The Little Book of Bulletproof Investing: Do's and Don'ts to Protect Your Financial Life

The Little Book of Bulletproof Investing: Do's and Don'ts to Protect Your Financial Life

by Ben Stein, Phil DeMuth
Released March 2010
Publisher(s): Wiley
ISBN: 9780470568057

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Book description

Investing do's and don'ts from some of the most recognizable voices in personal finance

It's been a tough year for investors. Many have seen their retirement accounts dwindle dramatically and are looking for a safe way to protect what they have and make back some of what they've lost. That's why the bestselling author team of Ben Stein and Phil DeMuth have created The Little Book of Investing Do's and Don'ts.

When you invest, there are essential things you should do and many things you shouldn't. The Little Book of Investing Do's and Don'ts addresses this issue and shows you how to utilize the fundamentals of finance to achieve success in today's market. This practical guide contains proven advice on navigating today's treacherous financial landscape and will put you in a better position to make more informed investment decisions.

  • Includes street-smart advice for the individual investor uncertain about their investment and retirement portfolios

  • Written by a experienced team of bestselling authors whose investment advice is accessible to everyone

  • Outlines the steps you must take to protect yourself from the financial calamities of modern life

The Little Book of Investing Do's and Don'ts offers quick, easy-to-follow, and entertaining advice for anyone looking to get back on the right investment track.

Table of contents

  1. Copyright
  2. Additional Praise for The Little Book of Bulletproof Investing
  3. Introduction: Check In with the Control Tower
    1. Our Broken Financial System
    2. Really Bad Scenarios
    3. A Man, a Plan, a Canal: Panama
  4. 1. The Nut Behind the Wheel: Behavioral Finance in One Lesson
    1. 1.1. The Unwisdom of Crowds
    2. 1.2. Our Portfolios, Ourselves
    3. 1.3. Investment Psychology Do's and Don'ts
  5. 2. Wall Street Therapy: For Good and for Evil
    1. 2.1.
      1. 2.1.1. Becoming a Grownup
    2. 2.2. Implementing the Plan
    3. 2.3. A Hymn to Financial Advisors
    4. 2.4. Investment Advice Do's and Don'ts
  6. 3. How Not to Invest: Kids, Don't Try This at Home
    1. 3.1. Be Smarter than Everyone Else (Ha Ha)
    2. 3.2. Be Clairvoyant
    3. 3.3. Investing—Hobby of Champions
  7. 4. How to Invest: It's Not as Fun as It Used to Be
    1. 4.1. Simplify
    2. 4.2. Diversify
    3. 4.3. Invest Passively
    4. 4.4. Minimize Expenses and Taxes
    5. 4.5. Buy and Hold Forever
    6. 4.6. What's the Problem?
    7. 4.7. Additional Investing Do's and Don'ts
  8. 5. The Holy Grail of Investing: Having Your Cake and Eating It, Too
    1. 5.1. The Fish in the Pond
    2. 5.2. How Much Would You Like to Lose?
    3. 5.3. The Tang Dynasty
    4. 5.4. What Does This Mean?
  9. 6. Bulletproofing Your Investments: A Recipe for Setting Up Your Tangent Portfolios
    1. 6.1. The Ingredients
      1. 6.1.1. Bonds
      2. 6.1.2. Low-Beta Stocks
      3. 6.1.3. Small Value Stocks
    2. 6.2. All Together Now
  10. 7. Pulling the Trigger: Practicing Portfolio Management at Home for Fun and Profit
    1. 7.1. Finding Mr. Right
    2. 7.2. You Can Do It
    3. 7.3. Tax Issues
    4. 7.4. 401(k) Plans
    5. 7.5. Adding and Withdrawing Funds
    6. 7.6. Rebalancing the Tangent Portfolios
    7. 7.7. Still Too Much?
  11. 8. Become the CEO of You, Inc.: Get Wise, Get Smart, Get (Further) Educated
    1. 8.1. Go to College, Get Some Knowledge
    2. 8.2. Majors for Minors
    3. 8.3. Higher Learning
    4. 8.4. You, Inc. Do's and Don'ts
  12. 9. Human Capital 411: Your Personal Human Potential Movement
    1. 9.1. There's a Place
    2. 9.2. Sell Yourself
    3. 9.3. Perception Becomes Reality
    4. 9.4. Investing in Your Human Capital Do's and Don'ts
  13. 10. Save 'Til You Drop: Topping off Your Piggy Bank
    1. 10.1. Small Is Beautiful
    2. 10.2. Become Well Insured
    3. 10.3. Cover Your Assets
    4. 10.4. Getting and Spending Do's and Don'ts
  14. 11. Houses of Blues: Welcome to the Neighborhood of Poverty
    1. 11.1. Let's Cut to the Finish Line
    2. 11.2. Is Your House a Financial Asset?
    3. 11.3. Housing Do's and Don'ts
  15. 12. Can You Still Retire Comfortably?: Retirement Was Overrated, Anyway
    1. 12.1. Calculating Your Somewhat-Safe Withdrawal Rate
    2. 12.2. When You Care Enough to Give Yourself the Very Best
      1. 12.2.1. An Immediate Annuity
      2. 12.2.2. The Last Resort
    3. 12.3. Retirement Planning Do's and Don'ts
  16. 13. The End Game: "If Something Cannot Go on Forever, It Will Stop"
    1. 13.1. A Will and a Way
    2. 13.2. "We're Spending Our Kids' Inheritances"
    3. 13.3. The Joy of Illiquid Assets
    4. 13.4. Get Organized
    5. 13.5. Do's and Don'ts for Your Financial Legacy
  17. So Long, Farewell
  18. Acknowledgments
  19. About the Authors

Product information

  • Title: The Little Book of Bulletproof Investing: Do's and Don'ts to Protect Your Financial Life
  • Author(s): Ben Stein, Phil DeMuth
  • Release date: March 2010
  • Publisher(s): Wiley
  • ISBN: 9780470568057