Review of Reconfigurement
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Nyasha Gogoma
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- Latest Review: Reconfigurement by E. Alan Fleischauer
Review of Reconfigurement
[Following is a volunteer review of "Reconfigurement" by E. Alan Fleischauer.]
Reconfigurement is a financial self-help book by E. Alan Fleischauer, who is a financial advisor by profession. Reconfigurement aims to change people's perceptions of retirement and help them more effectively plan for it. One of the salient messages of the book is that individuals should plan to work in retirement. Fleischauer covers various methods of income generation that retirees may use to fund their living expenses.
The book briefly touches on several retirement strategies in each of its 13 chapters, including government-funded schemes such as social security and Medicare; and private investments such as mutual funds and bonds, to name a few. The author introduces the history of each strategy, explains how it works with pertinent inclusion and exclusion criteria, and mentions common advantages and disadvantages. Throughout, he encourages expert consultation and advice before committing to any option.
As a young person in my late twenties, I am at the terminus a quo of my career. Arguably, retirement is some ways off for me. And yet, early planning for retirement is the very thing that Fleischauer endorses. It is necessary to realize that retirement is not simply about stopping work: it is also about the activities one will pursue after retiring. According to Erikson's Stages of Development, retirement corresponds to the eighth and final stage of life: Integrity vs. Despair. During this stage, people reflect on their life and analyze their choices and actions. The outcome is either integrity from having led a rewarding life or despair from their regrets. Fleischauer alludes to this when he encourages readers to discover and cultivate their interests early in life. Wise and careful planning in youth will most likely lead to a peaceful and fulfilling retirement. Thus, we need to develop hobbies and financial plans in our youth that will set us up for retirement.
I very much enjoyed reading this book. The author took me by surprise when he stated that we should plan to work in retirement; however, after consideration, I realized the truth in the sentiment. I am not American, so some of the government-funded programs mentioned were not immediately applicable to me. Nonetheless, they opened my eyes to the benefits and limitations of relying on the state to provide for my family and me in old age. I also loved the chapters on investment strategies. I have been interested in learning about stocks, bonds, and the like for some time, and this book gave me a good introduction.
I thought the book was well-edited, although I found several grammatical errors toward the end. The financial terms were rather technical; however, the author did his best to explain them. He also routinely broke up the shoptalk with intermittent, if cheesy, jokes. Therefore, I would rate this book 3 out of 4 stars overall.
Reconfigurement is a must-read, and I highly recommend it to any adult. We will all be faced with retirement sooner or later: the best we can do is to be well-equipped for it.
******
Reconfigurement
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Reconfigurement is a financial self-help book by E. Alan Fleischauer, who is a financial advisor by profession. Reconfigurement aims to change people's perceptions of retirement and help them more effectively plan for it. One of the salient messages of the book is that individuals should plan to work in retirement. Fleischauer covers various methods of income generation that retirees may use to fund their living expenses.
The book briefly touches on several retirement strategies in each of its 13 chapters, including government-funded schemes such as social security and Medicare; and private investments such as mutual funds and bonds, to name a few. The author introduces the history of each strategy, explains how it works with pertinent inclusion and exclusion criteria, and mentions common advantages and disadvantages. Throughout, he encourages expert consultation and advice before committing to any option.
As a young person in my late twenties, I am at the terminus a quo of my career. Arguably, retirement is some ways off for me. And yet, early planning for retirement is the very thing that Fleischauer endorses. It is necessary to realize that retirement is not simply about stopping work: it is also about the activities one will pursue after retiring. According to Erikson's Stages of Development, retirement corresponds to the eighth and final stage of life: Integrity vs. Despair. During this stage, people reflect on their life and analyze their choices and actions. The outcome is either integrity from having led a rewarding life or despair from their regrets. Fleischauer alludes to this when he encourages readers to discover and cultivate their interests early in life. Wise and careful planning in youth will most likely lead to a peaceful and fulfilling retirement. Thus, we need to develop hobbies and financial plans in our youth that will set us up for retirement.
I very much enjoyed reading this book. The author took me by surprise when he stated that we should plan to work in retirement; however, after consideration, I realized the truth in the sentiment. I am not American, so some of the government-funded programs mentioned were not immediately applicable to me. Nonetheless, they opened my eyes to the benefits and limitations of relying on the state to provide for my family and me in old age. I also loved the chapters on investment strategies. I have been interested in learning about stocks, bonds, and the like for some time, and this book gave me a good introduction.
I thought the book was well-edited, although I found several grammatical errors toward the end. The financial terms were rather technical; however, the author did his best to explain them. He also routinely broke up the shoptalk with intermittent, if cheesy, jokes. Therefore, I would rate this book 3 out of 4 stars overall.
Reconfigurement is a must-read, and I highly recommend it to any adult. We will all be faced with retirement sooner or later: the best we can do is to be well-equipped for it.
******
Reconfigurement
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: Reconfigurement by E. Alan Fleischauer
