Book excerpt: Money represents more than the paper it's printed on. It may be the embodimentof your time, your talents, and your commitments. It buys the food you eat, thehouse you sleep in, the car you drive, and the clothes you wear. It also helpsprovide you with the lifestyle you want to live once you retire.You have spent a lifetime earning it, spending it, and hopefully, accumulating it.When the time comes for retirement, you want your money to provide you witha comfortable lifestyle and stable income after your working days are done. Youmight also have other desires, such as traveling, purchasing property, or movingto be closer to your family (or farther away). You may also want your assets toprovide for your loved ones after you are gone.The truth is that it takes more than just money to fulfill those needs and desires.Your income, your plans for retirement, your future healthcare expenses, and thecontinued accumulation of your assets after you stop working and drawing apaycheck all rely on one thing: You.