Review of Reconfigurement

[Donna Walker]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Reconfigurement" by E. Alan Fleischauer.]

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5 out of 5 stars

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This book is focused on planning ahead, working a job you love, and having fun before you retire. Reconfigurement is an extremely witty, informative, and knowledgeable book by E. Alan Fleischauer, who is a Certified Financial Planner®, a Chartered Financial Consultant®, a Chartered Life Underwriter®, and a Retirement Income Certified Professional®. He also has an MBA and a Master of Science in Financial Services, so you can be assured that this book is giving the correct advice. This is something I deem rather important when discussing complex subjects like this one. The author also manages to keep you engaged throughout what can be a rather drab subject with his continuous dad jokes and witty flair.
 
Reconfigurement covers everything from your income being affected by possible career changes later in life to planning for retirement. This is accomplished by discussing all of the tools at your disposal, such as various insurance policies, Social Security, investment options, 401(k) and IRAs, Medicare and Medicaid, the potential need for long-term care, wills and trusts, and even death costs. Fleischauer covers all of these subjects in a way that is easily understandable for the average layman and delivered in a humorous manner.
 
While I feel that other books on this subject are very expansive and much more informative, this one adequately covers the basics, which I feel is essential to be able to understand prior to meeting with your financial advisor, retirement planner, and tax advisor. Before you put together your affairs, you need to understand the jargon. This is a book to read in order to gain the basic knowledge of a very complex system so that you can discuss it at length with professionals such as your retirement planner and actually have a clue as to what they are talking about!
 
As a person with dual citizenship in the UK and USA, I found this book to be highly informative. I’ve always been perplexed by how little my American friends know about retirement plans and how few of them have actually considered retirement at all! According to the book, the actual statistic is that 60% of Americans have no retirement plan at all! You read that right! 60%! It's almost as if they magically think money will come to them when they retire! I have also noticed that many Americans are oblivious to the fact that they are very likely to live too long and run out of money. This scary fact is one of many covered in this book.
 
The only negative thing I can say about this book is that it would have been really nice to have some kind of glossary at the back. Having not been born in the USA, the plentiful abbreviations, some of which are undefined, can get a little confusing. All of the statistics and jokes used were referenced.
 
I liked how the first few chapters of Reconfigurement focused on doing work you enjoy rather than working a job you despise for a living. I feel that this is very relevant in these post-Covid times, where many people are now looking for options to change careers or even work from home for a better work-life balance. I loved the links to the personality, work values, and aptitude tests. I did them all!
 
This is an exceptionally well-edited book. I found zero errors. I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars because, for such a dull subject, I actually found it a rather enjoyable and informative read.
 
I would highly recommend Reconfigurement to anyone over the age of 30 who plans on living life the right way so they can enjoy life prior to retirement and have their finances organised with all of the various government plans available to them in place so that retirement can also be enjoyable and free from money worry. Even if you are already well versed on the subject of retirement plans, this book will still be of value to you as it is very current and will probably remind you of something you may have overlooked. This book is full of invaluable information. Lastly, if you are over 50 and do not yet have retirement figured out, this book can help you reset your life. It's never too late!

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Reconfigurement
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[Hazel Mae Bagarinao]

Though the book is very suited for retiring individuals, I see that young ones will benefit from the book as well because they will plan for their retirement ahead of time. Your review is great!

[Ben Madeley]

I read this book too and I agree that the author was able to make it surprisingly interesting considering the subject matter.

[Nisha DSouza]

Generally, I would find finance-related topics a bit boring. But after reading your review, I think I might read it. Although I know it is better suited for an American citizen, I'm hoping it has basic financial advice for non-American readers as well. Nice review.

[Donna Walker]

Generally, I would find finance-related topics a bit boring. But after reading your review, I think I might read it. Although I know it is better suited for an American citizen, I'm hoping it has basic financial advice for non-American readers as well. Nice review.

I am British and live in Mexico and Florida. I travel constantly between the two places for work, and I can say that I certainly benefited from some of the good advice in this book. Although much of it is American-based, it is far from a dull read. Dad jokes galore! haha.

[Donna Walker]

I read this book too and I agree that the author was able to make it surprisingly interesting considering the subject matter.

I know right! I never thought a book on finances could be enjoyable to read.

[Nisha DSouza]

Generally, I would find finance-related topics a bit boring. But after reading your review, I think I might read it. Although I know it is better suited for an American citizen, I'm hoping it has basic financial advice for non-American readers as well. Nice review.

I am British and live in Mexico and Florida. I travel constantly between the two places for work, and I can say that I certainly benefited from some of the good advice in this book. Although much of it is American-based, it is far from a dull read. Dad jokes galore! haha.

That's good to know. I guess, the Dad jokes add to the fun element of the book. I have this on my "To read" list and will get to it soon. Thanks for your response, Donna.

[Donna Walker]

I read this book too and I agree that the author was able to make it surprisingly interesting considering the subject matter.

I think that's a very skillful thing for an author to do when writing about a somewhat boring subject matter.

[Donna Walker]

Though the book is very suited for retiring individuals, I see that young ones will benefit from the book as well because they will plan for their retirement ahead of time. Your review is great!

Most certainly. This book is suitable for all. It amazes me how few younger adults have even considered retirement plans.

[Precious Son]

Reconfigurement' by E.A. Fleischauer is a mind-bending exploration of virtual realities and their implications on human existence. The author's ability to create a believable and immersive world is truly remarkable.

[Benny Rach]

The book's emphasis on the value of early preparation for retirement is a key takeaway for readers looking to secure their financial future.