It's about more than the money investment wisdom for building a better life. - Description based on print version record. - Includes index

“Concise, realistic, and very readable, this book opens up the complex world of financial investing and provides a useful guide that first-time investors can and should utilize.” –Publishers Weekly “It’s About More Than the Money is a book for our times. Now more than ever, people are looking for financial advisors who can help them plan a secure future for their families and keep their dreams on track. Glassman captures the essence of this critical relationship–describing the qualities of trust and commitment that both client and advisor must bring to the table. Readers will come away with a better understanding of how the best financial advisors can change lives–and learn how to find the advisor who is right for them.” –Sallie Krawcheck, President, Global Wealth & Investment Management, Bank of America “Saly Glassman uses her many years of financial advisory experience to help you improve your wealth in this well-written and entertaining book. This breezy read is full of anecdotes and is especially useful to those wanting to know more about working successfully with financial professionals.” –Greg Karp, syndicated personal finance columnist at the Tribune Company, and author of The 1-2-3 Money Plan and Living Rich by Spending Smart “Read this before you read any other book on investments. From the mind and heart of a winning and highly respected financial advisor, it’s a strong dose of ‘intellectual hard love’–a lot of things you may not want to hear or do–but absolutely need to– before investing a dime.” –Steve Leimberg, Publisher, Leimberg Information Services, Inc. (LISI) “When selecting a financial advisor, most people look only to the bottom line: ‘How much money will I make?’ Saly Glassman, in a concise and intuitive style, discusses through real life examples, the importance of selecting a financial advisor with whom you can develop a strong personal relationship. Ultimately, this collaboration is how true wealth is achieved and sustained through generations.” –Morey S. Rosenbloom, Blank Rome LLP In It’s About More Than the Money , award-winning financial advisor Saly A. Glassman shows you how to regain control over your financial life–and stay in control. Glassman brings together 21 fundamental investment principles, illuminates them with actual investor experiences, and guides you through putting each one to work. Drawing on everything she’s learned working with a broad cross-section of investors, Glassman teaches you how to plan your finances strategically, place money in broader context, and make your most important dreams a reality. You’ll focus on what you can control and let go of what you can’t…apply investment rules that work…recognize when to do nothing…assess your progress objectively, and much more. Glassman also helps you decide whether you need professional advice–and, if you do, she shows how to find an advisor who will add real value. Packed with insightful investor stories, this book will help you make wiser, better financial decisions–whatever your goals, whatever your age, and whatever the economy does next. Cover......Page 1 Table of Contents......Page 8 Acknowledgments......Page 15 About the Author......Page 17 Introduction......Page 18 Chapter 1 Rules Are Essential, but They Do Not Guarantee a Win......Page 22 Evaluate the Investment Rules You Followed......Page 25 Get Back in the Game......Page 26 Chapter 2 Focus Your Predictions on What You Can Control: Your Priorities......Page 30 Chapter 3 Let Go of What Might Have Been......Page 38 Step 1: Learn to Recognize the “What Might Have Been” in Your Language......Page 39 Step 2: See It for What It Really Is......Page 40 Notice What Factors Are and Are Not in Your Control......Page 42 Learn from Your Mistakes and Change for the Next Time......Page 43 Take Full Responsibility......Page 45 Option 1: Blame Others......Page 48 Option 2: Take Responsibility......Page 50 A Master Plan for Your Life......Page 52 Look at the Path from Where You Are Now to Where You Want to Be......Page 53 Map Out a Strategy......Page 54 Take Responsibility for the Master Plan......Page 55 Chapter 5 Do What You Know and Recognize What You Don’t Know......Page 56 Chapter 6 Have Investment Rules That Work for You......Page 62 Rule #2: I Must Understand the Degree to Which My Investments Are Truly Liquid......Page 63 Rule #3: My Investments Should Be Completely Transparent......Page 64 Rule #5: I Must Understand How I Am Paying for Investment Advice, Services, and Products......Page 65 Rule #6: I Have Personally Investigated the Character of the People with Whom I Associate and Do Business. I Did Not Delegate This Critical Responsibility to a Third Party......Page 66 Chapter 7 The Time to Have the Fire Drill Is Not in the Middle of the Fire......Page 72 Communication with Advisors......Page 73 Wills and Estate Planning......Page 75 Protection of Spouses and Gifting to Children and Charitable Interests......Page 76 Asset Allocation and Investment Strategy......Page 77 Chapter 8 The Best Advice Is Sometimes About What Not to Do......Page 84 Investing with Friends......Page 86 Overextending Your Borrowing......Page 87 Living the Consequences of Someone Else’s Choices......Page 90 Getting Attached to Things and Not Wanting to Sell......Page 91 You Could Misplace It......Page 96 You Could Gamble It Away......Page 97 Holding on While Getting Ahead......Page 98 Chapter 10 Know What You Want to Accomplish......Page 104 Capital Preservation......Page 