The Smartest Portfolio You'll Ever Own: A Do-It-Yourself Breakthrough Strategy Paperback – September 4, 2012

This author writes in a straight forward easy to comprehend style and makes a very compelling case as to why Passive Index Investing using low cost index funds from Vanguard or Schwab that include diversifying using different asset classes such as Total US Market, Large Cap, Small Cap, Europe, REITS, Pacific, Short Duration Bonds, Emerging Markets, etc. and re-balancing once or twice a year is for the vast majority of retail investors is the only sure way to most closely match the market benchmarks such as the S&P 500. I just wish I would have become familiar with this strategy 25 years ago. You can use this strategy by purchasing either Index Funds such as ETF's in your non- retirement account and Index Fund Mutual Funds in your retirement accounts. Begin by determining your risk profile such as 40% Bonds and 60% stocks, diversify using the asset classes, buy and hold, and re-balance. This author is a terrific writer and his series of books - the Smartest... are all very noteworthy.Every new and experienced investor should read this book. It is a real eye-opener. You will learn that even the professional money managers are unable to consistently pick winning stocks and time the market. So if they can not successfully match or beat the market benchmarks, how in the world can a retail investor? That is why purchasing low cost Index ETF or Mutual Funds are the best way to manage risk and diversify by purchasing the entire market within each asset class. You must read this book and his previous book "The Smartest Investment Book You'll Ever Read!A terrific web site that I used to further educate myself on Index Investing is the website for Index Fund Advisors located in Newport Beach, CA which will manage your portfolio for you using the Index Fund strategy discussed in this book. IFA manages a portfolio of over 1.8 Billion dollars. Take a look at their website, it is very detailed and quite impressive.I purchased this book used in hardback from an Amazon re-seller at 60% the suggested price of the book!

A few years ago I read Solin's The Smartest Investment Book You'll Ever Read. It was an easy read with extraordinarily good charts and graphs. I already had some experience investing along very similar lines using Vanguard, and this book really encouraged me to keep going in this direction. Soon after reading the book I took on the responsibility of managing my elderly parents' finances. The Solin book was the core of the strategy, and provided a convenient tool for me to communicate with the family.Recently I bought his new book, The Smartest Portfolio You'll Ever Own. It adds some fresh dimensions to the content in the other book and I am currently adjusting my portfolios accordingly. I have a website where I will soon add a section on Personal Finance. I will definitely encourage visitors to my site to purchase this latest book.Great book. Well worth the read!

This is book is essential for all mutual fund investors. Especially for those just out of college. Easy to read, easy to understand and easy to classify as one of the best ever books for those that want to avoid the high fees charged by the financial services industry. His recommendation for an :"index fund portfolio" works. After investing on my own for over 35 years, I discovered what I had been doing is exactly what Dan Solin was recommending is exactly what I had been doing for years. In fact, this is but one of his really well written books on investing and personal finance.

It's a very good book to get you started with investments. It teaches the value of diversification and asset allocation which is 95% of your returns. The media and Wall Street want to confuse investors and make them think they can stock pick and market time, which couldn't be farther from the truth. Investing for the long term and staying invested is the only way to go. The only thing to add is rebalancing. You have to keep your risk levels in check. That in essence is buying low and selling high.

This book is a great read for everyone who wants to start investing in the stock market, it will help you see the true aspect of investing, what to avoid and what to do. It is written in a simple way and gives the reader a clear message on how to see stock market investing and what to expect from it. I recommend this book to all new investors out there!

The information in this book is very timely, and accurate. The information he gives you will be very valuable, no matter if your new to trading, mutual funds, or any type of financial investment. He also gives you actual funds to invest in. I tailored my portfolio after his ideas and which funds he invest in and it has worked out great, Took me to a well balanced position, I quit losing money and now am making money, I am thankful. Good book, good job.Jerry N.

this book provides the reader with a plan for investment in the stock market that stresses diversification and turning ones money over to mutual fund managers . diversification is obtained by buying different types of mutual funds and then letting the fund managers handle everything . model mutual fund portfolios are suggested to fit the various objectives of investors as it pertains to their age , risk tolerance level , etc .personally , i do not like this approach to investing , and prefer to read quarterly and annual reports and then buy individual ownership in companies that meet my investment criteria . however , if you are intimidated by the stock market , the author's approach may have some merit .

This guy is terrific. Each chapter is 3-4 pages long and focuses on a single point which is emphasized in bold-faced typed at the end. Solin's work is grounded in extremely well-seleted details and evidence without ever becoming bogged down the way some books on investment do. The book also contains a glossary with clear definitions of all those aracane terms you thought you'd never understand.