“There are dozens of primers on investing, but Schwab’s is straightforward and carefully organized. . . . The glimmers of his personal life are gems. . . . By now, Schwab is a financial brand name, and the lessons from his rich life make for good reading—and good investing.” —Suze Orman, author of The 9 Steps to Financial Freedom The biggest risk in investing is doing nothing. In the updated edition of this New York Times bestseller, Charles Schwab presents clear and simple lessons that will give readers the confidence they need to start down the road to financial independence. Schwab, one of the most trusted gurus in American investing, explains all the basics in a clear, easy-to-understand way. This revised edition completely updates the book to take into consideration the substantial changes and fluctuations in the market in recent years. A significant amount of new material has been added, including a valuable section on performance monitoring, a key strategy that enables investors to measure the performance of their portfolios against objective benchmarks. Using this excellent book, investors will learn how to: • Define and set investment goals • Prepare an investment plan, put it into action, and update it regularly • Plan for their children’s education • Cope effectively with the ups and downs of the market • Plan for a comfortable retirement

When it comes to investing, most of us know where we'd like to be but not how to get there. We'd like nothing better than to sit down with an experienced professional who could help us evaluate our assets and guide us through the bewildering array of choices. "Charles Schwab's Guide to Financial Independence offers you precisely that. Reading this easy-to-understand book is like having the founder and CEO of a $300 billion brokerage firm sit at your kitchen table and distill his 40-plus years of accumulated wisdom in a one-on-one session with you. This is a comprehensive, step-by-step guide that, once and for all, will take the mystery and the fear out of investing. With Charles Schwab's expert guidance you will learn how to define and set investment goals, whether you're saving for your children's college education or planning for retirement; prepare an investment plan; put the plan into action; and regularly update the plan to incorporate life's changes. Helpful worksheets and charts are included so you have what you need to get started immediately. Also available as a Random House Audio Book

Every eight seconds someone in this country turns 50, an age at which even baby boomers can no longer put off becoming fiscally responsible and planning for the future. For everyone who finds that thought daunting (and that's an awful lot of us), Charles R. Schwab, America's most trusted figure in financial services, is here to outline the simple steps we should take to evaluate what we have, determine what we'll need, and put our money to work to make our future one of reward instead of worry. In the same upbeat, user-friendly style that made Charles Schwab's Guide to Financial Independence a bestseller, You're Fifty- Now What? offers a mix of clear and workable advice, simple worksheets, and a healthy dose of encouragement. In addition to learning how to accumulate and grow their money, readers will even find help with estate planning and charitable giving. His message is that the goal is not just financial security, but financial peace of mind. The way to get there is not by being a spectator, but a participant. It doesn't take special talent or advanced degrees; it just takes attention and a little time. With baby-boomers living longer and spending more time in retirement, the need is clear. Charles Schwab's You're Fifty- Now What? is the perfect place to get started.

Here at last are the hard-to-find answers to the dizzying array of financial questions plaguing those who are age fifty and older. The financial world is more complex than ever, and people are struggling to make sense of it all. If you’re like most people moving into the phase of life where protecting—as well as growing-- assets is paramount, you’re faced with a number of financial puzzles. Maybe you’re struggling to get your kids through college without drawing down your life’s savings. Perhaps you sense your nest egg is at risk and want to move into safer investments. Maybe you’re contemplating downsizing to a smaller home, but aren’t sure of the financial implications. Possibly, medical expenses have become a bigger drain than you expected and you need help assessing options. Perhaps you’ll shortly be eligible for social security but want to optimize when and how to take it. Whatever your specific financial issue, one thing is certain—your range of choices is vast. As the financial world becomes increasingly complex, what you need is deeply researched advice from professionals whose credentials are impeccable and who prize clarity and straightforwardness over financial mumbo-jumbo. Carrie Schwab-Pomerantz and the Schwab team have been helping clients tackle their toughest money issues for decades. Through Carrie’s popular “Ask Carrie” columns, her leadership of the Charles Schwab Foundation, and her work across party lines through two White House administrations and with the President’s Advisory Council on Financial Capability, she has become one of America’s most trusted sources for financial advice. Here, Carrie will not only answer all the questions that keep you up at night, she’ll provide answers to many questions you haven’t considered but should.