It’s tough to admit to your kids your that you are having financial problems. By being straight with your children you will find you you are doing yourself and them a favor.

There are so many temptations for kids today. They want the new toy, the latest and greatest Wii game, and the coolest clothes that their friends have. Without it being explained, they can’t understand why they aren’t getting everything their childhood and adolescent hearts desire.

By telling kids you really can’t afford something and why, you are involving them in family issues which makes them feel important. You are also treating them with respect, which is important to their development. It is essential for children’s self-esteem to feel loved, needed, wanted and included.

That said, the question is “do you have to paint a dreary forecast?” No. Just by being open and honest with children who are old enough (8 years of age is old enough in my opinion) they will understand what is happening in the family and you may find they are less apt to ask for “extras” when they know the truth.

Do you look at your profession or business as your identity? As a society, we are obsessed with our careers and accomplishment. However, some take it too far and feel they are only as successful as their business, career or job.

This is nothing wrong with a healthy ego. We should feel a sense of purpose and achievement at a job well done but, if we are not careful that fine line can blur and we become too work-oriented. Take Marla, for example.

A medical professional, Marla cares about her patients. She works in a hospital setting and is an administrator as well as a nurse where she not only manages staff but also cares for patients when necessary. It’s safe to say that many people depend on Marla.

Lately however, this heavy workload had been taking its toll. Marla has been working 15 hour days, is living on caffeine, has gained weight and is having physical issues including arthritis. Her doctor has warned Marla that she needs to slow down.

When I call Marla to see how she’s doing all she is able to talk about is her work. The incompetent people she works with (scary) and how if she does not keep up the pace, the place will fall apart. It gets tiring to hear the same thing from her over and over.

Everything else in her life is a compromise, her husband, family, exercise, spiritual life, hobbies; there is no time in her schedule. To the balanced professional who finds time for outlets knowing they make a healthy and happy person, you know that Marla has identified her life in her work and in fact is her work.

Others can tell you to slow down, smell the roses, sing your favorite songs, and take time for you. Personally, I think you need your own “wake up call” before you can change how you identify yourself. For Marla, it was turning 50 and having severe enough chest pains to be hospitalized. This health scare showed her that she needed to start making other things in her life a priority besides her career.

I caution all of you to make sure you take the time for you, even if it is only 15 minutes a day. Get out, take a walk, try to eat healthy, try to think about other things besides work and business. Believe me you will be healthier for it.

Could the #1 trend of an economic recovery be a higher divorce rate? In today’s economy, many spouses are forced to stay together and try to work things out as the cost of divorce (both financial and emotional) is unaffordable. However, if history repeats itself, the Great Depression saw a decline in the divorce rate but as soon as the economy turned, so did spouses….away from each.

A survey conducted by the Institute of Divorce Financial Analysts found that 68% of its’ members “have seen clients who could not afford to get divorced due to recession-related financial problems.”

It is my hope as a fellow wise woman that we take the steps necessary to protect our physical, emotional and financial welfare. A wise woman investor knows where she stands!

I hope these statistics are wrong because when the economy turns around, a depression of other sorts will rise!

Are you guessing what you need in your retirement plan so that you can have a financially secure retirement? According to a recent Transamerica Center for Retirement survey of 3,466 workers age 18 and older, workers estimated needing $750K in order to achieve a comfortable retirement. What I found interesting in this survey was 50% of the people polled guessed at the number $750K! In other words, many people have no idea how much money they really need in order to be financially independent.

For those astute investors who want to take control of some or all of their IRA and invest in alternatives that make sense to them, the self-directed IRA is for you. With a truly self-directed IRA, you have the opportunity to invest in alternatives that fit your financial needs, are a great diversification to what you already have, or have other benefits based on your individual goals. An Entrust IRA makes sense for those who want financial control!

Take advantage of the knowledge and know how of Entrust. Visit www.theentrustgroup.com for a local office near you and learn what it takes to self-direct your IRA.

