How To Make Your Money Last Jane Bryant Quinn

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· 887 ratings · 134 reviews

Start your review of How to Make Your Money Last: The Indispensable Retirement Guide

Highly recommended especially for those with retirement on the horizon

Jane Bryant Quinn is one the most respected financial advisors. This new book covering retirement seems a must for anyone having questions about making the money last throughout your non-working years. It covers all the basics and more and will be most effective for those who are contemplating taking this big step.

I am already retired. I have read many books and articles regarding some of the questions addressed in

How to Make Highly recommended especially for those with retirement on the horizon

I am already retired. I have read many books and articles regarding some of the questions addressed in

How to Make Your Money Last but there is always something new to learn, points to drive home again or review strategies in the original plan. I found the chapters regarding health insurance, investing for income and minimum distributions of IRA's useful for my present stage in life. ...more

Sep 03, 2016 Janet rated it it was amazing

This book was recommended to me by Carol Kubala and I take her recommendations seriously. I was a little smug, thinking I'd probably already know everything in this book because I am a financial professional. Now I'm a little more humble. I learned loads and no, I haven't been doing everything right. Here are a few of the things I learned.

1) It's not a good idea to have IRA's/401k's all over the place. Consolidate your accounts because when you reach the age where you have to take mandatory dist

1) It's not a good idea to have IRA's/401k's all over the place. Consolidate your accounts because when you reach the age where you have to take mandatory distributions, it will make the calculations and rebalancing a whole lot easier.

2) You (and I) can probably do just as well or better by investing in a couple of index funds rather than having a bunch of diversified mutual fund investments. Again this helps with rebalancing.

3) Annuities are not necessarily lousy investments...you just have to know what you're getting into. Pick a simple immediate or deferred annuity....the other products are too complicated and carry high sales charges.

4) It's not always a good idea to pay off your mortgage.

5) You (and I) need a durable power of attorney.

6) You can avoid probate on your retirement accounts by naming beneficiaries.

I listened to this book on audio and immediately upon finishing I bought the book in hardcover so that I'll have a ready reference. Thanks Carol!

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Apr 10, 2016 Will Eaton rated it it was amazing

I have read everything that I can on personal finance and have the usual favorites... The Millionaire Next Door, The Richest Man In Babalon, The Wealthy Barber, The Automatic Millionaire, Rich Dad, Poor Dad, along with several of Mike Piper and Dave Ramsey books. This is my favorite "financial retirement" book. There were no wasted words or chapters. It was packed full of ideas and suggestions. I have tweaked my retirement plan after reading this gem. I would recommend it to anyone that has reti I have read everything that I can on personal finance and have the usual favorites... The Millionaire Next Door, The Richest Man In Babalon, The Wealthy Barber, The Automatic Millionaire, Rich Dad, Poor Dad, along with several of Mike Piper and Dave Ramsey books. This is my favorite "financial retirement" book. There were no wasted words or chapters. It was packed full of ideas and suggestions. I have tweaked my retirement plan after reading this gem. I would recommend it to anyone that has retired or is looking to soon. ...more

Feb 04, 2016 Joanne Monte rated it it was amazing

I won this book in a Goodreads Giveaway and it was a wonderful gift. This is one of the best retirement guides available. Jane Bryant Quinn offers good advice on investments for every financial situation. There are also chapters on Medicare and life insurance. The book is easy to read and comprehend. Even if you are not ready to retire, she outlines different ways to prepare for a comfortable financial future. This book is certainly an indispensable retirement guide.

Jul 20, 2016 Martin rated it it was amazing

Of all the books I've read on the topic of retirement, this one has been the absolute most informative by far. I've been an admirer of Ms. Quinn since the 1980's when I religiously read her columns in the Washington Post and watched her many appearances on CBS News. She writes in a straight forward, easy-to-understand style and is always conscious of explaining (and re-explaining!) difficult concepts. Pointers to excellent sources such as web sites, non-profit financial organizations, and even a Of all the books I've read on the topic of retirement, this one has been the absolute most informative by far. I've been an admirer of Ms. Quinn since the 1980's when I religiously read her columns in the Washington Post and watched her many appearances on CBS News. She writes in a straight forward, easy-to-understand style and is always conscious of explaining (and re-explaining!) difficult concepts. Pointers to excellent sources such as web sites, non-profit financial organizations, and even a few private finance companies (such as Vanguard) are scattered throughout the book in an effort to help the reader.

