--2--

This is where we need to take a step back and look at the big picture. We need to appreciate the immensity of the financial decisions that we're making and see their true impact on our future. We need to think them through, and a little bit of math can help us do that.

OK, OK, don't panic. First off, the couple of rules that I'm going to talk about here actually require very little math, and what math is required is fairly simple. But, despite their simplicity, these rules get us thinking about the big picture first and then allow us to move on to making some specific decisions that will help us reach those goals.

Without further a do, here are two rules we should already know and should never forget again:

The rule of 72 -- double your money, double your fun

This is my favorite rule of finance because it forces you to look at what you have -- right now, today -- and then focus on what you can reasonably achieve given your return expectations.
The Rule of 72 will tell you how long it takes for an investment to double in value, assuming interest is paid annually and reinvested in the same account. To get your result, simply divide the number 72 by the interest rate you expect to earn on your investment.

For example, if you put your money in an investment earning 8%, dividing 72 by eight will tell you that your money will double in nine years. Consequently, if you earn 9% on your money, it will take eight years to double, and 10% will get you there in 7.2 years. If you're expecting a more modest 6%, 12 years will pass before you see double dough.

This rule itself is not a prediction, but a simple mathematic fact. Of course, the predicting part comes in when you assume what you'll earn on your investment. (If it's Treasury securities, you probably know, but if it's stocks, you're making an educated guess).

For that reason, you had better err on the side of caution. Though stocks -- as measured by the S&P 500 -- have returned just north of 10% since 1926, there have been 10-year periods where returns were substantially lower or virtually nonexistent. So, be conservative but realistic, depending on your time horizon.

The great power of this rule may be that it has a tendency to get folks excited about investing -- especially teenagers who have such long periods of time in which their money can grow. Given that, you'll be doing them a real favor if you teach it to your children and grandchildren.

If that's still not powerful enough to make them lenders instead of borrowers, teach them the oft-forgotten flip side of this rule, as it will also tell them how long it will take for their debts to double in size at a given interest rate. With consumer debt at an all-time high, this side of the coin may prove the better lesson for your college-aged kindred.

For example, if you have $10,000 in debt and you're paying 7% interest on that balance, you'll owe $20,000 in just over 10 years. Of course, this assumes that no payments are required, but many student loans work this way (i.e., the interest simply accrues and is capitalized, so the debt builds until you begin making payments).

Even if we're talking about credit card debt -- where you're required to make minimum monthly payments -- the rule still suggests how quickly debts can become burdensome. Indeed, today's minimum payment requirements often have little more impact than zero payments, though, the balance is at least going in the right direction in this case.

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