Pathway to Prosperity: Your Guide to Money and Economics by Mark Lazar

A Clearly Written Comprehensive Guide to Understanding Finance.

This incredibly informative book really is the definitive guide to finance. Mark Lazar is a Certified Financial Planner, and senior vice president of investments for a national wealth management firm, who has not only worked in the industry for twenty-five years but has a Batchelor of Science in Finance, and a MBA.  However, it is his personal experiences watching his parents struggle to make ends meet, and hard personal circumstances, which motivated him to do better. Working from the age of twelve, this self-made man “quickly learnt the correlation between effort and reward and became a millionaire by age forty.” What better recommendation could anyone ask for, when seeking financial advice?

Set out in five sections, beginning with the basics, the author covers important subjects such as balance sheets, cash flow, credit scores and taxes. Then in Section 2, he discusses ‘The Head Versus the Heart,’ getting down to the hard tacks of get rich schemes, education funding, and wants, versus needs. Or as he says “It’s important to understand the difference between essential and non-essential spending: wants versus needs.” These days, pressures such as these are very real and cause great financial hardship. I just loved this excellent quote he used, “Too many people spend money they earned, to buy things they don’t want, to impress people that they don’t like – Will Rogers.”

Then he tackles the ‘big’ financial decision we make during our lives, either alone or with a partner, our home. He advises the reader on how to decide which option would be better for them, to rent, or buy, and mortgage options. Then as life continues, how to plan for the future, investment properties, risk management and onward…

Until, the year’s roll quickly by and you find yourself considering retirement plans, assets, social security, income in retirement, and the many options available to you. Perhaps you would like to know how to work the Stock, or Bond Market. Well, this incredibly knowledgeable author demystifies these, and discusses other options which are available too.

Finally in Section 6: The Big Picture, he provides ‘Economics 101,’ and talks about inflation, deflation, Fiscal Policy and other important subjects.

I hope the author doesn’t mind me quoting this paragraph. “The bad news is there is no magic formula or get- rich-quick scheme. The good news, however, is that by building your wealth the right way—by understanding and incorporating sound financial principles into your everyday life and doing a handful of things a little better—over time you will become financially secure. Furthermore, the very same principles that enable you to achieve prosperity will also ensure you won’t lose it once you have it. For me, it explains perfectly why I believe this book should be on every high school reading list.

I have never read such a comprehensive guide written in such an easy to understand way. Highly recommended!

About the Author:

Born to a blue-collar family, Mark watched his parents’ ongoing struggle to make ends meet. After his parents divorced, Mark lived with his father in a run-down one-bedroom apartment for many years. Rather than discouraging him, these hardships provided motivation to never let the past define his future and to always strive to become better.

Today, Mark is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and senior vice president for a national wealth management firm. He has worked in the investment industry for over twenty-five years, in addition to being an adjunct professor of finance at the University of Utah’s David Eccles School of Business for fifteen years. Mark earned his Bachelor of Science in finance at the University of Utah and his MBA at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs.

Mark lives with his wife, Savina, their two dogs, Molly and Buster, and their cat, Gracie in Salt Lake City, but spend summers at their cabin in northern Idaho. They enjoy hiking, biking, waterskiing, and travel. Mark’s passion is helping others become financially independent.

Start your journey today at pathwaytoprosperity.com.

Author’s Website: https://pathwaytoprosperity.com/

About the Book:

Pathway to Prosperity is a comprehensive financial literacy program that takes the mystery out of money. Investing, credit, budgeting, risk management, taxes, and economics are explained in a practical, easy to understand manner. At the end of the journey, you will have a clear understanding of personal finance that will instill confidence and empower you to make better decisions in your day to day life. Knowledge is power. Take the first step down the path to a brighter tomorrow.

Available from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08K2ZMF2Q/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl...