Where is your hard earned money? Whether you have a savings or checking account, a 401(k), an IRA, a college fund, or dollars stuffed under the mattress, you are an investor. But you are losing every day that you sit back and let others make decisions about your money. You worked hard for it, and it's your responsibility to make it work for you. If you don't invest smartly, your very financial future is in jeopardy. But smart investing is not nearly as difficult or complicated as some might lead you to believe.

In seven simple, yet vital steps Dan Solin, New York Times best-selling author of The Smartest Investment Book You'll Every Read, takes the mystery out of successful investing and shows everyone, no matter what their income or expertise in money matters, how to take control of their financial lives, ignore the "experts", and grow a nest egg. Solin's approach mirrors that of the most successful investors in the world. He ignores the bombast of so many advisors and brokers who over-promise and under-deliver, relying instead on objective, historical, peer-reviewed data. Solin helps you separate fact from hype so that you can make intelligent, responsible investing decisions. And his simple, clear-headed advice shows you exactly how to invest your assets with an easy-to-follow plan that allows you to create and monitor your portfolio in less time than it takes to read the morning paper.