The Procrastinator’s Bible for Financial Success, Second Edition: Nine Essential Steps for Planning, Budgeting, and Investing

Frank J. Eberhart
iUniverse (2008)
ISBN 9780595411986
Reviewed by Leslie Granier for Reader Views (1/09)




“The Procrastinator’s Bible for Financial Success, Second Edition” offers tips for those who need advice on how to invest for their retirement.  There are worksheets included for the reader to track his or her current and future expenses including items such as how much the mortgage is and how much they will need to set aside for college tuition for the children.  The author discusses different types of investment strategies because no two people will have the same requirements for financial stability.  Some can afford to take higher risks for bigger returns while others should invest moderately. He talks about how to determine the amount of life insurance people should purchase and what to look for in the different policy types that are available.

I found it odd that the first few chapters tend to focus more on how to protect one’s assets for his heirs from the IRS than on actually showing how to invest the funds to make a profit while one is still alive.  There is excellent information on the differences between a trust and a will and the reader should familiarize himself with them. The author provides a list of websites for the reader to access to view more specific information on many of the topics he discusses.

This book will help first-time investors as well as those whose estates are quite large  Eberhart provides very specific examples and explains the subject matter well but due to legal ramifications it is probably best to get an attorney to look over one’s plans.  Investors need to constantly educate themselves on the ever-changing tax laws, including inheritance taxes, death taxes, and gifts.

I found this book helpful in terms of showing me what I need to do to make sure my assets go to the entities I want them to go to.  The book does have some editing issues, with numerous misspelled words, but the level at which the material is presented is appropriate for the average reader.  My advice would be to learn all you can from “The Procrastinator’s Bible for Financial Success, Second Edition” by Frank J. Eberhart; then seek legal assistance once you have decided what the best path for you to take would be.

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