cover image Retirementology: Rethinking the American Dream in a New Economy

Retirementology: Rethinking the American Dream in a New Economy

Gregory Salsbury, . . Pearson/FT Press, $19.99 (219pp) ISBN 978-0-137-05653-8

Salsbury (But What If I Live? The American Retirement Crisis ) takes the burgeoning field of behavioral finance a step further by applying it to retirement planning during an economic downturn in this relevant, much needed book. He helps pre-retirees and retirees identify classic mistakes in earning, spending, saving, investing, and borrowing. With playful neologisms—retirewent, damnesia—Salsbury re-educates readers on how to prepare for their golden years during an insecure time, paying solid attention to the role one's home plays in relation to retirement, financial support for family members, tax liabilities , and health care. Of particular interest is a chart identifying common financially unhealthy traits such as procrastination and overconfidence, the consequences of such traits, and the way to rethink these traits to turn them into positives. A superb introduction to the necessary financial planning no American over 40 can afford to ignore. (June)