Rent 9781440542565 | The Everything Personal Finance in Your 20s and 30s Book: Eliminate Your Debt, Manage Your Mone...

Summary Table of Contents Author Biography

Get control of your finances - and your future! Do you feel like you'll never pay off your student loans? Worried about your mounting credit card debt? Wondering when you'll ever make enough money to stop living paycheck to paycheck? You're not alone - millions of young Americans are finding it hard to save for the future and still pay today's bills on time. But with The Everything Personal Finance in Your 20s and 30s Book, 3rd Edition, you'll learn how to be financially independent by: Creating a workable budget Minimizing credit card and student loan debt Investing money wisely Building an emergency fund You'll also learn how the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau can help you navigate the often-confusing world of financial service products. With this easy-to-use guide, you'll learn how to manage, save, and invest wisely - starting today!

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Top 10 Personal Finance Tips	p. 10
Introduction	p. 11
Setting Goals: Your Financial Road Map	p. 13
Why Financial Goals Are Important	p. 14
Calculating Net Worth: Your Financial Snapshot	p. 14
Decide What You Want to Achieve	p. 17
Break It Down	p. 18
Evaluating Your Progress	p. 19
Educating Yourself about Money Matters	p. 20
Guilt-Free Budgeting	p. 23
It's All about Attitude	p. 24
Customizing Your Budget	p. 25
Set Spending Goals by Category	p. 29
Monitor Your Progress Monthly	p. 30
Plug Any Spending Leaks	p. 30
Personal-Finance Software	p. 32
Stay Motivated	p. 33
The Secrets to Saving Money	p. 35
The Magic of Compounding	p. 36
The Rule of 72	p. 37
The Danger of Inflation	p. 38
The Time Value of Money	p. 39
Building an Emergency Fund	p. 40
The Fun of Frugality	p. 40
Luxury Items and Loss of Value	p. 44
Banking Basics	p. 45
Choosing a Bank or Credit Union	p. 46
Online Banking	p. 47
Banking Costs	p. 50
Overdraft Protection	p. 51
Automated Teller Machines	p. 52
Debit Cards	p. 54
Balance Your Checkbook	p. 56
Best Places to Stash Your Cash	p. 56
Credit Cards 101	p. 59
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly	p. 60
What's Out There	p. 60
Choosing What's Best for You	p. 62
If You Have Damaged Credit	p. 63
Using Credit Cards Wisely	p. 65
Pay It Off!	p. 67
Protecting Yourself Against Losses	p. 68
The Credit CARD Act of 2009	p. 70
Digging Out of Credit Card Debt	p. 71
Your Credit Report and How It Works	p. 72
Paying Down Debt on Your Own	p. 75
Finance Companies and Bill-Paying Services	p. 77
Transferring Credit Card Balances	p. 77
Borrowing from Your 401 (k)	p. 78
Credit-Counseling Service	p. 79
Negotiating with Credit Card Companies	p. 80
Avoiding Credit-Repair Scams	p. 81
Other Credit Issues	p. 83
Installment, Secured, and Unsecured Loans	p. 84
Creditors and Debt Collectors	p. 85
Filing for Bankruptcy	p. 87
Chapter 13 Bankruptcy: Reorganization	p. 87
Chapter 7 Bankruptcy: Liquidation	p. 89
Bankruptcy as a Debt Management Tool	p. 91
Avoiding Financial Scams and Schemes	p. 92
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau	p. 94
Living with Student Loans	p. 96
Stafford Loans	p. 97
Federal Perkins Loans	p. 100
PLUS Loans	p. 101
Keep Track of the Interest Rates	p. 102
Defaulting on Your Student Loan	p. 103
Rehabilitating Your Defaulted Loan	p. 104
Resolving Student Loan Disputes	p. 105
Consolidating Your Student Loans	p. 105
A Tax Break	p. 107
Income-Based Repayment Plans	p. 107
Creative Financing for Your Children	p. 108
Show Me the Money: Work and Career	p. 111
Choosing a Job with Potential	p. 112
Your Worth to an Employer	p. 113
Negotiating Your Salary and Benefits Package	p. 113
Evaluating Your Employee Benefits	p. 114
Employee-Ownership Plans	p. 116
Asking for a Raise	p. 118
Losing Your Job Without Losing Your Shirt	p. 120
So You Want to Be Your Own Boss?	p. 122
