Leveraging Your Financial Intelligence. At the Intersection of Money, Health, and Happiness

How to build a financial plan that really blends into your life The latest volume in the bestselling Ultimate series, Jim Stovall and Tim Maurer's The Ultimate Financial Plan: Balancing Your Money and Life is a one-stop, comprehensive, personal financial planning book exploring the intersection of money and life. The Ultimate Financial Plan examines the connection between actions, thoughts, and feelings when it comes to all things financial. The key to getting the most out of your wealth, the authors argue, is certainly found in the wise utilization of tools, like budgets, bank accounts, 401(k)s, IRAs, Roth IRAs, education savings plans, and real estate, as well as home, auto, business, health, disability, and long term care insurance, but even more so in the contentment found in balancing money's influence in our lives with personal values and goals. An insider's look into the recently humbled «Big 3»—the banks, brokerage firms, and insurance companies—and the inner workings that often set their proprietary goals and objectives above all A critical examination of the role of various financial sales people, advisors, planners, and consultants A guide to navigating Economic Bias—a conflict of interest involving money—and how it affects every financial decision we make The Ultimate Financial Plan is the application of the resources at your disposal for the purpose of living your life to the fullest, and this book will show you the quickest route to getting started on the path to ultimate success.

Personal money management advice that make sense In The True Cost of Happiness, financial journalist Stacey Tisdale and expert financial planner Paula Boyer Kennedy combine their extensive financial experience with a powerful series of interviews and real-world stories to help you make personal money management decisions that make more sense. They begin by discussing how the factors that drive our financial choices and behavior not only run deep, but also represent the way we define ourselves. From there, they reveal how this truth will determine if you can create the kind of financial harmony that not only supports the life you want, but also makes an honest statement of who you really are. The questions they pose are challenging, but essential, because if your financial choices and behavior are not aligned with your true values, you'll always feel like «something» is missing. And it is this disconnect that is at the root of most anxiety and unhappiness over money. Reveals how the first lessons we learn about money as children play out in our adult behavior Discusses how the messages that society sends us about the ways in which we should behave with money affect our financial choices Explores factors that can blind us to our true values, and prevent us from making the best decisions possible on issues such as debt, saving, and investing Illustrates how to create a financial plan that supports a truly happy life Filled with in-depth insights and practical advice, The True Cost of Happiness will put you in a better position to enjoy a life that doesn't compromise who you are.

WASHINGTON POST Bestseller List 3/30/14 Solid solutions and step-by-step instructions for planning the next stage of your life Life after 50 isn’t what it used to be. The rules have changed. No more guaranteed pensions, retiree health plans, or extensive leisure and travel. It’s time to forge new paths and create innovative models. That’s where the AARP Roadmap for the Rest of Your Life comes in. Bart Astor, author of more than a dozen books, offers a comprehensive guide for making lifestyle decisions, growing your nest egg, and realizing your goals. This AARP book— Provides guidance on the key areas you’ll need to consider: finances and work, health and fitness, Medicare and Social Security, estate planning, insurance, housing, and more Offers expert tips on creating age- and health-specific goals through a personal “Level of Activity” scale based on how active you can and want to be Includes tips for finding fun and fulfilling activities and even completing your bucket list Supplies ready-to-use worksheets to help you set and meet financial planning goals, get your legal affairs in order, and maintain adequate health insurance Contains a comprehensive list of valuable resources

REVISED AND UPDAT ED WITH NEW RESEARCH INTO EQ AND PERSONAL AND CAREER SUCCESS What is the formula for success at your job? As a spouse? A parent? A Little League baseball coach or behind the bench of a minor hockey team? What does it take to get ahead? To separate yourself from the competition? To lead a less stressful and happier existence? To be fulfilled in personal and professional pursuits? What is the most important dynamic of your makeup? Is it your A) intelligence quotient? or B) emotional quotient? If you picked "A", you are partly correct. Your intelligence quotient can be a predictor of things such as academic achievement. But your IQ is fixed and unchangeable. The real key to personal and professional growth is your emotional intelligence quotient, which you can nurture and develop by learning more about EQ from the international bestseller The EQ Edge. Authors Steven J. Stein and Howard E. Book show you how the dynamic of emotional intelligence works. By understanding EQ, you can build more meaningful relationships, boost your confidence and optimism, and respond to challenges with enthusiasm-all of which are essential ingredients of success. The EQ Edge offers fascinating-and sometimes surprising-insights into what it takes to be a top law-enforcement officer, lawyer, school principal, student, doctor, dentist or CEO. You will learn what the top EQ factors are across many different kinds of jobs, from business managers and customer service representatives to HR professionals and public servants. The EQ Edge will help you determine which personnel are the right fit for job opportunities and who among your staff are the most promising leaders and drivers of your business. And because all of us have other roles-parent, spouse, caregiver to aging parents, neighbor, friend-The EQ Edge also describes how everyone can be more successful in these relationships. «Finally, a practical and usable guide to what emotional intelligence is all about. This book peels the onion on what EQ really is and teaches the reader to assess their own EQ and how to increase it. This is the holy grail for career success.»—Michael Feiner, Professor, Columbia Graduate School of Business and author of The Feiner Points of Leadership

