Old Testimonials About Our Personal Finance Software.

There would have been many more of these, but who's going to read all of this anyway? So we stopped posting in 2010. If not, then there would be a new one weekly, so this page would be way too long. If your hat is white, then you like the site. If your hat is black, then you hate the site. Simple as that!

----- Original Message -----
From: Tim Higgins
To: MikeFalford
Sent: Friday, May 28, 2010 8:44 AM
Subject: Re: Purchase Confirmation
Mike, Quick FYI: I am loving the E-Book and researching all of your software. You are so spot on with everything! Thank you for your services. All the best,
Tim H.

Mike,
Not a problem at all. I am currently using Microsoft Office 2007. Just to let you know, I have yet to do my first financial plan, however, the ideas and resources you provided on the initial CD have already generated a positive ROI. I am excited to see the long-term results as I implement many more ideas and concepts from your Real World experience. Thanks for referring RIA Setup Guru Extraordinaire. He made the registration process with the State of Arizona a whole lot easier.
As I work my way through the process of learning the software, I look forward to expanding my capabilities as a financial planner due to the flexibility in the programming. Hopefully, I can get through the process without bothering you too much by following the last line in your motto: "please read the directions."
Keep smiling,
Blaine
proud to be a toolsformoney.com lifetime subscriber

----- Original Message From: Jeff Harris To: Toolsformoney.com (Real World Software) Sent: Tuesday, March 23, 2010 9:37 AM Subject: RE: Request for text on why I should be an RIA. The eBook is not free until you're a RIA Setup Guru Extraordinaire client, and this is not RIA Setup Guru Extraordinaire e-mail address. Loooooved your book Mike!

Way too much truth in there for the general public. I�m surprised you haven�t been visited by some burly thugs �suggesting� you tone down your opinions.

All I can say is Keep It UP!

By the way, I need to run some mortgage calculations for a client showing the benefit of paying their mortgage off early. Suggestions?

Best, Jeff Harris

----- Original Message ----- From: cathy To: Mike Sent: Tuesday, December 15, 2009 4:57 AM Subject:Nice Job

Hi Mike, Just a note to say what a nice job you did in your Picks! Market overall strong growth in last 9 months, but most of yours exceeded many others I checked - and several of yours surprisingly good results.

Have 2 brokerages now and both seem to have their own restrictions imposed adding redemption fees if funds sold less than 3 months (even if the funds themselves have no restrictions).

Hope you had a great Thanksgiving - and thanks again for your "Picks"! Cathy

From: Seth Myers (not the Saturday Night Live guy!)
To: 'support@toolsformoney.com (Tools For Money)'
Sent: Friday, September 12, 2008 8:41 AM
Subject: RE: New Flagship Planner for existing Toolsformoney.com customers (you)
Mike,
I�ve got to tell you that your website has changed my life. I bought you�re the one-time asset allocation models and mutual fund picks, with investment fact finder and eBook a couple months ago and since then decided to go out on my own as an RIA. I worked with RIA Setup Guru Extraordinaire to start my RIA and now that I�ve quit my Broker Dealer and can use your great tools without fighting them for the right too, I need some more. Thanks,
Seth Myers, CAIA�
Investment Advisor Rep, Founder

----- Original Message -----
From: MaRico Tippett
To: 'support@toolsformoney.com
Sent: Monday, September 08, 2008 10:43 PM
Subject: RE: Existing customer of Toolsformoney.com - Get new Integrated Financial Planner for $49
Mike, How are you. I have been deployed to Afghanistan and have not had the opportunity take advantage of this product. Is this offer still good. I would like to purchase the integrated Financial Planner. I love your software. It is the most logical, functional and cost effective software on the market. Let me know if I should call or send my credit card Information via email. Also, have you made any uprgrades or changes to the Fact Finders?
MaRico

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Tools For Money (Real World Software / Toolsformoney.com)
To: Jonathan Lachowitz
Subject: Your order from Real World Software (Toolsformoney.com)

Hi Mike, It has now been two years since I have passed the CFP� exam and set-up my company in Switzerland to provide financial planning and investment advisory services and I just wanted to send you a big THANK YOU! I found you on Bing back in 2005 when I was searching for some good resources on asset allocation and it was perhaps my most valuable find�Reading through the material on your site and going through a lot of the tools you have designed were a great compliment to all of the �book learning�, and it really filled a lot of gaps with practical and real world applicable information. The cost of your software and services are by far the best value for money of anything I have purchased for my company�.I just wish all of my �suppliers� were as good or better yet that you would expand your offering into portfolio management software�with multi-currency� I am using your, risk profiling questionnaire and asset allocation tools and many of the fund picks. Once again my Dollar based clients will be thrilled; most of the US portfolios returned between 9% and 12% for 2007, not bad when the S&P was around 3.5%. The portfolios are all well diversified across 10-20 asset classes and no one is over 70% in equities� One challenge I face is for �global clients� who have more than one home currency/country and weighting the different asset classes in different currencies� The RWR Retirement Planning software is also great though I am sure I have not used it to its full potential. I have used it to prepare several retirement plans for my clients and it allows me to deal with some fairly complex situations and scenarios� And finally, if you ever need to give out a reference user to someone who is considering purchasing the software, feel free to give them my e-mail address and I will be happy to answer any questions� Wishing you a Healthy 2008! Cheers, Jon

