Intermission Over? Now to Raise the Curtain on the Career, Act 2

Ask any woman who has quit her job to stay home with her children and she will invariably say she plans to return to work some day. In human resources jargon, these women are sequencers – those who opt to “have it all” sequentially, rather than simultaneously.

But when it comes time to dust off the résumé and the business suit, finding a job can seem daunting. Tasks like writing a cover letter that explains years away from a profession or interviewing with recruiters 20 years younger can intimidate even the most self-confident.

By ELLEN ROSEN
New York Times
Published: June 5, 2005

How gambling can affect family finances

When a casino operator wants to set up shop in town, he usually comes equipped with an array of economic studies touting the great boon in business and tax revenues to expect once the slot machines and blackjack tables are set up and the roulette wheel starts spinning.

But as the nation’s states and localities become ever more dependent on gambling to keep their revenue coffers full – some for as much as 10 percent of revenues – an increasing number of studies are raising questions about the losing side of that equation.

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By Alexandra Marks
Christian Science Monitor, April 8, 2005

Creditors Can’t Seize I.R.A.’s, High Court Rules

The Supreme Court on Monday ruled that creditors may not seize Individual Retirement Accounts when people file for bankruptcy, giving protection to a nest egg relied upon by millions of Americans.

The unanimous decision sides with a bankrupt Arkansas couple fighting to keep more than $55,000 in retirement savings. As a result, IRAs now join pensions, 401(k)s, Social Security and other benefits tied to age, illness or disability that are afforded protection under bankruptcy law.

IRAs should not be treated any differently because the benefits are tied to people’s age, the court said, citing a substantial tax penalty that is imposed for withdrawals before a person turns 60.

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By The Associated Press, New York Times, April 4, 2005

Parlay Your IRA into a Family Fortune
by Ed Slott
In Parlay Your IRA, Ed Slott shows you how to make the most out of your retirement plan. Slott’s three-step strategy cuts through the tax laws and provides simple, easy-to-follow instructions for managing your IRA and other retirement income. Learn what you can do to parlay it into a fortune during your lifetime, and what you must do now to ensure that your beneficiaries will have all the options available to capitalize on the opportunity you’ve created for them to keep your money growing.

Packed with strategies, tips, answers to frequently asked questions Parlay Your IRA into a Family Fortune offers real solutions to making the most of your retirement money.

Bailing Out Your Broke Parents

So your folks are turning up flat broke – just when you’re shouldering the key financial burdens of your own life? Oh joy!

Matt Swann remembers exactly when he grasped that his parents’ financial situation was much worse than he’d imagined.

“It was right after my wedding,” says the 38-year-old New York production manager. “My mom has a knack for hitting me up following a big expense, like when I bought my first apartment. This time, she said she was trying to pay down a credit card. I’d helped her out with small amounts — $500, $1,000 at a time. So I asked, ‘How much do you need to take care of everything? What’s the total?’ She was sort of like, ‘Well, a few thousand.’ Then, ‘Okay, maybe around ten thousand.’ Then, ‘Maybe twenty.’ That’s when I got it — this wasn’t just one credit card.”

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By Sandy Fernandez
Elle Magazine, April, 2005

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