84 books like Retirement Portfolios

By Michael J. Zwecher,

Here are 84 books that Retirement Portfolios fans have personally recommended if you like Retirement Portfolios. Shepherd is a community of 11,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

Shepherd is reader supported. When you buy books, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Book cover of Retirement Income Redesigned: Master Plans for Distribution -- An Adviser's Guide for Funding Boomers' Best Years

Wade Pfau Author Of Retirement Planning Guidebook: Navigating the Important Decisions for Retirement Success

From my list on preparing you for retirement.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am economist who first started exploring retirement planning for my own personal situation. I became so captivated by the topic that I changed fields and was selected as the Professor of Retirement Income at the American College of Financial Services. I am a past curriculum director for the Retirement Management Analyst designation and past program director for the Retirement Income Certified Professional designation. More recently, I am the co-creator of the Retirement Income Style Awareness and co-host of the Retire with Style podcast. I enjoy learning and teaching about all topics related to retirement.

Wade's book list on preparing you for retirement

Wade Pfau Why did Wade love this book?

Harold Evensky and Deanna Katz bring together a collection of experts to explore many different facets of retirement income planning.

This book was ahead of its time in exploring retirement income as a distinct field of financial planning, and it laid important foundations in place. Readers can learn from leading experts about understanding sequence-of-return risk, spending from investments, using annuities, and much more.  

By Harold Evensky (editor), Deena B. Katz (editor),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Retirement Income Redesigned as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Clients nearing retirement have some significant challenges to face. And so do their advisers. They can expect to live far longer after they retire. And the problems they expect their advisers to solve are far more complex. The traditional sources of retirement income may be shriveling, but boomers don't intend to downsize their plans. Instead, they're redefining what it means to be retired―as well as what they require of financial advisers. Planners who aren't prepared will be left behind. Those who are will step up to some lucrative and challenging work.

To help get the work done, Harold Evensky and…


Book cover of Asset Dedication: How to Grow Wealthy with the Next Generation of Asset Allocation

Wade Pfau Author Of Retirement Planning Guidebook: Navigating the Important Decisions for Retirement Success

From my list on preparing you for retirement.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am economist who first started exploring retirement planning for my own personal situation. I became so captivated by the topic that I changed fields and was selected as the Professor of Retirement Income at the American College of Financial Services. I am a past curriculum director for the Retirement Management Analyst designation and past program director for the Retirement Income Certified Professional designation. More recently, I am the co-creator of the Retirement Income Style Awareness and co-host of the Retire with Style podcast. I enjoy learning and teaching about all topics related to retirement.

Wade's book list on preparing you for retirement

Wade Pfau Why did Wade love this book?

Stephen Huxley and J. Brent Burns bring the topics of dedicated portfolio theory and asset-liability management to life by discussing how to think about retirement investments in a new manner.

They discuss how bonds can be used to meet upcoming expenses, while stocks and other growth investments are earmarked for longer term expenses. This allows each asset class to perform as it was meant. Bonds provide fixed income rather than being used in an asset allocation model that treats them as less risky versions of stocks.

In 2022, we were all reminded how both stocks and bonds can lose value. But when individual bonds are held to maturity, investors know what they will receive. 

By Stephen Huxley, J Burns,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Asset Dedication as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

This book presents the breakthrough technique that outperforms asset allocation - and takes your portfolio to the next level. Over the past two decades, asset allocation has become the holy grail of investment techniques. Experts championed it, brokers and financial planners sold it, clients bought it, and few questioned the wisdom of trying to squeeze widely varying investors and their financial goals into prefabricated "one size fits all" allocation formulas. Problem is, asset allocation has significant flaws in the way it is used today, especially for personal investors."Asset Dedication" exposes these flaws, corrects them, and propels investors and advisors into…


Book cover of Conserving Client Portfolios During Retirement

Wade Pfau Author Of Retirement Planning Guidebook: Navigating the Important Decisions for Retirement Success

From my list on preparing you for retirement.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am economist who first started exploring retirement planning for my own personal situation. I became so captivated by the topic that I changed fields and was selected as the Professor of Retirement Income at the American College of Financial Services. I am a past curriculum director for the Retirement Management Analyst designation and past program director for the Retirement Income Certified Professional designation. More recently, I am the co-creator of the Retirement Income Style Awareness and co-host of the Retire with Style podcast. I enjoy learning and teaching about all topics related to retirement.

Wade's book list on preparing you for retirement

Wade Pfau Why did Wade love this book?

When looking for the birth of retirement income planning, many arrows will point to William Bengen, a financial planner who looked to the historical data to better understand about what the sustainable spending rate from an investment portfolio is.

