It's never too late to get started.

In his book, 'The Secret Code of the Superior Investor,' James Glassman describes how Anne Scheiber began investing in shares in her 50s and amassed a fortune. She was paid $3150 per year by the US Internal Revenue Service (IRS). She invested $5000 into stocks when she retired at 51 years old in 1944 and ended up with $22 million when she died in 1995 at the age of 101, a return of 18 percent per year over 50 years. The same money invested in the S&P 500 index would have returned $2 million @12.4% pa (less than a tenth of Ann's fortune) and $100,000 in bonds. What was her wealth-building formula? As an IRS estates auditor, she observed that the only way to get affluent was through inheritance. In the United States, it was done through equity. However, the "magic of compounding" takes a long time to operate in equities. As a result, time is the single most critical aspect in equities performance. Anne never sold anything she bought, regardless of whether the market was up or down. Her stocks all went through tough patches, but she didn't sell and was rewarded handsomely for her perseverance.

Here's what we'll learn: While previous performance is no guarantee of future results, stocks have the ability to handily outperform inflation. Small investors can easily implement Anne's tried-and-true investing strategy. It is based on commitment rather than financial analysis, and patience rather than the quest of quick gains. It is realistic