The True Cost of Happiness	p. 124
Moving On: Finding New Living Space	p. 125
Your Housing Options	p. 126
Finding an Apartment	p. 126
Signing the Lease	p. 128
Deposits and Other Charges	p. 129
Renting with Roommates	p. 131
Renters' Insurance	p. 131
Cost of Living Differences	p. 133
Automotive Costs Related to Moving	p. 133
Tax Issues Related to Moving	p. 134
Buying a Home	p. 136
Getting Ready for Home Ownership	p. 137
How Mortgages Work	p. 138
Types of Mortgages	p. 139
Choosing the Best Mortgage for You	p. 143
The Home-Buying Process	p. 144
Making and Negotiating the Purchase	p. 147
Closing the Deal	p. 148
Home Ownership Tax Savings	p. 149
Be Prepared for Other Expenses	p. 150
Owning a Condo	p. 151
Owning a Co-Op	p. 152
Living with a Mortgage	p. 153
Planning Home Improvements	p. 154
Building a Home	p. 156
Home-Equity Loans and Lines of Credit	p. 157
Escrow Accounts	p. 158
Refinancing Your Mortgage	p. 159
Tax Deductibility of Mortgage Interest	p. 162
Prepaying Your Mortgage	p. 163
Facing Foreclosure	p. 164
The Short Sale Alternative	p. 165
Getting Deals on Wheels	p. 167
New or Used?	p. 168
Paying for a New Car	p. 169
What about Leasing?	p. 170
Negotiating the Price	p. 173
The True Cost of Ownership	p. 174
Extended Warranties	p. 175
Buying Credit Life Insurance	p. 176
Marriage and Family	p. 178
Tying the Financial Knot	p. 179
Do You Need a Prenuptial Agreement?	p. 181
Planning an Affordable Wedding	p. 182
What about the Marriage Tax Penalty?	p. 183
Beneficiaries, Name Changes, and Wills	p. 184
Planning for a Baby	p. 184
Can You Afford to Stay Home?	p. 186
Raising Financially Savvy Kids	p. 187
The Financial Impact of Divorce	p. 188
Unwed but Not Unwise	p. 192
Moving In Together	p. 193
Nonmarital Agreements	p. 193
Common-Law Marriages	p. 196
Mingling Your Assets	p. 197
Buying a House Together	p. 197
Sharing Expenses	p. 199
Taxes for Unmarried Couples	p. 199
Other Issues	p. 201
Minimizing Income Taxes	p. 202
Federal Income Taxes-the Basics	p. 203
Standard and Itemized Deductions	p. 206
Preparing Your Tax Return	p. 206
Hiring a Tax Accountant or Service	p. 208
Making Tax-Wise Financial Decisions	p. 210
Keeping Good Tax Records	p. 211
Surviving an Audit	p. 212
When You Can't Pay Your Taxes	p. 214
Credits and Deductions	p. 216
Investing: Profits and Risks	p. 219
The Big Picture	p. 220
Investing in Stocks	p. 224
Investing in Bonds	p. 227
Mutual Funds	p. 230
Alternative Investments	p. 234
Using a Financial Planner	p. 234
Sample Investment Allocations	p. 235
Investing in a Low Interest Rate Environment	p. 237
Retirement: Planning for Tomorrow	p. 239
The Younger, the Better	p. 240
Defined-Benefit Plans	p. 240
Defined-Contribution Plans	p. 240
401(k) Plans	p. 241
403(b) and 457 plans	p. 244
Individual Retirement Accounts	p. 245
Roth 401(k) and Roth 403(b)	p. 248
Small Business Plans	p. 249
Choosing the Right Investments	p. 250
A Word on Social Security	p. 253
Insurance and Estate Planning	p. 255
Life Insurance	p. 256
Health Insurance and COBRA	p. 259
Disability Insurance	p. 265
Homeowner's and Auto Insurance	p. 267
Other Types of Insurance	p. 269
What Is Estate Planning?	p. 270
Where There's a Will, There's a Way	p. 271
Durable Power of Attorney for Finances	p. 274
Probate and Trusts	p. 276
Estate Taxes	p. 278
Living in a Postrecession World	p. 279
Be a More Savvy Consumer	p. 280
Institute a Savings Program	p. 280
Investing in a Postrecession World	p. 281
Keep Your Investment Decisions Simple	p. 282
Glossary of Financial Terms	p. 284
Internet Resources	p. 289
Index	p. 296
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.

Howard Davidoff, JD, CPA, LLM, is a personal finance planning professional and attorney with thirty years of experience in the money management field. He also regularly teaches courses on accounting and income tax laws at Hofstra University and Brooklyn College, and through continuing education programs.

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