----- Original Message -----
From: Stuart Gallant
To: Tools For Money
Sent: Tuesday, May 20, 2008 3:58 PM
Subject: RE: Here's my list of modules I don't need to lower the Bundled Deal price.
Mike:
I have to COMMEND you on the most open, honest, exposure of what you do and how you do that I have ever seen in the world of financial planning. Most � if not virtually everything else I�ve seen � is quite a bit of marketing hype � for a LOT of money!! In addition, if it�s in Excel, frankly, I can understand it � and know where the numbers come from, which is VERY important when meeting with clients. I don�t like showing a stack of papers with lots of numbers and then being clueless about how they were generated � actually, to me, that�s not exercising fiduciary responsibility at all.
So, thanks for your candor and honesty!
Regards,
Stuart L. Gallant, CFP�
CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERTM practitioner

----- Original Message -----

From: Ted Fitzpatrick To:support@toolsformoney.com Sent: Wednesday, November 14, 2007 7:23 AM Subject: Buying a bundled deal on sale?
First, I want to say how much I enjoyed your E-book about the industry. Boy, did you ever hit the nail on the head! Thanks very much, Edward Fitzpatrick

----- Original Message -----
From: end-of-year Long
To: Tools For Money
Sent: Monday, May 19, 2008 10:53 AM
Subject: Re:
Thanks - by the way I've started using the comprehensive asset allocation tool and it is fantastic!

----- Original Message -----
From: Jerry Broussard
To: support@toolsformoney.com
Sent: Monday, July 02, 2007 12:38 PM
Subject: Unbelievable!!

Mike,
I thought I would send you a little Information on how handily your Model Portfolio�s have beaten SEI investments, whom I have been using for last several years. When I received last months models I pulled SEI�s returns to compar and you can see on the attached spreadsheet how I have been getting lower returns with more risk. This is why I am in the process of pulling the accounts over time to Ameritrade where I custody my clients accounts currently. All I can say is great job !!!!
One quick question, I have only a couple of small accounts that are children of large clients and I am not sure how to handle the diversification part using your models. Currently, with SEI they will allow me to put these people into their models because of the amount of money I manage, but when I move them to Ameritrade and use your models the amounts will be too small to diversify. I also thought about using ETF�s and rebalance yearly but still on a $2000 account that can still be costly. So I guess my question is should I simply by them something like a Vanguard Total Market index and wait until it grows or do you have another suggestion on how you would handle this type of client.

Attached is what you requested on the SEI returns. I am amazed that I could not find this information anywhere on the web nor on Morningstar. They don�t release the model returns openly and I can see why. Notice however in the screenshots the returns are as of 6/30/07 and when I ran my spreadsheet it was before the end of the month.
Since I have been using SEI (5 years) I have lost several clients due to returns but trusted that their company size and reputation would mean they were in the top of money managers, which is what they tell you. I then found your website but hesitated to use the Model Portfolios only because of not knowing who you were. But after following you for several years I am convinced your models are well balanced and well aligned to the client�s risk tolerance using your questionairre. My only regret is that I didn�t make my changes sooner.
Thanks, Jerry Broussard

From: "amy brownell"
To: (Tools For Money)" <support@toolsformoney.com>
Sent: Friday, May 16, 2008 10:39 AM
Subject: Re: updates please
I will send you your money right now
I have no problem paying you for any of these tasks - your services
have been fantastic and very reasonably priced.
so whenever I send you a request just tell me if you need $ and I'll
send.
thanks so much
amy

----- Original Message ----- Sent: Thursday, June 21, 2007 3:41 PM Subject: Re: asset allocation rebalancing

Question is do you ever see yourself modifying allocations along the efficient frontier spectrum or is it your deepest conviction to hold the course regardless of the market�s weather�the reason I ask is because we are getting inquiries from clients wondering when the markets will fall or falter and by how much (as if we know just because we�re in the biz!)� (My returns during the past year I have worked with you have been exhilarating for my clients�THANKS!)
Is there any wisdom in moving clients down the profile scale? In other words�if I am �moderate-aggressive��moving down to �moderate� or �moderate-conservative� in anticipation or in response to market corrections? Perhaps �no� because that then sets up a different type of market timing�to then have to figure out when to move back out the curve to a more aggressive posture�who knows?
Anyway�as always�I am interested in your thoughts and opinions.
Thanks for responding~
Glenn Gardner

From: ryker
Sent: Apr 23, 2007 10:41 AM
Subject: RWR-Age

Hi, Bob Carpenter, talked to you on phone last week before purchase of RWR.
First, I must say that I am really please with your product, more than
exceeded my expectations Really first rate program.

Mike,
I enjoyed our recent conversation over the phone. Your knowledge of the industry and funds were extremely helpful. Your site is extremely helpful and I expect to be ordering more in the future.
Thanks, Charles D

----- Original Message ----- Sent: Thursday, November 23, 2006 6:46 AMSubject: eBook I just finished reading your eBook. Great job I agree with much of what you write. I wish I had read this information seven years ago when first transitioning into this business. It has been in the past twelve months that I have started to feel I had a handle on what was going on in this business. I have been one of those CPA�s that have added �Financial Planning� to my services after many years heading up a sole owner, five to six employee CPA firm specializing in tax and small business services. I recently challenged the CFP� Exam and am now a CFP� professional. I pursued that designation partially in hopes of avoiding the �dabbler� designation you spoke of and to demonstrate to my staff that I consider the need for continual upgrading of your skills and education to be important. It�s fun for me to take on a challenge like that periodically.

The first time I feel the CFP Board is exercising unwarranted control or is too much trouble to keep current, its goodbye CFP�. Nevertheless, I do feel there is value to the marks. The marks do help to distinguish the designee from the hords of others that call themselves financial planners but no marks. I don�t have a problem with CPA even though just about anybody can claim to be a tax preparer and do it for money.

In the meantime, I intend to keep moving toward the light. Hope it�s not a train.

Mark R.

