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Show Women play key role in investment decisions Submitted by Steven Holt, Edward Jones (Editor's note: First of a two-part series) Today, women aren't just making more money than ever before they're also investing more, too. Just how active are women in investing? Consider these statistics: Forty-five percent of women report that they are primarily responsible for investment decisions deci-sions in their households, according to one recent survey of stock investors. Two-thirds of working women participate in a retirement plan, such as a 401(k), through their employer. Obviously, it's just as important for women to become informed, active investors as it is for men. In fact, it may even be more essential for women. Why? For one thing, women still outlive men, on average, aver-age, by about seven years. This helps explain the fact that, at one time or another, 90 percent of women become wholly responsible for their own financial welfare. Furthermore, because women typically typ-ically earn less than men, the amount of their retirement benefits is lower. Women's pensions and retirement plan accumulations are smaller than men's, and women receive lower Social Security payments. pay-ments. In short, with less money and longer life spans, women run a bigger big-ger risk of outliving their resources than do men. That's why the trend toward women's increased investment invest-ment activity is so encouraging. On the other hand, some evidence suggests that women are not yet as Hental Health bv Dr Vai Lack of intimacy takes a heavy toll What is wrong with these marriages? mar-riages? Partner A commutes during the week, comes home and parks himself in front of the TV. He takes little interest in doing things with his wife or children. He acts like he doesn't want to be bothered. He asks few questions and shares little in return. His wife is starving for physical and emotional intimacy and some activities together. Problem: Self-centered laziness. Couples marry because two people can be happier and survive better together than apart. If only one person's per-son's needs are not being met, however how-ever simple they may be, their partner part-ner grows resentful. Marriage takes work. It takes an active commitment commit-ment to pleasing one's partner and putting their needs ahead of your own. Meeting needs is a sign of love. Couple B fights too much. They argue and bicker. Affection falls off because of the amount of anger in the relationship. They become guarded in their personal feelings. It isn't safe to talk except to skirmish. Problem: Their lack of intimacy is brought on by their inability to accept negative feelings and differences differ-ences in their partner. They have lost the trust and goodwill to share their innermost feelings and hurts. They need a way of communicating that is courteous and respectful. Partner C is touchy, angry and keeps to himself. He withdraws and nurses grudges when his wife tries to bring up issues. Conflict is too hard and painful. The partner who wants to talk gives up and hides his or her true and honest feelings from their partner. They live parallel lives and talk very little except about the children and the mechanics of life. Their children leave home and their common purpose in being together weakens. . Problem: Failure to respond to the concerns of a partner gives a message mes-sage of lack of caring and love. It is hard to trust someone who you believe doesn't care. It is easier to find friends and keep busy with work, the family and other people. They grow apart with their busy lives. With an empty nest, their companionship isn't enough. They aren't friends enough to each other. During a time of crisis, one partner may feel abandoned because of the perception that their partner wasn't emotionally there for them. Partner D has an irresponsible habit Despite pleadings and entreaties, she doesn't do anything about it Ilcr partner loves her and cares about her but is frustrated by the effect her habit has on (heir relationship rela-tionship and the family. He grows weary and gives up trying to change her. He loves her but doesn't respect confident as men when it comes to making the right investment decisions. deci-sions. Forty-two percent of women worry about making a bad investment invest-ment decision, compared to just 32 percent of men, according to the National Center for Women and Retirement Research. Also, a larger percentage of women than men report that they lack the money, knowledge and time to save adequately ade-quately for retirement. What can be done to overcome these hurdles? Time will take care of some of them. Women now hold a larger percentage of management-level management-level jobs than ever before, so their average incomes will continue to rise. And women are taking the lead in education, as well; since 1982, women have earned more bachelor's bache-lor's degrees per year than men. With increased income, greater job responsibilities and better education, edu-cation, women's confidence in their ability to invest successfully should rise significantly. And women, like men, also will benefit from the virtual vir-tual explosion of financial and investment information that has become available over the past few years through the Internet and other sources. Finally, an increasing number num-ber of prominent female investment experts are now appearing in print and on the airwaves. Hopefully, these women will serve as role models to all women interested in seizing control of their financial futures. In the final analysis, successful investing is based on attributes such as perseverance, resourcefulness, inquisitiveness and drive. And those are traits that are shared equally between men and women. her. Their relationship takes on a one-sided fatherdaughter quality. Problem: Lack of respect for a partner who doesn't face up to his or her personal responsibilities takes a toll on intimacy and affection. affec-tion. Love and passion die out when a spouse is perceived as another child in the family. It is hard to turn to him or her for confidential advice and emotional support when there is disrespect of judgment in managing their own life. Couple E are busy, professionals. Their worlds are too far apart They put their careers ahead of their marriage. mar-riage. They don't switch from the powerful, competitive atmosphere of the workplace to a helpful, cooperative coop-erative and nurturing partnership in the home. They are competitive with each other. They struggle with issues of fairness and equality in the home. They are edgy with one another. When they are on vacation they enjoy and attend to each other. They don't need each other except for those special times. Problem: It takes time to nurture a relationship. A marriage has to be put before work, at least enough so tiiat there is time and