Retirementology (PDF)

"A superb introduction to the necessary financial planning no American over 40 can afford to ignore."

Publishers Weekly

"It's time for many individual investors to make some hard choices. Baby Boomers are learning to deal with the fact that they really can't have it all--at least not all at once. Retirementology is a great guide to helping them think through their plans for living, saving, and spending."

Marion Asnes, Editor in Chief, Financial Planning magazine

"Retirementology applies behavioral finance to retirement planning and finds we all could be doing a lot better when it comes to making decisions about retirement. But don't despair: Not only does Dr. Salsbury crisply describe our self-destructive financial behavior, he offers much more--namely, ways we can improve financial decisions. The book is a real contribution to both behavioral finance and the field of retirement planning."

David Adler, author of Snap Judgment

"Retirementology is an entertaining, yet sobering, journey through the cognitive errors and social biases harming our current and future lifestyles. Dr. Salsbury's book is not just for retirees or those soon to retire--the earlier you read it, the better you can live!"

John Nofsinger, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Finance, Washington State University, and author of The Psychology of Investing

Looking ahead to retirement? Depending on your circumstances and your age, you may no longer have any margin for error. And your emotions and irrational behavior could be perpetuating a dangerous cycle of overspending and rising debt that may shatter whatever vision of retirement you still have. Welcome to the world of Retirementology.

Retirementology bridges retirement planning with investor psychology and the market Meltdown of 2008 to produce an entirely new way of thinking about how we spend, how we save, how we borrow, and how we invest. Financial mistakes are deeply rooted in human nature, but you may be able to overcome them--if you understand the breakthrough principles of behavioral economics and apply them in your own retirement planning.

Dr. Gregory Salsbury identifies some of the classic cognitive biases and behavioral mistakes most of us keep making when it comes to retirement planning. For example: Why will people drive 45 minutes to use a $2.00 coupon? Why won't people sell a poor performing stock just because they inherited it from grandma? Why do people spend differently with a credit card than they do with cash? Why do people believe that they paid no income taxes because they received a refund? You'll learn why the financial meltdown has amplified the impact of these all-too-human cognitive mistakes and discover ideas for addressing them.

The bottom line for your bottom line is that retirement can no longer be ignored, viewed as a single event, relegated to a "zone," or romanticized. Instead, you must understand how every spending and financial decision you make from here on can impact the way you will spend your golden years. Retirementology attempts to help you do just that.

Retirement planning: right brain versus left brain

Why these different areas of the brain impact financial decisions--and what to do about it

It's real money! "De-layering" your finances

How to overcome the psychological tricks that separate you from your money

Family matters: managing financial support decisions for your extended family

Choosing between your family or your retirement

Get "long-term smart"

How longevity, inflation, volatility, and your own expectations impact your retirement goals