Exhibit 10.10
                                
              The Reader's Digest Association, Inc.
                                
               EXECUTIVE FINANCIAL COUNSELING PLAN
                 (As amended by Amendment No. 1)
                                
                            ARTICLE I
                                
                             Purpose

1.1 The  purpose of the Plan is to reimburse Eligible  Executives
    of  the  Company and its Designated Subsidiaries for  certain
    expenses incurred by them for Financial Counseling.


                           ARTICLE II
                                
                           Definitions
                                
2.1 "Authorized Vendor" shall mean:

    (a) any accounting, tax, investment and legal vendor selected
        by  the  Company  to  be available to  provide  Financial
        Counseling to Eligible Executives under the Plan; and
    
    (b) with  respect  to  a particular Eligible  Executive,  any
        accounting, tax, investment or legal vendor who has  been
        providing Financial Counseling to that Eligible Executive
        for  at least the immediately preceding two years and who
        is approved by the Senior Vice President, Human Resources
        of  the  Company to provide Financial Counseling  to  the
        Eligible Executive under the Plan.

2.2 "Company" shall mean The Reader's Digest Association, Inc..

2.3 "Designated  Subsidiary"  shall  mean  a  subsidiary  of  the
    Company,  80  per  cent or more of the voting  power  of  the
    capital  stock  of which is owned, directly or indirectly  by
    the Company, that is designated in writing by the Senior Vice
    President, Human Resources of the Company, with the  approval
    of the Chief Executive Officer of the Company.

2.4 "Eligible Executive" shall mean each employee of the  Company
    or any Designated Subsidiary at Salary Grade Level 18 (or its
    equivalent) or above.

2.5 "Eligible Senior Executive" shall mean each employee  of  the
    Company or any Designated Subsidiary at Salary Grade Level 21
    (or its equivalent) or above.

2.6 "Financial Counseling" shall mean the following services:

    (a) financial  planning  (including cash  flow  analysis  and
        capital planning);
    
    (b) income  tax  planning  (which shall  include  income  tax
        preparation  and  audit  support  services  for  Eligible
        Senior Executives but shall not include such services for
        Eligible Executives);
    
    (c) estate  planning  (not  including preparation  of  wills,
        trust agreements and similar documentation);
    
    (d) insurance planning; and
    
    (e) retirement planning.
    
    Financial   Counseling   shall  not  include   brokerage   or
        promoter's fees.

2.7 "Retirement"  shall  mean termination  of  employment  by  an
    employee who is at least 55 years of age after at least  five
    years   of   employment  by  the  Company  or  a   Designated
    Subsidiary.

2.8 "Total  Disability" shall mean "Total Disability" as  defined
    in The Reader's Digest Association, Inc. Long Term Disability
    Plan.


                           ARTICLE III
                                
             Reimbursement for Financial Counseling
                                
3.1 Maximum  Regular  Annual Allowance for  Eligible  Executives.
    The  Company and the Designated Subsidiaries shall  reimburse
    each   Eligible  Executive  (not  including  Eligible  Senior
    Executives)  for Financial Counseling expenses incurred  from
    any Authorized Vendor up to the following limits:

    (a) $7,500  for  each of the first two 12-month periods  that
        the  Eligible  Executive  participates  in  the  Plan  by
        incurring   Financial  Counseling   expenses   that   are
        submitted  for reimbursement under the Plan  or  by  such
        other  activity  approved by the Senior  Vice  President,
        Human Resources; and
    
    (b) $5,000 for each subsequent 12-month period.

3.2 Maximum   Regular   Annual  Allowance  for  Eligible   Senior
    Executives.   The  Company  and the  Designated  Subsidiaries
    shall  reimburse each Eligible Senior Executive for Financial
    Counseling expenses incurred from any Authorized Vendor up to
    the following limits:

    (a) $8,000  for each 12-month period that the Eligible Senior
        Executive participates in the Plan by incurring Financial
        Counseling  expenses that are submitted for reimbursement
        under the Plan or by such other activity approved by  the
        Senior Vice President, Human Resources.

3.3 Maximum  Allowance for Death, Disability or  Retirement.   If
    the  employment of an Eligible Executive with the Company and
    all  Designated Subsidiaries terminates by reason  of  death,
    Total   Disability  or  Retirement,  the  Company   and   the
    Designated    Subsidiaries   shall,   notwithstanding    such
    termination   of   employment,  provide   reimbursement   for
    Financial  Counseling expenses incurred from  any  Authorized
    Vendor  up  to  $7,500  for each of the  first  two  12-month
    periods following such termination of employment.  In case of
    the  Eligible  Executive's  death,  reimbursement  shall   be
    provided  to  the  estate  or the  surviving  spouse  of  the
    decedent.

3.4 Maximum   Allowance  for  Severance  Termination.    If   the
    employment of an Eligible Executive with the Company and  all
    Designated  Subsidiaries terminates by reason an  event  that
    would  entitle the Eligible Executive to benefits  under  The
    Reader's  Digest Association, Inc. Severance Plan for  Senior
    Management  (if the Eligible Executive were a participant  in
    that  plan),  the  Company  and the  Designated  Subsidiaries
    shall,   notwithstanding  such  termination  of   employment,
    provide   reimbursement  for  Financial  Counseling  expenses
    incurred from any Authorized Vendor up to $5,000 for the  12-
    month period following such termination of employment.

