If just thinking about financial management gives you a headache, personal finance software is better than aspirin. Quicken is tops, and Quicken 2009 For Dummies is the quickest and easiest way to put it to work.

Here’s the plain-English guide to using the newest update of the nation’s leading personal finance software. A leading CPA shows you how to track your finances day to day, keep your checkbook and pay bills online, and even plan for tax time with Quicken. Learn as much or as little as you need to know — just how to keep your checkbook straight, or even how Quicken helps manage stocks and the business end of rental property.

• Install and set up Quicken 2009, or update data files from a previous version
• Learn to make a budget that’s flexible enough to work for your family or your business
• Keep your checkbook up to date, handle banking transactions online, and use Quicken calculators
• Print Quicken reports to help you track cash flow, identify missing checks, summarize spending, and more
• Set up tax-deferred or brokerage accounts and buy and sell securities
• Track your credit cards and bank accounts as well as mortgages, loans, and other debts
• Use Quicken’s Home & Business or Rental Property Manager versions to keep your business books
• Handle payroll for business or household employees
• Track deductions to make tax preparation easier

With Quicken 2009 For Dummies, you’ll feel like a financial wizard!