401 (k) limits stay the same for 2010. The maximum amount that workers can contribute to their 401 (k) is $16,500. Catch up contributions for workers age 50 and over will remain the same at $5,500

For seniors, Social Security recipients will not be getting an increase this year. I don’t know about you but I worry about our parents and grandparents who count on social security to live. You don’t think the cost of health care, prescriptions, rents, and other expenses that are necessary to live are going down do you?

Another great reason to start planning now with a self-directed IRA for your financial future. After all, by the time we retire, there probably will not be social security!

Happy Black Friday!

Are you one of the many whose annual tradition involves getting up at 3a.m. heading to Toys R Us to stand in line by 5:00 am waiting for the doors to open so you can attack those early bird specials from 6-8:00am? Or do you prefer to sleep in and skip the crowds?

Whatever your plans, make Black Friday a fun one!

All of us at Wise Women Investor would like to wish you and your family a Happy Thanksgiving.

We hope you enjoy a day shared with loved ones!

Wise Women Investor will be giving away a FREE copy of our How to Make Money in Alternative Investments every week in December!

Simply sign up for the Wise Women Investor Newsletter and you will be eligible for our weekly drawing! Go to the Newsletter page and subscribe today!

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I recently attended the National Association of Realtors Convention in San Diego. Attendance was down and the forecast for the immediate future, though not outwardly described as disastrous, was not a positive one.

Realtors rely on commissions for income, and have suffered as a result of the down market, tax increases and insurers who have pulled out of their state. Realtors are looking into other fields to pursue a career.

Realtors I spoke with were still keeping their licenses active and hoping to pick up some business but are not standing still! Many are moonlighting as a source of additional revenue. Whether it be teaching, law enforcement or retail they are doing what it takes to keep their revenue stream going until things turn around.

Most are excited about new prospective areas or professional development. I was excited to be a part of a positive group of go-getters who are not giving up!

In a down real estate market, the cost of hiring an attorney for evicting a tenant may not be an affordable option. Many real estate investors don’t factor legal costs into the cost of the investment or doing business. Some investors who are unable to pay for legal services are doing what a lot of others with legal trouble are doing these days, they become their own lawyer. But is this a good idea?

Landlord/Tenant law is complicated and it changes. Using a legal service, while not cheap, at least assures you that the laws are being followed. If you are an investor and simply cannot afford to pay for legal services there may be a few options.

Contact your local legal aid office or find a discount legal assistance program. Depending on your legal situation this may be a more affordable option.

Another option that may also work is if you have to evict a tenant, pay them a small fee to leave. While it might not “feel right” to pay a tenant to have them leave, ultimately it will be a lot cheaper in the long run.

Stress is common for women in the workplace. One universal way that women relieve themselves of stress is to talk with others about the problems they face. Doing this with friends and family is a useful way to vent but you have to be careful in an office environment.

How much time you spend visiting or chatting with co-workers is getting more notice in this down market. When managers have to lay people off, they go for the ones they feel are less productive than others. Being seen too often in the break room or standing at a co-worker’s desk could send the wrong message.

The best advice is to keep the visiting and chatting to a minimum, at least during work hours. Save the conversation for after work. Don’t give your managers any opportunity to think any less of your work or you!

According to a TD Ameritrade Women & Money survey of 800 women 21 and older, a majority of the women surveyed prefer to invest on their own.

60% want to manage their own investments
50% want to learn more about how to select the right investment type for them
48% are interested in developing their own investment strategy

Talk about wise women taking action. The perfect investors for a self-directed IRA are wise women just like you and me.

I recently attended “The Art of The Deal” an advanced real estate investor seminar with Pete Fortunato, my friend and mentor. Just to set the record straight for those of you out there who think real estate is dead, think again!

There were so many creative ideas shared for people in the audience, I went home with a notepad full of strategies. Many of these I have never heard before! Real Estate Investing may not be for everyone, but being an investor of something direct in this day and age is a must if you want to get a better grip on your financial destiny.

Professionals find that doing good for others has mental as well as physical benefits researchers from the Center for Medical Humanities, Compassionate Care and Bioethics at Stony Brook University in New York say.

In our busy lives, it seems there are not enough moments in the day to breathe, let alone volunteer, however from the homeless to horses; people who give of themselves get happy!

All people dream, but not all equally. When you give your time to help others you help them help themselves. You can be a catalyst to helping one achieve their dream! What a wonderful thing to do.

To find out how you can find the right volunteer organization to give your time, visit All For Good .