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nd control the power。
Once we had this knowledge of the power of money working for us； he wanted us to be financially smart and not let bullies push us around。 You need to know the law and how the system works。 If you're ignorant； it is easy to be bullied。 If you know what you're talking about； you have a fighting chance。 That is why he paid so much for smart tax accountants and attorneys。 It was less expensive to pay them than pay the government。 His best lesson to me； which I have used most of my life； is 〃Be smart and you won't be pushed around as much。〃 He knew the law because he was a lawabiding citizen。 He knew the law because it was expensive to not know the law。 〃If you know you're right； you're not afraid of fighting back。〃 Even if you are taking on Robin Hood and his band of Merry Men。
My highly educated dad always encouraged me to seek a good job with a strong corporation。 He spoke of the virtues of 〃working your way up the corporate ladder。〃 He didn't understand that； by relying solely on a paycheck from a corporate employer； I would be a docile cow ready for milking。
When I told my rich dad of my father's advice； he only chuckled。 〃Why not own the ladder？〃 was all he said。
As a young boy； I did not understand what rich dad meant by owning my own corporation。 It was an idea that seemed impossible； and intimidating。 Although I was excited by the idea； my youth would not let me envision the possibility that grownups would someday work for a pany I would own。
The point is； if not for my rich dad； I would have probably followed my educated dad's advice。 It was merely the occasional reminder of my rich dad that kept the idea of owning my own corporation alive and kept me on a different path。 By the time I was 15 or 16； I knew I was not going to continue down the path my educated dad was remending。 I did not know how I was going to do it； but I was determined not to head in the direction most of my classmates were heading。 That decision changed my life。
It was not until I was in my mid20s that my rich dad's advice began to make more sense。 I was just out of the Marine Corps and working for Xerox。 I was making a lot of money； but every time I looked at my paycheck； I was always disappointed。 The deductions were so large； and the more I worked； the greater the deductions。 As I became more successful； my bosses talked about promotions and raises。 It was flattering； but I could hear my rich dad asking me in my ear： 〃Who are you working for？ Who are you making rich？〃
In 1974； while still an employee for Xerox； I formed my first corporation and began 〃minding my own business。〃 There were already a few assets in my asset column； but now I was determined to focus on making it bigger。 Those paychecks with all the deductions made all the years of my rich dad's advice make total sense。 I could see the future if I followed my educated dad's advice。
Many employers feel that advising their workers to mind their own business is bad for business。 I am sure it can be for certain individuals。 But for me； focusing on my own business； developing assets； made me a better employee。 I now had a purpose。 I came in early and worked diligently； amassing as much money as possible so I could begin investing in real estate。 Hawaii was just set to boom； and there were 4 fortunes to be made。 The more I realized we were in the beginning stages of a boom； the more Xerox machines I sold。 The more I sold； the more money I made； and； of course； the more deductions there were from my paycheck。 It was inspiring。 I wanted out of the trap of being an employee so badly that I worked harder； not less。 By 1978；I was consistently one of the top five salespeople in sales； often No。 1。 I badly wanted out of the rat race。
In less than three years； I was making more in my own little corporation； which was a real estate holding pany； than I was making at Xerox。 And the money I was making in my asset column； in my own corporation； was money working for me。 Not me pounding on doors selling copiers。 My rich dad's advice made much more sense。 Soon the cash flow from my properties was so strong that my pany bought me my first Porsche。 My fellow Xerox salespeople thought I was spending my missions。 I wasn't。 I was investing my missions in assets。
My money was working hard to make more money。 Each dollar in my asset column was a great employee； working hard to make more employees and buy the boss a new Porsche with beforetax dollars。 I began to work harder for Xerox。 The plan was working； and my Porsche was the proof。
By using the lessons I learned from my rich dad； I was able to get out of the 〃proverbial rat race〃 of being an employee at an early age。 It was made possible because of the strong financial knowledge I had acquired through these lessons。 Without this financial knowledge； which I call financial IQ； my road to financial independence would have been much more difficult。 I now teach others through financial seminars in the hope that I may share my knowledge with them。 Whenever I do my talks； I remind people that financial IQ is made up of knowledge from four broad areas of expertise。
No。 1 is accounting。 What I call financial literacy。 A vital skill if you want to build an empire。 The more money you are responsible for； the more accuracy is required； or the house es tumbling down。 This is the left brain side； or the details。 Financial literacy is the ability to read and understand financial statements。 This ability allows you to identify the strengths and weaknesses of any business。
No。 2 is investing。 What I call the science of money making money。 This involves strategies and formulas。 This is the right brain side； or the creative side。
No。 3 is understanding markets。 The science of supply and demand。 There is a need to know the 〃technical〃 aspects of the market； which is emotion driven； the Tickle Me Elmo doll during Christmas 1996 is a case of a technical or emotiondriven market。 The other market factor is the 〃fundamental〃 or the economic sense of an investment。 Does an investment make sense or does it not make sense based on the current market conditions。
Many people think the concepts of investing and understanding the market are too plex for kids。 They fail to see that kids know those subjects intuitively。 For those not familiar with the Elmo doll； it was a Sesame Street character that was highly touted to the kids just before Christmas。 Most all kids wanted one； and put it at the top of their Christmas list。 Many parents wondered if the pany intentionally held the product off the market； while continuing to advertise it for Christmas。 A panic set in due to high demand and lack of supply。 Having no dolls to buy in the stores； scalpers saw an opportunity to make a small fortune from desperate parents。 The unlucky parents who did not find a doll were forced to buy another toy for Christmas。 The incredible popularity of the Tickle Me Elmo doll made no sense to me； but it serves as an excellent example of supply and demand economics。 The same thing goes on in the stock； bond； real estate and baseballcard markets。
No。 4 is the law。 For instance； utilizing a corporation wrapped around the technical skills of accounting； investing and markets can aid explosive growth。 An individual with the knowledge of the tax advantages and protection provided by a corporation can get rich so much faster than someone who is an employee or a smallbusiness sole proprietor。 It's like the difference between someone walking and someone flying。 The difference is profound when it es to longterm wealth。
1。 Tax advantages： A corporation can do so many things that an individual cannot。 Like pay for expenses before it pays taxes。 That is a whole area of expertise that is so exciting； but not necessary to get into unless you have sizable assets or a business。
Employees earn and get taxed and they try to live on what is left。 A corporation earns； spends everything it can； and is taxed on anything that is left。 It's one of the biggest legal tax loopholes that the rich use。 They're easy to set up and are not expensive if you own investments that are producing good cash flow。 For example； by owning your own corporation vacations are board meetings in Hawaii。 Car payments； insurance； repairs are pany expenses。 Health club membership is a pany expense。 Most restaurant meals are partial expenses。 And on and on but do it legally with pretax dollars。
2。 Protection from lawsuits。 We live in a litigious society。 Everybody wants a piece of your action。 The rich hide much of their wealth using vehicles such as corporations and trusts to protect their assets from creditors。 When someone sues a wealthy individual they are often met with layers of legal protection； and often find that the wealthy person actually owns nothing。 They control everything； but own nothing。 The poor and middle class try to own everything and lose it to the government or to fellow citizens who like to sue the rich。 They learned it from the Robin Hood story。 Take from the rich； give to the poor。
It is not the purpose of this book to go into the specifics of owning a corporation。 But I will say that if you own any kind of legitimate assets； I would consider finding out more about the benefits and protect