Sent: Sunday, January 21, 2007 11:35 AM

Mike,
I appreciate someone who is very candid, honest, and a straight-shooter, if you will. The eBook was excellent. As for your site, I found you on Bing by searching for investment policy statement. If I recall correctly, I clicked on a right side (sponsored add) which obviously led to your website.
I scoured your site for sometime looking and reading pretty much everything. That said, I decided to make a small purchase with the eBook. I plan on purchasing your pro bundle with the year or picks and the marketing seminar (your top package). I am extremely interested in engaging your services in creating a customized model for certain 401Ks, too.
In short, I agree with your investment style, screening process, fact Finding, and most importantly not ripping off clients by doing whats best for them and not what's best for my bank account. I am extremely fortunate to have come across your site. I hope this precedes a beneficial relationship for the both of us.
Sincerely,
Ryan Miller

Sent: Tuesday, November 21, 2006 11:55 PM

Just wanted to say thanks to for the software suite; if you would like a quote from a satisfied customer let me know, all too happy to help! Here are a few words… The bundled deal for financial advisors will safe you tons of time and give you lots of great ideas; Its the best investment I made along with the CFP courses in starting my financial planning practice. The fact that you can customize so many of the tools is great; they are so practical. Like any new product, you need to invest some time learning how to use it; the more you use it, the more valuable you realize it is. I am working with a couple of dozen clients and especially find the investment profiling questionnaire, IPS, asset allocation tools and retirement planning software to be invaluable. So, when are you going to put some real world portfolio management software together?….I finally decided on Captools (mainly because it was the only multi-currency product at a “reasonable”) price…. Hope you are well Cheers, Jon

Sent: Thursday, November 23, 2006 6:46 AM Subject: eBook

I just finished reading your eBook. Great job I agree with much of what you write. I wish I had read this information seven years ago when first transitioning into this business. It has been in the past twelve months that I have started to feel I had a handle on what was going on in this business. I have been one of those CPA’s that have added “Financial Planning” to my services after many years heading up a sole owner, five to six employee CPA firm specializing in tax and small business services. I recently challenged the CFP� Exam and am now a CFP� professional. I pursued that designation partially in hopes of avoiding the “dabbler” designation you spoke of and to demonstrate to my staff that I consider the need for continual upgrading of your skills and education to be important. It’s fun for me to take on a challenge like that periodically. The first time I feel the CFP Board is exercising unwarranted control or is too much trouble to keep current, its goodbye CFP�. Nevertheless, I do feel there is value to the marks. The marks do help to distinguish the designee from the hords of others that call themselves financial planners but no marks. I don’t have a problem with CPA even though just about anybody can claim to be a tax preparer and do it for money. In the meantime, I intend to keep moving toward the light. Hope it’s not a train. Mark R.

Date: 2006/10/04 Wed PM 01:56:55 EDT

end-of-year;

I found your website by using msn search. I was looking for a financial planning seminar. I clicked on the regular subject heading and not on the headings on the right side of the page. I believe I found your site about two years ago and have been back several times since. You're a pleasent guy to talk with and do business with.

Thanks

Kevin DeMayo

From: David Winner
To: 'Toolsformoney.com (real world Software)'
Sent: Thursday, August 24, 2006 7:11 AM
Subject: RWR
Mike – Received the software via e-mail this morning (Eastern). Started experimenting with same and find it to be very acceptable. Even intentionally entered Information incorrectly; program caught the error and advised for correction (including where to make correction). So far, I am very pleased. Should have the cost of the product paid for today! As for your marketing research/reply request, I originally found your site through a general Bing in July, 2006, using the phrase “retirement planning software”. Once on your website I did extensive exploration (downloading docs and demos). I did a further Bing (to “verify your credibility”) and found articles in publications to which I subscribe (and consider to be reliable and trustworthy) which made reference to your product in a favorable light. I don’t anticipate any freebies since this is not earthshaking information. Thanks again. Dave
David Winner, J.D.
Accredited Asset Management Specialist TM

From: end-of-year Davis
To: Toolsformoney.com (real world Software)
Sent: Saturday, April 22, 2006 9:16 PM
Subject: Re: Your order from real world Software (Toolsformoney.com)

end-of-year,

Your RWR spreadsheet far exceeds my expectations! So far, I have only evaluated in detail the RWR program and it is the most comprehensive and professional program I have seen (compares with the product on Fidelity's website which uses Monte Carlo evaluation of market returns). I feel that the product would be complete for me if I could fully understand the "Annual Summary Numbers" sheet generated after I have entered all of my data. I have several questions, but most of them would require you to have my data in front of you. I have no problem sending you this filled in spreadsheet, as it contains no personal data other than my proposed retirement information. Should I forward you my completed spreadsheet and then get on the phone with you? This would seem the best approach, but open to other suggestions.

