Money Books

Although it is primarily aimed at young adults who are starting out on their own for the first time, it contains information helpful to people of any age!! Very practical, helpful advice.

It also makes a GREAT graduation gift!! If you don't have a copy in your home, you should!! By one for yourself, and one to share!

Marian Latzko has put together a guidebook for successful daily life that can be easily used by anyone living on his or her own for the first time.

Everything from networking to finding health care, and apartment leases to laundry, is outlined in an easy-to-read and understand way. Parents and teachers can use this book as a practical way to initiate dialog about ins and outs of daily life, and the need for planning to meet life goals.

Well-researched with a complete bibliography.

Although the publishers of this book (Paladin Press) are perhaps best known for their more radical, esoteric titles, Keep What You Own is actually a fairly conservative book when it comes to asset protection advice. It shows you the pros as well as the cons of most methods it covers, which the majority of books on this subject completely fail to do.

From Nevada Corporations to Offshore Trusts, most of the well-known methods of asset protection are covered in this book, and usually in fairly good depth. Despite having already read several books on asset protection in the past, Starchild actually brings up some extremely good points that many other books fail to mention. Some of his insights on Nevada Corporations were especially eye opening.

Although not an attorney, Starchild has obviously done his homework. There are a few asset protection methods you can tell that he is obviously biased towards (Swiss Annuties for example), but for the most part he provides a very unbiased look at each method of asset protection, and clearly explains why (or why not) it might be the right vehicle for you.

On the downside, the book is obviously in need of an update (it was originally published in 1995), although the vast majority of the methods he describes have changed little since the original publication. Also, he seems to pepper the book with references to companies that you have the distinct impression he is financially linked to. Unfortunately, writing under an assumed pen name does not add to his credibility.

On the whole though, Keep What You Own is one of the better asset protection books I have read. It would be great to see an updated version of this title, but 95% of it is still applicable to today's laws. Before you buy in to any of the more questionable asset protection schemes that you see advertised, you would do well to get a copy of this book. It reveals the good, the bad, and the ugly, when it comes to asset protection strategies.

Most of us have been hoodwinked into thinking that offshore havens are illegal, too risky, or otherwise unworthy of consideration. Don't believe it. Financial expert Adam Starchild will dispel myths and misconceptions about offshore banking and reveal how you can:

Achieve total secrecy and and financial privacy
Transfer your money offshore, and keep it safe from lawsuits, creditors, the IRS, etc.
Use offshore havens to legally avoid, defer or minimize taxes
Invest globally and build your wealth
Pick the offshore haven that best meets your objectives
Choose the right offshore bank and maintain an account -- easily and safely
Do business offshore -- and reap extraordinary benefits
And more!

Unfortunately, it is impossible for anyone, including us, to live in this world without confronting such ugliness in some form or another. Cloaked in a thousand forms of self-righteous crusading and victim restitution, all efforts share a common goal of taking away your assets. For example, armies of IRS bureaucrats, working 40 hours a week in positions with little hope of advancement, are paid to audit you and simply cannot help but enjoy the prospect of acquainting you with financial adversity. They may not personally realize economic benefit from their work, but their gratification derives from knowing that at least you will not enjoy your former wealth.

All over the world, governments are becoming more and more predatory. They reach for more and more power, and they squeeze more and more money out of their citizens... by any means they can. There is almost nowhere on earth your money is safe anymore.

Powers to confiscate money, under the guise of "drug laws," are growing in Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, and many other countries around the world.

Historically, appropriation of wealth has taken many forms -- and it's gone on for centuries. For instance, in East Germany alone, 9,870 industrial and commercial enterprises and about one-third of the entire land area capable of agricultural or forestry use were confiscated between 1945 and 1949. The same thing has gone on throughout South America, Africa, Asia, and Europe.

