YOUR MONEY: Total Financial Planning on Your Computer

CONTENTS:

Chapter 1: Get Organized

Which paper records will you need
Which records are available electronically
What kind of software/hardware tools will you want
What kind of backup should you create

Chapter 2: Know What You're Spending

Recording checks
Itemizing credit card payments
Analyze your spending
Should you pay your checks online?

Chapter 3: Cut Your Bills: How to Analyze Your Budget

How to analyze your budget (worksheet)
How to save money by shopping online database searches

Chapter 4: Investing Wisely in Mutual Funds

What you need to know about mutual funds
How to research mutual funds
How to track your mutual fund performance (worksheet)

Chapter 5: Investing in Stocks

What you need to know about stocks
How to research stocks
How to practice stock-trading online
How to pick a broker
How to track your stock performance (worksheet)
Shoot the moon: options trading

Chapter 6: CDs, Bonds and Savings Accounts

What you need to know about each
How to research rates
How to track performance (worksheet)

Chapter 7: Guarding Your Kingdom

Disaster planning
Home inventory tracking (worksheet)

Chapter 8: Loan Evaluation

Tracking credit card purchases
The new car choice: buy vs. lease
Mortgages (worksheets included)

Chapter 9: Paying for College

Estimating the cost
Creating a strategy (worksheet)
Shopping for schools (online databases)
Shopping for financial aid (online databases)

Chapter 10: Tax Preparation and Planning

Getting organized for tax preparation
Deciding whether you or an accountant does it
Tips on using TaxCut and TurboTax
What you need to know about doing it yourself
Planning to lower next year's bill

Chapter 11: Retirement Planning

How much will you need? (worksheet)
Accounting for inflation
Creating a retirement plan (worksheet)

Chapter 12: Estate Planning

What you can do yourself
Will-maker software