INDEX

A note about the index: The pages referenced in this index refer to the page numbers in the print edition. Clicking on a page number will take you to the ebook location that corresponds to the beginning of that page in the print edition. For a comprehensive list of locations of any word or phrase, use your reading system’s search function.

• Accountants, 132, 198–99, 206
• Asset allocation, 235–38
• Assets, 12–16, 88, 95, 177–78, 188–90

• Bankruptcy, 72, 89, 92–99, 129, 175
• Banks
  • ATM transactions, 29, 47–60, 68
  • banking apps, 49–54
  • banking costs, 59–60
  • banking software, 52
  • checking accounts, 57–58
  • choosing, 47–50, 57–58
  • credit unions and, 47–50
  • debit card safety, 52–60
  • electronic spying, 52
  • FDIC insured, 48–49
  • fees, 47, 51–54, 58–60
  • joint accounts, 48–49
  • online banking, 35, 43, 47–52, 58
  • overdraft protection, 52–53
  • passwords and, 51
  • PINs and, 52, 55–56
  • savings accounts, 47–60
  • security tips for, 51–56
• Bills, prioritizing, 28–30, 61–86. See also Expenses
• Bonds, 210, 222, 242–45. See also Investments
• Bookkeeping tips, 132
• Budgets
  • adjusting, 31–32
  • apps for, 34–35
  • benefits of, 22–26
  • categories for, 24–26, 28–30
  • creating, 22–30
  • customizing, 24–26
  • importance of, 22–23
  • large purchases, 46
  • monitoring, 31–33
  • reevaluating, 30–33
  • small expenditures, 29, 32–33
  • software for, 34–35
  • spending leaks, 29, 32–35
  • for tracking expenses, 28–30
  • wedding budget, 179–80

• Career path, 117–18. See also Job
• Certificates of deposit (CDs), 58
• Children
  • childcare expenses, 121–22, 183–85, 208
  • child support for, 93, 175, 188
  • college savings for, 112–15
  • cost of raising, 182–85
  • insurance for, 182–83
  • student loans, 100–115
  • taxes and, 208
  • teaching, 185–86
• College savings, 112–15
• Consumer Price Index (CPI), 245
• Cost of living, 119
• Credit, building, 71–83
• Credit cards
  • cash advances with, 64, 85, 96
  • credit reports and, 71–75, 82
  • lost/stolen cards, 68
  • managing, 61–86
  • passwords and, 69
  • paying, 66–70, 75–77, 85–86
  • rates on, 62–66, 69–70, 85
  • safety tips for, 67–71
  • types of, 63–65, 82
• Credit counseling, 79–80
• Creditors, 89–91
• Credit reports, 71–75, 82
• Credit unions, 47–50

• Debit cards, 52–60
• Debt
  • credit counseling, 79–80
  • debt collectors, 89–91
  • managing, 96–97
  • paying, 66–70, 75–77
  • rule of 72 and, 39–40
• Divorce
  • alimony and, 93, 175
  • bankruptcy and, 96–97, 175
  • child support and, 93, 175, 188
  • financial impact of, 81, 93, 96–97, 172–74, 177, 181, 187–92
  • health insurance and, 187
  • qualified domestic relations order, 188–89
  • retirement savings and, 188–92
  • Social Security and, 191–92

• Emergency funds, 18, 42–45, 57–58
• Exchange-traded funds (ETFs), 222, 237, 240, 244, 249. See also Investments
• Expenses
  • budget for, 22–35
  • credit card bills, 61–86
  • cutting, 16–21, 27–35, 44–46, 59, 92, 144, 185
  • large purchases, 46
  • opportunity costs, 27
  • prioritizing, 86
  • small expenditures, 29, 32–33
  • spending leaks, 29, 32–35
  • tracking, 28–30

