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You Can Retire Sooner Than You Think: The 5 Money Secrets of the Happiest Retirees Kindle Edition

4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 788 ratings

From Wes Moss--named by Barron's as one of America's top financial advisors



"The keys that Wes Moss identifies to having a happy retirement are simple but brilliant. Read this book." -- Clark Howard, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Living Large in Lean Times



“Financial planner Wes Moss offers you something different—not just a plan to retire, but a way to do it sooner and to be happy when you do." – Atlanta Journal Constitution



If you think you need to win the lottery or work until you’re 75 to retire with financial stability, Money Matters host Wes Moss has very good news for you. You Can Retire Sooner Than You Think reveals the secrets for ensuring a successful retirement—sooner rather than later.



After conducting an intensive study of happy retirees to learn the financial practices they hold in common, Moss discovered that it doesn't take financial genius, millions of dollars, or sophisticated investment skills to ensure a safe, solid retirement. All it takes is five best practices:



  1. Determine what you want and need your retirement money for


  • Figure out how much you need to save


  • Create a plan to pay off your mortgage in as little as five years


  • Develop an income stream from multiple sources


  • Become an income investor




Getting on the fast track to a great retirement is a lot simpler than the retirement professionals would have you believe. You Can Retire Sooner Than You Think provides the proven-effective, five-step formula for creating the retirement of your dreams.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Wes Moss is a Certified Financial Planner, Chief Investment Strategist for Capital Investment Advisors, and host of the popular radio show Money Matters. He was named one of the country's top 40 fee-only investment advisors under the age of 40 by Wealth Management magazine, and in 2014 Barron's named him one of the top financial advisors in America. For more information, visit www.wesmoss.com.

About the Author

Wes Moss is a Certified Financial Planner, Chief Investment Strategist for Capital Investment Advisors, and host of the popular radio show Money Matters. He was named one of the country's top 40 fee-only investment advisors under the age of 40 by Wealth Management magazine, and in 2014 Barron's named him one of the top financial advisors in America.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00KNGPPLA
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ McGraw Hill; 1st edition (May 23, 2014)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 23, 2014
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 2658 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 289 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 788 ratings

About the author

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Wes Moss
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Atlanta-based CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and money educator, Wes Moss has devoted his professional life to helping Americans understand how they can retire sooner than they think.

He is the author of four books, including his latest book, What The Happiest Retirees Know, and You Can Retire Sooner Than You Think. Wes uses a wide variety of media platforms to teach readers, listeners, and viewers how they too can retire on their own terms.

Wes is the host of Money Matters, a weekly radio call-in show on 95.5 WSB in Atlanta, and the host of the Retire Sooner podcast which is dedicated to helping people retire at least one year sooner. He is a frequent contributor to the financial media and is an editor of WesMoss.com, and is often a guest on the local and national news channels.

Wes is a Managing Partner and the Chief Investment Strategist at Capital Investment Advisors (CIA), a fee-only investment firm with over $4 billion assets under management (AUM as of 12/31/2021).

Wes Moss lives in Atlanta with his wife Lynne and their four boys. He is an avid golfer and enjoys coaching his boys’ lacrosse teams.

You can learn more and contact Wes by visiting WesMoss.com.

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
788 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book helpful for retirement planning. It provides an interesting approach and practical advice, focusing on a happy experience rather than just savings requirements. They find it easy to read and understand, with clear and concise explanations. Readers describe it as a great book for everyone who wants multiple ways to think about retirement. The value for money is appreciated, with the author mentioning that you can retire sooner than you think.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

149 customers mention "Information quality"141 positive8 negative

Customers find the book provides an interesting and practical approach to retirement planning. They say it's a must-read for those planning their retirement. The advice is well-organized and covers personal and lifestyle issues. Readers appreciate the holistic argument and focus on income investing in the retirement years with the bucket strategy. Overall, they find the book encouraging and a fun read.

"...and happy retirement that is infinitely more fun, thrilling, and fulfilling than you ever dreamed of if you have saved a certain amount of money and..." Read more

"...This book has a much more reasonable and positive approach. This is refreshing...." Read more

"...makes the book have wide-ranging applications in that many people from different walks of life, different income levels and situations, can all find..." Read more

"...basic building blocks of happiness and uses those to make a compelling holistic argument as to why a very basic income focused financial strategy..." Read more

94 customers mention "Readability"92 positive2 negative

Customers find the book easy to read and understand. They say it's a good book for anyone who wants multiple ways to think about retirement. The author does a good job making a case for retiring happy on less money, and they agree with his suggestions. It's a quick read that reinforces previous chapters.

