In a word: Yes. The IRS has long permitted employers to automatically enroll employees in 401(k) plans. These are sometimes referred to as "negative enrollments" because you have to opt out of participation.

Employer Liability
Some employers have shied away from automatic enrollment plans because they were concerned that automatic payroll deductions might not be permitted under state law. Others were concerned that the default investments they chose for employees might be found to be "imprudent," resulting in fiduciary liability for any investment losses incurred by those employees. In order to address these concerns, and to encourage retirement savings, Congress included provisions in the Pension Protection Act of 2006 that make automatic enrollment plans more attractive to employers.

You Must Get the Paperwork...and Then Read It
In general, your plan administrator must provide you with a notice that explains the plan, notifies you of your right to reduce or stop the contributions, and to change the default investments that have been chosen for you. Your plan may also provide a 90-day period in which you can opt out of the auto-enrollment arrangement and receive a refund of your contributions (plus any earnings).

You work hard for your money. So why shouldn't you try to keep as much of it for yourself as you can? Here are some ways to pay less tax and keep more of your hard-earned dollars every month.

Tax Deferrals Rule
Take advantage of tax-deferred retirement account such as a 401(k) plan offered by your employer. They all allow you to make pretax contributions of up to $15,500 in 2008 ($20,500 if you're age 50 or older). The tax savings can be significant. For example, if your marginal tax rate is 28% and you defer $15,500, you'll save $4,340 in current taxes. Your $15,500 contribution will generate tax-deferred earnings for you until you withdraw the funds from the plan, when you may be in a lower tax bracket. And, if your employer matches your contributions, the deal is even sweeter.

Another common way to use tax deferrals to save more of what you earn is by setting up a health-care flexible spending account (FSA) at work. Your contributions reduce your taxable income (and current taxes), and the funds you set aside can be withdrawn tax free to pay a wide variety of health-related expenses that aren't covered by your health plan.

And don't forget the Traditional IRA. If neither you nor your spouse is covered by a retirement plan at work, and you're not yet 70½, you can make a deductible contribution of up to $5,000 to an IRA in 2008 ($6,000 if you're age 50 or older). Even if you or your spouse is covered by a plan, all or part of your contribution may be deductible, depending on your income.

Tax Free is Even Better
Another way you can generate tax-free income is by contributing to a Roth IRA or Roth 401(k) plan. Unlike pretax deferrals, Roth contributions don't reduce your income, so there's no current tax savings. Because you've already paid tax on your contributions, they won't be taxed again when you withdraw them from the plan. But what really sets Roth contributions apart, and makes them so appealing, is that all earnings are also tax free if you satisfy a five-year holding period and certain other requirements are met.

If you have children, don't pass up the tax incentives offered by Section 529 plans and Coverdell education savings accounts (ESAs). Again, your contributions to these plans aren't tax deductible, but your savings grow tax deferred and withdrawals are tax free at the federal level (and typically at the state level too) when used to pay qualifying educational expenses. You can contribute up to $2,000 to a child's Coverdell ESA in 2008, and most 529 plans let you contribute more than $300,000 over the life of the plan.

Think Long-Term--for Capital Gains
Long-term capital gains tax rates are currently very attractive--a maximum of 15% through 2010. Short-term capital gains, on the other hand, are generally taxed at ordinary income tax rates--currently as high as 35%. To qualify for long-term capital gains treatment, make sure you hold your securities and other capital assets for more than one year before selling them.

At some point in your life, you'll probably be faced with the question of whether you need life insurance. Life insurance is a way to protect your loved ones financially after you die (and your income stops). The answer to whether you need life insurance depends on your personal and financial circumstances.

Do You Need Life Insurance?
You should probably consider buying life insurance if any one of the following is true:

• You are married and your spouse depends on your income
• You have children
• You have an aging parent or disabled relative who depends on you for support
• Your retirement savings and pension won't be enough for your spouse to live on
• You have a large estate and expect to owe estate taxes
• You own a business, especially if you have a partner
• You have a substantial joint financial obligation such as a personal loan for which another person would be legally responsible after your death

In all of these cases, the proceeds from an insurance policy can help your loved ones continue to manage financially during the difficult weeks, months, and years after your death. The proceeds can also be used to meet funeral and other final expenses, which can run into thousands of dollars.

