Investing for Beginners (USA)

You know you should be investing. But between savings accounts, CDs, Treasuries, I bonds, index funds, 401(k)s and Roth IRAs, it is hard to know where to start, and even harder to know whom to trust. This book gives you a calm, step-by-step path from your first emergency fund to your first index fund purchase, in plain English and with real numbers.

You will learn the order of operations that keeps you from being forced to sell at the worst time. You will see exactly how compounding works, with the formula, a worked example and tables calculated for 3%, 5% and 7% over 5 to 30 years. You will understand inflation, why "safe" bond funds can still lose money (with a worked duration example), and why a 1% fee can cost you more than $100,000 over a career.

Each safe tool gets its own chapter: high-yield savings, money market accounts and funds, CDs and CD ladders, Treasury bills, notes and bonds (including the state-tax advantage and TreasuryDirect vs. a brokerage), plus I bonds and TIPS. Then you will learn how a 401(k) match, Traditional vs. Roth, IRAs and a taxable brokerage account fit together.

Finally, you get three sample portfolios for real goals, click-by-click instructions to open an account and place your first order, the 12 mistakes and scams that hurt beginners most, a comparison worksheet and a 30-day action plan. Readers also get free access to our online growth calculator to run their own numbers.

Educational content only, not financial advice. Rules and limits change, and the book shows you where to check them.

What you get:

• The right order: emergency fund, match, debt, then investing
• Compounding tables for 3%, 5% and 7% over 5 to 30 years
• HYSA, money market, CDs, CD ladders, T-bills, I bonds and TIPS compared
• Bond duration and fund fees explained with worked examples
• 401(k) match, Traditional vs. Roth and IRAs made simple
• Three sample portfolios by goal and age, plus rebalancing
• Step-by-step guide to opening an account and buying your first fund
• Comparison worksheet, 30-day action plan and a free growth calculator

Instant PDF download. Read on any phone, tablet or computer.