Crashproof Your Life : A Comprehensive, Three-Part Plan for Protecting Yourself from Financial Disasters

by Thomas A. Schweich

Protect your financial future against virtually every form of unforeseen disaster "Everyone should read [Crashproof Your Life]."­­John C. Danforth, former U.S. senator (R-Missouri) "Provocative and eye-opening . . ."­­Inside Business In these economic times, Americans need to protect themselves from professional, financial, and personal disaster. In his many years as a partner in a major international law firm, attorney Thomas Schweich has seen hundreds of people, from all walks of life, ruined by unexpected financial mistakes. Now, in Crashproof Your Life, Schweich shares with readers the fruits of his experience guiding victims of financial disaster. He has developed a comprehensive three-part "crashproofing" plan for avoiding most types of professional, fiscal, and personal disasters. Readers get solid advice on how to protect themselves against layoffs and workplace traumas; how to control wasteful spending habits and avoid financial scams; and how to close insurance loopholes and ensure that friends and family don't deplete their hard-earned savings.

322 pages, Paperback

First published December 3, 2001

Reviews

[Derek · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was written in 2001 and I read it in 2013, and much has changed in the past 12 years. Ignoring that, however, I still didn't like the book. I expected a book that would tell me the perfect combination of professional conduct, financial planning, insurance, legal preparation, etc in order to make my life "crashproof" and watertight. Instead, the book contains basic definitions and rudimentary concepts, but offers no comprehensive plan or specific strategy (except regarding basic savings).

PROFESSIONAL CRASHPROOFING

This section highlights some obvious things you should and should not do at the office. It just seemed like overkill to me. The author suggests never visiting a website for personal reasons while at work. I don't believe there's any person in any company today who follows that rule. Similar "unattainable" and frankly overkill suggestions were included in this section. I don't want to throw the baby out with the bath water, but many of the suggestions in this section were cautious on the verge of paranoia.

FINANCIAL CRASHPROOFING

I was expecting an action plan or focus on things that could go wrong and how to prepare for them, but all this section contained was Saving 101. Most of the advice was relevant (although the section on home equity and real estate would probably be very different were it written today).

AVOIDING PERSONAL LIABILITY

There is a story of a woman in a car accident and her ensuing lawsuit in the intro to the book and the intro to the chapter. My assumption would be that the book would explain how she could have avoided the financial disaster that followed through specific insurance and planning. It didn't, at least not to my satisfaction.

[Salsabrarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Useful for any adult but especially young adults embarking on careers and independent lives. Very readable, not at all dry, and above all, sensible! Ideal gift for the self-directed, forward-looking college grad.