The Buckets of Money Retirement Solution: The Ultimate Guide to Income for Life

Investors, shell-shocked by the "Great Recession" of 2008-2009, are looking for answers, for something fresher than the old 'buy-and-hold' mantra. They hunger for stability, yet yearn for growth to rejuvenate their battered portfolios.

Ray Lucia's The Buckets of Money Retirement Solution: The Ultimate Guide to Income for Life provides just that―a reassuring and scientifically proven strategy that gives investors both growth and income.

Lucia, a Certified Financial Planner who's helped thousands of people invest more than $2 billion, explains how to spend down 'safe' buckets (containing, for example, Treasuries, CDs, bonds), while leaving a riskier bucket (real estate, stocks and alternative investments) to grow long-term. This strategy shields investors from the short-term ups and downs of the market. And it gives them the courage and discipline to stay invested no matter what the future holds.

Written in a breezy, accessible style and loaded with tons of examples and clear, specific calculations, the book explains how to set your financial goals, divvy up your money accordingly, and then invest intelligently. With this book as your guide, readers will learn how to achieve both income and growth while at the same time reducing risk. "All in all," Lucia writes, "this plan is akin to a sports car that seats six, approximating the best of both worlds. In this case by being a conservative strategy that’s also growth-oriented."

Almost every kind of investment―stocks, bonds, commodities, real estate―plunged in the past year or two, turning off millions of investors who'd been planning for and counting on a reasonably comfortable retirement. These retirees or near-retirees need solutions ... something fresher than the old 'buy-and-hold' mantra. Yet here's what they hear from the financial-services industry: Set up an asset-allocation model, then take a systematic withdrawal to support your retirement ... remembering, of course, to rebalance the accounts to remain in sync with the model. Wrong! That maximizes the advisors' fees but doesn't protect the investors' assets during the tough times.

RAYMOND J. LUCIA is one of the nation's leading authorities on financial, tax, and retirement planning. Over the course of his 36-year career in the financial services industry, Lucia, a Certified Financial Planner^®, has helped thousands of people invest more than $2 billion using his renowned Buckets of Money^® retirement strategy. Registered Rep. magazine named Lucia one of the "10 Best Brokers in America." Lucia is the host of the nationally syndicated Ray Lucia Show on Business TalkRadio Network, and is a frequent guest on Fox News, Fox Business, CNBC, and the Today show. He is also a local business editor on TV stations in his hometown of San Diego.

DALE FETHERLING has written or coauthored more than fifteen nonfiction books, and has also taught writing and editing at five colleges and universities.