Mike Davis

From: David Phillips
To: Toolsformoney.com (real world Software)
Sent: Saturday, March 11, 2006 7:38 AM
Subject: RE: Clarification Needed Please
Mike, thanks very much for these comments which I have carefully read and considered. Again, I want to compliment you on what you have accomplished and the forthright manner in which you present this information. I love well informed people who are straight shooters.
After several years of studying asset allocation, I wanted to see if there was a way to determine which portfolio statistics, if any, have predictive ability. If there are some, how can they be used to select money managers, and remain with the best performing ones, as explained below. Active managers could under perform and thereby compromise the work done by selecting and weighting asset classes. (That is why I used index funds for equities, and a laddered approach for bonds.)
I am particularly impressed with your fund selection capability because this is something another man (an adjunct finance professor) and I tried and failed at, except for discovering what are basically momentum strategies. This was in the early 90's, as I mentioned. Our findings were confirmed in the Spring issue of The Journal of Finance in 1993, as I recall, after we had completed our studies. I understand that you are doing something entirely different. We spent 2.5 years reading all of the academic journals on the general subjects, "Do Winners Repeat", "Do Hot Hands Persist", etc. and developing our software program in Access. It took a programmer almost 1.5 years to write the program. (Frankly, we made it so complicated that we hardly understood or remembered why we did certain things.) Anyway, we made use of the trading strategies for a while, recovered the money we had spent to develop the program, then got tired of paying all the taxes on the short term gains. Finally we asked ourselves this question, "Why are we doing all the work, putting up all the money, taking all the risk and then allowing the government to confiscate 40% of the profit?". We also realized that we were partly on an expensive ego trip.
Another thing we were able to do with our program is discern money managers' investment strategies. A book came out at that time, "Invest Like the Best", and that served as our blueprint. This was done by using the Value Line software's criteria (52 at that time I believe), listing a manager's top 15 to 20 stock holdings, and performing regression analysis. At that time, we were friends with the chief statistician at VL and he provided us with a limited amount of free price data to use in developing this program. This enabled us to find the top money managers' selection techniques, and apply it by purchasing only the top 10 picks. That was fine but again only generated short term gain. It is my guess that you have done something similar in developing your selection technique. Don't worry --- our programmer has since started his own software company and hardly has time to do anything for us anymore, so I won't be working on this. Back in those days, M'star provided a means to export data to Excel. It would then be cleaned up and imported by our program in Access. I understand this feature is no longer available.
In other words, I have great appreciation for what you have accomplished with asset allocation and fund selection. I have "been there, tried that and failed".
Thanks for explaining about the data. Investors FastTrack's data can be exported in different formats, including CSV, so I will look into that.
I need to consider if I will actually take the time to learn to use your software as I have several other projects underway now. My wife and I manage our family's investments, and essentially perform all the functions of a family office or trust department. This is why I am looking for a more simple way of managing a portion of our assets.
I really do appreciate your comments and want to say a special "thank you".
David

Subject: RE: Your order from real world Software (Toolsformoney.com)
Thanks!! I appreciate your service and approachableness (is that a word?)....because it's kind of like having my own planning software developer!
Chris

Subject: RE: Your order from real world Software (Toolsformoney.com)
Thanks Mike. I also look forward to seeing your mutual fund update. Your spreadsheets and concepts are very enlightening.
Thanks,
Bryant

Sent: Friday, February 03, 2006 12:30 PM
Subject: RE: Your order from real world Software (Toolsformoney.com)
Thanks for the fact finder, I appreciate it!
I originally found your site over a year ago. I did a search for “financial planning+excel spreadsheets,” and purchased the Real Estate calculator (which has come in very handy with clients over the past couple of years). Your site came up in the main categories, not the sponsored ads. Since then I have typed your URL to get to the site (I should just bookmark it).
I will say that your spreadsheets are above and beyond anyone else’s out there. I do know someone on that site who was trying to build his own and I may just reply to one of his posts and tell him how great yours are and refer him to the site.
Thanks again,
Ted

From: HMRPlanner

Sent: Tuesday, December 13, 2005 4:35 PM
Subject: Re: Your order from real world Software (Toolsformoney.com)
Thanks very much - works much better now! By the way - I heard about your software from a friend and then searched the net to see what else was out there - was impressed by your package and not so with your competitors so I spent some time with your demo and documentation and was sold on it. I'm not a pro but like doing things for myself and this looked like something better than I've seen from many pros. Thanks again - do you have a mailing list of product updates and new products - if so please add my name.

From: christopher.rankin
Sent: Tuesday, December 13, 2005 6:11 AM
Subject: RE: More typos again...This one is kinda funny.
No I ain't perfict. Frankly if I wrote half of the stuff you've written it would be so littered with typos, spelling errors, and grammer mistakes that no one would think about buying a thing from me. I won't sign a letter to a client until my sales assistant has proof read it. I think it's tough to catch your own errors because you know what you mean rather than what you may have actually written. If I had to choose between being able to write error free web pages or being able to generate consistantly good investment returns for clients I think you can guess which I would choose. Unfortunately I don't have any good suggestions for the networth calc. Your's are the only planning tools I've ever had access too so my experience is limited in that regard. I remember when we tried a trial version of Naviplan and the fact finder alone was so overwhelming and complex that it scared me away from all planning software. Keep up the good work.

Subject: Software Purchase

Mike,

I was impressed with the Fact Finders that I bought from you recently. They are the best I have seen. I have been researching F/P software for weeks and have been disappointed in most of what I have seen. The magnitude of meaningless data is overwhelming in most packages. They appear to be more interested in impressing people to make certain financial decisions than in telling the truth. I would be interested in buying the "standard bundled deal" with e-mail support if you would reduce the price for the items I already have (all fact finders, IPS template and TVM calculator). Your prompt response will be appreciated.

Sincerely,

Tom Bristow

From: Leslie Casson Mike, I understand protecting the spreadsheet. It would be an easy thing to copy. As for myself, I'm an excel geek and a bond analyst trying hard to value bonds without expensive software like YieldBook and Bloomberg. Understanding the calculations is the way I understand bonds and helps me challenge brokers quotes. I was hoping I didn't have to pull out my Fabozzi book. Oh well. Anyway, you've done a good job with your spreadsheets. Thanks. Leslie J. Casson, CFA

From: wayne@mninter.net Mike, Thank you for the update. I have been using your spreadsheets. They are great! Just what the doctor ordered. I can see how many financial planners take a while to figure them out. You actually have to know what you are doing because they allow so much flexibility. Thanks for making them! Regards, Chris Gerber, CFA