"..." will pave the way for an early and happy retirement that is infinitely more fun, thrilling, and fulfilling than you ever dreamed of if you have..." Read more

"...Bottom line: this book is certainly worth the read and I will use it as a reference as I progress through my years of work to guide me into an..." Read more

"...strategies, it may seem overly basic, but that's exactly why it is a great book...." Read more

"...This is a solid, quick read that won't bog you down into a dissertation of how the economy works but instead strikes right at the heart of what..." Read more

44 customers mention "Ease of reading"44 positive0 negative

Customers find the book easy to read and understand, even if you are not financially savvy. The author uses clear, concise explanations that help you understand what's going on. They appreciate the practical and excellent writing style, with simple terms and examples. The financial analysis sections are easy to follow and provided an excellent model. The book is accurately titled for readers who want to learn how to plan for retirement at 65. The author's approach is sound, with dividends as the key.

"...The author explains this very well. I like good rules of thumb and Wes Moss has a great one...." Read more

"...He mixes in easy to understand examples of what makes either a happy or unhappy retiree along with intelligible decisions on how to build your..." Read more

"...Again, an excellent (and quick and easy) read that I've since bought and sent to others." Read more

"...The book is well written and organized as well as an easy read...." Read more

16 customers mention "Value for money"13 positive3 negative

Customers find the book provides good value for money. They say it's an easy read that offers a wealth of knowledge at a low price. The advice is not limited to finances, and readers mention it gives them a cash stream.

"...This book has a much more reasonable and positive approach. This is refreshing...." Read more

"...That alone was worth the cost...." Read more

"...The advice is practical, well organized and worth every penny. I've been a Suzie Orman fan for many years and have all of her books...." Read more

"...results of the happiest people in their retirement is worth much more than the price of the book on its own...." Read more

15 customers mention "Retirement age"15 positive0 negative

Customers find the book helpful for planning for retirement. It outlines the distinction between retiring happy and wealthy, and provides practical advice on how to retire when it feels right. They find it a valuable resource for all, not just prospective retirees.

"...Retire Sooner Than You Think" will pave the way for an early and happy retirement that is infinitely more fun, thrilling, and fulfilling than you..." Read more

"...regular themes of retirement savings, but this book approaches retirement in a different way...." Read more

"...give a pathway for retirement, but he is so positive that retirement can be a great and happy experience. I've already lent my copy to 2 friends...." Read more

"...Work your plan and retire when it feels right. Great book. Much different than other books." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on August 7, 2014
    The title "You Can Retire Sooner Than You Think" and subtitle "The 5 Money Secrets of the Happiest Retirees" were intriguing enough for me to buy the book without reading any of the other reviews. Having read many retirement books, I have to rate this as one of the best retirement books ever. The book delivers big in interesting facts and in presentation of the facts. Although I have written one of the most successful books about the non-financial aspects of retirement, some of the traits of the happiest retirees were a surprise to me.

    Here is what the book addresses: "Does money buy happiness in retirement?"

    Here is the answer: "It does and it doesn't."

    The happiest retirees, according to Wes Moss, are the those who live in the middle, who he calls "Masters of the Middle." Moss doesn't believe that you have to be frugal in retirement just as you don't have to be frugal when you are working. In other words, he doesn't believe in the deprivation mentality.

    It was interesting to find out that the happiest retirees take an extra vacation each year compared to unhappy retirees. Happy retirees take an average of 2.4 vacations a year because they love to explore.

    Not surprisingly, a happy retirement requires a balance of staying busy and staying curious. Just as important, to be a happy retiree, you must be living with purpose. Living with a purpose means having core pursuits, hobbies that empower you. Core pursuits are things that people really look forward to doing throughout the year, whether it's biking or visiting the grandkids or volunteering. Interestingly to me, volunteering is the most popular core pursuit of happy retirees.

    There is a great deal more to this book than I have summarized so far. Indeed, Wes Moss lists "18 Traits of the Happiest Retirees" at the end of the book. Some of these traits will surprise you like some of these traits surprised me.

    Summing up, with all the retirement books out there, it was a breath of fresh air for me to read "You Can Retire Sooner Than You Think" and learn a number of things about happy retirees that I didn't know about and to read a lot of things about happy retirees that were mentioned in "How to Retire Happy, Wild, and Free" by yours truly.