Do you do business in the U.S.? You should know that new banking regulations make it a federal crime not to report certain transactions -- of as little as $3,000. There is no requirement that the money be involved in any criminal activity -- it is a crime to simply not report the transaction. The penalty? Liability for a five-year prison sentence and a $250,000 fine. And -- the law allows the federal government to confiscate any funds they allege to be involved. Plus, bank tellers can collect huge rewards -- up to $150,000 -- for turning you in, if you are subsequently convicted of a criminal act, and subject to a civil fine or forfeiture of money or property.

Governments all over the world are trying to figure out how to crack down on the Internet and on-line communications. They're deathly afraid they'll lose their ability to tax, seize, and control their citizens' money.

The recent Bre-X scandal is a perfect example of how you can be cleverly robbed from anywhere in the world. Bre-X was one of the hot mining companies listed in Canada, but the investors who were fleeced were from all over the world. In a nutshell, fake drilling reports ran the stock of Bre-X from pennies all the way to $22.50, after a 10-1 split. When it turned out the reports were fake, some $4 billion in wealth disappeared almost overnight as the stock plunged.

As you can see, these threats are global. Governments don't protect you -- they're just part of the problem. And other threats cross borders and continents in the blink of an eye.

It doesn't matter whether you're wealthy or average, an individual or a company, or where you are in the world -- the assaults on wealth, from government and crooks, is growing, and you are at risk.

Adam Starchild believes that your wealth should be secure -- safe from the government and safe from thieves. In Keep What You Own he shows you some specific strategies to protect your wealth.

Kids and Money convinced us to change our approach to allowances. Not only did we end up spending less by eliminating all those little "off-budget" extras, our kids suddenly became interested in getting value for their dollars. No more extravagant purchases that they wore once and forgot. And they began to take better care of the things they did buy. No more nagging!

Kids and Money is full of great advice on many other subjects. Including how to finance college if you didn't (or couldn't) start saving when the kids were born. And there's a terrific list of web resources at the end.

The reason I like this book as a pastor, is that what Barajas means by "financial greatness" is not an idolatry of the dollar, but a much broader approach to true happiness. In his how-to approach, his illustrations, and his closing forms to complete, he guides the reader through a wholistic approach to life.

First is the question: what are your major life foci and roles? He gives the examples of foci that include physical health and spiritual growth. Then he deals with roles that are associated with each focus, e.g., spouse, parent, coworker. And this like every other chapter concludes with a written exercise to help the reader answer the focus question.

Chapters on "Core Values," "Ideal Outcomes," "Starting Point," "Obstacles," "Resources," "Strategy," "Practical Systems," "Monitor Progress," and "Celebrate and Share" follow. This is a good pedogogy and an integrate approach. Money is central to but not solely what he means by wealth.

I plan to give this book to my compadre, and once he has read it, to discuss it with him. I think it will help him manage his hard earned money as well as prioritize his values. And that will make him not only a more proficient bread winner, but a more grateful recipient of the banquet of life.

The Journey to greatness starts by focusing on your strengths and delegating your weaknesses. Despite what Home Depot tries to make you believe, A do it yourselfer is wasting their valuable time on a weakness. Some people waste a life time on careers and task that take them off their path to greatness. I ask you today. Are you a specialists or are you a generalists? Who would you go to today if you had a brain tumor, a neurosurgeon or your campadre that is a real estate agent, insurance salesman, travel agent and notary. Louis identifies this cultural barrier in his book as Mi Campadre, Consulting (Non)Experts. We as latinos do this all the time and aren't aware of it. The book is divided into two parts. The first part makes you aware about the 10 barriers or potholes on your journey to financial greatness. It is also very inspiring and motivating. Only after you are aware of the barriers will you be ready for the second part of the book, the 10 steps to financial greatness. I use the word Awareness because it is the key that Louis Barajas will hand you to unlock the imaginary door that you have placed on your path to financial greatness.

For the pastor in Indiana, thank you for writing that great review it was very helpful for me. Please contact me at (323) 890-8180. I will be in Indiana soon and would love to share my story with you and your congregation, thank you and kindest regards.