This book was written for practicing financial planners, aspiring financial planners and those searching for a comprehensive financial planning model.

Excluding the first chapter, the book is designed as a reference book. There are numerous products, services and ideas organized in an efficient sequence that mirrors a model described in chapter one. There are lists of useful website’s, rules of thumb, worksheets, and examples to expedite the financial planning process. The book also describes techniques for operating a financial planning practice. Sample contracts, internal work programs, client questionnaire, and a filing system are included.

What you will not find are verbose descriptions of how someone should feel about money, I just assume we all want more and we want to keep it secure.

This book was written for practicing financial planners, aspiring financial planners and those searching for a comprehensive financial planning model.

Excluding the first chapter, the book is designed as a reference book. There are numerous products, services and ideas organized in an efficient sequence that mirrors a model described in chapter one. There are lists of useful website’s, rules of thumb, worksheets, and examples to expedite the financial planning process. The book also describes techniques for operating a financial planning practice. Sample contracts, internal work programs, client questionnaire, and a filing system are included.

What you will not find are verbose descriptions of how someone should feel about money, I just assume we all want more and we want to keep it secure.

Traditional strategic planning is often very rigid and structured, with too many financial projections… in essence it is boring! Boring to do, boring to read and boring to implement. Worse yet, upon completion it ends up collecting dust on the shelf until it is time to go through the whole exercise again!

This book offers managers a fresh new perspective on how to kick start their organizations to a higher level of success. The pragmatic yet, creative processes will challenge and debunk some long-standing practices. It will help augment and enhance others.

Buckle up for a fast ride through a lot of new concepts covered in a no nonsense fashion!

Traditional strategic planning is often very rigid and structured, with too many financial projections… in essence it is boring! Boring to do, boring to read and boring to implement. Worse yet, upon completion it ends up collecting dust on the shelf until it is time to go through the whole exercise again!

This book offers managers a fresh new perspective on how to kick start their organizations to a higher level of success. The pragmatic yet, creative processes will challenge and debunk some long-standing practices. It will help augment and enhance others.

Buckle up for a fast ride through a lot of new concepts covered in a no nonsense fashion!

The following is an expanded book summary: Many people have asked me for investment advice. Having observed my own success, they felt I could help them as well. During the early years I made numerous suggestions but noticed that in most, though not all cases, my suggestions were ignored. I soon came to the realization that there was a mis-match between my suggestions and their fundamental personality traits and values.

It was from this realization that the idea for How Much is Enough? developed. Financial advice, by itself, was just not hitting home with these folks. I first needed to help them define their values and the goals to fulfill them. Once that was done, they could approach the action steps required to attain those goals. Furthermore, they also needed to take a close look at their personality, especially as it related to risk.

What emerged was a book focused on helping the reader to define their values, goals and personality traits, all leading towards a more grounded and healthy attitude towards investing. Grounded, because the investment decisions they made would compliment their values and goals rather than reflect those of the salesman, neighbor, friend, etc. Healthy, because the investment program would reflect their personality rather than that of the “hot tip” salesman, the friendly stock broker, or the neighborhood (are there any left?) banker.

I began writing the book in 1987 and over the years have substantially revised it on the basis of people’s lived experience. I am proud to say that it has helped many people to attain dreams they never imagined, not the kind of instant riches some books promise, but rather the true financial success and independence that fit each reader’s values and personality.

The book is divided into thirteen chapters, the final one focused on questions I have been asked and how my philosophy applies to them. The chapter headings are:Financial planning, Setting the stage, Discovering your values, Setting your goals, Discovering yourself, Tying it all together, Make your goals and action steps simple, Self-assessment of your financial position, How do the values and goals you have defined fit in with your financial condition?, Getting advice, Building on success and distinguishing between process and goals, Building a capital base or reducing financial pressures; which is best for you?, Taking the time: a lifetime process. Also included are answers to practical applications of the principles of How Much is Enough. These include: Medical emergencies and insurance; Do I need my mortgage payment for a tax deduction?; Buying the next house; What about new types of investments?; I’m young and starting out on my own; What should I consider when buying life insurance?; Starting your own business; Can I make my own investment decisions?; How can I determine my tolerance for investment risk?; The stock market: various perspectives; a long historical perspective on the market; Mutual funds: Index funds and beating the market; Real estate or Index funds: What works for you?; Annuities; and finally, Rating a stock broker.