105 Income......Page 106 Income with Growth......Page 107 Aggressive Growth......Page 108 Chapter 11 Be Clear About What You Have and What You Don’t Have......Page 114 Chapter 12 Expect to Pay a Price—Either Now or Later—for the Choices You Make About Handling Your Money......Page 120 2. Determine Your Time Frame for Financial Independence......Page 121 3. Adjust the Income Figure for Future Inflation......Page 122 4. Calculate the Ending Balance You Need to Support the Inflated Income Figure......Page 125 6. Estimate the Future Value of Your Current Assets, Using a Rate of Return That Is Realistic Based on Your Investment Portfolio and Asset Allocation......Page 126 7. Subtract the Difference Between What You Need for Your Ending Balance and What You Have Now......Page 127 8. Calculate the Amount You Need to Save Each Year—for Your Designated Time Frame—to Close the Gap and Potentially Achieve Financial Independence......Page 128 9. Develop an Asset Allocation Plan......Page 130 Paying Now......Page 132 Paying Later......Page 133 Making the Choice......Page 136 Chapter 13 Know the Essence of Your Advisor’s Brand......Page 138 Option 1: Ask the Advisor Directly About the Brand......Page 141 Option 3: Meet Several Advisors to Compare Their Brands......Page 142 Option 4: Recognize and Respect Your Gut Reaction......Page 143 Option 5: Know the Brand You Want......Page 144 Option 6: Live It......Page 145 Chapter 14 Does Your Advisor Care Deeply About You?......Page 146 Chapter 15 Expect to Be Taken Care Of......Page 158 Ask for It......Page 162 Know If You Are Getting It......Page 164 Chapter 16 The Investor’s Perception Is the True Reality......Page 168 Chapter 17 Crises Are Like Little Gifts......Page 176 Crises Force You to Examine Your Behavior......Page 177 It’s Foolish to Waste a Good Crisis......Page 178 Crises Give You a Chance to Gain Objectivity......Page 179 Crises Give You an Opportunity to Enhance Communication with the Important Players......Page 181 Crises Force You to Reevaluate Your Priorities......Page 182 Chapter 18 The Most Valuable Things in Life Do Not Involve Currency......Page 186 Paula and Maureen......Page 187 Elliott......Page 188 Tom......Page 191 Chapter 19 Find the Courage You Need to Have Integrity......Page 196 Chapter 20 There’s an Entire Economy in What We Consume and Waste......Page 206 Chapter 21 Make It Happen......Page 216 Choose Your Financial Advisor Deliberately and Carefully......Page 217 Take Responsibility......Page 218 Be Strong......Page 219 Keep Your Eye on the Big Picture......Page 220 Make It Happen......Page 221 Review of Step 3: Adjusting Your Monthly Financial Needs for 3% Inflation over 25 Years......Page 222 Review of Step 6: Calculating the Future Value of $250,000 Today After 25 Years of Returns at a Rate of 7%......Page 223 Review of Step 8: Calculating the Amount You Will Need to Save Annually for 25 Years to Close the Retirement Investment Gap......Page 224 B......Page 226 E......Page 227 G......Page 228 L......Page 229 P......Page 230 V......Page 231 X-Y-Z......Page 232 __"Concise, realistic, and very readable, this book opens up the complex world of financial investing and provides a useful guide that first-time investors can and should utilize."__**__-Publishers Weekly__**__is a book for our times. Now more than ever, people are looking for financial advisors who can help them plan a secure future for their families and keep their dreams on track. Glassman captures the essence of this critical relationship-describing the qualities of trust and commitment that both client and advisor must bring to the table. Readers will come away with a better understanding of how the best financial advisors can change lives-and learn how to find the advisor who is right for them."____"Saly Glassman uses her many years of financial advisory experience to help you improve your wealth in this well-written and entertaining book. This breezy read is full of anecdotes and is especially useful to those wanting to know more about working successfully with financial professionals."__**__The 1-2-3 Money Plan__****__Living Rich by Spending Smart__****-Steve Leimberg, Publisher, Leimberg Information Services, Inc. (LISI)****-Morey S. Rosenbloom, Blank Rome LLP**__It's About More Than the Money__ Rules are essential, but they do not guarantee a win -- Focus your predictions on what you can control : your priorities -- Let go of what might have been -- Take responsibility -- Do what you know and recognize what you don't know -- Have investment rules that work for you -- The time to have the fire drill is not in the middle of the fire -- The best advice is sometimes about what not to do -- Appreciate the value of holding on to what you have -- Know what you want to accomplish -- Be clear about what you have and what you don't have -- Expect to pay a price-- either now or later-- for the choices you make about handling your money -- Know the essence of your advisor's brand -- Does your advisor care deeply about you? -- Expect to be taken care of -- The investor's perception is the true reality --Crises are like little gifts -- The most valuable things in life do not involve currency -- Find the courage you need to have integrity -- There's an entire economy in what we consume and waste -- Make it happen -- Formulas used for Chapter 12 calculations The author gives financial advice and guidelines, including six rules for investing, examining strategies for planning wills, estates, gifting, and other asset concerns, covering how to choose a financial advisor, and encompassing other topics