American women are fortunate, compared to women in countries like China. I recently read an article that was printed in Asia about how China’s rise is empowering women, but women there are finding that the rewards can negatively impact their personal lives. Confucius said that “a virtuous woman is without talent.” This notion remains deeply rooted in Chinese culture. Deep down, many Chinese men don’t respect highly paid women; when women make money, it’s seen as disruptive. From a women’s perspective, they don’t want to give the impression they are more focused on their careers than on their men.

One piece of good news for women in China; the law requires women receive equal pay for the same job as a man, so maybe they are further advanced than we are!

Did you know that 71% of pre-retirees are worried about having enough money for retirement? That 35% feel they started saving too late? It is never too late to have a self-directed IRA or 401(k). You invest in what you understand and have some control over. This strategy makes sense as part of an investor portfolio. Now is the time to take a hard look at your finances and your financial future. Visit www.theentrustgroup.com and find an office near you. Representatives are specially trained in self-directed alternatives and can assist you with opening an account.

On another note, for business owners, corporate tax deadline is March 15th–5 days away. Are you taking advantage of tax deferred or tax free savings like an Individual(k) plan? Call Entrust today!

I read an article recently printed in the Philadelphia Inquirer and thought everyone should know about this! I have extracted the key points for your review. Lisa

Did you know that a very selective national lottery is under way? A new IRS audit initiative is being aimed at individual taxpayers with the purpose of updating the government’s fraud-detection measures and eventually boosting the tax take. Only 13,000 taypayers nationwide will be audited in this round, but if the process is like earlier IRS random audits, it promises to be especially grueling. More taxpayers will be targeted in 2008 and beyond. “You don’t want to be one of those 13,000,” said Blank Rome lawyer Ian Comisky, a tax expert based in Philadelphia. The IRS, in previous auditing initiatives, has demanded taypayers back up every deduction, and likely will do so again, Comisky said. The IRS announced its plans for the random audits in June and began sending letters to taxpayers.

From Marketwatch by Andrea Coombes – October 26, 2007
The rise of social-networking brings the convergence of your personal life with your work life online.

Whether you are an entrepreneur or an electrician, an executive or an assistant, if you want to post a profile and “friend” people online, heed the tips below to ensure your online reputation doesn’t hinder your offline life.

1. Look for tools that allow you to restrict access to your profile. If you use MySpace, set your profile to private as well as all or a portion of your photos. On Facebook, the “limited profile” function lets you essentially create a profile that’s less personal for certain friends while maintaining a more in-depth profile for others.

2. Limit the degree to which you associate your online profile with your work. While it makes sense to network online, if you start entering forums and conversations on diverse, more personal topics, consider whether your company name will be associated with your name.

3. Don’t alert people that you are leaving town.

4. Be careful about “whom” you accept as a friend.

5. Think twice about what you are posting.

6. Finally, adjust your privacy settings to ensure you don’t reveal all to everyone in your network.

Wish you could put more dollars away in your IRA? With the new Roth 401(k) you may have the opportunity to shelter more income on a tax free basis. With a Traditional 401(k) you invest pretax dollars and pay taxes when you withdraw the money. With the Roth version you pay taxes on what you put in and nothing when you withdraw. Many employers are starting to offer this option. Check with your employer to see if this is coming to your company. If you are self employed consider an Individual Roth 401(k)-contact your local Entrust office to see if you qualify (www.theentrustgroup.com). After all, there are not too many opportunities to put money away on a tax free basis! The (k) plan for you depends on when you are planning to retire. If you are years away from retirement, the Roth makes more sense.