Introduction 1

Part I: Assessing Your Financial Fitness and Setting Goals 7

Chapter 1: Improving Your Financial Literacy 9

Chapter 2: Measuring Your Financial Health 21

Chapter 3: Managing Where Your Money Goes 41

Chapter 4: Establishing and Achieving Goals 53

Part II: Spending Less, Saving More 75

Chapter 5: Dealing with Debt 77

Chapter 6: Reducing Your Spending 95

Chapter 7: Trimming Your Taxes 123

Part III: Building Wealth through Investing 147

Chapter 8: Considering Important Investment Concepts 149

Chapter 9: Understanding Your Investment Choices 177

Chapter 10: Investing in Funds 197

Chapter 11: Investing in Retirement Accounts 215

Chapter 12: Investing in Taxable Accounts 237

Chapter 13: Investing for Educational Expenses 251

Chapter 14: Investing in Real Estate: Your Home and Beyond 263

Part IV: Insurance: Protecting What You Have 305

Chapter 15: Insurance: Getting What You Need at the Best Price 307

Chapter 16: Insurance on You: Life, Disability, and Health 325

Chapter 17: Covering Your Assets 349

Part V: Where to Go for More Help 363

Chapter 18: Working with Financial Planners 365

Chapter 19: Using a Computer to Manage Your Money 383

Chapter 20: On Air and in Print 395

Part VI: The Part of Tens 401

Chapter 21: Survival Guide for Ten Life Changes 403

Chapter 22: Ten Tactics to Thwart Identity Theft and Fraud 417

Glossary 423

Index 439