IT PAYS TO TALK

Charles Schwab and daughter Carrie offer listeners a crash course in organizing personal finances, growing investments, and planning for the unplanned in this abridged look at financial health. Read by the authors, this piece has a down-home quality as the Schwabs' talent lies with financial planning rather than performance. But considering the inaccessibility of much financial information, the Schwabs' lack of polish lends itself well to the average listener, whether they're discussing how to invest, write a will, do estate planning, hire a personal planner, or teach kids about budgeting. The broad range of topics and casual, enthusiastic reading will help any family make money matters regular conversation rather than a family taboo. H.L.S. (c) AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine [Published: JUN/JUL 03]