The Bogleheads' Guide to Investing

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. You'll learn how to craft your own investment strategy using the Bogle-proven methods that have worked for thousands of investors, and how to:

• Choose a sound financial lifestyle and diversify your portfolio
• Start early, invest regularly, and know what you're buying
• Preserve your buying power, keeping costs and taxes low
• Throw out the "good" advice promoted by Wall Street that leads to investment failure

Financial markets are essentially closed systems in which one's gain garners another's loss. Investors looking for a roadmap to successfully navigating these choppy waters long-term will find expert guidance, sound advice, and a little irreverent humor in The Boglehead's Guide to Investing.

MEL LINDAUER, CFS, WMS, was dubbed "The Prince of the Bogleheads" by Jack Bogle. A Forbes.com columnist, he's one of the leaders of the Bogleheads community.

TAYLOR LARIMORE, CCL, has been dubbed by Money magazine as "the Dean of the Vanguard Diehards" and John (Jack) Bogle himself calls Taylor "The King of the Bogleheads."

MICHAEL LEBOEUF, PHD, is an internationally published author, business consultant, and professor emeritus who taught Management at The University of New Orleans.

Acknowledgments xiii

Foreword by John C. Bogle xv

Introduction xxiii

Part I Essentials of Successful Investing

Chapter 1 Choose a Sound Financial Lifestyle 3

Chapter 2 Start Early and Invest Regularly 13

Chapter 3 Know What You’re Buying: Part One 25

Chapter 4 Know What You’re Buying: Part Two 39

Chapter 5 Preserve Your Buying Power with Inflation-Protected Bonds 49

Chapter 6 How Much Do You Need to Save? 63

Chapter 7 Keep It Simple 75

Chapter 8 Asset Allocation 89

Chapter 9 Costs Matter 109

Chapter 10 Taxes: Part One 119

Chapter 11 Taxes: Part Two 131

Chapter 12 Diversification 143

Chapter 13 Performance Chasing and Market Timing are Hazardous to Your Wealth 153

Chapter 14 Savvy Ways to Invest for College 169

Chapter 15 How to Manage a Windfall Successfully 179

Chapter 16 Do You Need an Advisor? 187

Part II Follow-Through Strategies to Keep You On Target

Chapter 17 Track Your Progress and Rebalance When Necessary 199

Chapter 18 Tune Out the “Noise” 211

Chapter 19 Mastering Your Investments Means Mastering Your Emotions 223

Chapter 20 Making Your Money Last Longer Than You Do 235

Chapter 21 Protect Your Assets by Being Well-Insured 243

Chapter 22 Passing It On When You Pass On 257

Chapter 23 You Can Do It 265

Appendices

Appendix I: Glossary of Financial Terms 273

Appendix II: Books We Recommend 279

Appendix III: Financial Websites We Recommend 283

Appendix IV: Vanguard Asset Allocation Questionnaire and Pie Charts 287

About the Authors 293

Index 295

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