• Finances. See also Expenses; Money
  • apps for, 34–35, 49–54, 75, 196–97
  • bankruptcy, 72, 89, 92–99, 129, 175
  • budget for, 22–35, 179–80
  • divorce and, 81, 93, 96–97, 172–74, 177, 181, 187–92
  • evaluating, 12–22, 30–33, 75–77
  • learning about, 20–21
  • managing, 7–35
  • marriage and, 175–81
  • opportunity costs, 27
  • progress with, 12, 19–22, 75–77
  • reviewing, 19–22, 30–33
  • savings, 36–60
  • software for, 34–35, 51–52, 132, 180, 196–97, 203
• Financial planners, 43, 226
• Financial resources, 20–21

• Goals
  • breaking down, 18
  • decisions about, 16–18
  • evaluating, 19–22
  • long-term goals, 10, 16–19
  • setting, 10–33
  • short-term goals, 10, 16–19
  • stretching, 17
  • writing, 17–18
• Grace periods, 64–65, 85, 101, 105

• Happiness, cost of, 133
• Healthcare, 120–22, 129, 182–83, 187, 218, 227–34
• Home foreclosure, 92, 171–73
• Homeownership
  • affordability, 145–61
  • buying home, 143–66
  • down payment for, 143–46
  • home equity, 144–47, 153, 162–70
  • home improvements, 162–66
  • insurance, 132, 151, 156–61
  • mortgage, 145–61, 167–71
  • preparing for, 143–55
  • refinancing home, 167–69
  • taxes and, 151–53, 157–58, 199
• Home, renting, 137–42. See also Rental properties

• Identity theft, 68–69
• Income
  • acquiring, 116–33
  • adjusted gross income, 114, 218
  • boosting, 128–30
  • calculating, 30
  • gross income, 114, 122, 135, 151–52, 218
  • net income, 30, 151
• Inflation, 40–41, 57, 245
• Insurance
  • auto insurance, 33, 86, 142, 184, 232–33
  • disability insurance, 183, 232–34
  • health insurance, 120–22, 129, 182–83, 187, 218, 229–34
  • homeowners insurance, 132, 151, 156–61
  • life insurance, 13–14, 181, 232–33
  • private mortgage insurance, 145–46, 153
  • renters’ insurance, 141–42
• Investments
  • asset allocation and, 235–38
  • bonds, 210, 222, 242–45
  • diversifying, 219, 223, 238, 244–48
  • exchange-traded funds, 222, 237, 240, 244, 249
  • market capitalization, 248
  • market indices, 247
  • mutual funds, 210, 222, 237, 245–49
  • for retirement, 235–49
  • risk tolerance and, 235–46
  • stocks, 123–24, 210, 222, 235–42, 245
  • taxes and, 241–44
  • treasury securities, 244–45

• Job. See also Self-employment
  • benefits of, 117, 119–24
  • boosting income, 128–30
  • career path, 117–18
  • changing, 210–13
  • choosing, 117–18
  • evaluating, 117–18, 125–27
  • happiness and, 133
  • income from, 116–33
  • losing, 42, 79, 128–30
  • promotions, 125–26
  • raises, 125–26
  • salary considerations, 116–27

• Liabilities, 12–16, 177–78
• Living together, 174–86. See also Marriage
• Loans
  • consolidating, 79–80, 103, 108–15
  • creditors, 89–91
  • debt collectors, 89–91
  • disputes about, 91, 109
  • home equity loans, 88, 162–69
  • installment loans, 88
  • responsibility for, 89–91
  • revolving credit, 88
  • scams, 83, 91, 97–99
  • secured loans, 88
  • student loans, 100–115
  • types of, 87–91, 101–3
  • unsecured loans, 88

