Getting an Investing Game Plan: Creating It, Working It, Winning It (Hardcover)

~ Vern C. Hayden (Author), Maura Webber (Author), Jamie Heller (Author) "In late 2001 I received a call from a woman named Debbie..." (more)
Key Phrases: investing game plan, investing style box, fund fever, Uncle John, First Eagle, Harbor Bond (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Praise for Getting an Investing Game Plan

"I think you’ll find this book valuable. It’s full of great ideas and tangible examples that will show you how to craft a sensible investment plan."
–From the Foreword by Don Phillips, Managing Director, Morningstar, Inc.

"This is the best book on investing that I have seen in my over 40 years in the investment management business. Vern Hayden provides time-tested strategies and tactics that will enable all investors to play and win the investing game."
–Donald R. Pitti, a founder and past Chairman, Financial Planning Association, and Founding Director, Financial Services Institute, St. John’s University

"This resource is more than a guide to financial planning. It’s a road map drawn by an experienced, savvy traveler who knows where the best sights are as well as the potholes and tourist traps. The authors are particularly helpful in explaining not just what the first steps are, but how to put one foot in front of the other. A blue-chip guide to financial security."
–Dan Miller, Business Editor, Chicago Sun-Times

"Vern is one of the true gentlemen of financial planning. Experienced, passionate, and committed, in Getting an Investing Game Plan, Vern graciously shares his experience and wisdom with the reader. It’s a wonderful book; ‘The Hayden Playbook’ alone makes it worth owning."
–Harold Evensky, CFP, Chairman, Evensky, Brown & K

From the Inside Flap

Over the years, countless investors have lost far more than they should have during a variety of market downturns. Events such as the bursting of the tech bubble and the wave of corporate scandals have led to investor woes, but it’s the absence of an investing game plan that has made things even worse. This lack of personal financial guidance leaves many investors scrambling to figure out what they should do after the fact, instead of planning ahead of time.

But exactly what is an investing game plan and how can you go about getting one? In Getting an Investing Game Plan, Certified Financial Planner Vern Hayden answers these and other important investment questions, guiding you through a ten-step process that will help you clarify your goals, create a game plan, and stay the course.

In a straightforward and accessible manner, Getting an Investing Game Plan explains why you need a game plan for both wealth creation and wealth preservation, and clearly outlines the components of a successful investing game plan. Shaped from the experiences gained in the mud of the marketplace as well as stories of real investors, these proven steps will help you get your investing house in order–whether you’re starting fresh or starting over. You will learn about:

• Getting into the game plan mindset–remaining committed, consistent, and courageous
• Knowing your risk tolerance and goals
• Understanding diversification (stocks, bonds, cash)
• Structuring a portfolio that suits you–conservative, moderate, aggressive, and the bunker portfolio
• Picking the right fund for your allocation needs and your financial goals
• Listening to select professionals
• Reviewing your game plan periodically
• And much more

After reviewing the ten steps to creating an investing game plan, you should feel ready to manage your own plan. But if you’re concerned that you might need some help, this comprehensive guide can show you how to find the help you need. Getting an Investing Game Plan includes a chapter focused solely on how to seek and size up a worthy financial advisor to manage your plan.

What matters most in achieving financial success is not how well you play any single round of the investment game, but whether you have a well-thought-out and complete investing game plan. Regardless of age or income, an investing game plan will help you achieve consistent returns on your investments, while making sure you don’t lose a bundle. With this book as your guide, you will learn how to create an investing game plan that will last a lifetime.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 1 edition (March 14, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0471263923
• ISBN-13: 978-0471263920
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,301,883 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Practical Advice on Investing Hits the Mark, August 11, 2003

By	L. Masonson (Monroe, New York USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Vern Hayden, CFP, is a frequent guest on CNBC. Unlike most guests he consistently provides useful down-to-earth advice to viewers. He has come to the realization that blind buy-and-hold investing is no longer a valid approach. He now believes "that radical market fluctuations sometimes demand radical action...there are not only times when you shouldn't buy and hold funds, but also times when you'll need to adjust your allocation." It's refreshing to hear the "truth" about buy and hold from an investment professional rather than get the party line from the always-bullish Wall Street crowd.

Hayden's book, his first, hits the nail on the head and clearly delineates a ten-step investing plan, each of which is explained in a separate chapter. His ten principles include:
- Don't Lose Your Principal
- Set Your Own Benchmark
- Buy and Watch Your Portfolio
- Have an Investing Defense and Offense
- Consider Risk And Return
- Keep Learning
- Avoid Sector Funds
- Track Your Performance
- Be a Professional or Get One

He methodically leads the reader through the key steps needed to become a successful investor. Hayden supplements his advice with appropriate exhibits to emphasis his key points.

In conclusion, Hayden has written a comprehensive, step-by-step investing approach that can greatly benefit serious investors - if they not only read his book but also actually do what he says. Over the past 40 years I've read over 500 books on investing, and this one makes my "top 10" list for its practical advice. I urge you to read this book and benefit from the wisdom of a "true" Wall Street" professional.

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A good primer, May 10, 2003

By	Howard A. Bernstein (Herndon, VA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is a good book for learning both do it yourself asset allocation and for setting reasonable goals for one's portfolio. Hayden stresses knowing your risk tolerance first rather than looking for returns first. As Will Rogers said: "I'm more concerned with the return of my money than the return on my money."