If you are still considering whether to enter the real estate market or just happily looking for the next great deal, consider looking into home builders as a strategy.

Unfortunately this year many builders are having a hard time due to depreciating property values. This forces builders to come out of pocket on their loans and have to struggle to get the cash flow needed to complete a home. Then they face the current problem of having the home sit on the market for a long period of time hoping it will sell.

With many unfinished projects, it might be worth taking the time to do some research. Be a proactive investor and see if you can’t work out a solution to the builder who is suffering, you both may end up winning!

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Honor Blackman, an 83 year old successful author offers the following advice for women everywhere.

“Take a dare. If is something you have not tried before, and it’s within the realms of common sense, go for it. You might fall flat on your face, but where’s the shame in that? It took me a long time to learn that you can fail at something and still continue with life. The world does not end. The same stuff happens to everyone. So when chances come your way, go for it!”

Now that is a pearl of wisdom we can all use!

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Ever wondered if being on Linkedln can help you grow your business? What about YouTube or Twitter? How much time do you have to focus on social media? Is it worth it?

Here are a few stats to consider when thinking about your marketing strategy as it applies to social media

93% of Americans expect companies to have a presence in social media.

85% say they want companies to interact with consumers through this vehicle according to a report from Cone Research.

YouTube: 80 million monthly users. 3 billion videos. The number 3 most visited site in the world.

Linkedln: 40 million users, 4,663 groups categorized under various business types.

Facebook: This past March had 91 million unique visitors, making Facebook the number 4 most visited site. (You tube info, Facebook and linkedln research from Alexa.com)

With the above stats in mind, ask yourself, can you afford to not take advantage of online social media sites? Happy surfing!

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I was recently in a meeting with a group of attorneys who are forming a new business and needed to understand the benefits or wealth building through a truly self-directed IRA or Individual (k)

As we were talking about why people use a self-directed retirement plan to help them take control with their IRA, the question came up about why they should use Entrust versus any competitor. The discussion went further as they shared with me what each competitor thinks of the other.

This caused me to pause for a moment. I have nothing negative to say about any true custodian, administrator or banking/trust institution. I found it amusing that others can “throw stones” at each other.

In light of this recent conversation, I thought I would share a little information about Entrust that allows you, the investor or business professional looking for a company who can meet your needs, answer your questions and provide outstanding customer service.

For the last 28 years, Entrust has been providing record keeping and administration for investors who wish to take control of a part of their portfolio that allows them to self-direct, meaning they choose the investment they wish to acquire in their IRA.

In 2002 Hubert Bromma, CEO of Entrust, decided that customers would be better served with a local office that can be available to meet the needs of the local client, and be in a position to help educate local investors know matter what investment type they wish to select.

Today, Entrust has 28 offices nationwide and continues to grow. The concept of a local office where the client is getting the customer service they deserve has been very successful. Having local offices who answer their phones and provide immediate answers so customers can make informed decisions makes a huge difference. Clients are not calling a phone bank through an 800# or making a long distance call to an office hundreds or even thousands of miles away.

In addition to customer service, the local Entrust office provides local education for investors. Many of the courses that are taught provide Continuing Education credits for professionals who need to renew their licenses. By working with a local office you not only are able to learn how to control your financial future from someone in your own backyard, but are able to go directly to that local office with any questions or needs you may have.

In this Internet age, many would think that all of this could be accomplished with a few clicks of a mouse, by downloading a podcast, or through webinars. But as we all know, sometimes it is better to be able to visit with a local office and get individual attention from a knowledgeable person who understands what you are trying to accomplish and is there for you through the process.

The entire organization at Entrust is ready to respond. The biggest difference with Entrust is that they understand that people need to talk to people! Visit www.theentrustgroup.com and check out the local office in your area!

Let us all take a moment out of our busy day to remember those who lives came to a sudden end.

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