Table of Contents
Acknowledgments xiii
Foreword David Bach xix
Introduction xxiii
Part 1 Why Retirement Plans Exist-and the Secret to Making Them Work for You
Chapter 1 How Retirement Plans Came to Be 1
Chapter 2 How Retirement Plans Evolved from Defining Benefits to Defining Contributions 7
Chapter 3 Why You Need to Start Saving Now 13
Chapter 4 The Cost of Not Participating Right Now in Your Retirement Plan 23
Chapter 5 How to Save for Retirement When You Think You Can't Afford It 31
Chapter 6 Free Money! Get Yours Now! 37
Chapter 7 Will You Participate by Accident? 43
Part 2 Fundamental Concepts You Must Understand Before You Invest
Chapter 8 Understanding Your Investment Options 47
Chapter 9 The Importance of Earning Effective Returns 51
Chapter 10 How Emotions Can Unravel Your Investment Strategy 55
Chapter 11 How Media Hype Can Sabotage Your Retirement 63
Chapter 12 Don't Mix Money and Politics 75
Part 3 The Best Way to Handle the Money in Your Retirement Plans and IRAs
Chapter 13 The Best Way to Invest the Money You're Depositing into Your Workplace Retirement Plan This Month 81
Chapter 14 The Best Way to Invest Your Employer's Contributions 115
Chapter 15 The Best Way to Invest the Money That's Already in the Plan 117
Chapter 16 The Best Way to Supplement Your Retirement Plan Savings: Open an IRA 147
Chapter 17 The Best Way to Handle Accounts Left with Previous Employers 159
Chapter 18 How to Move 401 (k) Funds to an IRA While Still Employed 175
Chapter 19 The Best Way to Destroy Your Retirement Plan's Savings 177
Chapter 20 How to Handle a Division of Retirement Assets in a Divorce 185
Chapter 21 The Best Way to Handle the RMD Rules 189
Chapter 22 The Best Way to Prepare Yourself So You Can Generate Income for Life from Your Accounts in Retirement 207
Chapter 23 The Best Way to Invest Your Retirement Accounts and IRAs During Retirement So You Can Generate the Income You Want and Need 223
Chapter 24 The Best Way to Generate Income from Your Retirement Accounts and IRAs 241
Chapter 25 The Best Way to Transfer Your Retirement Accounts and IRAs to Your Heirs When You Die 245
Chapter 26 Have You Inherited a Retirement Account or an IRA? 249
36 Key Take-Aways 255
Retirement Q&A 261
Glossary 289
Index 299