The chapters on Social Security, Medicare, and health insurance alone are worth the price of this book. I am also very grateful for her thoughts and suggestions about pension strategies.

She has reinforced my long belief that index funds are the smartest, most cost-effective way to invest in an IRA, and she's influenced me to at least consider the total market funds instead of the more narrow S&P 500 ones. That was a bit of an eye-opener.

The chapter on annuities was a pleasant surprise to read (as we learn it was to her too as she researched the book). I am now considering getting a deferred annuity for my wife someday, something I never thought I'd ever do.

I struggled through the chapters on determining how much of your savings to withdrawal each year (i.e. the 4% or 4.5% rule), and the extensive information given on bonds and bond funds. But this was a result of my own struggles with those concepts, not how it was presented. I read those chapters twice to make sure I understood, and will no doubt refer to them many times again in the future.

This book is required reading ff you are retired or planning your retirement. Buy it and place it in a conspicuous place in your home office!

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This is an excellent book to get one started in thinking through the myriad of products and strategies surrounding retirement planning. Ms Quinn deals with a bewildering number of subjects ranging from Social Security, Health Care, management of 401k/IRA/... plans, life insurance, annuity products, and more, but she manages to put these all in context in a format that will have readers coming back to read for more self-education in later years. Excellent!

Two quick notes:

1. The SECURE Act has changed a lot of details of this (for example, no more stretch IRAs).
2. I feel like this is meant for people nearing retirement who intend on spending down a good portion of their retirement nest eggs *eventually*.

This is an excellent book for those who are in retirement, about to be retired, contemplating retirement, or one day expect or hope to be retired. In fact, those who read this book long before retirement will probably benefit from it the most, considering the excellent advice given throughout the book for planning ahead. I have long been a fan of JBQ, and she does not disappoint here.

The first chapter doesn't even talk about money; it simply deals with the question "what will my life look like a

The first chapter doesn't even talk about money; it simply deals with the question "what will my life look like after I'm no longer working full time?" This chapter alone is worth the price of the book. Subsequent chapters deal with developing a budget for your retirement years, managing your Social Security benefits, getting the most from Medicare and supplemental plans, pensions, retirement savings plans and practices, spending in retirement, investing, and life insurance.

Throughout the book, Quinn gives suggestions on where else to turn for information, poses a number of diagnostic questions, and covers various options or pathways, depending on the individual's situation (single or married? in good health or bad? big or small retirement savings accounts?). And she does this with good humor, simple explanations, and thoroughness.

This is a book to read, highlight, and refer to often. Highly recommended!

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Sep 29, 2019 Carolyn rated it it was amazing

This book answered almost all of the financial questions I had as I look forward to retirement in the near future.

Jan 29, 2021 Jeff rated it really liked it

I bought this for my dad for Christmas and decided to give it a quick read while visiting. A lot of good, practical advice that's detailed but still accessible. This book would be super helpful for just about anyone who is approaching retirement or already retired. I bought this for my dad for Christmas and decided to give it a quick read while visiting. A lot of good, practical advice that's detailed but still accessible. This book would be super helpful for just about anyone who is approaching retirement or already retired. ...more

Even though I'm only 23 years old and a millennia away from retirement, I found a lot of things in this book helpful. I learned so much from this book that I can implement into my life now that can make my life at retirement so much easier such as opening an IRA or 401k right now and let my money compound. The information on healthcare insurance was also very helpful and gave me some insight into what into my own insurance and ways that I can lower cost. I will definitely read this book in a few Even though I'm only 23 years old and a millennia away from retirement, I found a lot of things in this book helpful. I learned so much from this book that I can implement into my life now that can make my life at retirement so much easier such as opening an IRA or 401k right now and let my money compound. The information on healthcare insurance was also very helpful and gave me some insight into what into my own insurance and ways that I can lower cost. I will definitely read this book in a few years to refresh my knowledge. I'm also going to try to get my mom to read this book as she is planning to retire in less than a decade. Lastly, please please be responsible with you're retirement plan and don't end up outliving your retirement savings 🙏 ...more