His pioneering research led to what is known today as the 4% guideline for retirement spending. In this book, he combines all his previous research into an easy-to-digest format. He explores what can be learned from historical data when it comes to retirement spending.

By William P Bengen,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Conserving Client Portfolios During Retirement as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The leading edge of the baby boomer wave will pass through age 68 this year. Retirement looms large for them and the 20-year generation that follows. Although many in the generation have saved to supplement their retirement, they will probably live longer in retirement than any previous generation, so they must grapple with questions about how to manage that money and make it last. The purpose of this book is to present the author's groundbreaking research into this topic, presenting new material as well as an update of the original research in a comprehensive, authoritative form.


Book cover of Control Your Retirement Destiny: Achieving Financial Security Before The Big Transition

Wade Pfau Author Of Retirement Planning Guidebook: Navigating the Important Decisions for Retirement Success

From my list on preparing you for retirement.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am economist who first started exploring retirement planning for my own personal situation. I became so captivated by the topic that I changed fields and was selected as the Professor of Retirement Income at the American College of Financial Services. I am a past curriculum director for the Retirement Management Analyst designation and past program director for the Retirement Income Certified Professional designation. More recently, I am the co-creator of the Retirement Income Style Awareness and co-host of the Retire with Style podcast. I enjoy learning and teaching about all topics related to retirement.

Wade's book list on preparing you for retirement

Wade Pfau Why did Wade love this book?

Dana Anspach’s book on retirement planning is an accessible exploration of how to put together a retirement income plan.

She is a financial planner and well-respected retirement planning expert who was picked to create the retirement planning course for the Great Courses series. This book will help readers prepare their own retirement plans with confidence.

By Dana Anspach,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Control Your Retirement Destiny as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

People in their fifties start to wonder: When should I retire? Once I do, when should I take Social Security? Do I need to buy an annuity to make sure I have enough money to last my whole life? Should I move everything into “safe” investments? In short, what do I need to do now to ensure a comfortable retirement? Control Your Retirement Destiny: Achieving Financial Security Before the Big Transition provides practical how-to knowledge on what you need to do to get your finances in order to prepare for a transition out of the workforce. While never easy, retirement…


Book cover of The World's Simplest Stock Picking Strategy: How to make money investing in the companies in your life

Jason Kelly Author Of The 3% Signal: The Investing Technique That Will Change Your Life

From my list on to learn systematic stock market investing.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am the author of The Neatest Little Guide to Stock Market Investing and The 3% Signal, among other financial books, and editor of The Kelly Letter. Despite having been ranked by CXO Advisory as one of the best stock-market forecasters, I gave up the practice in favor of price reaction. I realized that nobody knows where stocks are headed, myself included, and set out to find ways to beat the market without forecasting—and succeeded. My readers and I are now much happier and wealthier.

Jason's book list on to learn systematic stock market investing

Jason Kelly Why did Jason love this book?

I liked this book enough to write a blurb for it, as follows: “Any plan that would have led investors to Amazon, Apple, and Google is fine by me—and this one would have. Edward Ryan has created a systematic framework for owning what you know, a tried-and-true tactic.” No less a luminary than Peter Lynch endorses the idea, and in this book you’ll learn five steps to systematize it: list your life activities, extract stock ideas from them, rank those stocks, invest, and manage the portfolio. The second step is the most interesting to me; it’s where you consider which products and services in your life are most likely to keep a stock moving higher.

By Edward W. Ryan,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The World's Simplest Stock Picking Strategy as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Every investor needs an edge.

Professional investors on Wall Street have the best education, the deepest knowledge of company accounts, the latest technology, and teams of analysts at their disposal to help them identify the best stock investments. That is their edge. As a part-time, individual investor, you cannot compete on their turf.

What can you do? This is where The World's Simplest Stock Picking Strategy comes in.

As you go about your life, there are companies you interact with regularly as a consumer. Some companies will stand out to you as having remarkable products or services, which you use…


Book cover of The Most Important Thing: Uncommon Sense for the Thoughtful Investor

Martin S. Fridson Author Of Investment Illusions: A Savvy Wall Street Pro Explores Popular Misconceptions About the Markets

From my list on investing from a money manager.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m a money manager for high-net-worth individuals. During my Wall Street years, I was ranked number one in my category in the Institutional Investor All America Research Survey for nine consecutive years. The CFA Society New York presented me its Ben Graham Award in 2017. I’ve served as a governor of the CFA Institute and consultant to the Federal Reserve Board of Governors. My writings have appeared in the Wall Street Journal, Barron’s, the Financial Times, and various scholarly journals. I live in New York City with my wife, musicologist Elaine Sisman. We have two children and five grandchildren.

