MARTIN D. WEISS, PHD, is the founder and chairman of Weiss Ratings, Inc., the nation's leading independent rating agency, known for its stellar track record in boldly naming large companies that subsequently failed AND helping investors find those that are truly SAFE! He is the author of two other Wiley bestsellers, including The Ultimate Safe Money Guide: How Everyone 50 and Over Can Protect, Save, and Grow Their Money and Crash Profits: Make Money When Stocks Sink and Soar.

• Introduction xiChapter 1: Why the Tough Times are Just Beginning! 1How to Reduce Debts in Bad Times 15How to Protect Your Job in Bad Times 17Chapter 2: The Government Declares War on the Financial Crisis 23Chapter 3: Wall Street Deceptions, Cover-Ups, and Lies 38With Most Corporate and Municipal Bonds Overrated, Here’s What to Do With Them . . . 42Chapter 4: Housing: How to Escape the Greatest Bust of All Time 5410 Steps for Selling Your Home in a Weak Market 72Want to Keep Your House, Come Hell or High Water? Then Here’s How to Cut Expenses or Get Assistance 74Chapter 5: Common Stocks: How to Avoid Big Risks and Boost Returns 77How to Get Your 401(k) Out of Danger 86Chapter 6: How Safe is Your Bank? 91How to Save in Tough Times 92What Happens to Your Money If Your Bank Fails 105How to Check and Monitor the Safety of Your Bank 110Chapter 7: How to Find Safe Insurance Companies 113Chapter 8: How to Shop for the Best Life Insurance 121Chapter 9: How to Find the Best Annuities 133Chapter 10: The Safest and Most Liquid Place for Your Cash 147How to Use Treasury Securities for Almost All Your Banking Needs 153Money Market Funds Investing in Short-Term U.S. Treasury Securities or Equivalent 156Chapter 11: All-Weather Investments for the Best and the Worst of Times 159How to Build Your Personal Hedge Program 166Chapter 12: How to Profit Directly from a Market Decline 174How to Go for Profits in a Down Market 179Chapter 13: How to Continue Making Money Even with the Worst Disasters 181How to Invest in Foreign Currencies 188Chapter 14: When to Buy the Best Bargains of the Century 189Basic Principles for Buying at the Bottom 196Chapter 15: Bonds: Your First Great Income Opportunity 198How to Maximize Your Yield with Safety 209Chapter 16: Dividends: Your Second Great Income Opportunity 210How to Find Stocks with Steadily Rising Dividends 217Chapter 17: The Great Fork in the Road: Inflation or Deflation? 219How to Invest in Gold 229Chapter 18: The Demise of the Dollar? 232Chapter 19: The Foundation for Recovery 250Chapter 20: Future Fortunes 257Five Golden Rules for Building New Fortunes 261Notes 268Acknowledgments 274About the Author 276Index 279

MARTIN D. WEISS, PHD, is the founder and chairman of Weiss Ratings, Inc., the nation's leading independent rating agency, known for its stellar track record in boldly naming large companies that subsequently failed AND helping investors find those that are truly SAFE! He is the author of two other Wiley bestsellers, including The Ultimate Safe Money Guide: How Everyone 50 and Over Can Protect, Save, and Grow Their Money and Crash Profits: Make Money When Stocks Sink and Soar.

• Introduction xiChapter 1: Why the Tough Times are Just Beginning! 1How to Reduce Debts in Bad Times 15How to Protect Your Job in Bad Times 17Chapter 2: The Government Declares War on the Financial Crisis 23Chapter 3: Wall Street Deceptions, Cover-Ups, and Lies 38With Most Corporate and Municipal Bonds Overrated, Here’s What to Do With Them . . . 42Chapter 4: Housing: How to Escape the Greatest Bust of All Time 5410 Steps for Selling Your Home in a Weak Market 72Want to Keep Your House, Come Hell or High Water? Then Here’s How to Cut Expenses or Get Assistance 74Chapter 5: Common Stocks: How to Avoid Big Risks and Boost Returns 77How to Get Your 401(k) Out of Danger 86Chapter 6: How Safe is Your Bank? 91How to Save in Tough Times 92What Happens to Your Money If Your Bank Fails 105How to Check and Monitor the Safety of Your Bank 110Chapter 7: How to Find Safe Insurance Companies 113Chapter 8: How to Shop for the Best Life Insurance 121Chapter 9: How to Find the Best Annuities 133Chapter 10: The Safest and Most Liquid Place for Your Cash 147How to Use Treasury Securities for Almost All Your Banking Needs 153Money Market Funds Investing in Short-Term U.S. Treasury Securities or Equivalent 156Chapter 11: All-Weather Investments for the Best and the Worst of Times 159How to Build Your Personal Hedge Program 166Chapter 12: How to Profit Directly from a Market Decline 174How to Go for Profits in a Down Market 179Chapter 13: How to Continue Making Money Even with the Worst Disasters 181How to Invest in Foreign Currencies 188Chapter 14: When to Buy the Best Bargains of the Century 189Basic Principles for Buying at the Bottom 196Chapter 15: Bonds: Your First Great Income Opportunity 198How to Maximize Your Yield with Safety 209Chapter 16: Dividends: Your Second Great Income Opportunity 210How to Find Stocks with Steadily Rising Dividends 217Chapter 17: The Great Fork in the Road: Inflation or Deflation? 219How to Invest in Gold 229Chapter 18: The Demise of the Dollar? 232Chapter 19: The Foundation for Recovery 250Chapter 20: Future Fortunes 257Five Golden Rules for Building New Fortunes 261Notes 268Acknowledgments 274About the Author 276Index 279