The book was designed with ease of use in mind. It has a comfortable, conversational style that will help you get a perspective on your personal finances, with true stories that illustrate the most important points.

Also included are simple exercises that will help you gain a sense of control over your financial life. To maximize the benefits from this book, it will be necessary for you to do these exercises at some time, though you can gain great benefit just from reading the stories and thinking about their relevance to your life. When you are ready to do the exercises, they will focus on helping you to identify your values, clarify your goals and define action steps necessary to fulfill those goals.

The essential philosophy encapsulated in How Much is Enough? can be described as a systematic approach to identifying and ordering your values as they relate to your financial health. When you clarify your values and goals, the action steps needed for your financial well-being become clearer. By applying this principle, you will be able to create a life of fulfillment in balance with yourself and the world you live in. Also, you will come to understand the relationship between your personality and financial decisions, focusing especially on those actions that complement or hinder the achievement of your long-term goals.

The key elements that form the basis for How Much is Enough? are as follows:

1. You are your own expert. You know yourself better than anyone else. That knowledge can guide you regarding your savings, investing and debt reduction; your own self-knowledge will, in the long run, be more effective and successful than any advice others might give you.

2. Gaining financial balance involves living in harmony with yourself rather than being driven by the values and goals of others. The process of determining “How Much is Enough?” is an ongoing personal quest. I have struggled with the question of enough, not because I hadn’t clarified my goals, but because of the social nature of defining what is enough. The struggle for me has been a contextual one; how my friends are doing, the level of their financial success, and the continuous bombardment of financial advice from very persuasive people. Many times I have forgotten my own words from this book and been caught up in another’s values for more, more and more again. Re-balancing is a continuous process of examining where you are at any given moment in time, then asking how you can fulfill your values in a way that continues to be life enhancing.

3. Your personality type should be considered in choosing an investment strategy; are you risk-averse or risk-tolerant? Keeping in mind that risk and reward are closely connected, determine the kind of personality you have and the tolerance for risk you feel comfortable with. Do you tend to be conservative, anticipating rain and bringing an umbrella, or do you take the chance of getting a little (or a lot) wet? Do you like to play the odds or go for the sure winner? If someone offers you a small profit for little risk or a much bigger profit for a lot of risk, which would you choose? Finally, what is your gratification quotient? Would you eat the proffered candy now, or wait a few hours in order to get two? Understanding your risk tolerance and motivations will help considerably in deciding the investment strategy best suited for you.

4. Keep things simple. Even with all the many investments available (mutual stock funds, individual equities, derivatives, etc.), the fact is that investing is basically very simple: the more risk you are willing to take, the greater the chance for a larger reward. Simplicity is: paying off your mortgage, maintaining a steady savings plan, investing in a conservative portfolio of strong equities (held for the long run) balanced with bonds and Treasury Bills. This strategy can be implemented by you, tracked by you, and judged by you.

5. Invest in yourself before investing in others. All investment decisions should be grounded in a thorough understanding of the potential investment. The quality of the asset, the cost of financing, the credit worthiness of the borrower, the acumen of the investment manager, and the stability of the investment over time must all be taken into consideration when making an investment decision. You know more about yourself

The following is an expanded book summary: Many people have asked me for investment advice. Having observed my own success, they felt I could help them as well. During the early years I made numerous suggestions but noticed that in most, though not all cases, my suggestions were ignored. I soon came to the realization that there was a mis-match between my suggestions and their fundamental personality traits and values.

It was from this realization that the idea for How Much is Enough? developed. Financial advice, by itself, was just not hitting home with these folks. I first needed to help them define their values and the goals to fulfill them. Once that was done, they could approach the action steps required to attain those goals. Furthermore, they also needed to take a close look at their personality, especially as it related to risk.

What emerged was a book focused on helping the reader to define their values, goals and personality traits, all leading towards a more grounded and healthy attitude towards investing. Grounded, because the investment decisions they made would compliment their values and goals rather than reflect those of the salesman, neighbor, friend, etc. Healthy, because the investment program would reflect their personality rather than that of the “hot tip” salesman, the friendly stock broker, or the neighborhood (are there any left?) banker.

