About the Author

CHARLES R. SCHWAB started investing in 1957, and in 1974 he became a pioneer in the discount brokerage business, guided by a vision of empowering Americans with information, investment tools, and easy, low-cost access to the stock market. Today, Charles Schwab & Co., Inc., is one of the nation's largest full-service financial services firms. The father of five children, Schwab lives with his wife in the San Francisco Bay Area.