Financial Fitness Forever: 5 Steps to More Money, Less Risk, and More Peace of Mind

by Merriman, Paul; Buck, Richard

• ISBN13: 9780071786980
• ISBN10: 0071786988
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2011-11-16
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill Education

Summary

Praise for Financial Fitness Forever "No one understands what it takes to be a successful investor better than Paul Merriman. If you want to build a winning portfolio for life, this is the book to read." Bill Schultheis, author, The Coffeehouse Investor "This is the ultimate strategy for America's Main Street investors. If your goal is to beat guys like Buffett, avoid future pitfalls, and retire comfortably, this is a must-read." Paul B. Farrell, columnist, DowJones/MarketWatch.com, and author, The Winning Portfolioand The Millionaire Code "A wonderful book! Paul explains simply and clearly how each of us can take personal responsibility for our financial futures by creating a comprehensive plan based on discipline and diversification." Alan Mulally, president and CEO, Ford Motor Company "Using stories and analogies drawn from his decades of experience, Merriman provides a road map with simple but sound advice for a financially fit future." Larry Swedroe, principal, The Buckingham Family of Financial Services, and author, The Quest For Alpha "Mr. Merriman is a competitor of mine, and I can think of no finer compliment than that, after forty years in the business, I have learned to be a better investor and manager from reading Paul''s work." Joe Shaefer, president of Stanford Wealth Management and publisher of Investor''s Edge " Financial Fitness Forevershows just how simple it can be to invest successfully and enjoy the future of your dreams." Allan Roth, CBS MoneyWatch and author of How a Second Grader Beats Wall Street What kind of shape is yourportfolio in? The financial fallout of recent years was a game-changer for anyone and everyone preparing to retire in the near future. In order to build and maintain a solid portfolio in today's roller-coaster investing climate, you have to be more alert, increasingly proactive, and better educated on the markets than ever before. In Financial Fitness Forever, Paul Merriman gives you a framework guaranteed to return even the most struggling portfolio to prime health. One of the nation's most popular investment advisors, Merriman has you focus on five critical questions: Should I use a financial advisor or go it alone? Should I try to beat the market or accept the returns of the market? How should I manage risk? How should I diversify my investments? How should I insulate my investments from my emotions? If you don't have solid, well-developed answers including the whys, the hows, and the whens based on sound investing principles, you need to review your current strategy. Financial Fitness Foreverleads you through the process step-by-step. Merriman provides detailed answers to each question, all of which combine to form a powerful strategy that will ensure the kind of retirement you're hoping for. Merriman doesn't claim to have that "magic bullet" answer to supercharging profits in unpredictable markets. Instead, he provides a commonsense strategy anyone can use to secure their finances now and in the future. The economy is racing forward at breakneck speed, and no one knows where it will end up. Apply the lessons of Financial Fitness Foreverto design a portfolio that will thrive in the long run. Paul Merrimanis nationally recognized as an authority on personal finance with respect to mutual funds, index investing, buy-and-hold and active investment strategies, and asset allocation. He is the founder of Merriman, Inc., an investment advisory firm employing a staff of 40 and managing over $1.5 billion for more than 2,000 households throughout the United States.

Table of Contents

Foreword	p. xi
Acknowledgments	p. xv
Introduction	p. xvii
How Did We Get Here?	p. 1
Are We Our Own Worst Enemies?	p. 11
Where Will You Place Your Trust?	p. 27
Will You Try to Beat the Market?	p. 43
How Much Risk Will You Take?	p. 53
How Will You Diversify Your Investment Holdings?	p. 65
How Will You Protect Yourself from Yourself?	p. 77
The Best	p. 83
The Worst	p. 99
Twelve Numbers to Change Your Life	p. 111
The Perfect Investor	p. 123
Asset Allocation	p. 131
Fine-Tuning Your Asset Allocation	p. 137
The Ultimate Buy-and-Hold Strategy	p. 143
The Best Mutual Funds	p. 157
Mutual Fund Model Portfolios	p. 169
Getting the Most from the 50 Largest Employer Retirement Plans	p. 175
"Lazy Portfolios"	p. 195
Withdrawing Money when You're Retired	p. 203
Hiring an Investment Advisor	p. 217
Index	p. 221
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