Steve Mann" writes: I'd just like to say I love your asset allocation program. For a while I tried producing the same thing and could never make it look right - you did a great job. I've changed a few things like added asset classes, introduced an estimated portfolio return for proposed, recommended and current portfolios, attempted to add some standard deviation material (very hard to get good data) and I've added disclamers I thought should be included. I've added an account code type of system to show which account holds what investments (hated having the same fund 3 different times and trying to determine where each was located). Do you know of any other changes people have made to help improve? I'd love to hear about other ideas. I looked up Morningstar Advisor to get some ideas and nothing looked any better in my opinion. What I love the most and you might want to consider using in your sales material is the simple nature of the output. I was going up for 401-k rollovers for a few employees from the same firm getting laid off. All were getting financial plans from some big time firms who produced almost 150 pages of material for them to read. My 20-30 page reports including Morningstar reports on each of my recommendations was a much easier sale than anything else they saw. One guy even went and got the book the other planner produced and told me it was a complete waste of time - "who wants to read all that crap" he kept telling me. I showed him about 5 pages and then leafed through showing Morningstar liked the funds I chose and I got the sale. Great job! The more I hear people complain about their software and how much it cost - the more I love what you've produced.

----- Original Message ----- From: Jeff Fine To: 'Toolsformoney' Subject: RE: Updated Model and Mutual Fund Picks from tools4money.com Hi Mike: I've been dabbling a little with this new tool and I want to thank you for a "good" financial planning tool true to the search I used to find you. I need to spend more time to completely get my arms around everything. The retirement tool is as good if not superior to other programs that cost thousands of dollars. Question about your Fund picks. How do you do your analysis? I recognize many of the Funds you have chosen and I like to focus on Sharpe ratio. Is that in your matrix? What tool do you use to screen for these Funds? Jeff Fine

---- Original Message ----- From: John Lyday To: tools4money@earthlink.net Subject: Coordinating RWR with pre-retirement data Hello end-of-year, I recently purchased your real world software �C the ��everything on the site�± package. I��m the guy from Japan, if you remember from a month or so ago. So far I am very impressed with the simplicity and power of the spreadsheets. I have looked at Naviplan too, and while it has a lot to it, there��s a lot of fluff on Naviplan that your software has blessedly avoided. I find your program straightforward. That said, I��ve got a question about how to categorize a couple of things. I��ve looked through the manual a couple of times and haven��t been able to find an explanation. College expenses (or anything, really) that occur before retirement. Is there no way to model these? If so, how are they correctly linked to the retirement model? It seems to me that college funding must, for most people, be viewed simultaneously with retirement funding, as they often overlap temporally, and compete for cash. Is this handled in the Cash Flow spreadsheet? Manually override the years for college tuition and expenses? I��m doing my first client presentation using your software tomorrow, and I��ve been buffaloed by this. If this is a question that requires me to buy the support package, please let me know. I��m at the 11th hour and may have to bite the bullet and pay that. Or perhaps it��s in an example in your manual and I haven��t found it �C if so, maybe you could direct me to the right page. Also, if I may, how are personal residences categorized? And the mortgage liabilities that go with them �C again in the years before retirement, as well as during? Thanks very much for your time, Mike. And sorry to take up your time with what are probably some pretty newby-ish questions. Best regards, John

---- Original Message ----- From: Randy Novotny To: tools4money@earthlink.net Subject: Real estate program Mike, Thanks for the program. It works great. I found your web site through Bing. I did a search for 'calculating a rate of return on a real estate investment'. I did not click on a banner. I do have a question. I want to e-mail a completed calculation to a client. How can I lock or protect the spreadsheet so they can't change it? Randy Novotny

---- Original Message ----- From: Kelly Cannon To: toolsformoney Subject: Re: Your order from real world Software (tools4money.com) Hi Mike, Today for the first time I opened up the RWR package and started working with it. Looks very rich and flexible -- exactly what I was hoping for! I think I found a problem, however, and would appreciate your help. On the tabs for Youngest's Assets 1, 2 & 3 (at least; this is as far as I've gotten), cells A6, A7 and A8 (investment value, current age and payout age) all seem to be programmed to accept percentage values only, which creates error messages and causes problems for calculations further on. I tried to work around by multiplying these values by 100, but it looks confusing and I'm not sure if I might cause other problems with this approach. I would appreciate it if you could help me out. Thanks. Kelly Cannon

---- Original Message ----- From: Jim & Diane Hill To: toolsformoney(tools4money@earthlink.net) Subject: Re: Suggested Change for RWR Manual Hey, Mike -- don't be sorry! I'm feel very blessed to have your program at a good price AND access to the guy that really understands it. I'm so tired of interfacing with some new kid that the big company just hired to provide me with tech support. He just balanced his first checking account's monthly statement. It's not easy trying to communicate to him. You are smart and helpful. Keep up the good work!! Great program! Thanks for the update. Jim Hill

---- Original Message ----- From: Jim Kerr To: 'Toolsformoney (tools4money@earthlink.net)' Subject: RE: Problem with Average Tax Bracket Calculator No problem, Mike. Your spreadsheets are bargains, and you do a great job. Thanks for the update. Jim

---- Original Message ----- From: Reuben Bean To: tools4money@earthlink.net Subject: Re: Your order from real world Software Thanks again Mike. I will definitely do my part in spreading the word concerning your business. I am verypleased with not only the products but also the warm service. Regards, Reuben Bean

---- Original Message ----- From: Caryl Vieira To: toolsformoney(tools4money@earthlink.net) Subject: Re: Your order from real world Software I've received the file and got to your site through a Bing search on insurance calculators. Nice product, great price. Thanks David Vieira

---- Original Message ----- From: Rea, David To: 'tools4money@earthlink.net' Subject: RE: Your order from real world Software I have ordered RWR and used it for several years, so I am very familiar with your site. I have become an asset allocation advocate and decided to take the plunge with your tools and fund picks. David Rea

