Money Club: Is Your Financial Future Safe? What Every Woman Should Know

How much do you "really" know about managing your money? Do you know what steps you should take to protect yourself before you say "I do"? Is it possible your husband has forgotten to remove his ex-wife's name as the beneficiary of his life insurance? (Don't smirk, it happens all the time.) Can you talk to your accountant as comfortably as you hairdresser? If you had a medical catastrophe or lost your job, would you have enough money to tide you over?

Most women do not have good answers to these questions, and neither did Diane Terman Felenstein and her friends. Though smart and accomplished in many arenas, every one of them -- like women everywhere -- had fears about dealing with money. They were reluctant to talk candidly about financial issues with their husbands, intimidated by their advisors, and afraid to tackle their finances alone -- as 90 percent of women eventually must do. The bottom line became increasingly clear: If you want a safe and secure future, you have to learn how to manage your money today. With this in mind, Felenstein set out to form an investment club and asked Marilyn Crockett, a highly successful financial consultant, to be its chief expert. Their book, "The Money Club," is the result of their experience -- and is the only complete financial guide written by women for women that explains the secrets of managing money, whether you have $5,000 in assets or $50,000.