The Shortest Investment Book Ever – Review

I just finished James O’Donnell’s book called The Shortest Investment Book Ever: Wall Street Secrets for Making Every Dollar Count. For such a brusk volume, the entitle is pretty long isn’t it? Well, it is small – nigh 140 pages inward add-on to it is smaller inward size every bit well. I mean I read it encompass to comprehend inwards most iv hours.

I think James hit the nail on the head with this one. He makes it pretty clear that the purpose of this book is to appeal to audiences who haven’t read many and probably won’t read many more investment books. He keeps everything very basic and easy to understand.

401k investing

I think the greatest thing about this book is that he spends the first few chapters walking the reader through the steps of picking funds for your 401k. I know that many people have no idea how to pick funds for their 401k – James addresses this problem beautifully. He mentions each type of funds that you are likely to see in your 401k (or 403b) and explains what they are and what percentage you should ideally be contributing to each. I love keeping things simple and so I loved how he handled this seemingly complex topic. That said I am sure just like Dave Ramsey gets criticized for his uncomplicated approach, James may larn some similar responses from Financial Advisors.

Mutual Fund companies

I was glad to come across that he also suggested Index funds whenever possible and he explained a flake near what actually goes on amongst Mutual Fund companies. Many people don’t sympathise how Mutual Funds brand money as well as since the water is oftentimes rattling dingy, a lot of customers are okay amongst non knowing. James explains how they fix money too gives some basic guidelines to expression for when picking funds.

Other points

James also explained what an IRA is too touched on the importance of opening ane.

He argued both sides of the Annuity debate, arming the reader with the noesis he/she needs to make upwardly 1'sec brain.

He also explained why he doesn’t usage socially conscious funds basically maxim that they are non all they are cracked upward to be.

I dearest how he finishes the volume explaining from his have l-50 that money does non equate to happiness. He tries to drive the quest domicile that inwards that location is much to a greater extent than than to life than coin.

What the mass is NOT

The book is called The Shortest Investment Book Ever. So as you would assume it does not go into huge amounts of detail about all of the topics James hits on. If you have read Benjamin Graham’s The Intelligent Investor, or if you l-50 know what it is, this book is in all likelihood a bit as good basic for you lot.

It also does not talk at all about getting out of debt or getting yourself into a position financially to start investing. The Total Money Makeover is what you have got for that.

Who the volume is perfect for

I think this mass is absolutely perfect for people who don’t know what funds to guide for their 401k (or 403b). Seriously, he explains the selection besides resources resources allotment procedure uncomplicated enough that a v yr quondam could understand. So, if you lot or someone you know has refused to start their 401k because they don’t know what to practise amongst it – learn this volume.