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Taking a Look at the Big Picture | |
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So, How's Mid Life Treating You? | |
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How Time Flies | |
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Dealing with Changes | |
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How's Your Health? | |
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Feeling a Little Bit Stressed? | |
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Welcome to the Sandwich Generation | |
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Figuring Out Where You Are in Life | |
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Knowing What You Need | |
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Emergency Fund | |
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The Right Accounts | |
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Insurance | |
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Knowing What You Want | |
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Understanding the Difference Between Want and Need | |
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Get Real | |
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On the Plus Side | |
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Your House | |
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Income | |
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Savings and Investments | |
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Vehicles | |
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Your Family | |
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A Place in Your Community | |
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On the Minus Side | |
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Your Mortgage | |
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Credit Card Debt | |
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Car Payments | |
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Expenses, Expenses, Expenses | |
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And Then There's Your Ex | |
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Getting It All Together | |
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What Is Net Worth? | |
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Figuring It Out | |
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Maybe You Need a Budget | |
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Planning for What You'll Need | |
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Keeping Your Finances on Track | |
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Your Kids and Your Money | |
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The Big, Expensive Parent Trap | |
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Cell Phones, Jeeps, and PlayStation 2s | |
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But Mom, All My Friends Have One | |
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Teaching Kids About Money | |
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Letting Them Earn Their Own | |
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You're Not a Fairy Godmother | |
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Helping Out with Big Expenses | |
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Trading In the Bikes for Cars | |
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When Your Kid Wants a Car | |
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Knowing If He or She Is Ready | |
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Who Should Buy the Car? | |
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What About a Lease? | |
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New Jetta or a Junker? | |
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The Cost of Keeping a Car | |
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Paying for College | |
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The Cost of Higher Education | |
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Starting Early to Save for College | |
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Traditional College Accounts | |
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Other Options for College Savings | |
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Figuring Out What You Can Afford | |
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Finding Financial Aid | |
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Other Ways to Finance College | |
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Extras, Spending Money, Cars, and Credit Cards | |
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Wedding Bells | |
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Your Baby's Getting Married | |
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Who Pays for a Wedding These Days? | |
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Wedding Costs | |
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Saving on Wedding Costs | |
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Avoiding Temptation | |
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Helping Your Kids Get on Their Feet | |
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The Cost of Getting Started | |
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How Much Should You Help? | |
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To Loan or to Give? | |
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Keeping It All Up Front | |
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Boomerang Kids | |
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Hearth and Home | |
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To Stay or Not To Stay? | |
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If Your Housing Needs Are Changing | |
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Welcome Home, Mom | |
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Considering a Brand-New Home | |
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Adapting the House You Have | |
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A Home Away from Home | |
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Thinking About a Vacation Home | |
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Tax Advantages | |
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Other Advantages | |
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The Downside of Vacation Homes | |
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What About a Timeshare? | |
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Paying for a New Home or Second Home | |
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Knowing What You Can Afford | |
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Considering Extra Costs | |
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Deciding How You'll Pay for It | |
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Selling the House You Already Have | |
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Hire a Realtor or Sell It Yourself? | |
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Finding the Right Realtor | |
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Timing Is Everything | |
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Costs Associated with Selling | |
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Preparing for a Move | |
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When the Big Day Arrives | |
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Life Changes | |
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Knowing That Nothing Stays the Same | |
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Coping With Change Isn't Easy | |
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Types of Changes You May Encounter | |
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Strategies for Handling Life Changes | |
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Knowing When You Might Need Some Help | |
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Job Changes | |
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The Changing Workplace | |
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Voluntary Job Changes | |
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Involuntary Job Changes | |
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Heading Back to the Classroom | |
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Dealing With Losing Your Job | |
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Downsizing and Other Dirty Words | |
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You Job and Your Identity | |
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Bridges Aren't Built to Be Burned | |
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Practical Concerns When You're Not Working | |
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Financial Strategy Planning | |
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Resources to Help You | |
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Going Out on Your Own | |
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Entrepreneurial Opportunities | |
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Risks of Starting Your Own Business | |
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Rewards of Going It Alone | |
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Thinking Toward Retirement | |
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Working at Home vs. Renting an Office | |
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Other Changes to Think About | |
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Nobody Lives Forever | |
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Marital Status | |
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The Empty Nest Syndrome | |
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I Need to See the Doctor, Please | |
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Smart Investing in This Stage of Life | |
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Investing at Work | |
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Basic Methods of Saving for Retirement | |
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Pension Plans | |
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401(k) Plans and the 403(b) | |
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Simple Plans | |
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Understanding Vesting | |
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Knowing What You Have and What You'll Need | |
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Retirement Needs Analysis | |
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Investing Outside of Work | |
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The Stock Market | |
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Knowing What and When to Buy | |
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Knowing When to Sell Stock | |
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The Bond Market | |
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Are Bonds Safer? | |
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Mutual Funds | |
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IRAs, Roth IRAs, and SEP IRAs | |
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Investing Lump Sums | |
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Tax Refunds | |
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Severance Pay | |
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Bonuses | |
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Stock Options | |
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Settlements | |
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Inheritances | |
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Retirement Lump Sum Payouts | |
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Finding a Good Financial Advisor | |
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Why You Should Have an Advisor | |
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Not All Financial Advisors Are Equal | |
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Finding an Advisor Who's Right for You | |
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Fees Associated with Financial Advisors | |
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Some Things Your Advisor Should Never Do | |
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Preparing for the Future | |
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You're Never Too Young to Plan | |
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You Do Have a Will, Don't You? | |
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Choosing a Guardian for Minor Children | |
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Protecting Your Family and Your Business | |
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What About Long-Term-Care Insurance? | |
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Living Wills | |
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Power of Attorney | |
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Helping Aging Parents Plan | |
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Knowing If Your Parents Need Help | |
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Assessing Their Financial Situation | |
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Talking Things Through | |
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Deciding Together Where They'll Live | |
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Sorting It All Out | |
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Estate Planning 101 | |
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The Purpose of an Estate Plan | |
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Why Everyone Should Have One | |
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Choosing an Executor | |
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Methods of Controlling Assets | |
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Trusts | |
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Gifting | |
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Dying Without an Estate Plan | |
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Ten Most Common Estate Planning Errors | |
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Seeing Into Your Crystal Ball | |
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What Lies Ahead for You and Your Family? | |
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Planning Things You Want to Do | |
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Some Misconceptions About Aging | |
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Making Sure You Can Afford Your Dreams | |
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Aging with Style | |
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Appendixes | |
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Glossary | |
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Resources | |
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Index | |