Praise for Money & Happiness «Laura Rowley makes us all understand the money-happiness connection in our own lives so that we spend our time and our efforts wisely. She gets to the heart of why money can bring feelings of stress, joy, and freedom, and Rowley offers insight that every reader can use to make smarter decisions that will lead to living a rich life in every possible definition of the term.» –Lucy Danziger, Editor in Chief, Self magazine «This is a wry and companionable guide to getting your finances in better sync with your values, and who wouldn't be enriched by that?» –Melinda Henneberger, Contributing Editor, Newsweek «Money and Happiness takes cold, hard, financial information and warms it up through the voice of your best friend. You'll find out how to achieve your life dreams, and avoid money nightmares. The cost of this book may be the best investment you'll ever make.» –Kevin McKinley, CFP, author of Make Your Kid a Millionaire and host of public radio's On Your Money «Let Laura Rowley guide you to a rational and rewarding life by helping you re-order your approach to your financial well-being. This book covers all the dimensions you need to know about how to plan properly for your reality. She teaches that you need not be loaded to be happy. And she shows you how to set, then achieve, your goals. For your sanity, Rowley is a welcome antidote to the wave of materialism washing over our culture.» –Allan Dodds Frank, Bloomberg Television

How leaders from the best workplaces build trust in their organizations The Trustworthy Leader reveals the benefits organizations enjoy when trustworthy behavior is practiced consistently by their leaders. Drawing from examples from the Best Companies to Work For, Lyman, cofounder of Great Place to Work Institute, explains that being trustworthy means that leaders' behaviors are rooted in their commitment to the value of trust and not simply in an imitation of the practices of others. She identifies six elements that reflect a leader's trustworthiness: honor, inclusion, engaging followers, sharing information, developing others, and moving through uncertainty to pursue opportunities. Features leaders from great companies such as REI, Wegman's, R.W. Baird, TDIndustries, and more Based on more than 20 years of rigorous research into the value of trust in companies large and small and its link to financial and organizational performance Published to coincide with the release of the FORTUNE 100 Best Companies to Work For 2012 list This book offers a key to developing high levels of trust, a critical endeavor in an age when seemingly every day a story of a leader's lapse in ethical behavior makes headlines.

GET THE MOST OUT OF LIFE In Live Long and Prosper!, Steve Vernon unveils a new way of thinking that will truly help you live a more happy, healthy, and prosperous life. Based on the latest research and planning strategies typically reserved for large corporations, it will help you answer these important questions: * Do you have enough money to retire? * How can you manage your income and expenses so you don't outlive your 401(k) balances? * How can you invest in your health, so that you won't be wiped out by large medical expenses and are able to live a long, comfortable, and productive life? * What can you expect from Social Security and Medicare? * What's the best work/life balance for prosperity and fulfillment? Live Long and Prosper! will help you move beyond the traditional view of retirement and begin planning for the rest of your life.

A practical guide to avoiding accidental philanthropy and controlling your tax destiny Written by Daniel Nigito-a financial services expert whose programs have saved families millions in tax dollars and created millions more for charities across the United States-this timely guide will show you how to use the simple, yet powerful strategy known as «charitable leverage» to regain control of your financial life. This proven approach, which allows you to become a partner with charity while gaining control over your tax destiny and providing for you and your family, taps into the unique tax characteristics of two financial instruments-the Charitable Remainder Trust (CRT) and Cash Value Life Insurance (CVLI)-in order to achieve some amazing goals. Offers insights on increasing your current income while paying less tax on it Discusses how to develop real asset protection without moving your money offshore or using complicated and often questionable tax schemes Details how you can build a personal tax-deductible retirement account that does not interfere with other retirement plans The best way to avoid becoming an accidental philanthropist is by understanding how to make taxes work for you. The Power of Leveraging the Charitable Remainder Trust will show you how to do this and, in the process, add meaning to your money.

Just 77 days to a happier, more prosperous life! From Here to Financial Happiness is the day-by-day guide for anyone dreaming of a better life. Whether you’re dealing with debt, uncertain about retirement or simply want to get a grip on your finances, this book can put you on the road to happiness with a simple 11-week journey. Just 5-10 minutes a day to think about money, your habits, your goals, and your dreams. What steps can you take today to get your finances on track? What bad habits, bad investments, and misconceptions should you let go of? This book is packed with 77 days’ worth of real, actionable guidance for getting your money right—for good. It’s not an investment scheme, not extreme couponing, not something else to add to your daily to-do list. Instead, it’s about changing you—and the way you handle and think about money—so you can start building the life of your dreams. The next 11 weeks will be a revelation: Some days you’ll learn about finance, other days you’ll learn about yourself. Many days, you will be given a concrete list of things to do—right at that moment—to start steering your financial situation onto the right path. Learn how to stack the financial odds in your favor Amass savings for retirement, the children’s college or that next financial emergency Change your perspective on money and its role in your life Get your financial house in order—and keep it that way A better life is possible. You do have the power to change things for the better. From Here to Financial Happiness is your personal roadmap to financial freedom.

You don't have to earn megabucks or have a degree in economics to make the most of your money. With the help of Money Makeover, you'll discover how easy it is to take stock of your finances and create the life of your dreams, without having to give up red wine or wade through finance mumbo-jumbo! Inside this book you'll find practical information (without the boring bits) and inspiring real-life stories that will empower you to create your own financial plan. You'll discover: simple strategies to work your way out of debt fail-proof saving techniques how to invest in shares, managed funds and property, step by step super tips to help you sort your super easy ways to factor in life's little curve balls – relationships, bambinos and career changes. Money Makeover is for women of all ages wanting to take control of their financial destiny and make their money grow.