Review of Reconfigurement

[Hazel Arnaiz]

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

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5 out of 5 stars

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Staying ahead of a successful career is an incredible challenge. Keeping up with the workload requires devoting a hefty chunk of the waking hours at the workplace. Personal and family time and the much-needed and deserved rest typically take a backseat. The lack of balance between work and personal life is physically and mentally draining and hinders pursuing other dreams. And so, retirement sounds like an attractive phase of life. Life slows down, and there is time to relax. The pace of the journey to the later years is in your hands. There is a chance to recover lost time with loved ones. You can now travel and explore other interests. It is the ideal life. But as the retirement years draw nearer, reality hits. You will still pay the bills. And as you age, health concerns will be a priority. Have you ever considered how to sustain your daily needs and still have enough funds for your wants in your senior years? Achieving the dream lifestyle during retirement is possible through careful and thoughtful planning. It is what Reconfigurement by E. Alan Fleischauer is all about.

With his numerous years of experience in the financial industry, the author presents a practical and relevant approach to retirement. He believes the changing world needs a fresh perspective in preparing for the later years. The strategy is to reconfigure one's life. To reconfigure means planning ahead. There is no need to wait for a certain age to start the plan. A steady income, the right career, and familiarity with the available financial products and programs are essential factors.

The book is a concise guide to planning for retirement. It builds up the idea in a logical manner. The presentation is very friendly to almost everyone. It is straightforward, which makes it easy to absorb. There are enough explanations and brief histories to give a background. Relevant financial jokes provide entertaining short breaks. The discussion begins with the source of funding retirement, which is income. Next is establishing secure finances, which is having the right career. Finally, the identification of other sources of funds concludes the discussion. The informative book thoughtfully includes several career and personality tests complete with their corresponding online links. The author encourages the readers to take these evaluations to discover a career suitable to their unique personality. Taking these exercises is what I liked best. The financial products and programs in the book are both from the government and the private sector. The book presents a balanced discussion by amply providing their advantages and disadvantages. It allows the audience to choose from available options that best fit their needs and circumstances. Likewise, the author generously shares a hand-picked list of supplemental reading materials.

There is nothing I disliked in the book. Although the financial programs and products are specific to the United States, the practical strategy is still helpful to those outside the country. The specific programs and products are good starting points to check whatever is available in other regions. Also, they are references for comparison.

The direct words, the conversational language, and the comic timing of the jokes complement delivering a casual reading experience. There are a handful of editing errors, but they are not distracting. Since retirement is inevitable for most of the population, this book is for everyone. Financial literacy should start early, but the contents are suitable for readers from age sixteen and above. Likewise, it is a good reading assignment for the graduating class. The fundamental lesson about finding a career with retirement years in mind helps plan a path after graduation.

The book enthusiastically promotes financial literacy. It is informative but casually packaged to influence a broader audience. The familiar and relatable examples have a strong recall. These contributing factors undoubtedly deserve a rating of five out of five.

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Reconfigurement
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[Benny Rach]

One of the book's strengths is its discussion of important subjects like health insurance, disability insurance, and career planning, providing readers with a holistic view of retirement planning.