Nov 07, 2015 Beth rated it really liked it

Jane Bryant Quinn, IMO, is one of the best personal finance writers. This guide to retirement covers not only financial preparation and decision-making, but also has helpful sections on preparing yourself emotionally for retirement and thinking about what you want to do/staying active/finding meaning as a citizen-retiree. She covers pre-retirement planning, Social Security and Medicare considerations, right-sizing your finances as a retiree, health insurance issues, pensions, annuities, long ter Jane Bryant Quinn, IMO, is one of the best personal finance writers. This guide to retirement covers not only financial preparation and decision-making, but also has helpful sections on preparing yourself emotionally for retirement and thinking about what you want to do/staying active/finding meaning as a citizen-retiree. She covers pre-retirement planning, Social Security and Medicare considerations, right-sizing your finances as a retiree, health insurance issues, pensions, annuities, long term care insurance, housing and reverse mortgages, investing strategies, 4% rule of thumb for withdrawals, IRAs, etc. (I skimmed over a few sections). The book is very up to date (including information on same-sex marriages and the Affordable Care Act) and the advice is sensible with difficult topics explained well. With so many Boomers retiring or getting ready to retire, this will be a very helpful guide for them. ...more

Mar 06, 2016 R J Mckay rated it really liked it

I received this book from Goodreads in exchange for a review.

'How to Make Your Money Last' is a book written for the average person. It isn't filled with hard to understand financial jargon, but instead is written in layman's terms that are understandable to every reader. The saying 'With knowledge comes wealth' certainly applies to this book. It should be a "must read" for everyone approaching retirement age. The book covers everything from what to spend, how much to spent, dealing with Social

I received this book from Goodreads in exchange for a review.

I will keep this book for reference for years to come.

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Feb 19, 2018 Donna Robbins rated it really liked it

Recommended to Donna by: bogleheads

Recommended for beginners by someone on the bogleheads.org forum, and well worth the read. Much solid information on asset allocation and withdrawal strategies, plus stuff I knew very little about: reverse mortgages, annuities and life insurance. Bryant Quinn is terrific at detailing the options, identifying the (few) specific situations where a product might make sense, and providing clear warnings about pitfalls; she also highlights common deceptive sales pitches. She won me over when she desc Recommended for beginners by someone on the bogleheads.org forum, and well worth the read. Much solid information on asset allocation and withdrawal strategies, plus stuff I knew very little about: reverse mortgages, annuities and life insurance. Bryant Quinn is terrific at detailing the options, identifying the (few) specific situations where a product might make sense, and providing clear warnings about pitfalls; she also highlights common deceptive sales pitches. She won me over when she described annuities sales pitches as "a snake pit" :)

The book also included some non-financial thoughts on the decision to retire, and adjusting to being retired which I thought were interesting.

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Aug 23, 2019 Sarah rated it it was amazing

I skimmed much of this book since I am not of traditional retirement age and much was therefore not relevant to me. However, I got the sense that this is a really great book for people who are currently or soon reaching their 60s and 70s and looking at doing a traditional retirement. She covers a wide range of topics in a very practical, down-to-earth manner, including standard investment strategies, annuities, how social security works (and considerations of when to take it), health insurance c I skimmed much of this book since I am not of traditional retirement age and much was therefore not relevant to me. However, I got the sense that this is a really great book for people who are currently or soon reaching their 60s and 70s and looking at doing a traditional retirement. She covers a wide range of topics in a very practical, down-to-earth manner, including standard investment strategies, annuities, how social security works (and considerations of when to take it), health insurance considerations, including detailed medicare advice, how to make use of the equity in your house (including downsizing, reverse mortgages, etc.), long-term care considerations, etc. ...more

May 05, 2016 Lynn rated it it was amazing

This is an excellent, brief but comprehensive exploration of pretty much everything a retiree needs to consider to make sure they don't run out of money before they run out of life. I don't agree with everything she says (such as keeping20-30% of your funds in bank deposits and short-term bonds that basically produce no money at all just so you don't have to worry about stock market declines) but it is hard to imagine where you could get more good advice in such a condensed form. The fact that i This is an excellent, brief but comprehensive exploration of pretty much everything a retiree needs to consider to make sure they don't run out of money before they run out of life. I don't agree with everything she says (such as keeping20-30% of your funds in bank deposits and short-term bonds that basically produce no money at all just so you don't have to worry about stock market declines) but it is hard to imagine where you could get more good advice in such a condensed form. The fact that it is written in a clear, breezy and entertaining style doesn't hurt either. ...more

