Suze Orman's Action Plan New Rules for New Times

by Orman, Suze

• ISBN13: 9780812981551
• ISBN10: 0812981553
• Edition: Revised
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2010-03-23
• Publisher: Random House

Summary

Times have changed and the rules have changed, but financial security is still the goal. Do you know how to get there? There is a new reality out there-a new normal. What was once certain-that you would be able to retire comfortably, that you would pay for your kids'education, that your home would appreciate in value-is no longer a sure thing. So much has changed on the financial landscape that it's hard to know which moves are the right ones to make. Suze Orman's million-copy bestselling financial action plan-fully revised and updated for 2010 and beyond-will show you the way. NEW TIMES CALL FOR NEW RULES-AND THIS IS WHAT SUZE ORMAN'S ACTION PLAN DELIVERS: * up-to-date information on new legislation that could affect how you will achieve your financial goals * an explanation of new FICO practices, and a new strategy for dealing with credit card debt * sound advice about rebuilding your retirement plan, and what to do if you're already retired * guidance on how to live within your means, and strategies to keep you on the path to achieving your goals in this new age of financial honesty PLUS AN ALL-NEW CHAPTER ON KIDS AND MONEY-how to give your kids a solid financial education, no matter their age!

Author Biography

Suze Orman has been called “a force in the world of personal finance” and a “one-woman financial advice powerhouse” by USA Today. A two-time Emmy Award–winning television host, #1 New York Times bestselling author, magazine and online columnist, writer/producer, and one of the top motivational speakers in the world today, Orman is undeniably America’s most recognized expert on personal finance. 

    Orman has written seven consecutive New York Times bestsellers and has written, co-produced, and hosted six PBS specials based on her books. She is the host of the award-winning Suze Orman Show, which airs on CNBC and XM and Sirius radio, and a contributing editor to O: The Oprah Magazine.

    Orman was twice named one of the “Time 100,” Time magazine’s list of the world’s most influential people, and was the recipient of the National Equality Award from the Human Rights Campaign. In 2009 she received an honorary doctor of humane letters degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

    Orman, a Certified Financial Planner™ professional, directed the Suze Orman Financial Group from 1987 to 1997, served as Vice President—Investments for Prudential Bache Securities from 1983 to 1987, and was an account executive at Merrill Lynch from 1980 to 1983. Prior to that, she worked as a waitress at the Buttercup Bakery in Berkeley, California, from 1973 to 1980.

Excerpts

Chapter One


All Eyes on the Road Ahead


Exhale. The eye of the financial hurricane has passed. The storm that hit in the summer of 2008 and continued to batter the global economy and your personal finances through 2009 is slowly—ever so slowly—receding. The worst is over. You survived. We survived.

Now comes the really hard work: rebuilding.

IRAs, 401(k)s and 529 college savings plans must be rebuilt in the wake of the devastating bear market.

Budgets have to be put in place that account for the new world order in which the penalties for having credit card debt and no emergency savings are unthinkable. You know as well as I do: You must find a way to get rid of the debt and build your savings.

Your approach to homeownership must be rebuilt to reflect this simple truth: A home is not a liquid investment that will always rise in value. It is shelter, first and foremost. It can also be a terrific asset, but only if you approach it with clear-eyed expectations.

Most important, your sense of security must be rebuilt. There’s the not so small issue of our collective national bill for what has happened; the current $1.4 trillion federal deficit is expected to rise to $9 trillion by 2019. But on a more personal note you are grappling with the realization that your pre-crash way of life is over. What worked—or more correctly, what you thought worked—is gone, leaving you without your bearings in these new times.

Now that we have weathered the worst of the storm, you’re onto the next challenge: Where do we go from here?

Toward Lasting Security

When I wrote the original Action Plan for 2009, it was with a laser focus on getting you through the crisis as it was unfolding. My goal was to give you the tools to find your footing in a world where the ground was shifting—and shifting violently— beneath you. As the year progressed and I heard from so many of you—in person, via Twitter, and through my CNBC show—I realized that you were hungry for more than crisis-management strategies. You have moved on to future management. You want to know the right actions to take in order to build lasting security.

You have been shaken to your core. Whether it is because of fear, regret, or remorse, living through the tumult of the financial meltdown has given you newfound purpose. You want to be in control, you want to get it right. No more fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants, enjoy-the-ride-while-it-lasts mentality. No more trusting that things will work out, that someone else—your financial advisor, the regulators in Washington—have your back. You understand what is at stake. You are personally accountable and responsible for building and sustaining financial security. You just need a new game plan to transform your resolve into reality.

New Rules for New Times

Because so much has changed in the world and in your worldview, I decided to publish a new Action Plan. I think of it as Action Plan v. 2.0: The Long-Term View. I have updated the information and advice to take into account changes that have occurred since the fall of 2008, such as new pro-consumer credit card legislation and the Treasury Department’s broad Making Home Affordable initiative designed to keep more Americans from losing their homes. Each chapter now begins with a fresh introduction focused on “New Rules for New Times.” During the heat of the crisis my advice was to show you how to keep your money safe and secure. That’s still in play, of course, but now it’s time to move forward with strategies that will build security for you this year, next year, and beyond. That requires an understanding of what works now—and what doesn’t—in every aspect of your financial life, from credit management to retirement planning to saving for a child’s college education.

---

Excerpted from Suze Orman's Action Plan: New Rules for New Times by Suze Orman
All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.