I began writing the book in 1987 and over the years have substantially revised it on the basis of people’s lived experience. I am proud to say that it has helped many people to attain dreams they never imagined, not the kind of instant riches some books promise, but rather the true financial success and independence that fit each reader’s values and personality.

The book is divided into thirteen chapters, the final one focused on questions I have been asked and how my philosophy applies to them. The chapter headings are:Financial planning, Setting the stage, Discovering your values, Setting your goals, Discovering yourself, Tying it all together, Make your goals and action steps simple, Self-assessment of your financial position, How do the values and goals you have defined fit in with your financial condition?, Getting advice, Building on success and distinguishing between process and goals, Building a capital base or reducing financial pressures; which is best for you?, Taking the time: a lifetime process. Also included are answers to practical applications of the principles of How Much is Enough. These include: Medical emergencies and insurance; Do I need my mortgage payment for a tax deduction?; Buying the next house; What about new types of investments?; I’m young and starting out on my own; What should I consider when buying life insurance?; Starting your own business; Can I make my own investment decisions?; How can I determine my tolerance for investment risk?; The stock market: various perspectives; a long historical perspective on the market; Mutual funds: Index funds and beating the market; Real estate or Index funds: What works for you?; Annuities; and finally, Rating a stock broker.

The book was designed with ease of use in mind. It has a comfortable, conversational style that will help you get a perspective on your personal finances, with true stories that illustrate the most important points.

Also included are simple exercises that will help you gain a sense of control over your financial life. To maximize the benefits from this book, it will be necessary for you to do these exercises at some time, though you can gain great benefit just from reading the stories and thinking about their relevance to your life. When you are ready to do the exercises, they will focus on helping you to identify your values, clarify your goals and define action steps necessary to fulfill those goals.

The essential philosophy encapsulated in How Much is Enough? can be described as a systematic approach to identifying and ordering your values as they relate to your financial health. When you clarify your values and goals, the action steps needed for your financial well-being become clearer. By applying this principle, you will be able to create a life of fulfillment in balance with yourself and the world you live in. Also, you will come to understand the relationship between your personality and financial decisions, focusing especially on those actions that complement or hinder the achievement of your long-term goals.

The key elements that form the basis for How Much is Enough? are as follows:

1. You are your own expert. You know yourself better than anyone else. That knowledge can guide you regarding your savings, investing and debt reduction; your own self-knowledge will, in the long run, be more effective and successful than any advice others might give you.

2. Gaining financial balance involves living in harmony with yourself rather than being driven by the values and goals of others. The process of determining “How Much is Enough?” is an ongoing personal quest. I have struggled with the question of enough, not because I hadn’t clarified my goals, but because of the social nature of defining what is enough. The struggle for me has been a contextual one; how my friends are doing, the level of their financial success, and the continuous bombardment of financial advice from very persuasive people. Many times I have forgotten my own words from this book and been caught up in another’s values for more, more and more again. Re-balancing is a continuous process of examining where you are at any given moment in time, then asking how you can fulfill your values in a way that continues to be life enhancing.

3. Your personality type should be considered in choosing an investment strategy; are you risk-averse or risk-tolerant? Keeping in mind that risk and reward are closely connected, determine the kind of personality you have and the tolerance for risk you feel comfortable with. Do you tend to be conservative, anticipating rain and bringing an umbrella, or do you take the chance of getting a little (or a lot) wet? Do you like to play the odds or go for the sure winner? If someone offers you a small profit for little risk or a much bigger profit for a lot of risk, which would you choose? Finally, what is your gratification quotient? Would you eat the proffered candy now, or wait a few hours in order to get two? Understanding your risk tolerance and motivations will help considerably in deciding the investment strategy best suited for you.

4. Keep things simple. Even with all the many investments available (mutual stock funds, individual equities, derivatives, etc.), the fact is that investing is basically very simple: the more risk you are willing to take, the greater the chance for a larger reward. Simplicity is: paying off your mortgage, maintaining a steady savings plan, investing in a conservative portfolio of strong equities (held for the long run) balanced with bonds and Treasury Bills. This strategy can be implemented by you, tracked by you, and judged by you.

5. Invest in yourself before investing in others. All investment decisions should be grounded in a thorough understanding of the potential investment. The quality of the asset, the cost of financing, the credit worthiness of the borrower, the acumen of the investment manager, and the stability of the investment over time must all be taken into consideration when making an investment decision. You know more about yourself