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| Contents | |
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| Introduction | |
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| Crib NotesA "Cheat Sheet" for Time-Pressed Readers | |
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| Taking Stock of Your Financial LifeFiguring Out | |
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| Where You Are and Where You Want to GoPutting a Price Tag on Your GoalsLearning | |
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| How to Reach Your GoalsFiguring Out | |
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| Where Your Money GoesFinancial | |
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| Rules of ThumbGetting | |
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| Your Financial Life in Order | |
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| Debt and the Material WorldFinding the Best Loans and Getting Yourself | |
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| Out of HockTwo Pointers for Anyone with DebtCredit Cards | |
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| Student Loans | |
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| Car Loans | |
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| Home Equity | |
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| LoansCredit | |
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| Reports | |
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| If You're in Serious Debt | |
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| Basic BankingLearn | |
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| How to Get the Most from Your Bank for the Least Amount of Money | |
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| A Bank by Any Other Name | |
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| Finding a Low-Cost | |
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| Checking Account | |
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| Managing Your Checking Account | |
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| Using the ATM | |
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| WiselyJoint Versus Separate Accounts | |
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| Different Ways to Save in a Bank | |
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| A Warning About Bank-Sold Investments | |
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| All You Really Need to Know About Investing | |
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| For New Investors, the Feeling Is Mutual (Funds)Mutual Fund | |
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| FundamentalsMoney Market Funds | |
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| A Word About InflationStock | |
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| FundsBond | |
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| FundsThe Right Mix of InvestmentsMutual Fund | |
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| ExpensesDeciding | |
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| Where to Buy Your Mutual Funds | |
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| Socially Responsible Investing | |
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| Buying Individual Stocks | |
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| Living the Good Life in 2030 | |
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| Think It's Crazy to Worry Now About Retirement Then? | |
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| It's Crazy Not ToWhat Are Retirement Savings Plans, Anyway? | |
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| Contributing to Your 401(k) | |
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| Contributing to an IRA | |
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| How Your Retirement Savings | |
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| GrowSome Drawbacks (and Why They Don't Matter) | |
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| A Word About Inflation and TaxationAnswers to Some Common Questions | |
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| If You're Self-Employed | |
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| Oh, Give Me a HomeAdvice on Getting an Apartment or House of Your Own | |
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| What Every Renter Needs to Know | |
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| Should You Rent or Buy? | |
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| What Lenders Look ForCosts of Owning a HomeSpecial Mortgage | |
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| Programs for New Homebuyers | |
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| If You Don't Qualify for Special Programs | |
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| Shopping for a Mortgage | |
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| Making the Process Go Smoothly | |
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| Insurance: What You Need and What You Don'tFinding the Right Policies and Forgoing Coverage | |
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| You Can Do WithoutShopping for InsuranceChecking | |
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| Out CredentialsMaking the Most of Your Employer | |
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| PlanHealth InsuranceAuto | |
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| InsuranceDisability | |
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| InsuranceHome | |
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| InsuranceLife | |
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| InsuranceInsurance | |
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| You Probably Don't Need | |
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| How to Make Your Life Less Taxing | |
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| Put More Money in Your Pocket and Less in Uncle Sam's | |
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| Why Is Your Paycheck So Small? | |
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| The Taxes You PayFiguring Out Your Tax | |
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| RateFiling Your Tax | |
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| ReturnMaximizing Your Tax | |
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| BreaksTen | |
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| Tax Moves | |
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| That Could Save You Money | |
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| If You're Self-EmployedGetting Your Tax Life in Order | |
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| Do You Need a Tax Preparer? | |
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| Further Reading | |
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| Acknowledgments | |
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| Index | |