    Retiring early is not about saving as much money as you possibly can. And it's not about working longer or harder. It's about working smart when you are working. What's more, an early retirement is about making smart choices with your money and your life.

    There is an important caveat for this book: Not everyone can retire sooner than they think! Indeed, millions won't be able to. It does take a certain amount of money. The good news is that "You Can Retire Sooner Than You Think" will pave the way for an early and happy retirement that is infinitely more fun, thrilling, and fulfilling than you ever dreamed of if you have saved a certain amount of money and handle it properly during your retirement.

    Ernie J. Zelinski
    The Prosperity Guy
    "Helping Adventurous Souls Live Prosperous and Free"
    Author of the Bestseller "How to Retire Happy, Wild, and Free"
    (Over 200,000 copies sold and published in 9 languages)
    and the International Bestseller "The Joy of Not Working"
    (Over 275,000 copies sold and published in 17 languages)
    89 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on November 6, 2014
    Too many retirement books seem to suggest that you should never retire unless you have millions. This book has a much more reasonable and positive approach. This is refreshing. As in many retirement books, the "secrets" are largely common sense. You need to know how much money you need to retire. And to do that you need to know what income you need in retirement. It is a good idea to have no mortgage before you retire. Common sense, but very important.
    Where this book is most useful is in the discussion of income investing. The author explains this very well. I like good rules of thumb and Wes Moss has a great one. Wes Moss suggests $240,000 should be able to produce $1,000 per month. So if you need monthly income of $3,000 from investments to supplement social security or a pension, you need to have about $720,000 invested.
    Where I think this book falls short is on the discussion of happy retirees. The book leans heavily on a survey the author conducted with his clients to identify happy from unhappy retirees. While the results contain some interesting observations, such as Moss's happy retirees don't drive BMWs, I would take the survey results with a large grain of salt. So if you prefer BMW over Lexus, prefer to hunt or read over playing golf, go for it. I would not let Moss's survey make you think you are missing out on being happy.
    In short, I would not seek to find secrets to happiness in this book. But it does contain some good financial advice for retirement planning.
    11 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on February 12, 2015
    This book is super helpful! Wes really nails this topic for the masses that need advice on how to get out of the rat race as soon as they can. Wes gives the average person the keys to effectively plan a retirement strategy. He mixes in easy to understand examples of what makes either a happy or unhappy retiree along with intelligible decisions on how to build your wealth. This is not just based on Wes’ extensive experience in this field, but backed up by primary research he conducted for the book. Wes lays out various ways to approach retirement and how to avoid common errors and missteps that can set you back years. This book gives sound advice with sensible guidance that should be read by anyone who wants to shave off a significant number of years of their work-life. Wes empowers people to get serious about strategically thinking through the various facets that lead you into a happy retirement…this is a subject that many people don’t pay enough attention to until it is very late in the game and ultimately leads to a lot of regret. Wes makes this subject something that people should embrace and take both pride and enjoyment in planning out and not be an exercise to be dreaded. He also conveys to the reader that this is a journey and he realizes that not everyone can do (or will want to do) every single thing he explains. This makes the book have wide-ranging applications in that many people from different walks of life, different income levels and situations, can all find a plan that will work for them. Bottom line: this book is certainly worth the read and I will use it as a reference as I progress through my years of work to guide me into an earlier retirement. You should too.
    4 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Martino
    5.0 out of 5 stars Really enjoyed reading this book
    Reviewed in Canada on April 16, 2015
    Very helpful and easy to read and understand
  • Kevin M
    4.0 out of 5 stars Good information and especially enjoyed the statistical references to what ...
    Reviewed in Canada on September 21, 2014
    Good information and especially enjoyed the statistical references to what makes people happy in retirement, however if you are an experienced investor the financial information in the last few chapters is pretty light and can be breezed through. All and all a good read for the place all of us hope to end up, happy in retirement.
    KM
  • GarryH
    5.0 out of 5 stars Highly Recommended!!
    Reviewed in Canada on September 19, 2014
    Highly Recommended!!
  • Tom Wheatley
    4.0 out of 5 stars Great retirement advice
    Reviewed in Canada on July 14, 2016
    Great retirement advice on a range of investment and savings guidelines, rules and tips. Easy read, down to earth. Recommended for anyone who want to plan for retirement.

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