The 9 Steps to Financial Freedom

ALSO BY SUZE ORMAN

You’ve Earned It, Don’t Lose It

Suze Orman’s Financial Guidebook

The Courage to Be Rich

The Road to Wealth

The Laws of Money, the Lessons of Life

The Money Book for the Young, Fabulous & Broke

Women & Money

Suze Orman’s Action Plan

The Money Class

A Note to the Reader:
As of the publication of this book, all of the information is up to date. It is possible that in the upcoming years, laws, especially those pertaining to retirement accounts and estate taxes, may change. In order to remain abreast of current legislation, please go to the NineStep updates section of my website,
www.suzeorman.com
. On the site you may download important information regarding any new financial laws.

This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter covered. It is published with the understanding that the publisher and author are not engaged in rendering legal accounting or other professional service. If legal advice or other professional advice, including financial, is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought.
—
From a Declaration of Principles, jointly adopted by a Committee of the American Bar Association and a Committee of Publishers

All rights reserved.
Published in the United States by Three Rivers Press, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc., New York.
www.crownpublishing.com

Three Rivers Press and the Tugboat design are registered trademarks of Random House, Inc.

Originally published in hardcover in the United States by Crown Publishers, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc., New York, in 1997, and subsequently published in slightly different form in softcover by Three Rivers Press, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc., New York, in 2000 and 2006.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Orman, Suze.
       The 9 steps to financial freedom / Suze Orman.—3rd pbk. ed.
       1. Finance, Personal. I. Title.
    HG179.0755 1997
    332.024—dc21                                                                98-3320

eISBN: 978-0-609-60716-9

v3.1

This book is dedicated to my dad
,
who through all his hard times kept a smile
.
Within his pocketbook, he may not have had as much as many
,
but within his heart he had more than most
.

Not long ago, I asked my mom whether, when my dad was alive, she had seen him cry a lot. She thought for a second and said, “Well, he only really cried when he watched
Wheel of Fortune
.”

“Wheel of Fortune?”

“Yes,” she said, “when people would win a lot of money, he would be so happy for them that he would cry.” That sums up my dad—to wish for others what he wished for himself. This is true generosity. Dad, I hope you can see me now and are as proud of me as I only wish I could tell you that I am of you. Mom, I will always be there for you, so don’t you ever worry, I love you—you are the best.

C
ONTENTS