---- Original Message ----- From: Dean Rau To: tools4money@earthlink.net Subject: RWR Hi Mike: The software works as advertised. This is exactly what I was looking for. I have made 3 runs with different assumptions. The last one dealt with selling our vacation condo 5 years out. I would like your input on whether I handled it correctly. The condo is costing me about $23K a year in Mortgage pmts, taxes, Expenses and Home Owner Association fees. I reduced our Joint Income goals by $23K, when retirement starts, which is right now for me & my wife. I am 68 and she is 66. I created a monthly Misc Expense of $1917.00 for 5 years or until I reach 73. I assumed that the Condo would be sold and we would realize a $100K profit. I treated this profit as a Joint (Fudge) Asset beginning at my age 73. Everything looks OK. Is this an acceptable way of handling? Dean Rau

---- Original Message ----- From: Tom Robinson To: tools4money@earthlink.net Subject: RE: Your order from real world Software Mike, Thanks for the prompt delivery. I am glad to see the product is produced by a CFA. I had bought Ibbotson's product a few years ago but never used it. Yours is more to my liking. I generally customize everything that I do. Tom Thomas R. Robinson, PhD, CPA, CFP, CFA

---- Original Message ----- From: Norm Dallura To: tools4money@earthlink.net Subject: Re: Your order from real world Software Mike: Thanks for an absolutely awesome program. We are in the process of being sold and I will be retired at 50 with a big reduction in my pension, so RWR has been essential to look at different scenarios and to evaluate the offer / benefits / conversions from the new owner. Is there an update since March of 2002? If so, I am interested. BTW, this runs great on my Mac under OSX. Norm

---- Original Message ----- From: Arlyn Philip Nelson, CFP To: tools4money@earthlink.net Subject: Freebies I use the average tax calculator and TVM and really appreciate them. The bond program is out of my league as I haven't spent much time in that arena. It sure appears to give me the ability to do a much more in depth analysis than I have been capable of. Much appreciated, and thank you for thinking of me. Arlyn Nelson, CFP

---- Original Message ----- From: mike & gail To: tools4money@earthlink.net Subject: Re: Your order from real world Software Received all the ordered material. Thank you. You did a superb job on the spreadsheets and I'm curious to see your mutual fund selections for this month. Sorry, I can't recall for sure if I clicked on the paid spot in the Bing search. I had been reading on many sites on "asset allocation models" and yours was one of those I chose to look at more in depth. mike spinelli

---- Original Message ----- From: Robert L. Fuller To: tools4money@earthlink.net Subject: RE: Service Upgrade Thank you. I very much appreciate the upgrade and will try not to overuse the help that I will most likely need from time to time (which is why I posed the question, below). RWR looks like a great product. I haven't gotten very far into it yet but it seems to be just what I have been looking for. I'm a CPA/MbA/lawyer who has been programming a spreadsheet workbook for many years just to get my own finances and retirement plans in order. I could not find an application that was sophisticated and flexible enough at a reasonable price. I got my model to the point that I needed help solving some programming problems and RWR apparently has done this. Keep up the great work. I expect that I'll get lots of helpful planning information from RWR. Thanks again, Bob

---- Original Message ----- From: P.J. Harper To: tools4money@earthlink.net Cc: P.J. Harper Subject: Re: Your order from real world Software Hello end-of-year, I am just getting to learning your software. I really like it! The RWR_FF.zip was not included with my order. I am a RIA, please send the fact finder. Regards, P.J. Harper

---- Original Message ----- From: Beville, James To: tools4money@earthlink.net Subject: RE: Your order from real world Software I purchased the investment discovery questionnaire several weeks ago and have very impressed by it. It certainly is much more extensive than many of the other questionnaires out there. I did have one questions that clients frequently ask; what criteria is used to calculated the Five different risk categories in this particular Questionnaire? I know that your out traveling now according to your voice mail, so whenever you get a chance I'll be very interested. Thanks, Jim Beville

---- Original Message ----- From: Patricia Mathews To: toolsformoney Subject: Terrific Software Dear Mike, I have had the RWR software for about a week and it's great. I am not a finance professional, however, I manage our family investments, including qualified and non-qualified plans, mutual funds, and real estate rental holdings. As we were beginning to think about retiring I needed something that would factor in inflation, pensions, rents, etc... and tell me whether we would outlive our resources. Thankfully, we are in fine shape and will be able to retire even earlier than we had thought previously. The program is easy to use once you learn how the pieces fit together and I was able to account for real estate rental income as well as make allowances for appreciation of the real estate itself. I do have a question, though---not about real estate, but about the "Additional Funding..." calculation. The program indicates that we need an additional $43,200 today in order to reach our goals. However, on the Annual Summary Numbers page there are no negative numbers in any column and the balance of capital at age 90 (expected life expectancy) is nearly $2,000,000. I'm confused---- How is this figure calculated? Is there some artifact in the input data that is resulting in this apparent conflict? In other words---what have I done wrong?-----HELP. Thanks, Pat

----- Original Message ----- From: Robert Mayberry To: tools4money@earthlink.net Subject: Re: Another freebie... Mike the appt yesterday went well the program was easy to explain The clients loved it--invested $130000 -SET UP NEXT INVESTMENT AFTER RETIREMENT DATE should be $1000000 plus thanks for the help Bob Mayberry

---- Original Message ----- From: Glen Thompson:PMO Consulting To: tools4money@earthlink.net Subject: Re: Your order from real world Software Mike, Good info, well worth the few bucks. We are pretty much on the same page as regards to our philosophy and approach. I think I told you, perhaps not, I was a principal in some global business consulting firms assisting clients(private&public) to Develop and implement financial processes and systems. I've now started My own company. My idea is to add financial services line of business to the business consulting, doing this by completing ChFC designation, the here in Texas and gearing up the necessary marketing. My outstanding concern is what broker to partner with as an RIA. I researched the one you mentioned, LPL, obviously in top echelon, but there criteria is to take on only established producing practices, Not a newby. I plan to stay in touch w/you and buy more product & support on a go-forward basis. Thanks again, Glen Thompson

