The classic guide to constructing a solid portfolio—without a financial advisor! “With relatively little effort, you can design and assemble an investment portfolio that, because of its wide diversification and minimal expenses, will prove superior to the most professionally managed accounts. Great intelligence and good luck are not required.” William Bernstein’s commonsense approach to portfolio construction has served investors well during the past turbulent decade—and it’s what made The Four Pillars of Investing an instant classic when it was first published nearly a decade ago. This down-to-earth book lays out in easy-to-understand prose the four essential topics that every investor must master: the relationship of risk and reward, the history of the market, the psychology of the investor and the market, and the folly of taking financial advice from investment salespeople. Bernstein pulls back the curtain to reveal what really goes on in today’s financial industry as he outlines a simple program for building wealth while controlling risk. Straightforward in its presentation and generous in its real-life examples, The Four Pillars of Investing presents a no-nonsense discussion of: The art and science of mixing different asset classes into an effective blend The dangers of actively picking stocks, as opposed to investing in the whole market Behavioral finance and how state of mind can adversely affect decision making Reasons the mutual fund and brokerage industries, rather than your partners, are often your most direct competitors Strategies for managing all of your assets—savings, 401(k)s, home equity—as one portfolio Investing is not a destination. It is a journey, and along the way are stockbrokers, journalists, and mutual fund companies whose interests are diametrically opposed to yours. More relevant today than ever, The Four Pillars of Investing shows you how to determine your own financial direction and assemble an investment program with the sole goal of building long-term wealth for you and your family.

Now available for Pre-Order! A common resolution set at the beginning of a new year is to "get my financial house in order." But how can you build a house, let alone pour any kind of foundation, without a blueprint? There are dozens of books and gurus trying to push their advice and tell you how to spend and invest your money. And then, there are three suburban dads just trying to make the world a little bit better. Meet Brad Barrett and Jonathan Mendonsa of the award-winning ChooseFI podcast and Chris Mamula of the popular blog "Can I Retire Yet?". They have walked the talk and now want to share their knowledge with you. Together, these three regular guys will show you how they did something extraordinary. They are all financially independent and doing meaningful work that fulfills them. All three left their corporate 9 to 5 jobs and are reaping the benefits of extra time with their families. Mirroring the format of the popular ChooseFI podcast, this book pulls from the collective knowledge of those who have decided to build a lifestyle around their passions instead of allowing their finances to dictate their future. These stories demonstrate universal principles, giving you the opportunity to pick the elements that are the most applicable to your financial situation and "choose your own adventure." The book covers a wide range of topics that will help you build a strong financial foundation: Developing a growth mindset Defining your values and aligning them with your spending Cutting years from your estimated retirement date Questioning the status quo on "required expenses" Cutting travel expenses and putting family vacations within your reach Learning how to earn more and live with abundance Updating the commonly accepted wisdom on college education and the debt associated with it Cutting through the noise on investing to discover strategies that work Showing how to implement investment strategies that enable the lifestyle you desire while controlling downside risk FI or Financial Independence is the new debt-free and getting back to 0 is just the beginning of a wonderful journey. Whether you have mountains of debt now or are recently debt free and wondering what to do next, Choose FI: Your Blueprint to Financial Independence will give you the information to guide your next move.

A proven path to success for anyone seeking financial freedom in today’s challenging world Discussing everything from effective budgeting to breaking into the lucrative and fulfilling world of self-employment, nationally renowned cash flow expert Fred Rewey addresses the financial problems everyone faces and then offers a practical guide to turning the corner from paying everyone to getting paid instead. People can find themselves so bombarded by bills, from credit cards to mortgages to college tuitions, that they find it impossible to focus on truly solving their money woes, once and for all. Winning the Cash Flow War provides readers with tools and knowledge they need to fight back. His unique step-by-step battle plan reveals how anyone can dramatically transform their attitude about finances, and shore up their monetary well-being, by learning to see money not so much as a goal but as a tool—a tool of self-empowerment that virtually anyone can master. Fred Rewey is one of today’s most sought-after speakers on entrepreneurism and financial success. President of the American Cash Flow Association and publisher of the American Cash Flow Journal, Rewey is seen by millions each month on television, and has helped people at all financial levels take control of their lives and turn their cash flow into a net positive.

In The Wisest Investment, Canadian author and Chartered Professional Accountant Robin Taub shares strategies for time-starved parents who want to raise responsible, independent, money-smart kids for life.

Investment professional Larry E. Swedroe describes the crucial difference between "active" and "passive" mutual funds, and tells you how you can win the investment game through long-term investments in such indexes as the S&P 500 instead of through the active buying and selling of stocks. A revised and updated edition of an investment classic, The Only Guide to a Winning Investment Strategy You'll Ever Need remains clear, understandable, and effective. This edition contains a new chapter comparing index funds, ETFs, and passive asset class funds, an expanded section on portfolio care and maintenance, the addition of Swedroe's 15 Rules of Prudent Investing, and much more. In clear language, Swedroe shows how the newer index mutual funds out-earn, out-perform, and out-compound the older funds, and how to select a balance "passive" portfolio for the long hail that will repay you many times over. This indispensable book also provides you with valuable information about: - The efficiency of markets today - The five factors that determine expected returns of a balanced equity and fixed income portfolio - Important facts about volatility, return, and risk - Six steps to building a diversified portfolio using Modern Portfolio Theory - Implementing the winning strategy - and more.

This work will reveal why some people work less, earn more, pay less in taxes, and feel more financially secure than others.

The bestselling author of Pioneering Portfolio Management, the definitive template for institutional fund management, returns with a book that shows individual investors how to manage their financial assets. In Unconventional Success, investment legend David F. Swensen offers incontrovertible evidence that the for-profit mutual fund industry consistently fails the average investor. From excessive management fees to the frequent "churning" of portfolios, the relentless pursuit of profits by mutual fund management companies harms individual clients. Perhaps most destructive of all are the hidden schemes that limit investor choice and reduce returns, including "pay-to-play" product-placement fees, stale-price trading scams, soft-dollar kickbacks, and 12b-1 distribution charges. Even if investors manage to emerge unscathed from an encounter with the profit-seeking mutual fund industry, individuals face the likelihood of self-inflicted pain. The common practice of selling losers and buying winners (and doing both too often) damages portfolio returns and increases tax liabilities, delivering a one-two punch to investor aspirations. In short: Nearly insurmountable hurdles confront ordinary investors. Swensen's solution? A contrarian investment alternative that promotes well-diversified, equity-oriented, "market-mimicking" portfolios that reward investors who exhibit the courage to stay the course. Swensen suggests implementing his nonconformist proposal with investor-friendly, not-for-profit investment companies such as Vanguard and TIAA-CREF. By avoiding actively managed funds and employing client-oriented mutual fund managers, investors create the preconditions for investment success. Bottom line? Unconventional Success provides the guidance and financial know-how for improving the personal investor's financial future.