Oct 16, 2017 Mike Boothe rated it really liked it

If you are seeing your retirement coming up, this is a book for you. Well written , you don't need to be a Wall Street wiz to understand it. It's one of the few books I've read that has significant information for those of us who are single. Retirement is a different animal for us, and the considerations are also different. Quinn does a good job explaining for singles; married, of course; and various permutations. Read it. You WILL learn something. If you are seeing your retirement coming up, this is a book for you. Well written , you don't need to be a Wall Street wiz to understand it. It's one of the few books I've read that has significant information for those of us who are single. Retirement is a different animal for us, and the considerations are also different. Quinn does a good job explaining for singles; married, of course; and various permutations. Read it. You WILL learn something. ...more

I only read the relevant chapters for someone in her 20s, namely the chapters covering: health insurance, pensions, retirement savings, and investing for income. This book is an absolute hidden gem with sound, practical investment advice backed by intelligent reasoning. I recommend that everyone read and reread this book every 5 years.

Nice overview of financial matters in (and approaching) retirement. Easy enough to skip the parts that aren't relevant to a particular situation, yet enough detail to act as an ongoing reference during retirement. I checked this edition out of the local library, and found it helpful enough that I bought the current, updated edition. Nice overview of financial matters in (and approaching) retirement. Easy enough to skip the parts that aren't relevant to a particular situation, yet enough detail to act as an ongoing reference during retirement. I checked this edition out of the local library, and found it helpful enough that I bought the current, updated edition. ...more

Jan 21, 2016 Gwen rated it really liked it

Very helpful regarding retirement planning. Best for those about to retire or recently retired, but also good for people at other stages. clear explanations of many financial things, like Social Security options and purchasing annuities.

Practical actionable advice.

I am a 51 year old hoping to retire in about 10 years and have been learning all I can about retirement planning so that I understand enough on the topic to not be at the mercy of a financial advisor at retirement. I want enough knowledge to evaluate their suggestions and understand the alternatives they are presenting to me. With little knowledge, I hope to have more control of my decisions rather than just have the guy at Fidelity (or wherever) hand me a black box s

Practical actionable advice.

This book contains not only general information about important components of income planning (annuities, investments, life insurance, social security etc), but strategies and advice for using each that will help you put together a plan. I'm sure some will disagree with specific advice in some cases (there is not consensus on any topic in this field) and there are entire books written on some topics that are covered in a chapter, but as a 51 year old hoping to retire in a decade or so, this book gave me the information I need to start assembling a plan.

I'm sure the book is not for everyone. I'm sure if you are running your own business, enjoy investing in real estate, view vesting as a hobby, your go-forward plan would be different than what's laid out in this book. Also, the book does not deal much with estate planning. The assumption is that your primary goal is to live on what you have saved, not that you're planning to leave as much as possible behind. However, you're the run-of-the mill professional who has been saving in your 401k for 30-40 years and want a simple, safe plan, this book is a great starting point. I intend to leave a copy of this book in my safe deposit box with my will for my wife to use in case this responsibility ever falls to her.

I feel like with this book, I can put together the framework of how I want to manage things in retirement. I can take this in to a financial planner and have them work with me on the specifics of Social Security, Medicare, annuities etc to have them turn my plan into action. I feel much more comfortable with this approach than walking in in 10 years with a blank sheet of paper and asking my planner what I should do.

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Mar 24, 2018 Jerry rated it really liked it

I found this to be a very useful book for me in planning the financial strategy for the withdrawal phase of my investments. It has the clearest explanation I have found to the question of how much can you safely withdraw. For instance, she explains where the 4% withdrawal "rule" comes from.