Martin's book list on investing from a money manager

Martin S. Fridson Why did Martin love this book?

Forget bromides such as buying a stock because your experience with the company’s product has been good. The hugely successful money manager Howard Marks makes the essential point that the goal is not to find good companies but to make good purchases. “It’s not what you buy,” he says, “it’s what you pay for it.”  Investors who are interested in good outcomes rather than thrills will find many more sound principles in this book.

By Howard Marks,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The Most Important Thing as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

"This is that rarity, a useful book."--Warren Buffett Howard Marks, the chairman and cofounder of Oaktree Capital Management, is renowned for his insightful assessments of market opportunity and risk. After four decades spent ascending to the top of the investment management profession, he is today sought out by the world's leading value investors, and his client memos brim with insightful commentary and a time-tested, fundamental philosophy. Now for the first time, all readers can benefit from Marks's wisdom, concentrated into a single volume that speaks to both the amateur and seasoned investor. Informed by a lifetime of experience and study,…


Book cover of The Behavior Gap: Simple Ways to Stop Doing Dumb Things with Money

Russell Wild Author Of Bond Investing For Dummies

From my list on investing so that you profit, not your broker.

Why am I passionate about this?

I collected coins a kid. I went to college and studied econ. I worked in a bank. I later became a financial journalist. And later, a professional money manager. I’ve always been fascinated by money…the way it moves around the world, the enormous role it plays in peoples’ lives, the power it gives a select few, the good it can do, and the way it grows. As a fee-only financial planner running my own shop, I'm only peripherally involved with Wall Street. That frees me to step back and look at the key players, the shenanigans, the sometimes awful greed. The books I’ve selected were instrumental in helping others make their money work for them.

Russell's book list on investing so that you profit, not your broker

Russell Wild Why did Russell love this book?

Finance doesn’t easily lend itself to humor, but Richards will make you laugh. His insights into the human mind, and human frailties are pure gold. In The Behavior Gap he examines the bad decisions that nearly all investors seem to make before they become good investors. You will recognize yourself in Richards’ words and in his whimsical and thought-provoking illustrations. This book is not so much about the optimal strategies of investing, but rather it focuses on the mindset needed to carry out those strategies. Yes, even we professionals can sometimes fall prey to portfolio-destroying greed, fears, and pie-in-the-sky thinking. I have read Richards's book a number of times to help keep my head screwed on straight, and it works its magic every time!

By Carl Richards,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Behavior Gap as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

"It's not that we're dumb. We're wired to avoid pain and pursue pleasure and security. It feels right to sell when everyone around us is scared and buy when everyone feels great. It may feel right-but it's not rational."
-From The Behavior Gap

 


Why do we lose money? It's easy to blame the economy or the financial markets-but the real trouble lies in the decisions we make.

As a financial planner, Carl Richards grew frustrated watching people he cared about make the same mistakes over and over. They were letting emotion get in the way of smart financial decisions. He…


Book cover of The Zulu Principle: Making Extraordinary Profits from Ordinary Shares

Ian Pagdin and Michelle Hardy Author Of Investment and Portfolio Management: A Practical Introduction

From my list on making finance interesting and engaging (especially if you’re not an academic).

Why am I passionate about this?

We first met about 10 years ago at Sheffield Hallam University, bonding as work colleagues over a love of enabling students to understand wealth management and finance in a way that we hoped they would find interesting and accessible. The books we chose mix our love of storytelling and making finance accessible by using real-world experiences. They do this in a unique way, challenging the reader to think about their understanding and perspective, something we try to do every day. It has been lovely to reread these books before writing the reviews, reminding us of what makes us tick. We hope they help you to find your tick too. 

Ian and Michelle's book list on making finance interesting and engaging (especially if you’re not an academic)

Ian Pagdin and Michelle Hardy Why did Ian and Michelle love this book?

We enjoyed this book for its innovative approach, which involves a very specific and defined focus, and its appropriateness for a broad spectrum of investors. The method empowers investors to utilise selected criteria in their investment choices to create a successful investment strategy. It provides “tried and tested” principles for “stock pickers,” focusing on the author’s growth investing specialism.

The book is written in a style that is easy to digest but makes some complex investment methods seem obvious, just what I like in books. It is concise but each chapter allows the reader to reflect on their understanding. This represents a good investment for an investor looking to broaden their knowledge and develop their own investment approach.

