Yes, You Can Get a Financial Life!: Your Lifetime Guide to Financial Planning

by Ben Stein, Phil DeMuth

Life is not lived all at once—it’s lived in moments, days, months, years, and decades. This means that the financial plans and actions we all have to take to meet our responsibilities sensibly must be organized by years and decades. Ben Stein wrote the original guide to this subject almost a quarter century ago. Now, Ben, along with Phil DeMuth, the eminent financial planner and writer, have gotten together to update the book, incorporating the massive changes that have occurred in the economy in the past 25 years. This book tells you what and when to save, how much to save, what to save it in, when to spend, and when to say no to your present and yes to your future. Yes, You Can Get A Financial Life! is a time-traveling guidebook on how to organize the money side of your life for all of the decades of your life.

Genres: Finance, Nonfiction, Personal Finance

206 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

Benjamin Stein is a multifaceted American figure known for his work as a writer, lawyer, actor, comedian, and commentator on politics and economics. He began his public life as a speechwriter for Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford, later gaining widespread recognition in the entertainment world for his deadpan comedic style. Stein became a pop culture icon through his role as the monotone economics teacher in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and as the host of Win Ben Stein’s Money, a game show that earned multiple Emmy Awards. He also played Dr. Arthur Neuman in The Mask and its sequel. A Yale Law School valedictorian, Stein worked as a lawyer for the Federal Trade Commission and taught law and economics at Pepperdine University.
A prolific columnist, Stein has contributed to The American Spectator, Newsmax, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal, among others. His books, often co-authored with Phil DeMuth, address financial planning and economic commentary. In 2008, he wrote and starred in Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed, a controversial documentary criticized for promoting intelligent design.
Politically conservative, Stein has defended Nixon's legacy, expressed strong views on U.S. foreign policy, and advocated higher taxes on the wealthy to support military initiatives and reduce national debt. During the 2008 financial crisis, he came under scrutiny for downplaying early warning signs and misjudging the scale of the economic collapse.
Stein has also had an extensive voice acting and television career, appearing in series such as The Wonder Years, Seinfeld, and Family Guy, and voicing characters in The Fairly OddParents, Rugrats, and Animaniacs. His personal life includes a long-standing marriage to entertainment lawyer Alexandra Denman and homes in California, Idaho, and Washington, D.C. Though often polarizing in his opinions, Stein remains a recognizable figure across political, academic, and entertainment domains.

Reviews

[Jeff Richey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yes, You Can Get a Financial Life was a great read. If you are looking to make sense of how financial choices impact you in different stages of life, then this is the book for you. Each chapter is set up in a way that supports that particular stage of life: whether you are just starting out after college, or you are a 30-year old single mom or a fifty-something family man ready to retire. The format of the book is easy to read and Ben Stein’s voice adds humor to what could be a very dry subject. This book will remain in my library for years to come for review as I continue to meet each new stage in life. For some, this will just be review and supporting information of what they already know, but for others I like that Financial Life suggests that it is never too late to learn, but there are consequences that must be accepted for your late start before you can successfully move forward in getting your family’s finances in order. Highly recommended.

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

I trully wish I had read this when I was in my 20's, and not now that I'm almost 40. No one at home ever told me to save money, and I never had much common sense for money matters, so I barely disciplined myself to save money for any rainy day until my mid 30's. I wish I had known better, but there's no use for regrets now. I have always worked for companies or people that offered no benefits or retirement plans, etc. So I have to be more wise as to how I invest and put my money to work. As I said, I'm not a finances genius and barely can balance my checkbook, but thanks to this book and others I have read I can have a better idea as to how much to save and where to invest it.

The authors of this book give you good advice and hints as to how you should save and invest your money on each decade, as well as how to plan your retirement. If you haven't started don't fret, it's better now than never. Start planning your finances today, no matter how old you are. It's really worth doing so. It will help you sleep better, trust me!

[Natlyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book because it considers the financial case of the single, no children person in her 40s in addition to married with children persons. I read the entire book to understand where it was coming from, so I could judge how to take the advice with regard to my circumstances. Based on my other readings, I believe the advice is sound, albeit a bit conservative. It didn't make me feel like a loser if I couldn't/hadn't stocked away $1 million by 40; nor did it imply I might as well not bother doing anything now if I wasn't at the recommended age:savings ratio because it was already too late. Instead it explained what one could do and how to go about deciding what to do.

I feel a lot calmer now not only about my current financial status but also about making future financial decisions.

[Lindsay · Rating 2 out of 5]

The financial information on planning and retirement were truly helpful. However, some of this information, particularly the parts pertaining to healthcare and higher education, are outdated in light of the recession of 2008 and the implementation of Obamacare. Though the information within the book was quite valuable, after a while it became difficult for me to read the book with blind trust in the authors. Many of their comments are too biased for a book that would better serve the public if the tone remained objective.

[Jane · Rating 3 out of 5]

i really wish this book was around when i was a teenager. i probably would only have picked it up because ben stein was on the cover, but it does have a wealth of information broken down from your teens until your retirement and would have been a great financial life primer. being as i am in my 30's and read so many personal finance books, it was not as helpful to me personally. i still enjoyed reading it, thinking of his monotone voice in my head.

[Alice · Rating 4 out of 5]

Why did I give this book 4 stars? Because it efficiently, simply lays out by each decade what the most important things one should be doing or have done. I really liked the 2nd Chapter addressed to those just starting out in the work world; great advice.

[Kent · Rating 3 out of 5]

also a lot of data, but more usable information

[Lonnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good guide to retirement investing based on your age. Easy read for those of us who know nothing about investing.

[Chase Campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Genuinely enlightening. And boy, did I need it.

[Rich · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the fast read, and straight forward advice. No fluff, and a keeper as you age through the decades to make sure you are on track with goals and expectations.

[Kathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is wonderful. And no, I'm not just saying that because it was my brother who gave it to me.

[Angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was the second time I had read this book and I had a hard time concentrating. There was plenty of advice and resources though.

[Kyle Hunter · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve read this a couple times and just recently finished it again. I like how it breaks down how you should approach different decades in your life. The authors’ approach is filtered through the mindset of helping you earn, spend, and invest wisely to maintain your highest possible standard of living throughout your life. While much advice seems common sense, there are many non-financial life tips that can help you succeed financially. Now in my 40’s after saving heavily and investing for many years, this book was reassuring that I’m on track to have a financially stable retirement.

[Nathan · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you have your financial house in some semblance of order, you probably won't find a whole lot of use in here. For me, the main takeaways were the suggestions and tables for calculating retirement savings. Post-2008 housing crisis, advice on homeownership should probably be taken with a grain of salt, and I would be interested to see what the authors would say if they released an updated edition.

[Isaiah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book!

Basically, it's a bible for anyone who believes in financial freedom.
Easy to read, lots of analogies and some good humor as well.
Great read, very mind blowing facts, overall I rate it 5 out of 5, there was a reason why my dentist recommended this to me.

[Sherry Lynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Did not finish. Misplaced book