energy given to their relationship. Couples have to learn to give and sacrifice for one another and that it works. If your partner's needs are being met, he or she stops keeping score. If you are having fun meeting needs, you stop keeping score. Couple F doesn't talk enough. The husband is close-mouthed and guarded with his feelings. He finds it difficult to listen to his wife and puts her off by his impatient "fix-it or shut-up" attitude. He doesn't understand how just talking about a problem with a caring listener may be all that is wanted. . Problem: Intimate conversation is a valued and strong expectation of marriage. It is easy to feel cheated and short-changed with a marriage that is too cold or indifferent to personal per-sonal expression. The lack of emotional emo-tional intimacy is painful. It may lead to the lack of physical intimacy, intima-cy, which is also painful. One partner part-ner may be vulnerable to an affair, especially if it involves an understanding under-standing listening ear.' This will contrast with the stale, defensive communications in the marriage. Do you recognize yourself in the scenarios described above? Bring it up with your spouse and do something some-thing about it Knock down those barriers to intimacy before they get too big. Knock down those barriers before you find out too late that there is nothing on the other side. Knock down those barriers while you still feel like it. Free health hotline Do you have poor circulation? Do you suffer from leg pain? Have you experienced swelling in your legs or had difficulty walking? The answers to these and other questions are just a phone call away. Cirulatory problems will be the topic of September's Deseret NewsIntermountain Health Care Health Hotline. The free hotline will be offered Saturday, September II, from 10 a.m. to 12 noon. The toll-free hotline hot-line number. 1-800-925-8177, can be called from anywhere in the Intermountain region. All calls are confidential. Calls to the hotline will be answered by vascular surgeon Steven Merrell, MD. and radiologist radiolo-gist Colleen Harker, MD. both from LDS Hospital in Salt Lake City. The health hotline is a free community com-munity service provided by the Deseret News and IHC. IHC is a charitable, community-owned, community-owned, nonprofit health care organization orga-nization based in Salt Lake City that serves the health needs of Utah, Idaho and Wyoming residents. The IHC system includes health insurance insur-ance plans, hospitals, clinics and affiliated physicians. Last year, in more than 100,000 cases, IHC hospitals hos-pitals and associated clinics provided provid-ed $31 million in charitable assistance. assis-tance. A central part of IHC's mission mis-sion is to provide quality medical care to persons with a medical need, regardless of ability to pay. ifte Ml 4?"l -,. .1 rt'JtJ' U "J 4.T V. ifllislirn- UtMt nil: I 'Mi nf Vt-H1'- tt-y. ji&zs '-yrfM A A'fk-jyi eembef os IPirostiatie acuceir It is no bigger than a chestnut, but it will kill an estimated 200 Utah men this year. The prostate gland is part of the male reproductive system sys-tem yet, when stricken with cancer, it can become a killer. This September, the American Cancer Society urges all men - and those who love them - to get the facts about prostate cancer as part of Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. It is estimated that more Utahns will be diagnosed with prostate cancer can-cer than with breast cancer this year. In fact, more than one-fifth of all cancers detected in Utah in 1999 will be prostate cancers. This year approximately 1,100 Utah men will learn they have this disease. The American Cancer Society is focusing focus-ing on this concern this September as it encourages men aged 50 and over to discuss their risks and Juvenile at A juvenile at Uintah High School was arrested for possession of marijuana mari-juana by the Uintah County Sheriff's Office Thursday. Uintah County Sheriff's Deputy Kevin Orr, while working at the Uintah High School, was requested at the office by one of the administrators. adminis-trators. The administrator advised Deputy Orr that he had received information regarding a student possessing marijuana in the school. (Me Ctlrih(aimTmTfigi flSD Oil? ik Art h L N vj A r: it hitiv ttr.Umt ' w.)n,,llti, Wednesday, September 8. 1999 Vfnal Express 3 awaireouess options with their health care providers. Because it is important to allow every individual to make informed decisions regarding prostate cancer and their own health, the American Cancer Society is making its resources readily available to the public. Prostate cancer is a serious disease that can be successfully treated if detected early. The American Cancer Society encourages health care providers to take an active role in the awareness campaign by informing their patients about the potential risks and benefits of prostanccr intervention. interven-tion. It is important that otherwise healthy men over age 50 are offered Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) blood tests and Digital Rectal Examinations (DRE) on an annual UHS arrested for drugs The administrator had already recovered a book bag and the marijuana mari-juana from the student's locker. These items were turned over to Deputy Orr and the juvenile was called to the office where he was interviewed regarding the controlled con-trolled substance. The juvenile was taken into custody cus-tody by Deputy Orr and transported to the Youth Detention Center where he was placed for possession 1 1 rF" (m basis. However, high-risk individuals individu-als such as those with a family his tory of prostate cancer or Afncm-Americans Afncm-Americans should consider receiving receiv-ing annual examinations before the age of 50. The American Cancer Society is dedicated to eliminating cancer as major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives and dimi'rish-ing dimi'rish-ing suffering from cancer through research, education, advocacy and service. Prostate Cancer A antes Month is the perfect time to do something special to guard your own health or the health of the me in your life. For additional prcrfatc cancer guidelines or general c; ncef information, call the America Cancer Society at 1 -800-ACS-2343 or visit the American Qncer Society website at www.cancer. jrj. of marijuana. This charge is usually a class B misdemeanor, however, was enhanced because of possessing possess-ing the controlled substance oa school property and because of the presence of other juveniles. It was enhanced to a third degree felony. This is an example of the "Zero Tolerance' at Uintah High Scoa and my ongoing war on drugs.' said Uintah County S hen IT Rick Hawkins. (Styim 1 1999 "PLANT AN OLYMPIC FAMILY TREE" PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS: Split Mountain Garden Center 9122EHwy40 Jensen, UT 84035 Tel: (435) 789-5512 |