Implementing a financial plan to manage the future is very important. If you have not assembled such a plan, or even if you have not thought about how best to manage your financial future, the time to do so is now, and the resource you need to walk you through every step of the personal financial planning process is Plan Your Financial Future. Regardless of whether you are a recent college graduate or have spent the past several decades in the working world, Plan Your Financial Future will give you the smart, commonsense advice you need to get your financial life in order. Written by an expert and long-standing educator in the field of personal financial planning, Plan Your Financial Future is a comprehensive, objective, and pertinent guidebook for readers of all income levels who want to grow their net worth on a steady and increasing basis. Covering all the financial bases you can reasonably expect to confront in your lifetime, like insurance, investing, income tax planning, Social Security, Medicare, and more, this vital resource begins with techniques to protect a consumer's personal and business assets. It then transitions into the wealth accumulation process and outlines tax management measures, as well as the distribution of wealth for higher education, retirement, and estate planning purposes. Filled with in-depth insight and invaluable financial planning advice, this unique guide explains how to: Insure yourself, your family, and your property against the possibility of significant loss; Invest in financial or real assets—or both; Practice effective tax planning and management techniques; Distribute your estate at death to your intended beneficiaries in a tax-efficient manner; And much more. With its no-nonsense, straightforward style and holistic view of the financial planning process, Plan Your Financial Future is the one resource you need to become a more knowledgeable saver and translate those savings into the accumulation of future wealth. What you’ll learnReaders of Plan Your Financial Future will learn: How to take advantage of benefits that are offered to them by their employer The importance of minimizing the effects of inflation on their portfolios as much as possible Financial strategies for preparing for their children's higher education Rock-solid advice for planning for the financial aspects of their retirement years Whether or not they would benefit from the hiring of a professional financial planner How to create and maintain a personal financial plan that protects them and their families into the future Who this book is for Plan Your Financial Future is designed for readers of all income levels who would like grow their net worth on a steady and increasing basis by implementing and sticking to a personal financial plan. Everyone from recent college graduates to those who have been in the working world for many years will benefit from the insightful, actionable advice offered up in Plan Your Financial Future. Table of Contents Understanding the Challenge/The Need to Begin Do You Need a Financial Planner? Elements of Personal Financial Planning and the Wealth Management Process Insuring Yourself and Your Family Insuring Your Health and Long Term Care Insuring Your Earning Power Insuring Your Property Optimizing Your Employment Benefits Investing in Financial Assets Investing in Real Assets Employing Assets Profitably Income Tax Planning and Management Transfer Tax Planning and Management Life Events that Endanger Wealth Planning for Your Child’s Higher Education Planning for the Financial Aspects of Retirement Planning for the Lifestyle Needs of Retirement Planning for Other Lifetime Goals Estate Planning Philanthropy Reaping the Rewards Sample Data Gathering Form Sample Budget Durable General and Financial Power of Attorney (POA) Declaration as to Medical or Surgical Treatment and Medical Durable POA Sample Personal Letter of Instructions Glossary