CHRISTINE BENZ is Director of Personal Finance for Morningstar. She is also editor of the monthly newsletter Morningstar® PracticalFinance and writes a weekly column on Morningstar's popular Web site, Morningstar.com. Benz is coauthor of Morningstar® Guide to Mutual Funds: 5-Star Strategies for Success and is author of the book's second edition. Before assuming her current role in 2008, Benz served as Morningstar's director of mutual fund analysis. She has also served as editor of Morningstar® FundInvestor™, a monthly newsletter for individual investors. Benz has been widely quoted in print and online media, and has made numerous appearances on national radio and television shows. For more information, visit the 30-Minute Solution Resource Center online at www.morningstar.com/goto/30MinuteSolutions.

• Foreword xiPreface xiiiAcknowledgments xixPart one: Find your baseline 1Chapter 1: Calculate Your Net Worth 5Chapter 2: See Where Your Money Goes 11Chapter 3: Set Your Financial Goals 17Chapter 4: Create a Budget 23Part two: Get organized 29Chapter 5: Create a Bill-Paying System 33Chapter 6: Create a Filing System 37Chapter 7: Create a Master Directory 43Part three: Find the best use of your money 47Chapter 8: Determine Whether to Pay Down Debt or Invest 51Chapter 9: Decide Where to Invest for Retirement 59Part four: Get started in investing 65Chapter 10: Create an Emergency Fund 69Chapter 11: Find the Right Stock/Bond Mix 75Chapter 12: Create an Investment Policy Statement 81Chapter 13: Invest for Short- and Intermediate-Term Goals 89Chapter 14: Create a Hands-Off Long-Term Portfolio 97Part five: Invest in your company retirement plan 105Chapter 15: Determine How Good Your Company Retirement Plan is 109Chapter 16: Decide between a Traditional and Roth 401(k) 117Chapter 17: Select the Best Investments for Your Company Retirement Plan 125Chapter 18: Make the Most of a Subpar 401(k) Plan 131Part six: Invest in an IRA 137Chapter 19: Determine What Type of IRA is Best for You 143Chapter 20: Identify the Best Investments for Your IRA 147Chapter 21: Determine Whether to Convert Your IRA 155Chapter 22: Roll Over Your Retirement Plan into an IRA 163Part seven: Invest for college 169Chapter 23: Find the Right College Savings Vehicle 173Chapter 24: Find the Right 529 Plan 181Chapter 25: Select the Right Investments for Your College Savings Plan 187Part eight: Invest in your taxable account 197Chapter 26: Identify the Best Investments for Taxable Accounts 201Chapter 27: Manage Your Portfolio for Tax Efficiency 209Chapter 28: Harvest Tax Losses 215Part nine: Invest during retirement 223Chapter 29: Determine Your Portfolio Withdrawal Rate 227Chapter 30: Build an In-Retirement Portfolio 233Chapter 31: Find the Right Sequence of In-Retirement Withdrawals 241Part ten: Monitor your investments 245Chapter 32: Conduct a Portfolio Checkup 249Chapter 33: Rebalance Your Portfolio 257Part eleven: Cover your bases on estate planning 263Chapter 34: Get Started on Your Estate Plan 269Chapter 35: Handle Beneficiary Designations 275Chapter 36: Create a Personal Legacy 281About the author 285Index 287

“This book isn't one that requires you to read it all the way through, as the author freely admits. But if you have a question about retirement plans, emergency funds, 529 plans or the right stock/bond mix, among many other subjects, it's a fine financial road map. Benz's conversational, straightforward make this a pleasant and very useful read.” —Associated Press, January 2010

CHRISTINE BENZ is Director of Personal Finance for Morningstar. She is also editor of the monthly newsletter Morningstar® PracticalFinance and writes a weekly column on Morningstar's popular Web site, Morningstar.com. Benz is coauthor of Morningstar® Guide to Mutual Funds: 5-Star Strategies for Success and is author of the book's second edition. Before assuming her current role in 2008, Benz served as Morningstar's director of mutual fund analysis. She has also served as editor of Morningstar® FundInvestor™, a monthly newsletter for individual investors. Benz has been widely quoted in print and online media, and has made numerous appearances on national radio and television shows. For more information, visit the 30-Minute Solution Resource Center online at www.morningstar.com/goto/30MinuteSolutions.

