Surveys have shown that women invest in the stock market far less than men do; they have a different view on the risks and possible gains and are much less confident of their ability to invest wisely. But, when they do try the stock market, they generally do better than men, choosing dependable stocks and ignoring the get-rich-quick options.

Kiplinger suggests that couples should invest together, thereby complementing each other’s strengths and weaknesses. The man can encourage investments in higher yield stocks and the woman restrain him from his wilder excesses.

Which seems like a good plan to me!

An article at Consumer Affairs warns that scammers are pulling out an old con to fleece unsuspecting investors. The scam is called the “pump and dump”.

The scammers buy up stocks that are selling for pennies a share. The scammers then send out millions of emails that encourage victims to invest in the company’s stock. The result is that trading in the stock increases, rapidly driving up the share price. When the stock hits a high point, the scammers sell off their shares and the price of the stock falls dramatically. Those who invested on the advice of the email lose money as the stock’s price falls to its original worth.

Read the article

When the market opened this morning to news of terrorist attack plots, stocks slipped in the jittery atmosphere of uncertainty. But they rallied and fought back as oil prices began to tumble.

Analysts did not agree on the reason for the $2.35 per barrel decline. Some opined that it was as a result of the terrorist plot and the possibility of reduced airline flights while others felt that other factors such as the slowing economy played the major roles in the plummeting oil prices.

A Roth IRA, named for the late Senator William V. Roth Jr., came about as a result of the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997.

A Roth IRA differs from traditional IRAs in that your contributions are after-tax rather than tax-deferred. You get no tax deduction for contributions to a Roth IRA now, but there are many advantages to a Roth IRA.

If you meet certain requirements, all earnings are tax-free when you withdraw them. Under certain circumstances you can make early withdrawals without penalty. In addition, there is no requirement that you start taking minimum withdrawals after age 70½. The money in your Roth IRA can continue to grow and all earnings will still be tax free when you or your beneficiary start withdrawing them.

Because you don’t get tax deductions for your contributions, they do not lower your taxable income for the year in which you make the contribution. However, traditional IRA funds are taxed at the time you withdraw them. If tax rates were to drop in the years until you retire, then a traditional IRA might be more profitable in the long run. But tax rates usually increase and it seems unlikely that the government would not raise taxes in the future to deal with the costs associated with the retirement of the large population of baby boomers.

The maximum contribution for a Roth IRA for 2006 and married, filing jointly, is $4,000 if your total adjusted gross income is less than $150,000. If your total adjusted gross income exceeds $160,000 you are not eligible to contribute to a Roth IRA. If you file head of household or married filing separately, you can contribute $4,000 if your AGI is under $95,000. In either case, you can contribute more, up to %5,000 for the year 2006 if you are age 50 or older.

Whether a Roth IRA is right for you depends on your individual financial picture. If you are considering a Roth IRA, consult your fnancial advisor.