If you're still unsure about whether you should buy life insurance, a good question to ask yourself is: If I died today with no life insurance, would my family need to make substantial financial sacrifices and give up the lifestyle to which they've become accustomed in order to meet their financial obligations (e.g., car payments, mortgage, college tuition)?

If You Do Need Life Insurance, Don't Delay
Once you decide you need life insurance, don't put off buying it. Although no one wants to think about and plan for his or her own death, you don't want to make the mistake of waiting until it's too late.

Review Your Coverage Periodically
Once you purchase a life insurance policy, make sure to periodically review your coverage--especially when you have a significant life event (e.g., birth of a child, death of a family member)--and make sure that it adequately meets your insurance needs. The most common mistake that people make is to be under-insured. For example, if a portion of your life insurance proceeds are to be earmarked for your child's college education, the more children you have, the more life insurance you'll need. But it's also possible to be over-insured, and that's a mistake, too--the extra money you spend on premiums could be used for other things. If you need help reviewing your coverage, contact your insurance agent or broker.

Should You Buy Life Insurance for Your Children?
As described above, life insurance is intended to provide a safety net for the policyholder's dependents. In other words, you must ask yourself, "Is anyone dependent upon my child for their financial well being?" Probably not. And although some companies (insurance agencies, no doubt) will tell you differently, there is no financial basis for purchasing a life insurance policy for a healthy child. The money you would otherwise spend on premiums are better served in a college savings account such as a 529 Plan or Coverdell account.

Similarly, don't let the insurance agent convince you that your newborn baby needs a life insurance policy either...the same principle applies. In the unfortunate event that something does happen to your infant, it will not materially affect any dependents of the child (because there are none). So once again, baby life insurance is not a prudent financial move.

Times are tough. You've got bills. You need cash. And even though we can't know specifically how much money you need to get by, would several billion dollars help? Oh, and don't worry about the interest rate. We'll just settle for a few pennies on the dollar...let's say two-and-a-half percent...sound fair enough?

Even though our tongue is firmly in cheek with this consumer loan scenario, the nation's Federal Reserve is actually quite serious in extending these terms to Wall Street's investment banks. See for yourself as Jeannine Aversa of the Associated Press reports:

"The Fed, for the first time, agreed on March 16 to let big investment houses temporarily get emergency loans directly from the central bank. This mechanism, similar to one available for commercial banks for years, will continue for at least six months. It was the broadest use of the Fed's lending authority since the 1930s.

Big Wall Street investment companies have jumped all over the Federal Reserve's unprecedented offer to obtain emergency loans, borrowing more than doubled than in the program's debut week.

Those firms averaged $32.9 billion in daily borrowing over the past week from the new lending program, compared with $13.4 billion the previous week, the central bank reported Thursday. The program, which began last Monday, is part of the Fed's effort to aid the financial system.

On Wednesday alone, lending reached $37 billion.

This lending facility is seen as similar to the Fed's "discount window" for banks. Commercial banks and investment companies pay 2.5 percent in interest for overnight loans from the Fed."

From Wall Street to Main Street
Well isn't that thoughtful of Uncle Sam. Lending $200+ billion dollars to our nation's investment banks. I suppose Joe HomeOwner doesn't have much to gripe about anyway. He's getting a hefty rebate check for $600 in May!

A Bailout is a Bailout
Corporate lifelines are tossed towards the flailing companies as necessary components in ensuring our financial markets' ongoing solvency. But consumer assistance is viewed as "unnecessary government intervention" which interferes with our nation's free markets...it expands the government and is seen as wasteful spending.

Give me a break.

I see no difference between the two. But then again, I'd better be quiet or the U.S. Treasury may to decide that my $600 rebate check should get "lost in the mail"...