---- Original Message ----- From: Todd Davis To: tools4money@earthlink.net Subject: Questions. end-of-year, My brothers and I are using your IRR real estate calculator - Nice job (we haven't quite figured out how to dial it all in, but have nonetheless decided that people are willing to pay more than we think our property is worth - so we've listed the property). Question: Any advice on selecting a financial planner? My wife, brothers and I all live in Chicago. Sincerely, Todd Davis

---- Original Message ----- From: Chris Rankin To: tools4money@earthlink.net Subject: iNSURANCE CALCULATOR I am very pleased with my purchase. Everything works well except for one thing I don't understand on the Life Insurance Calculator. I input all the feilds per the instructions. When that is all done I look at the presentation and on lines 24 and 26 it says #VALUE. I assume this means I didn't input something but I don't see what that is. Is there something obvious that I'm missing? Chris Rankin

---- Original Message ----- From: Jerry Broussard To: tools4money@earthlink.net Subject: Estate Planning Mike, Again thanks for developing a great piece of software. I very please with the ease of input and output. I am currently working for a client and would like to address the estate planning issue with him. How do you handle the estate planning part of comprehensive planning with this software or do you? Thanks, Jerry J. Broussard, CFP

---- Original Message ----- From: Chris McGrath To: toolsformoney Subject: Reply My pleasure. Thanks for the freebie bonus. I found you by doing a search on LooksSmart, keywords "Investment Policy Statement". Your IPS Boilerplate hit on the first page. I began to read your site text, and was impressed with the direct, clear writing style and idiot proof directions. The more I read, the more it became apparent you know what you are talking about ( around here we say he "gets it".) We act as an OSJ for about 60 reps. A few are seasoned advisors who need only occasional help...most are former captive agents who now are in the "independent" financial services business and need our help and support in their quest to move from $50k GDC to $250+k. We give em a web site, product due diligence, seminars, and scripts to follow for their first managed account sales. We also help get group contracts with employers (mostly 403(b) and 457 plans), and our Reps enroll the plans. We coach them to look for ancillary sales (IRAs, mutual funds, 529s and the occasional fee based managed account.) The hardest thing to teach is STOP chasing the "big one" and STOP doing research work and making recommendations for free! Unfortunately, we all have to learn that lesson the hard way, I guess. I like your stuff. What can you offer me to produce a decent financial plan? Not a 40 page 3-ring "book" with 20 meaningless charts, but some 8-12 page thing that says to a mid level couple with $50-100k to invest "I care about you and I listened to you and if you give me your business, I will produce a cool basic plan for you just like this and help you implement the strategies we develop for you...." You got anything on your shelf that looks like that? Regards, Chris

---- Original Message ----- From: Jerry Broussard To: tools4money@earthlink.net Subject: Like your software! Mike, I just found your website and like what I see and wish I would have found it years ago. I have been doing financial planning for 21 years and have seen it all, as have you I have I am sure. I will be ordering your program soon, just trying to find out what I can use. The only question I have is the retirement program. I am currently using finaceware.com's software (expensive -$150/mth) to reproduce the monte carlo simulations, but find it easy for the client to understand, that in the real world things change and this software simulates these possibilities, such as having a market drop at the beginning of your investment cycle rather than at the end, etc. How would I show a client a report that shows average 8% return (for example) knowing that if the market drops as it has done since 2000 and could possibly affect that clients end results. Knowing this is unsettling and I find the financeware software helps in that it gives me a probability of an outcome. After reading your entire site, I find you knowledgeable in these areas and thought you could help me with an answer. Also, I thought you could tell me how I could use your software to get the same results as the monte carlo or something similar. Thanks, Jerry J. Broussard, CFP

---- Original Message ----- From: Jack Hanlon To: tools4money@earthlink.net Subject: program problem Some months ago I ordered your asset allocator program and it is great. Just one problem: the pie chart is too small on the page. Even though I know something about Excel, I can't find a way to enlarge it to fill the page and be more readable. Is there some trick? Thanks, Jack Hanlon

---- Original Message ----- From: Bill Shellooe To: tools4money@earthlink.net Subject: Re: Your order from real world Software Mike, Thank you! The tool is great. I know I didn't sign up for e-mail support but I have one question. I have a projection for a sale of a rental in 2009, the equity is $344,276 but the spreadsheet is showing a realized cash flow for 2010 as $646,191. Is there a problem or do I not understand the accounting behind the sale of a rental property. Thanks, Bill

---- Original Message ----- From: Mike Lettunich To: tools4money@earthlink.net Subject: RE: Your order from real world Software Thanks! I'm already playing with it - looks fun/helpful. I found it from Bing with search words "real estate internal rate of return" - I've been looking for a good IRR calculator for real estate investments and I like to use Excel (I'm kind of an Excel junkie a little like you must be too :)) so it's perfect. I don't suppose you'd let me know your sheet protection password so that I can create sort of my own personalized version, if not, I understand. Thanks again, Mike

---- Original Message ----- From: Jay Rothenberger To: tools4money@earthlink.net Subject: Re: Your order from real world Software Mike, Great program! I had created a spreadsheet program for my own use, which is less sophisticated than yours, just to calculate my 401K, IRA and pension plan. It was great to see that our calcs were virtually identical with the same inputs. To give you some feedback, I found your program via a search on Bing. One question for you: Is there any way to override the yearly contribution to a 401K? For example, I contribute 15% of my gross salary. Long before retirement age, the annual contribution far exceeds the federal maximum now. If the allowances are not raised to keep up with my salary increases, those calculations are based on money that I will not be able to save in the 401K. To achieve my income needs, I would have to put that money in another investment. Thanks. Regards, Jason M. Rothenberger

