The True Cost of Happiness

Personal money management advice that make sense In The True Cost of Happiness, financial journalist Stacey Tisdale and expert financial planner Paula Boyer Kennedy combine their extensive financial experience with a powerful series of interviews and real-world stories to help you make personal money management decisions that make more sense. They begin by discussing how the factors that drive our financial choices and behavior not only run deep, but also represent the way we define ourselves. From there, they reveal how this truth will determine if you can create the kind of financial harmony that not only supports the life you want, but also makes an honest statement of who you really are. The questions they pose are challenging, but essential, because if your financial choices and behavior are not aligned with your true values, you'll always feel like "something" is missing. And it is this disconnect that is at the root of most anxiety and unhappiness over money. Reveals how the first lessons we learn about money as children play out in our adult behavior Discusses how the messages that society sends us about the ways in which we should behave with money affect our financial choices Explores factors that can blind us to our true values, and prevent us from making the best decisions possible on issues such as debt, saving, and investing Illustrates how to create a financial plan that supports a truly happy life Filled with in-depth insights and practical advice, The True Cost of Happiness will put you in a better position to enjoy a life that doesn't compromise who you are.

Acknowledgments vii Preface xi Part I: A Look Inside Chapter 1 Working Together 3 Chapter 2 A Little Awareness Goes a Long Way 9 Chapter 3 The Big Picture: What You’re Planning for 13 Chapter 4 The Price of Pleasing Mom and Pop: Are Your Early Lessons Working for You or Against You? 19 Chapter 5 Social Messages 31 Chapter 6 The Songs We Play in Our Heads 53 Chapter 7 Life Planning for Two 69 Chapter 8 Teach Your Children Well 81 Chapter 9 The Truth about Change 95 Part II: The Numbers Chapter 10 Your Bottom Line 125 Chapter 11 Saving Money 139 Chapter 12 Debt: Wipe the Slate Clean 149 Chapter 13 Living Longer and Stronger: The New Retirement 165 Chapter 14 Covering Your Assets: How to Choose the Right Insurance 181 Chapter 15 Investing for Your Future 199 Chapter 16 The Real Cost of College 211 Chapter 17 Giving Back 225 Chapter 18 Estate Planning 237 Chapter 19 A Final Thought on Your Finances 245 Part III: Staying on Course Chapter 20 Staying on Course 249 Chapter 21 Change Happens 259 Chapter 22 Getting the Help You Need 265 A Final Thought 273 Index 275