With economic uncertainty reaching unprecedented levels, Aaron W. Smith's accessible nine-step plan to take control of your financial future will resonate whether you're just starting out or finding yourself midlife with concerns about your retirement. In The Black will transform your retirement plans, regardless of income, by offering concrete advice on what opportunities are available and using real-life examples to illustrate how anyone can achieve their financial dreams be they middle- aged and facing debt or actively saving since their early twenties. In clear, easy-to-follow steps, readers will learn how to: Overcome historical resistance to investing - Save for retirement while keeping kinship ties intact - Use faith as a motivator for saving and strengthening financial discipline - Break through denial about changes in Social Security and pension plans. . . and much more. “If you’re worried about retirement, read this book. It’s filled with the Holy Spirit, fun to read and easy to follow.” - The Rev. Dr. Suzan Johnson Cook Senior Pastor, Believers Christian Fellowship Author, Live Like You’re Blessed “In the Black fills a void in the much under-served niche of financial planning for African Americans.… This book will empower you to move forward.” - Mary Beth Franklin, Kiplinger's Personal Finance “Smith’s work is a timely volume urging individuals at all income levels to improve their financial literacy and take control of their economic futures.” - Publishers Weekly (starred review) With economic uncertainty reaching unprecedented levels, Aaron W. Smith's accessible nine-step plan to take control of your financial future will resonate whether you're just starting out or finding yourself midlife with concerns about your retirement. In The Black will transform your retirement plans, regardless of income, by offering concrete advice on what opportunities are available and using real-life examples to illustrate how anyone can achieve their financial dreams be they middle- aged and facing debt or actively saving since their early twenties. In clear, easy-to-follow steps, readers will learn how to: Overcome historical resistance to investing - Save for retirement while keeping kinship ties intact - Use faith as a motivator for saving and strengthening financial discipline - Break through denial about changes in Social Security and pension plans. . . and much more. Aaron W. Smith is the founder and president of A. W. Smith Financial Group, Inc., a comprehensive financial planning firm based in Richmond, Virginia. Smith has more than ten years of experience in the financial services and insurance industries. He holds several securities and insurance licenses and is also a Registered Player Financial Advisor for the National Football League Players Association. Trained as a minister, Brenda Lane Richardson is a journalist, active public speaker, and the author of Story Power , The Language of Fertility , and Chesapeake Song . She has written a column for the Oakland Tribune , and her work has appeared in Essence , Glamour , Ms. , and the New York Times Magazine .