Smart Guide to Making Wise Investments (The Smart Guides Series)

If you're like many in the baby-boom generation, retirement is just now starting to loom on the horizon, as is the prospect of sending your kids to college. If you've never put together an investment plan for yourself or your family, then the Smart Guide to Making Wise Investments may be a good start. Written by Gordon K. Williamson, an attorney and financial planner, this book provides a good overview of the many investment avenues available, from mutual funds and stocks to annuities and real estate. Williamson looks at the financial mistakes that many tend to make (such as buying a new car every few years and investing too conservatively) and explodes common myths about retirement (guess what--most of us will be living and working longer than we think). The book's final chapter shows how to build a financial plan and evaluate your own tolerance for risk. --Harry C. Edwards