Today’s seniors may either feel the pinch of the economy or be bored at home initiating the desire to return to the workforce. Volunteer work has been the standby for many retirees, but many are looking for second careers and, in some cases, a way to supplement their retirement income. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 20 percent of Americans 55 years and older will be working by 2015. Many post-retirees want to utilize their experience while allowing part-time or flexible hours. Here we suggest some employment alternatives for seniors looking to get back into the workforce. Of... view article details

The current economy requires major cuts across the board, and education is taking one of the hardest hits. Although the White House recently reported that the stimulus package was able to save or create 250,000 teaching jobs nationwide, massive layoffs continue to dominate headlines. In addition to faculty layoffs, students are even finding their programs cut, enrollment slashed and calendar year shortened, leaving parents to wonder what other options are out there to ensure their child is getting the best education possible.States in turmoilThe state of Hawaii announced recently that it would... view article details

Mitt Romney is very rich.That Romney, the former governor of Massachusetts, is wealthy comes as no surprise. But the Republican presidential candidate offered up some details last week, with the release of two years’ worth of tax returns. The Romneys -- like many taxpayers -- received a tax refund for their 2010 filing. But at $1.6 million, their refund was slightly higher than the IRS-reported average of $3,003.In 2010, Romney and his wife totaled $21.6 million in income and paid slightly more than $3 million in federal income taxes. That's good for an effective tax rate of 13.9 percent, acco... view article details

Last year, a Boston-area high-tech company saw its stock plunge from a record high of $58.75 on January 20, to a low of $1.13 exactly 11 months later in November. One employee, who chose to remain anonymous for this article, exercised 1,000 options at $10 a share when the stock reached its peak. With April 16 nipping at her heels, she still owns the shares. Imagine her terror upon learning that the spread of $48.75 multiplied by the 1,000 shares - a total of $48,750 - is subject to a parallel tax system called the alternative minimum tax, or AMT, at a rate of up to 28 percent. Even though her ... view article details

Sometimes Vacation is More Stressful Than Work The holiday season is filled with stress. Family gatherings, crowded shopping malls and 24/7 Christmas music on the radio are just the tip of the iceberg. But the one thing that should combat this stress -- lots of time off from work between Thanksgiving and Christmas -- has the potential to be even more stressful than being at the office. It's no secret the economy hasn't been stellar the last few years. That has led to many layoffs, which has resulted in surviving employees wearing many more hats and doing jobs that didn't used to be th... view article details

"Soft" Skills & Emotional Intelligence Will Help Get You Hired & Promoted Skills: Hard vs Soft As your career progresses one of your goals is to ensure that your "hard" skills -- tangible, teachable skills and abilities that allow you to perform your job -- are up to snuff. But in your effort to hone your hard skills, don't ignore your "soft" skills. Soft skills, sometimes called "people skills" or "emotional intelligence," are less tangible qualities that determine how you manage your own behavior, as well as interact with and get along with others. While soft skills are more difficult to ... view article details

Are you willing to have a microchip roughly the size of a grain of rice inserted under your skin? Some organizations are encouraging their employees to do just that. Three Square Market, a Wisconsin-based company, made headlines in 2017 when they inserted (optional) microchips into some of their employees. CEO Todd Westby envisions workers being able to access the building, log onto computers, use the copy machine, purchase food, and complete a handful of other routine functions – all with their microchip. No passwords, no plastic name tags with goofy pictures, no clunky wallets. These micro... view article details

Spin Doctor The flight leaves in an hour. One journalist is on the line while another is on hold. Red-eyed from lack of sleep, you put your reading glasses back on as an aide hands you the results of the latest poll. It's the life of communications consultant Michael Goldman, who has advised many of the Democratic presidential candidates of the last few decades. After years of serving politicians including Pres. Clinton, Sen. Bill Bradley, and Sen. Ted Kennedy, Goldman is rarely starstruck. Ironically, it's heroes from earlier in life who have provided Goldman the rare thrill on meeting for t... view article details

One of the most important and generous benefits a company can offer is tuition reimbursement, a contractual arrangement between employer and employee that outlines specific terms under which the employer may pay for the employee's continuing education. Today, tuition reimbursement benefits are also called tuition assistance, and vary greatly from company to company. It generally takes a solid, well-established company to be able to offer what could amount to $10,000 per semester or more for eligible employees. So don't look for too many startups to include tuition assistance as a regular part... view article details

The Income Gap & Why We Should Care Two weeks ago, we looked at some numbers that suggested the gap between rich and poor in the United States is growing. Last week, we considered some possible reasons for this growing inequality.This week, we answer perhaps the most important question: So what? The numbers suggest the real income of the poor is holding steady; it is the soaring income of those at the top that is widening the gap. Why then should that one number -- the difference between the top and the bottom -- be of concern?According to several analyses, income inequality can cause... view article details