budget
      6. Practice Makes Perfect: Why Soldiers Drill
      7. Family Battle Drills
      8. Summary
    4. 11 - Week 9: Frago—The Savings Accounts Survival Guide
      1. The FRAGO Fund
      2. Watch Out for Imposters
      3. Making the Most of your Savings Account
      4. You are now Ready for Anything
      5. Summary
    5. 12 - Week 10: Manuals and Orders—Getting Started in Investing
      1. Why Haven't you Started?
      2. Are you Ready?
      3. The Magic 10 Percent: A Guideline for Investing
      4. Get the Right Advice
      5. Secure your Base of Operations
      6. Summary
    6. 13 - Week 11: From Boots to Humvees—Beginning Investment Vehicles
      1. Remember the Mission
      2. Use Boots, not Buses, for Short Distances
      3. Middle-Distance Humvees: Investment Accounts (Individual or Joint)
      4. Peer-to-Peer Lending
      5. Summary
    7. 14 - Week 12: Five-Ton Trucks and Mraps—Long-Distance Investment Vehicles
      1. Take an Active Role with a Roth IRA
      2. Follow the Roth IRA with a 401(k)
      3. The 401(k) for Military Personnel
      4. The Stock Market: Be Careful of the Risks
      5. Diversify Based on the Size of your Portfolio
      6. Investing for your Future
      7. Summary
  11. Part Four - Consolidation Phase (Weeks 13–14)
    1. 15 - Week 13: Basic Housing Allowance—Mortgage Basics
      1. Debriefing: J. Money's House
      2. How much House can you Really Afford?
      3. What Types of Loans are Best for you?
      4. Housing Traps to Avoid
      5. Summary
    2. 16 - Week 14: Your Body Armor—You Need Insurance
      1. Auto Insurance
      2. Homeowners/Renters Insurance
      3. Medical Insurance
      4. Life Insurance
      5. Umbrella Liability: Covering the Gaps
      6. Summary
  12. Conclusion
  13. Resources
  14. Index
  15. About the Author

Product information

  • Title: Soldier of Finance
  • Author(s): Jeff Rose
  • Release date: September 2013
  • Publisher(s): AMACOM
  • ISBN: 9780814433294