Synopses & Reviews
Since the original edition of
The Elements of Investing was published over three years ago, investors have faced difficult economic times along with unprecedented market volatility. It's not surprising that many investors simply abandoned the stock market. It seemed to be too risky a place for retirement savings, and the situation was too unnerving for most to handle. Moreover, some professionals started to announce the death of "buy and hold" and "diversification" strategies.
Burton Malkiel and Charles Ellis, two of the investment world's greatest thinkers, understand how you could get thoroughly confused by today's markets and the often-conflicting advice that comes with it. That's why they've returned with an Updated Edition of The Elements of Investing. While staying true to the original editionand discussing the timeless investing and saving lessons that will put you on a path towards a lifetime of financial successthis book also contains fresh insights found in an additional chapter on rebalancing, which focuses on important issues such as fine-tuning your bond diversification strategy to reflect the realities of today's markets.
Written with every investor in mind, this short, straight-talking book skillfully offers a set of simple, yet powerful thoughts on how to avoid Mr. Market and his "loser's game," and instead enjoy the "winner's game" approach to investing. All the investment rules and principles you need to know are herewith clear advice on how to follow them.
Divided into six essential elements of investing, this little book packs a big message that can help secure your financial future all the way through retirement. Malkiel and Ellis touch on a variety of topics, from focusing on the long term instead of following market fluctuations to using employer-sponsored plans to supercharge your savings and minimize taxes. Along the way, they also address the best friends of any investor: diversification, rebalancing, dollar-cost averaging, and indexing.
The timeless lessons presented in this book are even more relevant in today's volatile markets. If you take the time to learn them, you will be able to take control of your financial future.
Synopsis
The Elements of Investing has a single-minded goal: to teach the principles of investing in the same pared-to-bone manner that Professor William Strunk Jr. once taught composition to students at Harvard, using his classic little book, The Elements of Style. With great daring, Ellis and Malkiel imagined their own Little Red Schoolhouse course in investing for every investor around the world-and then penned this book. The Elements of Investing hacks away at all the overtrading and over thinking so predominant in the hyperactive thought patterns of the average investor. Malkiel and Ellis offer investors a set of simple but powerful thoughts on how to challenge Mr. Market at his own game, and win by not losing. All the need-to-know rules and investment principles can be found here. This new edition includes an extra chapter on how and why the timeless investment lessons presented in this book are even more relevant in today’s volatile markets than when the book first published.
Synopsis
An updated look at best rules of investing provided by two of the world's greatest financial thinkersIn the updated edition of The Elements of Investing, authors Charles Ellis and Burton Malkiel—two of the world's greatest financial thinkers—have again combined their talents to produce a straight-talking book about investing and saving. Written with every investor in mind, this reliable resource will put you on a path towards a lifetime of financial success.
Page by page, Malkiel and Ellis skillfully focus their message to address the essentials and offer a set of simple, but powerful thoughts on how to avoid Mr. Market and his "loser's game," and instead enjoy the "winner's" approach to investing. All the investment rules and principles you need to succeed are here—with clear advice on how to follow them.
- Shows you how to focus on the long term instead of following market fluctuations that are likely to lead to costly investing mistakes
- Contains investment insights that can carry you all the way to, and through, retirement
- Written by Burton G. Malkiel, the bestselling author of A Random Walk Down Wall Street, and Charles D. Ellis, the bestselling author of Winning the Loser's Game
A disciplined approach to investing, complemented by understanding, is all you need to enjoy success. This practical guide explains what you really need to know and puts you on the right course for long-term success through all kinds of markets.
Synopsis
Praise forTHE ELEMENTS OF INVESTING
"These noted authors have distilled all you need to know about investing into a very small package. The best time to read this book is when you turn eighteen (or maybe thirteen) and every year thereafter."
Harry Markowitz, Nobel Laureate in Economics 1990
"Struggling to find money to save? Befuddled by the bewildering array of investment choices? As you venture into the financial markets for the first time, it's helpful to have a trusted guideand, in Charley Ellis and Burt Malkiel, you have two of the finest."
Jonathan Clements, author of The Little Book of Main Street Money
"No one knows more about investing than Charley Ellis and Burt Malkiel, and no one has written a better investment guide. These are the best basic rules of investing by two of the world's greatest financial thinkers."
Consuelo Mack, Anchor and Managing Editor, Consuelo Mack WealthTrack
About the Author
Burton G. Malkiel is the Chemical Bank Chairman's Emeritus Professor of Economics at Princeton University and the author of the bestselling
A Random Walk Down Wall Street. Malkiel has served on the President's Council of Economic Advisers, as dean of the Yale School of Management, as chair of Princeton's Economics Department, and as a director of major corporations.
Charles D. Ellis is a consultant to large public and private institutional investors. For three decades, he was managing partner of Greenwich Associates, the international business strategy consulting firm. He has taught investing at both Harvard and Yale and is the author of fifteen books, including the bestselling Winning the Loser's Game.
Table of Contents
Preface to Updated Edition xi
Foreword xvii
Introduction xxiii
It All Starts with Saving 1
I. Save 3
First Do No Harm 6
Start Saving Early: Time Is Money 7
The Amazing Rule of 72 9
Savvy Savings 14
Small Savings Tips 18
Big Ways to Save 20
Let the Government Help You Save 22
Own Your Home 24
How Do I Catch Up? 25
II. Index 29
Nobody Knows More Than the Market 31
The Index Fund Solution 34
Don’t Some Beat the Market? 38
Index Bonds 43
Index Internationally 44
Index Funds Have Big Advantages 44
One Warning 46
Confession 49
III. Diversify 51
Diversify Across Asset Classes 54
Diversify Across Markets 58
Diversify Over Time 60
Rebalance 65
IV. Avoid Blunders 73
Overconfidence 76
Beware of Mr. Market 79
The Penalty of Timing 84
More Mistakes 85
Minimize Costs 87
V. Keep It Simple 93
Review of Basic Rules 95
Asset Allocation 105
Asset Allocation Ranges 107
Investing in Retirement 112
Getting Specific 114
VI. Timeless Lessons for Troubled Times 125
Volatility and Dollar-Cost Averaging 128
Diversification Is Still a Time-Honored
Strategy to Reduce Risk 131
Rebalancing 133
Diversification and Rebalancing Together 136
Index at Least the Core of Your Portfolio 137
Fine-Tuning a Bond Diversification Strategy 142
A Final Thought 148
A Super Simple Summary: KISS
Investing 151
Appendix: Save on Taxes Legally 153
Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) 154
Roth IRAs 156
Pension Plans 158
Tax-Advantaged Saving for Education 161
Recommended Reading 165
Acknowledgments 167
About the Authors 169
Index 171