3.5 Request for Reimbursement.  The Company shall not be required
    to  make any reimbursement under the Plan unless the Eligible
    Executive  (or  the  Eligible Executive's representative,  if
    appropriate) submits to the Director Employee Benefits within
    180   days  after  the  Financial  Counseling  expenses   are
    incurred,  a  dated,  detailed itemized  statement  from  the
    Authorized Vendor and a written confirmation by the  Eligible
    Executive  (or  the  Eligible Executive's representative,  if
    appropriate) of the accuracy of the statement.


                           ARTICLE IV
                                
                             General
                                
4.1 Disclaimer.    Neither  the  Company   nor   any   Designated
    Subsidiary  makes any recommendation as to  the  use  of  any
    Authorized  Vendor  to  provide Financial  Counseling  to  an
    Eligible Executive and the decision of any Eligible Executive
    to  use  any  Authorized Vendor for Financial  Counseling  or
    other  services  is  an individual one.   By  acceptance  and
    receipt  of  reimbursement for Financial Counseling  expenses
    under  the  Plan,  each Eligible Executive  hereby,  for  the
    himself  and his heirs, executors, administrators  and  other
    representatives, forever releases and discharges the  Company
    and  its  subsidiaries  and affiliates and  their  respective
    stockholders,    directors,    officers,    employees     and
    representatives from any and all claims, demands, liabilities
    and  losses  arising out of or in connection  with  Financial
    Counseling  or  other services available from any  Authorized
    Vendor.

4.2 No  Employment Contract.  Nothing contained in the Plan shall
    be  construed as a contract of employment between the Company
    and  any  Eligible Executive, or as a right of  any  Eligible
    Executive to continue in the employ of the Company, or  as  a
    limitation  of  the  right of the Company  to  discharge  any
    Eligible  Executive,  with  or without  cause.   No  Eligible
    Executive  shall  have  any rights or  remedies  against  the
    Company arising out of the Plan or his participation therein,
    his  employment or the termination of his employment with the
    Company.

4.3 Unfunded Plan.  The Plan shall be administered as an unfunded
    plan designed primarily for the purpose of providing benefits
    to  a  select group of members of senior management or highly
    compensated  employees of the Company.   Payments  under  the
    Plan  shall  at  all times be made solely  from  the  general
    assets  of  the  Company.  No assets shall be  segregated  or
    earmarked in respect of any amount due hereunder.   The  Plan
    and the amounts due hereunder shall not constitute a trust.
4.4 Non-Alienation.   An  Eligible  Executive  may  not   assign,
    anticipate, transfer, pledge, hypothecate or alienate in  any
    manner  any  interest arising under the Plan, nor  shall  any
    such   interest   be   subject  to   attachment,   bankruptcy
    proceedings  or  to  any  other legal  processes  or  to  the
    interference or control of creditors or others.

4.5 Administration  and  Interpretation.   Except  as   otherwise
    provided  in  the  Plan,  the Senior  Vice  President,  Human
    Resources   shall   be  responsible  for   interpreting   and
    administering the Plan.  It is intended that any decisions of
    the  Senior  Vice  President, Human Resources  regarding  any
    aspect  of  the  Plan,  including  but  not  limited  to  the
    interpretation, application or administration of  this  Plan,
    shall  be  final  and binding on all Eligible  Executives  or
    interested  parties.   The  administrator  may  correct   any
    defect, supply any omission or reconcile any inconsistency in
    the   Plan  in  the  manner  and  to  the  extent  that   the
    administrator  shall deem necessary to carry  the  Plan  into
    effect.   The Plan and actions taken in connection  therewith
    shall  be governed and construed in accordance with the  laws
    of  the  State of New York (regardless of the law that  might
    otherwise  govern  under applicable New  York  principles  of
    conflict   of  laws)  except  to  the  extent  the   Employee
    Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 shall apply.

4.6 Gender.  In the construction of the Plan, the masculine shall
    include  the feminine and the singular the plural,  and  vice
    versa, in all cases where such meaning would be appropriate.

4.7 Unenforceability.  In the event any provision of the Plan, if
    challenged,   would   be   declared   invalid,   illegal   or
    unenforceable, such provision shall be construed and enforced
    as  if  it  had  been more narrowly drawn so  as  not  to  be
    illegal,  invalid or unenforceable and the validity, legality
    and  enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not  be
    affected or impaired thereby.

4.8 Amendment   or   Termination.   Notwithstanding   any   other
    provision  of  the  Plan,  the  Board  of  Directors  or  the
    Compensation & Nominating Committee of the Board of Directors
    of  the  Company (or any successor thereto) may at any  time,
    and from time to time, amend, in whole or in part, any or all
    of  the  provisions of the Plan, or suspend or terminate  the
    Plan entirely, retroactively or otherwise; provided, however,
    that,  unless otherwise required by law, any such  amendment,
    suspension  or  termination  may not,  without  the  Eligible
    Executive's  consent,  adversely  affect  the  rights  of  an
    Eligible Executive with respect to reimbursable expenses  for
    Financial   Counseling  incurred  prior  to  such  amendment,
    suspension or termination.

4.9 Effective  Date.   The Plan was originally adopted  effective
    October 16, 1995.  Amendment No. 1 to the Plan was adopted on
    December 19, 1996, effective as of July 1, 1996.