The 4% rule was developed by Bill Bengen in 1993. Looking at 30-year periods that overlapped, he found you can safely withdraw 4% the first year then increase each year by inflation. This assumed 50% invested in S&P 500 and 50% in intermediate-term U.S. Treasury bonds (maturing in 4 to 10 years). You could just barely succeed with 30% in stocks. Bengen chose 4% because it carried investors through the 3 worst 30-year periods beginning in 1929, 1937, and 1973. The longest down cycle was 8 years from December 1972 until July 1980.

In 1998 Bengen updated his analysis using a stock portfolio of 23% S&P 500 and 27% small stock index and found the safe first year withdrawal was 4.5% for a diversified portfolio of between 45% and 65% stocks. International diversification could be included also instead of only small stock.

Jonathan Guyton of Cornerstone Wealth Advisors suggests a strategy of taking 5.5% offers a 99% chance of success but you have to be flexible by lowering your annual draw by 10% if stocks fall for several years.

Wade Pfau of American College of Financial Services in Bryn Mawr, PA, expects low returns for the next few years so suggests an initial withdrawal rate of 3%.

Michael Kites of Pinnacle Advisory Group in Columbia, MD, suggests if the Shiller PE Ratio is above 20, the stock market is overvalued and your withdrawal rate should not exceed the classic 4 or 4.5%, but if PE 10 is between 12 and 20 (fairly valued) withdrawal could be 5%, or if PE10 is below 12 withdrawal could start at 5.5%.

Today, many advisers no longer include cash as part of an investment portfolio, but Quinn suggests otherwise. She says "Life runs more smoothly if you maintain a two-year cash reserve." Some suggest 3 years of cash. Many planners advise that between your cash reserve and your short-term bond fund you hold enough money to protect yourself for four straight years. Remember that 8 year bad run in the 1970's?

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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Hello everyone i want to testify on how I joined the illuminati kingdom and my life change totally . i become rich and famous. I was trying to join this society for so many years I was scammed before I was down i could not feed my self and my family anymore and I tried to make money by all means but all in vain, I was afraid to contact any illuminati agent because i was scam before . finally a friend of mine introduce me to the right way to join illuminati. I was initiated, surprisingly I was gi Hello everyone i want to testify on how I joined the illuminati kingdom and my life change totally . i become rich and famous. I was trying to join this society for so many years I was scammed before I was down i could not feed my self and my family anymore and I tried to make money by all means but all in vain, I was afraid to contact any illuminati agent because i was scam before . finally a friend of mine introduce me to the right way to join illuminati. I was initiated, surprisingly I was given an instant benefit money of $2,000,000.00 as a new member of the great illuminati kingdom I was very happy, for those of you trying to join this illuminati society this is your opportunity for you to join. Contact the illuminati official email: gasperr906@gmail.com or WHATSAPP call/text +1(814) 317-6245 on how to join, i want you all to know that it is totally free on how to join the illuminati, this is the real illuminati temple where you can join and be totally free in life and be successful....beware of scam
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Aug 31, 2020 David rated it it was amazing

I finally finished reading this book. Three years ago it was recommended to me by the person who helps with our tax preparation. She was particularly helpful in pointing out the section in the book that explains what the average person needs to know about Social Security.

Some of the negative reviews about this book seem to think there is nothing new in this book, but for me I wish I would have read this book ten or even five years ago. I've been retired for three years now, so I would definitely

We found the section on Social Security very helpful as we figured out how to handle this. Since we are not wealthy people there were some sections I found less helpful, but it was still interesting to see what suggestions the author made regarding trusts, annuities, life insurance, investments, etc.

To the author, I simply have two words: Thank you!

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Jul 01, 2018 Carolyn rated it it was ok

While I agree this is a decent resource for the general education of a pre-retiree, I have two major problems with the content of this book: 1. Not all commissioned financial professionals work solely in their own interest, and not all fee-based planners work solely in the interest of the retirees paying them the fees. 2. Nowhere in this book did the author encourage and emphasize the importance of working consistently with a trusted advisor, much like a doctor. The do-it-yourself pre-retiree sh While I agree this is a decent resource for the general education of a pre-retiree, I have two major problems with the content of this book: 1. Not all commissioned financial professionals work solely in their own interest, and not all fee-based planners work solely in the interest of the retirees paying them the fees. 2. Nowhere in this book did the author encourage and emphasize the importance of working consistently with a trusted advisor, much like a doctor. The do-it-yourself pre-retiree should never rely on the advice of a supposed "expert" they've never met who cares more about book sales & advertiser income. It is so important for a pre-retiree to find a local, trustworthy professional in their community who will sit down with them at the kitchen table to learn about their unique financial circumstances in order to best help them achieve their long-term financial success. ...more