• Foreword xiPreface xiiiAcknowledgments xixPart one: Find your baseline 1Chapter 1: Calculate Your Net Worth 5Chapter 2: See Where Your Money Goes 11Chapter 3: Set Your Financial Goals 17Chapter 4: Create a Budget 23Part two: Get organized 29Chapter 5: Create a Bill-Paying System 33Chapter 6: Create a Filing System 37Chapter 7: Create a Master Directory 43Part three: Find the best use of your money 47Chapter 8: Determine Whether to Pay Down Debt or Invest 51Chapter 9: Decide Where to Invest for Retirement 59Part four: Get started in investing 65Chapter 10: Create an Emergency Fund 69Chapter 11: Find the Right Stock/Bond Mix 75Chapter 12: Create an Investment Policy Statement 81Chapter 13: Invest for Short- and Intermediate-Term Goals 89Chapter 14: Create a Hands-Off Long-Term Portfolio 97Part five: Invest in your company retirement plan 105Chapter 15: Determine How Good Your Company Retirement Plan is 109Chapter 16: Decide between a Traditional and Roth 401(k) 117Chapter 17: Select the Best Investments for Your Company Retirement Plan 125Chapter 18: Make the Most of a Subpar 401(k) Plan 131Part six: Invest in an IRA 137Chapter 19: Determine What Type of IRA is Best for You 143Chapter 20: Identify the Best Investments for Your IRA 147Chapter 21: Determine Whether to Convert Your IRA 155Chapter 22: Roll Over Your Retirement Plan into an IRA 163Part seven: Invest for college 169Chapter 23: Find the Right College Savings Vehicle 173Chapter 24: Find the Right 529 Plan 181Chapter 25: Select the Right Investments for Your College Savings Plan 187Part eight: Invest in your taxable account 197Chapter 26: Identify the Best Investments for Taxable Accounts 201Chapter 27: Manage Your Portfolio for Tax Efficiency 209Chapter 28: Harvest Tax Losses 215Part nine: Invest during retirement 223Chapter 29: Determine Your Portfolio Withdrawal Rate 227Chapter 30: Build an In-Retirement Portfolio 233Chapter 31: Find the Right Sequence of In-Retirement Withdrawals 241Part ten: Monitor your investments 245Chapter 32: Conduct a Portfolio Checkup 249Chapter 33: Rebalance Your Portfolio 257Part eleven: Cover your bases on estate planning 263Chapter 34: Get Started on Your Estate Plan 269Chapter 35: Handle Beneficiary Designations 275Chapter 36: Create a Personal Legacy 281About the author 285Index 287

“This book isn't one that requires you to read it all the way through, as the author freely admits. But if you have a question about retirement plans, emergency funds, 529 plans or the right stock/bond mix, among many other subjects, it's a fine financial road map. Benz's conversational, straightforward make this a pleasant and very useful read.” —Associated Press, January 2010

CHRISTINE BENZ is Director of Personal Finance for Morningstar. She is also editor of the monthly newsletter Morningstar® PracticalFinance and writes a weekly column on Morningstar's popular Web site, Morningstar.com. Benz is coauthor of Morningstar® Guide to Mutual Funds: 5-Star Strategies for Success and is author of the book's second edition. Before assuming her current role in 2008, Benz served as Morningstar's director of mutual fund analysis. She has also served as editor of Morningstar® FundInvestor™, a monthly newsletter for individual investors. Benz has been widely quoted in print and online media, and has made numerous appearances on national radio and television shows. For more information, visit the 30-Minute Solution Resource Center online at www.morningstar.com/goto/30MinuteSolutions.

• Foreword xiPreface xiiiAcknowledgments xixPart one: Find your baseline 1Chapter 1: Calculate Your Net Worth 5Chapter 2: See Where Your Money Goes 11Chapter 3: Set Your Financial Goals 17Chapter 4: Create a Budget 23Part two: Get organized 29Chapter 5: Create a Bill-Paying System 33Chapter 6: Create a Filing System 37Chapter 7: Create a Master Directory 43Part three: Find the best use of your money 47Chapter 8: Determine Whether to Pay Down Debt or Invest 51Chapter 9: Decide Where to Invest for Retirement 59Part four: Get started in investing 65Chapter 10: Create an Emergency Fund 69Chapter 11: Find the Right Stock/Bond Mix 75Chapter 12: Create an Investment Policy Statement 81Chapter 13: Invest for Short- and Intermediate-Term Goals 89Chapter 14: Create a Hands-Off Long-Term Portfolio 97Part five: Invest in your company retirement plan 105Chapter 15: Determine How Good Your Company Retirement Plan is 109Chapter 16: Decide between a Traditional and Roth 401(k) 117Chapter 17: Select the Best Investments for Your Company Retirement Plan 125Chapter 18: Make the Most of a Subpar 401(k) Plan 131Part six: Invest in an IRA 137Chapter 19: Determine What Type of IRA is Best for You 143Chapter 20: Identify the Best Investments for Your IRA 147Chapter 21: Determine Whether to Convert Your IRA 155Chapter 22: Roll Over Your Retirement Plan into an IRA 163Part seven: Invest for college 169Chapter 23: Find the Right College Savings Vehicle 173Chapter 24: Find the Right 529 Plan 181Chapter 25: Select the Right Investments for Your College Savings Plan 187Part eight: Invest in your taxable account 197Chapter 26: Identify the Best Investments for Taxable Accounts 201Chapter 27: Manage Your Portfolio for Tax Efficiency 209Chapter 28: Harvest Tax Losses 215Part nine: Invest during retirement 223Chapter 29: Determine Your Portfolio Withdrawal Rate 227Chapter 30: Build an In-Retirement Portfolio 233Chapter 31: Find the Right Sequence of In-Retirement Withdrawals 241Part ten: Monitor your investments 245Chapter 32: Conduct a Portfolio Checkup 249Chapter 33: Rebalance Your Portfolio 257Part eleven: Cover your bases on estate planning 263Chapter 34: Get Started on Your Estate Plan 269Chapter 35: Handle Beneficiary Designations 275Chapter 36: Create a Personal Legacy 281About the author 285Index 287

“This book isn't one that requires you to read it all the way through, as the author freely admits. But if you have a question about retirement plans, emergency funds, 529 plans or the right stock/bond mix, among many other subjects, it's a fine financial road map. Benz's conversational, straightforward make this a pleasant and very useful read.” —Associated Press, January 2010