---- Original Message ----- From: Robert Teknika To: tools4money@earthlink.net Subject: Re: eBook Hi Mike, Hey, I enjoyed reading your book very much. It's hard to get the nitty gritty especially from just sources like Barnes & Noble. I want your input on something. I recently paid a Fee-Based Financial Advisor to come up with the Qualified and Non-Qualified portfolios based on an interview with him. I'm now deciding on what action to take next. I read the portion of you eBook about optimizing at the asset class level, and asset (security) level. The Advisor I paid has done it at the asset-class level (he used Frontier). Now, the thing that concerns me, is what I read in your eBook: "Asset classes are just averages of all of the actual investments in that asset class. The actual risk, return, and correlation properties of a real asset is usually much different than this average. These three sets of data are what the program uses to do the work. If you own a real investment that has a completely Different set of data than the asset class, then you get little benefit from optimizing. You're doing the simulation with an orange, then using an apple in real life." Ideally, I would like to optimize at the asset level, but my portfolio size ( 190K) prohibits me from getting this kind of service from a Fee-Based advisor. The second option is to do it myself. I have an analytical background, and have been writing software professionally for the last 7 years, so I could probably become proficient at this. My question to you is, is it feasible to do this myself, and how much time on average does it take? How long would it take me to learn how to optimize at the asset level? Thanks for your insightful book! -Robert

---- Original Message ----- From: fred fadel To: toolsformoney@earthlink.net Subject: Re: toolsformoney COM Invoice for Order # 135 Mike, I have already used the IPS and presented an IPS to a new client. Yes, it better than Ibbotson by a mile. I'll save e-mailing you with questions and comments until i have looked at and tried to use the other tools. Please resend the other files ASAP. At present I only have the IPS and the fact find (i ordered the bundle plus seminar for 319.00) You may recall i had trouble downloading and lost the files the first time. Also, the extra charges on my credit card apppear to have been reversed automatically as you said. Good luck on fixing that. Have a blessed and Happy Thanksgivng. fred fadel

----- Original Message ----- From: PG To: toolsformoney@earthlink.net Subject: You said if the "rwr-ff.docx" was not included... Hi Mike... I purchased your Bundled RWR Package last month...but upon reading the RWR Manual, I found reference to the RWR_FF.zip file. You said to e-mail you if I did not have this file...THIS IS THAT EMAIL request. Thank you for this GREAT spreadsheet! I'm amazed at how comprehensive this tool is for planning...I look forward to getting the RWR_FF.zip and being able to use it for the collection of critical information. Paul Schmidt

----- Original Message ----- From: Dean Smith To: toolsformoney@earthlink.net Hi Mike, Ive been looking for asset allocation software for a long time, and I must say this is exactly what ive been looking for. I am an avid Excel user and i love your programs simplicity and ease of use. Thank you so much for the quality of the programs and for the very reasonable prices. Dean Smith

----Original Message----- From: end-of-year Weisman To: toolsformoney@earthlink.net Subject: Re: Your order from real world Software Dear Mike, Thank you very much for the terrific real world software. I am with Salomon Smith Barney and have been using their "Financial Plan Tools" package which is based on Chesire, and I can honestly say your Excel based planner blows their's away. I was able to build and present my first plan in just an hour or so. The real-world flexability is just as you promised! I want to order the rest of the $150 Financial Professionals package. Would that be $159 less the $25 I paid for the RWR Calc? Please let me know. Also, I am a little confused on the asset allocation programs. I regularly Deal with qualified, non-qualified, and retirees all the time. Sometimes all three of these apply, sometimes jut one. So will the ones I need all be included in the package? I look forward to hearing back from you. Best regards, end-of-year Weisman ps - I found you by typing in "Excel Planning" into Bing.com. I was so frustrated trying to manipulate Chesire, that I was trying to find an Excel based retirement planning worksheet (or make my own). Your software really fit the bill!! Thanks again.

---- Original Message ----- From: Charlie Cox To: toolsformoney@earthlink.net Subject: Re: Order Mike, VERY impressed with the retirement planning package!! I'm not, at least not yet, a "full service" customer - but could I ask one question? How Do you handle investments which have liabilities associated with them - such as Mortgages? No mention of these type of assets or "liabilities" as such in the Manual. Do you just record the equity in the asset AS the asset, do the amortization calculation separately, then plug the resulting asset numbers back into one of the ten Basic Asset inputs?? ( I'll be happy to sign up for full service if needed to get help on this.) I'm not finished yet but found the program very comprehensive yet fairly easy to work with. Very good work. Thanks Again, Charlie Cox

Financial Planning Software Modules For Sale
(are listed below)

Financial Planning Software that's Fully-Integrated
(the IFP is the NaviPlan alternative for 1/6th the price)

Goals-Only "Financial Planning Software"
(the MoneyGuidePro alternative for 1% of their price)

Retirement Planning Software Menu: Something for Everyone
(the RWRs, RP, and SRP)

Comprehensive Asset Allocation Software

Model Portfolio Allocations with Historical Returns

Monthly-updated ETF and Mutual Fund Picks

DIY Investment Portfolio Benchmarking Program

Financial Planning Fact Finders for Financial Planners Gathering Data from Clients

Investment Policy Statement Software (IPS)

Life Insurance Calculator (AKA Capital Needs Analysis Software)

Bond Calculators for Duration, Convexity, YTM, Accretion, and Amortization