By Jim Slater,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Zulu Principle as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Jim Slater's classic text brought back into print Jim Slater makes available to the investor - whether the owner of only a few shares or an experienced investment manager with a large portfolio - the secrets of his success. Central to his strategy is "The Zulu Principle", the benefits of homing in on a relatively narrow area. Deftly blending anecdote and analysis, Jim Slater gives valuable selective criteria for buying dynamic growth shares, turnarounds, cyclicals, shells and leading shares. He also covers many other vitally relevant aspects of investment such as creative accounting, portfolio management, overseas markets and the investor's…


Book cover of The Four Pillars of Investing: Lessons for Building a Winning Portfolio

Larry R. Frank Sr. Author Of Wealth Odyssey: The Essential Road Map for Your Financial Journey Where Is It You Are Really Trying to Go with Money?

From my list on issues that confuse many people about money.

Why am I passionate about this?

Wealth Odyssey is a summary work based on a 12-hour adult education course I taught for 10 years. It’s important to me to educate people through my 29 years in the profession (1994-2023), my focus has always been on helping people first understand that retirement means you’re wealthy enough not to work anymore – working is optional. You don’t need to be rich. Wealth is scalable for any income level and comes from foundation income and investments to supplement that foundation to support your desired lifestyle’s Standard of Individual Living (SOIL) for as long as you live. Your focus should be on your plan and apply a few concepts grounded in well researched evidence.

Larry's book list on issues that confuse many people about money

Larry R. Frank Sr. Why did Larry love this book?

This is a wonderful book organized around four main concepts, each valuable in their own right: 1) The Theory of Investing; 2) The History of Investing; 3) The Psychology of Investing; and 3) The Business of Investing. 

The latter, the business section makes it clear the stockbroker is not your friend, even though they’re friendly (by design). Having started my career on the sales side of the business, I quickly learned the agenda is less about the customer and more about product sales, even though I was also a Certified Financial Planner ProfessionalTM

I dropped sales licenses and became a fee-only advisor and member of the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA) where the focus is on planning and helping clients achieve their wants and goals.

The principles in Bernstein’s book marry well with those of both Swedroe’s and Statman’s books (above) in the application of growing…

By William Bernstein,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Four Pillars of Investing as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

This new edition of the bestselling guide brings sophisticated investors-including institutional and individual investors, investment bankers, and those who want to follow in the footsteps of legends like John Bogle-up to date on ETFs, risk management, neuropsychological investing concepts, and more

Since its original publication two decades ago, The Four Pillars of Investing has become a classic guide for serious investors. The practicalities of investing, however, have changed dramatically, particularly pertaining to ETFs, and thinking has evolved about a host of key issues, such as lifecycle finance, the nature of risk, and basic finance and neuropsychological concepts. This new edition…


Book cover of Pioneering Portfolio Management: An Unconventional Approach to Institutional Investment

Tony Davidow Author Of Goals-Based Investing: A Visionary Framework for Wealth Management

From my list on wealth advisors who want to embrace change.

Why am I passionate about this?

Tony Davidow has more than 35 years of experience in working with advisors, institutions, and ultra-high-net-worth investors regarding advanced asset allocation strategies, and the use of alternative investments. He's currently Senior Alternatives Strategist at the Franklin Templeton Institute. Previously, Davidow held senior leadership roles with Morgan Stanley, Guggenheim, and Schwab among other firms. He's a frequent writer and speaker with deep expertise in the use of alternative investments, asset allocation and portfolio construction, and goals-based investing. In 2020, he received the prestigious Investments & Wealth Institute Wealth Management Impact Award for his contributions to the wealth management industry; and in 2017, he was awarded the Stephen L. Kessler Writing Award for excellence in editorial contributions.

Tony's book list on wealth advisors who want to embrace change

Tony Davidow Why did Tony love this book?

David Swensen, the former CIO of the Yale Endowment, changed the way that institutions and individuals thought about, and allocated capital to alternative investments.

Swensen famously made big allocations to alternatives, delivering stellar returns, and spawning the “endowment model”. His approach was later adopted by other endowments and institutions as an intelligent allocation of capital. 

By David F. Swensen,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Pioneering Portfolio Management as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

In his fourteen years as Yale's chief investment officer, David Swensen has revolutionised management of the university's investment portfolio. By relying on nonconventional assets, including private equity and venture capital, Swensen has achieved a remarkable annualised return of 16.2 percent, which has added more than $2 billion to Yale's endowment. With his exceptional performance record prompting many other institutional portfolio managers to emulate his approach, Dr. Swensen has long been besieged by professionals in the field to write a book articulating his philosophy and strategies of portfolio management.

Pioneering Portfolio Managementprovides a road map for creating a successful investment programme.…


5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in investment management, planning, and retirement?

Planning 49 books
Retirement 27 books