Dec 04, 2020 Mskychick rated it it was amazing

A school near you might offer extension courses for adults (check Road Scholar's Lifetime Learning Institute for opportunities). Free or low-fee college courses are available online: scroll through offerings at edX.org, Coursera.org, Udemy.com and Udacity.com as well as the online courses from Harvard, Dartmouth, Yale, Duke, the University of California, Berkeley, and others (for a long list of what is available go to MOOC-list.com)
pg 8

To get yourself moving, set up an engagement calendar. Put s

To get yourself moving, set up an engagement calendar. Put something useful or interesting into your schedule every day. It takes as little as one activity, plus normal chores, to structure your day.
Pg 9

For the names of fee-only advisors, start w the website of advisor Glenn Daily in NYC. Daily believes so strongly in spreading the word that he publicizes his fee-only competitors. Go to GlennDaily.com and click on "Links." These advisors work by phone and email, hold "face to face" meetings online, and have clients all over the country.
pg 305

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Ok, well this is really not the best book for just listening to, since the author is constantly giving the names of websites, financial companies, and initials - TIAA-CREF, NAPFA, CFP, IRA, 401K, etc. I had to keep stopping to write some of this down. Ultimately, I'm just going to have to get the book, because there's just too much information. But good information. I wish I'd discovered Jane Bryant Quinn sooner. Even just by listening, I feel like I know way more about financial matters than I Ok, well this is really not the best book for just listening to, since the author is constantly giving the names of websites, financial companies, and initials - TIAA-CREF, NAPFA, CFP, IRA, 401K, etc. I had to keep stopping to write some of this down. Ultimately, I'm just going to have to get the book, because there's just too much information. But good information. I wish I'd discovered Jane Bryant Quinn sooner. Even just by listening, I feel like I know way more about financial matters than I did. Now I have to get my husband to read it, then we can search for a fee-only fiduciary to help us figure out what no-load, indexed mutual funds to invest in. Or something like that. ...more

A good book that builds the case to have a diversified portfolio heading into retirement. I struggle with her advice to own both bonds and index funds that contain stocks. Warren Buffett advocates for a higher percentage in index funds that track the S&P 500. Her point, which is compelling, is that by owning bonds you can buy more stock when the market takes a dip thus preserving your capital. If you have a federal retirement, could you get by with a hundred percent in index funds that track the A good book that builds the case to have a diversified portfolio heading into retirement. I struggle with her advice to own both bonds and index funds that contain stocks. Warren Buffett advocates for a higher percentage in index funds that track the S&P 500. Her point, which is compelling, is that by owning bonds you can buy more stock when the market takes a dip thus preserving your capital. If you have a federal retirement, could you get by with a hundred percent in index funds that track the S&P 500 and use your retirement when the markets down? I think so, but I'm not basing that on Research just my own opinion. ...more

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I ran out and got this book upon recommendation from a lady who I was seeing for counsel during the time of my departure from GE. Her husband is in the financial industry and works with hedge funds. Nevertheless, this book provides the basics and how to invest your money and prepare for taking care of your financial health during retirement. Nice book that I took out from the library and continue to skim and re-read for reinforcement of the basics. The library is no longer charging for late retu I ran out and got this book upon recommendation from a lady who I was seeing for counsel during the time of my departure from GE. Her husband is in the financial industry and works with hedge funds. Nevertheless, this book provides the basics and how to invest your money and prepare for taking care of your financial health during retirement. Nice book that I took out from the library and continue to skim and re-read for reinforcement of the basics. The library is no longer charging for late returns. Thus, I am holding on to it for a little longer than normal. ...more

I enjoyed this book immensely. Jane Bryant Quinn is an excellent writer and made the material easy to read. Most of the information was not new to me but a great review. Nothing is more important to me than a long secure retirement. Some chapters seemed a little too long on reverse mortgages and annuities but I did learn quite a bit. Every couple should read this to stay on track and not make costly financial mistakes.