With 100 NEW FINANCIAL web sites!

If you're like most people, you want to get your financial life in order but don't know where to begin. Since its first publication in 1996, Get a Financial Life has helped thousands of people get out of debt, start saving, and begin investing. This updated edition — expanded for the Internet age — includes the latest information on how to:

• Use the Web to find the best auto loans, mortgages, and credit cards
• Invest in the stock market wisely and painlessly
• Refinance your high-rate debt — and avoid hidden fees and traps
• Take advantage of the latest tax breaks — including deductions for student loans
• Build a serious nest egg with long-term savings plans like the new Roth IRAs

You will also find classic, easy-to-understand advice on money basics — everything from 401(k)s to car leases, from credit reports to life insurance, from buying the right mutual funds to buying a home of your own. Whether you earn $20,000 or $200,000, Get a Financial Life will help you navigate the new world of personal finance.

NewsweekA daring book....A life's worth of smart financial advice.

Linda SternNewsweekA daring book aimed at Generation Xers unafraid of a blunt author who will tell them what to do fast....A life's worth of smart financial advice.

Paul A. VolckerFormer Chairman, Federal Reserve BoardWith all those new choices, personal financial decision making is getting more and more complicated, even for the computer generation. Beth Kobliner's book provides a much-needed and sensible guide.

Paul A. SamuelsonInstitute Professor Emeritus, MIT; Nobel Laureate in EconomicsShaw said youth is wasted on the young. I suspect the Kobliner financial wisdoms will work out well at all our ages.

Burton G. MalkielChemical Bank Chairman's Professor of Economics, Princeton University; author, A Random Walk Down Wall StreetOne of the best guides to help young people get a handle on money matters.

Stuart VarneyCNN Business NewsI have six children who will soon need "a financial life." This is the kind of basic, readable book they should have.

Dean ShepherdAnchor, CNBCLaying a solid financial foundation is one of the most important and rewarding tasks facing young people today. In Get a Financial Life, Beth Kobliner has created a great guide that will make the job much easier and a lot more fun.

Saul HansellBusiness Reporter, The New York TimesGet a Financial Life is an expert yet reassuringly simple guide to mastering your money, for people trying to keep afloat in the wake of the baby boomers.

First published in 1996, this book helped define the financial consciousness of a generation. The entire book has now been updated with late-breaking information to address dramatic financial developments such as Roth IRAs, student loan deductibility, "check cards", and the rising impact of the Internet.

Contents

Introduction

1. Crib Notes

A "Cheat Sheet" for Time-Pressed Readers

2. Taking Stock of Your Financial Life

Figuring Out Where You Are and Where You Want to Go

Putting a Price Tag on Your Goals

Learning How to Reach Your Goals

Figuring Out Where Your Money Goes

Financial Rules of Thumb

Getting Your Financial Life in Order

3. Debt and the Material World

Finding the Best Loans and Getting Yourself Out of Hock

Two Pointers for Anyone with Debt

Credit Cards

Student Loans

Car Loans

Home Equity Loans

Credit Reports

If You're in Serious Debt

4. Basic Banking

Learn How to Get the Most from Your Bank for the Least Amount of Money

A Bank by Any Other Name

Finding a Low-Cost Checking Account

Managing Your Checking Account

Using the ATM Wisely

Joint Versus Separate Accounts

Different Ways to Save in a Bank

A Warning About Bank-Sold Investments

5. All You Really Need to Know About Investing

For New Investors, the Feeling Is Mutual (Funds)

Mutual Fund Fundamentals

Money Market Funds

A Word About Inflation

Stock Funds

Bond Funds

The Right Mix of Investments

Mutual Fund Expenses

Deciding Where to Buy Your Mutual Funds

Socially Responsible Investing

Buying Individual Stocks

6. Living the Good Life in 2030

Think It's Crazy to Worry Now About Retirement Then? It's Crazy Not To

What Are Retirement Savings Plans, Anyway?

Contributing to Your 401(k)

Contributing to an IRA

How Your Retirement Savings Grow

Some Drawbacks (and Why They Don't Matter)

A Word About Inflation and Taxation

Answers to Some Common Questions

If You're Self-Employed

7. Oh, Give Me a Home

Advice on Getting an Apartment or House of Your Own

What Every Renter Needs to Know

Should You Rent or Buy?

What Lenders Look For

Costs of Owning a Home

Special Mortgage Programs for New Homebuyers

If You Don't Qualify for Special Programs

Shopping for a Mortgage

Making the Process Go Smoothly

8. Insurance: What You Need and What You Don't

Finding the Right Policies and Forgoing Coverage You Can Do Without

Shopping for Insurance

Checking Out Credentials

Making the Most of Your Employer Plan

Health Insurance

Auto Insurance

Disability Insurance

Home Insurance

Life Insurance

Insurance You Probably Don't Need

9. How to Make Your Life Less Taxing

Put More Money in Your Pocket and Less in Uncle Sam's

Why Is Your Paycheck So Small?

The Taxes You Pay

Figuring Out Your Tax Rate

Filing Your Tax Return

Maximizing Your Tax Breaks

Ten Tax Moves That Could Save You Money

If You're Self-Employed

Getting Your Tax Life in Order

Do You Need a Tax Preparer?

Further Reading

Acknowledgments

Index