• Market capitalization, 248
• Market indices, 247
• Marriage
  • children and, 182–86
  • financial discussions, 175–81
  • prenuptial agreements, 177–78
  • preparing for, 175–81
  • taxes and, 180, 196–99, 202
  • wedding budget, 179–80
• Money. See also Expenses; Finances
  • budgeting, 22–35, 179–80
  • learning about, 20–21
  • managing, 7–35
  • marriage and, 175–81
  • opportunity costs, 27
  • saving, 36–60
  • small expenditures, 29
  • spending leaks, 29, 32–35
  • time value of, 41
  • tracking, 28–30
• Money market deposit accounts, 58
• Mortgage
  • affordability, 145–61
  • annual percentage rates, 150
  • choosing, 149
  • mortgage insurance, 145–46, 153
  • obtaining, 145–46
  • prepaying, 170–71
  • refinancing, 167–69
  • types of, 146–49
• Mutual funds, 210, 222, 237, 245–49. See also Investments

• Net worth
  • assets, 12–16
  • determining, 12–15, 128
  • liabilities, 12–16
  • recalculating, 19–20
  • reviewing, 19–20
  • statement of, 12–15, 19, 33–34, 143

• Opportunity costs, 27

• Progress, evaluating, 12, 19–22, 75–77

• Qualified domestic relations order (QDRO), 188–89

• Rental properties
  • basics of, 137–40
  • deposits for, 138–40
  • finding, 135–36
  • insurance for, 141–42
  • leases, 137–40
  • roommates, 140
• Retirement
  • 401(k) plans, 78–79, 92–93, 122–23, 190–91, 211–24
  • 403(b) plans, 211, 215, 219
  • 457 plans, 211, 215
  • annuities, 224–25
  • divorce and, 188–92
  • financial planner for, 226
  • healthcare and, 227–34
  • investing for, 235–49
  • IRAs, 48, 114–15, 190–91, 213–24
  • planning for, 209–49
  • self-employment and, 216, 220–21, 228
  • SEPs, 211, 216, 220–21
  • Social Security and, 191–92, 225, 227–28
  • taxes and, 211–27, 231–32, 241–44
• Rule of 72, 39–40

• Savings
  • banking tips, 47–60
  • certificates of deposit, 58
  • college savings, 112–15
  • compound interest, 37–39, 191, 209, 211
  • doubling, 39
  • emergency funds, 18, 42–45, 57–58
  • importance of, 36–60
  • increasing, 43–46
  • inflation and, 40–41, 57
  • for larger purchases, 46
  • money market deposit accounts, 58
  • options for, 57–60
  • protection for, 51–56
  • for retirement, 209–49
  • rule of 72 and, 39–40
  • savings accounts, 47–60
  • starting early, 10
• Scams, 51, 67–69, 75, 83, 91, 97–99, 163
• Self-employment, 115, 131–33, 205, 216, 220–21, 228
• Social Security, 191–92, 225, 227–28
• Software, 34–35, 51–52, 132, 180, 196–97, 203
• Spending, cutting, 16–21, 27–35, 44–46, 59, 92, 144, 185
• Spending leaks, 29, 32–35. See also Expenses
• Stocks, 123–24, 210, 222, 235–42, 245. See also Investments
• Stress, reducing, 7–8, 22–24, 75–80, 133
• Student loans
  • college savings and, 111–15
  • consolidating, 103, 108–15
  • defaulting on, 106–8
  • deferments, 101–2
  • disputes about, 109
  • forbearances, 101–2
  • managing, 105–9
  • paying, 100–108
  • tax breaks, 111–12
  • types of, 101–3

• Taxes
  • accountants, 132, 198–99, 206
  • audits, 202–3
  • basics of, 194–95
  • credits, 206–8
  • deductions, 196, 206–8
  • filing status, 194–95
  • financial decisions and, 199–200
  • forms for, 194–201, 204–5
  • homeownership and, 151–53, 157–58, 199
  • impact of, 193–208
  • on investments, 241–44
  • marriage and, 180, 196–99, 202
  • paying, 195–200, 203–6
  • preparing for, 203–5
  • records of, 201–3
  • refunds, 200
  • retirement and, 211–27, 231–32, 241–44
  • returns, 194, 196–99
  • student loans and, 111–12
  • withholding, 194–95, 205, 231

• Wedding plans, 179–80. See also Marriage