I like to start off the New Year with a financial book, and this year’s installment came by way of a Christmas present from my sister-in-law.

JL Collins (no relation) is a retiree turned writer living in New Hampshire. He wrote a series of letters to his young adult daughter, seeking to pass on the financial lessons he painfully learned in his life. Collins did this because he wanted to pass on this knowledge, but his daughter not wasn’t yet interested in personal finance. That series became popular among self-educated individual investors and Collins expanded the material into a book.

The central thesis is that most retirement financial products are meant to be sold. They make money for the salesman and brokers and little for the investor. The reality is that most investors can reach wealth using simple, low-cost index funds. More than that, they’ll spend less in fees, have a less complex financial life, and outperform any of the other products being sold to them.

It was a refreshing read and a plan that’s validated when using historical market returns. Collins has a warm, friendly writing style. He really does just want to help his readers avoid the financial bruises that can make a major dent in assets at retirement.

Would I recommend: YES

ISBN: 978-1533667922