Description:
Sound advice for investors looking to beat today's markets

Wall Street speaks in tongues–and it does it on purpose! The pundits have their own "language" and they like it that way because it allows them to control the markets. Well, no more! Break Down Your Money will decode Wall Street's gibberish, help investors understand what the pros are talking about, and allow them to use that information to make smart investing decisions. Filled with funny anecdotes, simple strategies, and quick tips, Break Down Your Money offers savvy financial advice for both beginners and those with some investing experience. Written by well-known financial columnist and Fox Business Correspondent Tracy Byrnes, this book covers a wide range of topics, including the ins and outs of stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and ETFs; how to read a financial statement; how mergers and acquisitions affect investors' positions; how to react (or not react) to external factors that affect the markets; and how to build a portfolio. With this book as their guide, those looking to invest for success will discover exactly what it takes to make it in today's markets. 

Tracy Byrnes (Wayne, NJ) has been a financial journalist for over ten years, covering tax, accounting, and personal finance issues. She is currently an on-air correspondent for the Fox Business Network. Prior to that, she wrote weekly finance columns for the New York Post and TheStreet.com, where she also did daily videos for the Web site, and was a regular guest on numerous financial television shows. Before diving into journalism, Byrnes spent five years as a senior accountant with Ernst & Young LLP. Byrnes has an MBA in accounting from Rutgers University and a bachelor of arts in economics and English from Lehigh University.

Table of Contents:
Foreword.
Acknowledgments.
Introduction.
Part One. Be an Owner, Not an Employee.
Chapter 1. To Market To Market, to Buy a… What?
So What Exactly is the Stock Market?
Buy a Stock and Become a Restaurateur.
Look to the Indices for the Scoop on the Market.
Wrap Up.
Chapter 2. The Lamborghini Murciélago LP640 Roadster.
A Lifetime of Dividends.
The Derivation of Dividend.
Dissecting a Dividend's Date.
Rev the Engine with Some Ratios.
Drive through the Financials.
It's All About the Little Things.
Get To Know a DRIP (Dividend Reinvestment Program).
What's a DRIP?
Of Course, the Company Benefits Too.
So How Do You Find a DRIP?
DRIP Downers.
Wrap Up.
Chapter 3. Bond, James Bond. Bond with the Family.
The Mature Bond.
A Bond's Yield.
Wrap-Up.
Chapter 4. Mutual Funds and ETFs.
For Folks on the Go.
Mutual Funds: Funds for Kegs.
Mixing in Exchange-Traded Funds.
Wrap-Up.
Part Two. Look under the Hood.
Chapter 5. Navigating the Financial Statement.
Your CliffsNotes Guide.
Find the Financials (Hint: They're in the Annual Report).
Where to Begin.
Wrap Up.
Chapter 6. Auditing Your Potential Investment.
Open the Company Checkbook: The Balance Sheet.
Check the Company Report Card: The Income Statement.
Wrap-Up.
Chapter 7. Cash Is the Real Deal.
Earnings Reports Are Not.
Find Your Two Dollars on the Cash Flow Statement.
Earnings Release: The Ultimate Optimist.
Wrap-Up.
Chapter 8. Breakfast with the Federal Reserve.
Getting the Economic Porridge “Just Right”.
Where Did the Fed Come From, and Why Do We Need It?
Inflation: Bad for the Porridge and the Economy.
Recession: Bad for Your Hairline and (Again) the Economy.
How the Fed Keeps the Porridge “Just Right”.
Adjusting Interest Rates: The Long, Slow Simmer.
Testing the Porridge.
Wrap-Up.
Part Three. Decisions, Decisions.
Chapter 9. Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?
Growth, Value, and Momentum Stocks.
Growth Stocks: Hidden Gems.
Value Stocks: 'Till Death Do Us Part.
Momentum Stocks: One Night Stands.
Wrap-Up.
Chapter 10. Evaluating Cars and Stocks.
Price-to-Earnings Ratio.
Price-to-Book Ratio.
Growth Rate.
Knowing What's Important: A Case-by-Case Decision.
Hard to Get Good Help.
Wrap Up.
Chapter 11. The Ins and Outs of IPOs.
Pop Goes the IPO.
A Beneficial Blow.
Knowing when to Make the Move from Public to Private.
Take That IPO on the Road.
Sorting through the S-1.
Getting a Ticket to the Hottest Party in Town.
Leave the Stock, Take the Fund.
Wrap-Up.
Chapter 12. Options and Futures.
An Introduction to Options.
Check the Expiration Date: Options Expiration Week.
Use the Futures Market to Foresee Market.
Wrap-Up.
Chapter 13. Bringing It All Together.
1. Be Specific About Your Goals.
2. Spread the Risk Around.
3. Don't Marry Your Holdings.
4. Do Your Homework.
5. Don't Forget to Pay Uncle Sam.
Wrap Up.
Appendix: Resources.
About the Author.
Index.