Roadmap to Retirement Security

About the Book

This book won't waste your time. It explains the fundamentals leading to investment success while avoiding the all-too-common "dumbed-down" information that just tells readers what they already know. Sophisticated concepts like "marked-to-market" and "the snapback phenomenon" and "Modern Portfolio Theory" are some of the book's themes that can lead to confidence and success as investors. For retirees, the book's purpose is to provide a do-it-yourself course of action allowing for an "end-run" around the financial services industry with the latter's excessive costs --- costs that eat up what could otherwise have been more retirement income. Knowing how to effectively self-manage assets and implement a mix of cost-effective investments is a critical skill for retirees. Understanding and applying some simple basics will deliver the most on-going income while still combating the disasterous effects of inflation.

About the Author

Steve Butler is the founder and CEO of Pension Dynamics Corporation --- a San Francisco Bay Area retirement plan consulting and administration company established in 1980. He is the author of two books, “The Decision-makers’ Guide to 401(k) Plans” and its sequel, “401(k) Today.” For fifteen years, he has been a weekly columnist for the Bay Area News Group. His column entitled “Steve Butler Retirement Planner,” is in twenty regional newspapers and has a readership of over 3 million. One reader summed up the long-term popularity of Butler’s entertaining columns by writing, “Considering your subject matter, I find your columns surprisingly pleasant to read.” Others cite how much they have learned over the years. This unbroken string of over 800 weekly columns has imparted invaluable, unbiased financial advice to those saving for retirement. Also served are those in retirement who are struggling to stretch their resources to meet spending needs. Mr. Butler’s “jaundiced view” of the established financial community offers a refreshing, unbiased analysis of self-serving recommendations that pass for “financial advice” from today’s giant institutional money management firms. “Caveat Emptor” or “Buyer Beware” are recurring themes in much of what Mr. Butler explores each week. His primary strength, however, is the ability to explain complex financial concepts in easy-to-understand language. Prior to his focus on educating 401(k) participants and retirees, Mr. Butler developed the “Butler Index” which was a measurement of hidden costs in 401(k) plans. This work was the subject of numerous articles in major national news outlets such as the Wall Street Journal and New York Times. It culminated in a coveer article in MONEY magazine entitled, “Beware --- Retirement Plan Rip-off.” Following this publicity, Steve Butler testified in hearings at the U.S. Department of Labor as well as before the Congressional Committee on Education and Labor. The result was new legislation, in 2012, requiring the disclosure of otherwise hidden fees. Mr. Butler appeared on CBS News with Tom Brokaw and was interviewed on National Public Radio at the time. A Graduate of Harvard College (BA, Class of ‘66) Mr. Butler then attended the University of California at Berkeley Graduate School of Business Administration. He served as an officer in the Army Medical Services Corps during the Vietnam Era. He is a jazz musician (bass violin) and sports enthusiast (skiing, golf, sailing, tri-athlete.) He has been married for 40 years and has two grown children.