The Wisest Owl: Be Your Own Financial Planner

Finally, a book about financial planning focussing on SEBI registered investment advisors. I have read many books on financial planning/money management – starting from “Psychology of Money” to “Let’s talk about money”, from “Rich Dad Poor dad” to “The Richest Man in Babylon”, but this book is unique as it gives a whole new perspective considering RIA regulations were first released in 2013 and can be still considered new. This book has six chapters on different perspectives about economy, stock market, FIRE (Financial Independence Retire Early) and planning checklists. However, the USP of the book is interaction with famous six RIAs chosen by the author and his team based on their filter criteria. As it was done in famous “Market Wizard” book, almost same questions were asked to all of them. For many of you, most of these questions will sound very common - FD Vs Debt MF, Active or Passive Investment, Real Estate or Equity etc. However, it was nice to have perspective from various reputed RIAs. The checklists for investment and hiring financial planners discussed in the last chapter is also not unique but for the new young investors those may appear really valuable.However, Icing on the Cake was author’s interview with few non RIA influencers but very reputed personalities who are working very hard towards imparting financial literacy for the masses and financial planning practitioners/distributors. For e.g. Shri Jauhari Ashal (Admin of the largest financial planning FB group Asan Ideas of Wealth or AIFW), Pattabiraman Murari (Owner of famous personal finance blog freefincal.com) and Sadique Neelgund (founder Network FP) who are my favourite personalities in this area. Though they do not qualify as RIAs, their contribution in the area of financial planning/financial literacy is invaluable.Overall I feel, it is certainly one time read for financial planning enthusiasts.

I bought this book purely because Marcellus recommended it and the forward is by Saurabh Mukherjea. I have most of his books and they are superb. I was quite disappointed with this book. There is a lot about the Indian economy and how the world is changing. There are interviews with 5 financial planners. Their inputs are a bit disappointing and not very detailed. For example, on the potential of real estate as an investment, there is not much input. A detailed 4-5 page article detailing all the issues including liquidity, taxation, stamp duty, etc would have been more useful. In between there are chapters by the author. Towards the end there are more details about financial planning. I was quite disappointed by this time and turned over to see the cover again and realized, this is a book about financial planning and not about investments. I realized then I bought the book for the wrong reasons. If you want to know why financial planning is important and get some information, examples, etc, then this book will provide you some insight. If you want to know about different types of investments, their returns, risks, liquidity etc you will not find very little here. Even as a book on financial planning, its not a great book. When you interview 5 different people for a book, it tends to be a bit of a "made up" book, like you are writing the book just so you can have that accomplishment. It could have certainly been way better.

This is an excellent book with specific tips from 6 of the top financial planners in the country on oft discussed items such as should you buy a home or rent it or index investing or new age "investments" such as Crypto or asset allocation or ...... You get the drift.Disclosure : Our firm Fee Only Investment Advisers LLP is one of the 6 firms quoted in the book.I still found it useful to get a perspective on whay my fellow financial planning firms are planning

Info on register invest advisors.

An elegant and powerful guide if you want to manage your money from a holistic perspective. Answers to many questions that keep coming up with regards to your money life are also in place, along with insights and perspectives from many Registered Investment Advisors ( including myself ). A crisp read.

short and crispinterviews with veteran RIAspractical approaches on how to start learning about personal financereading this after Monica Halan's book (lets talk money) will make it better since both books cover similar topics

Mr. Anupam Gupta is a popular name with his Podcast – PaisaVaisa. He is the co-author of “ The Victory Project “ along with Mr. Saurabh Mukherjea.His ability to ask relevant questions has come out well in this book “ The Wisest Owl”.I am one of the 6 financial planners featured in his book. Thanks Anupam.This book is aimed at the beginner who is wondering whether to seek help in managing his personal finance or he can Do it Yourselves( DIY).There are many pointers to learn – Blogs like “ Freefincal” , “ Subramoney”, Face book Group like “ Asan Ideas For Wealth” which are worth mentioning.If you are a DIY investor, you can cross check your decisions based on the inputs from the 6 planners.If you have decided to go to a Financial planner, this book will guide you in the process of selecting the right financial planner.It explains the concept of SEBI registered Investment Advisors, flat fee planners and who charges a percentage of your assets as fee etc.Existing Financial planners / advisors can also learn from the experience of the 6 established/ experienced planners.