Shared Values Outweigh Paychecks

Shared values are more important than salary when workers are choosing an employer, according to a survey of 1,002 adults done this winter by Yankelovitch Partners.

Almost two-thirds of those questioned said they would rather work for a company with values similar to their own than earn a good salary.

Most employed Americans - 59 percent - said it’s very important for their values and those of their employers to be aligned.

And 48 percent said they work for a company with values strongly like their own.

Only 53 percent of younger workers, those between the ages of 18 and 34, said agreement on values was very important, and even fewer - 35 percent - added that they work for an employer whose values are very similar to their own.

By comparison, 63 percent of those older than 50 said shared values are important in the workplace. And 61 percent said they work in such an environment.

Lower-paid workers - those earning less than $35,000 per year - are less likely to share their employers values than those who earn more than $75,000.

Men and women are roughly equal in their desire to work for an employer whose values they share, but men said they are more likely - by a 54 percent to 41 percent margin - to work for a company strongly similar in values.

Yet men are also more likely than women - by 31 percent to 23 percent - to choose a good salary over similar values.

Web sites offer investment advice

Looking for a few tips on which stocks deserve your attention? How about insights on market trends?

Several sites on the World Wide Web contain analysis and advice from experts on where your next investment might lie. While investment advice holds no guarantees, it may be worth a moment of your time to see what the experts have to say.

Here’s a few places you can check out some market recommendations:

Internetstocks.com

http://www.internetstocks.com/launch.asp

Team of experts evaluate and offer opinion on Internet stocks.

Investor Links

http://www.investorlinks.com/index.html

Offers daily analysis of select stocks and industries.

MarketMavens.com

http://marketmavens.com/

Features commentary on a wide range of stocks and market happenings.

Zacks.com

http://my.zacks.com/

Contains search tool that provides broker estimates and recommendations on specific stocks.

Education savings plans explained

For details on the tax-free education feature of savings bonds, see IRS Publication 970, “Tax Benefits for Higher Education.”

For details on avoiding the penalty on withdrawals from 401(k) plans, see IRS Publication 17, “Your Federal Income Tax.”

For your free copy, visit your local IRS office, call (800) 829-3676, or see the agency’s Web site: www.irs.gov.

The bond program’s Web site also has details on the tax-free education feature: www.savingsbonds.gov.