by Spencer Rascoff      (Get the Book)
This title seeks to arm home buyers, sellers, and owners with the relevant data to navigate today's postrecession housing market. Coauthored by Rascoff and Humphries, the CEO and chief economist of Zillow (zillow.com), respectively, the book tackles common myths (that remodeling a kitchen gives the best bang for your buck), niche trends (Manhattan real estate prices), and other topics (what your street name says about its value). It turns (mostly) Zillow statistics into interesting and relevant housing topics. While much of the coverage is very specific, the conclusion focuses on more general information and sometimes verges on editorializing. One example is the popular mortgage interest deduction (MID). Rascoff and Humphries state that it doesn't affect most people, only those who pay federal income taxes, itemize their deductions, and currently have a mortgage (about 13 percent of people). They recommend replacing it with a first-time home buyer tax credit or cash grant; they say that this would help less affluent buyers and wouldn't need to be subsidized by Washington, as the MID is. Extensively backed up by data and well sourced, this book is written in a fast-paced, conversational manner and is easy to read. VERDICT Recommended for those interested in statistics and the housing market, or real-estate watchers seeking new ways to look at housing. --Library Journal

Social security works! : why social security isn't going broke and how expanding it will help us all

by Nancy J. Altman     (Get the Book)
If passion alone was enough to resolve public policy debates, this dense and detailed examination of the Social Security issue could single-handedly give the United States a vastly expanded social-welfare system. Altman and Kingson, a lawyer and academic, respectively, who served on the landmark 1982 National Commission on Social Security Reform, explain, with wonkish fervor, how benefits can be expanded without increasing the program's cost. "We are wealthy enough to afford a much more robust, expanded Social Security System," they proclaim, pointing out how such an expansion would help the elderly, the working poor, and the millions caring for ailing family members. The authors blame a "three-decade-long billionaire-funded campaign" against Social Security for bastardizing terms such as entitlements, whipping up unwarranted fears about the federal deficit, and obscuring the fact that the program's fundamental nature is to be "earned compensation." As with many public policy pieces written by insiders, the level of detail is hard to follow, though the intentions are clearly stated and far from unreasonable. --Publishers Weekly

The ultimate competitive advantage : why your people make all the difference and the 6 practices you need to engage them

by Shawn D. Moon     (Get the Book)
"People are our most important asset." Every company pays lip service to this platitude, but how many companies really embrace it? People are what sustain-or ruin-your brand. If your people are not excited about the company, indifferent, or even alienated from it, your competitive advantage will disappear.In The Ultimate Competitive Advantage, FranklinCovey experts Shawn D. Moon and Sue Dathe-Douglass lay out the steps leaders can take to tap into their companies' most valuable and unique resource: people.When you promote a company of proactive and engaged employees who create a winning culture, sustain it, leverage it, and make it work no matter what comes your way, your business rises above the rest. From the company that brought you The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, The Ultimate Competitive Advantage offers six highly effective practices that will propel your company to success by unleashing the potential of your people. (Summary)

A random walk down Wall Street : the time-tested strategy for successful investing

by Burton Gordon Malkiel     (Get the Book)
In the tenth edition of A Random Walk down Wall Street, Malkiel evaluates and emphatically stands by his original investment thesis, that it is extremely rare for an individual investor to consistently beat the stock-market averages. Investors are better off buying and holding an index fund than attempting to buy and sell individual securities or actively managed mutual funds. An index fund which buys and sells all the stocks in a broad stock-market average is likely to outperform professionally managed funds whose high expense charges and large trading costs detract substantially from investor returns. With commentary on numerous investment issues, this readable investment guide for individuals offers information on the full range of new investment products available, the results of current research by academics and other marketplace professionals, and a section on investment strategies for retired investors or those anticipating retirement. This excellent book offers important information for individual investors and is a valuable resource for library patrons. --Booklist Review

How much should I charge? : pricing basics for making money doing what you love

by Ellen Rohr    (Get the Book)
Are you pulling your selling prices out of thin air? Do you call your competitors and pretend to be a customer to find out how much they charge...and then charge the same thing? Get Real How Much Should I Charge? Shows you how to price your services so youll make money-as much money as you want-on every job Forget "what the market will bear " To heck with the "going rate " *Learn a super simple formula for creating a selling price. *Make sense of budgeting and sales forecasting. *Do what you love . . . and make lots of money Its easy, its fun . . . its basic accounting Praise for How Much Should I Charge? Ive just finished your book. Without a doubt, this was the best twenty bucks Ive spent in years The information is worth a fortune. I wish I had known some of this stuff five years ago, but like a lot of other contractors, Ive learned the hard way." -Jeff Swanson, Mr. Rooter of Western NC Ellen Rohrs book is a must-read for anyone who is trying to make it in business today. She writes what could be a dry-as-dust subject and makes it fascinating and fun. The woman can write My only complaint is that I wish she had written it sooner." (Publisher)

Money, master the game : 7 simple steps to financial freedom

by Anthony Robbins   (Get the Book)
Self-help author Robbins (Awaken the Giant Within) delivers with a commanding book, his first in nearly two decades, designed to financially empower readers with a simple, seven-step roadmap. Distilling insights from the financial world's leading minds, Robbins explains the rules all investors need to know and shares the best strategies from those who have already mastered the money game. Ultimately, his goal is to help readers establish a guaranteed lifetime income stream. To that end, Robbins cuts through industry jargon, debunks widespread myths, and identifies investing pitfalls, such as hidden fees. He also discusses how to minimize drastic losses while increasing gains and how to stay on target in the long run. As an added bonus, he includes a chapter of Q&As with several financial luminaries, including Yale Chief Investment Officer David Swensen and Vanguard founder John C. Bogle. As with every area on which Robbins has given advice, commitment and follow-through are key. But after reading this book, readers will be armed with the essential tools they need to gain control of their financial future and chart a path to success. --Publisher's Weekly

The Bogleheads' guide to investing

by Taylor Larimore    (Get the Book)
The irreverent guide to investing, Boglehead style The Boglehead's Guide to Investing is a DIY handbook that espouses the sage investment wisdom of John C. Bogle. This witty and wonderful book offers contrarian advice that provides the first step on the road to investment success, illustrating how relying on typical "common sense" promoted by Wall Street is destined to leave you poorer. This updated edition includes new information on backdoor Roth IRAs and ETFs as mainstream buy and hold investments, estate taxes and gifting, plus changes to the laws regarding Traditional and Roth IRAs, and 401k and 403b retirement plans. With warnings and principles both precisely accurate and grandly counterintuitive, the Boglehead authors show how beating the market is a zero-sum game. Investing can be simple, but it's certainly not simplistic. Over the course of twenty years, the followers of John C. Bogle have evolved from a loose association of investors to a major force with the largest and most active non-commercial financial forum on the Internet. The Boglehead's Guide to Investing brings that communication to you with comprehensive guidance to the investment prowess on display at Bogleheads.org. (Summary)