Our list covers currently available jobs that offer high earning potential to people without a technical or scientific degree. Some jobs require licenses or a little additional education, but most can be accomplished with a “worthless” liberal arts education (even one of those “lowly” online degrees).

Note: These are job categories as defined by the government in 2008. Therefore, some newer jobs or job categories aren’t included here. Entrepreneurship/owning your own business is also excluded.

20. Postal Service Clerk
Mean annual wage: $50,150

Job description: A Postal Service Clerk performs a variety of duties within a post office. These include processing mail, selling stamps and packing materials, processing money orders, sorting mail, repeatedly explaining the same concepts to confused customers, and various other duties.

How you land the position: The government prefers to hire people with a Bachelor’s degree. Customer service skills also help. If you’re interested in a full-time position, you need to pass a civil service exam.

Examples of companies to work for: The Unites States Postal Service

19. Construction and Building Inspector
Mean annual wage: $52,160

Job description: Inspectors enforce building safety codes. Tasks include examining new structures to determine the structural integrity of the building and ensuring buildings are safe before developers open them for use. Inspectors may also approve building plans or blueprints before construction begins. Inspections cover electrical and/or plumbing elements as well.

How you land the position: Some positions have no degree requirements. Positions in engineering or architecture, however, may require a Bachelor’s degree. Experience in the construction field helps your prospects. Some positions require specific certificates or licenses.

Examples of companies to work for: Local or state government agencies, National Building Inspections, Home Inspections USA, National Inspection Services

18. Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialist
Mean annual wage: $57,060

Job description: Assess aspects of compensation, benefits and job duties of employees for the primary employer. In this position, you may examine specific areas such as pension or employee classification levels.

How you land the position: Some sort of Bachelor’s degree is preferred, though specific education requirements may vary by position. Certifications and required job experience differ from one job to another.

Examples of companies to work for: Local and state government offices, consulting services, insurance carriers

17. Claims Adjuster, Examiner, and Investigator
Mean annual wage: $57,550

Image: KYFB.com

Job description: Inspect the damage on a vehicle or other property. Request the assistance of doctors, mechanics or other specialists in order to create an accurate insurance claim report. You can either work for an insurance company or work independently.

How you land the position: A liberal arts degree is a good start. Have a strong background in the latest technology, or be proficient at picking up new computer applications. Contact your state’s Department of Insurance to find out if certifications are necessary.

Examples of companies to work for: Allstate, State Farm, Nationwide, AAA, Progressive, and other insurers.

16. Instructional Coordinator
Mean annual wage: $59,780

Job description: An instructional coordinator, also known as a curriculum specialist, supports and improves the quality of education in a college, university, or other school. Responsibilities include reviewing and selecting textbooks; developing curricula; evaluating, placing and upgrading technological instruments in the classroom; training teachers, and assessing the overall quality and success of classes.

How you land the position: The minimum educational requirement is a Bachelor’s degree. Some employers prefer an advanced degree; others want a background in education. Required licensing and other requirements may vary from state to state.

Examples of companies to work for: Public and private elementary, secondary and post-secondary institutions, educational consulting firms, child day care services, scientific research and development services.

15. Social and Community Service Manager
Mean annual wage: 60,570

Job description: Run a social service or community outreach program. Tasks include overseeing the organization’s budget, directing employees (eg. counselors or social workers), networking with other organizations, community outreach, liaising with the government and media, and directing fundraising efforts.

How you land the position: Many employers prefer degrees in public administration or social sciences like psychology. If your degree is unrelated, try working your way up by volunteering or taking an entry-level position in your organization of choice.

Examples of companies to work for: Look for work with nonprofit institutions and the government.

14. First-Line Supervisor/Manager of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers
Mean annual wage: $61,280

Job description: Overseeing and coordinating the duties of construction or extraction workers. Tasks may involve scheduling, inspection of progress, equipment and/or job sites, ordering supplies, locating and marking job sites, and recording and analyzing data.

How you land the position: Depending upon the area of specialization, positions require a variety of educational backgrounds up to a Bachelor’s Degree. Experience in industries like masonry, carpentry, electrical or building construction may help.

Examples of companies to work for: Building construction companies, roofing, drywall, electrical, glaziers, concrete companies, and anyone else involved in construction.

13. Insurance Underwriter
Mean annual wage: $62,600

Image: Santa Clara U

Job description: Review applications for insurance coverage submitted by non-clients wanting coverage. Find any possible risk associated in covering a potential client, then approve, deny or modify the policy to accommodate the client’s personal needs. If you become an underwriters, you may work for life or health insurance companies, or you might work with automobile, home owners or commercial insurance policies.

How you land the position: Most companies prefer a Bachelor’s degree. An emphasis in business administration or other business related course work, such as economics, accounting or insurance principals, helps. Many underwriters start out in entry-level positions and move their way up by gaining experience and industry knowledge. Continued education is highly recommended for advancement within the field.

Examples of companies to work for: Aetna, Cigna, State Farm, Farmers, New York Life, MetLife, and other insurance companies.

12. Broadcast News Analyst
Mean annual wage: $70,730

Job description: Broadcast news analysts, or new anchors, host television and radio news programs. Anchors read current news stories, host panel discussions, and perform interviews. Length and frequency of reports may vary depending upon seniority and the size of the news agency. An anchor at a large station will have a very specialized function, while an anchor at a small station may perform various duties relating to multiple topics such as sports, weather, traffic, and breaking news.

How you land the position: There are no formal educational requirements, but networks prefer a Bachelor’s degree. Any education or professional experience in English, public speaking, broadcasting, or communications helps. Candidates should have clear diction, strong voice projection and, for television, a professional appearance.

Examples of companies to work for: ESPN, CNN, Fox News, NPR, local radio stations, local television news network.

11. Gaming Manager
Mean annual wage: $73,480

Job description: Responsible for oversight of the gaming floor at casinos and other gaming institutions. Supervise dealers and other employees in the gaming area. You also perform customer service duties while out on the floor.

How you land the position: An Associate’s degree is recommended, as is prior casino experience. If you have a BA, flaunt it. Also be able to pass a background check.

Examples of companies to work for: Harrah’s, Isle of Capri, other casinos, riverboats, cruise ships, etc.

10. Sales Representative, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products
Mean annual wage: $79,260

Job description: A sales representative’s job function, regardless of industry, is to present their merchandise or services to clients through demos and presentations, answer questions and concerns and provide initial customer service. As a sales rep, you may present a single product or a whole line of products. You might also provide services directly to consumers, to wholesalers, retailers, contractors, or government agencies.

How you land the position: Education levels for the field vary. A Bachelor’s degree is preferable, especially for anyone interested in working in technical or scientific industries. Excellent communication skills, a professional appearance, and a winning attitude are also keys for any sales job.

Examples of companies to work for: You may find employment in a retail environment, manufacturing, construction or IT, to name a few possible industries.

9. First-Line Supervisor/Manager of Non-Retail Sales Workers
Mean annual wage: $79,870

Job description: This job title is Labor Department-speak for Middle Manager, Field Not Specified. Your main job is to oversee employees who work in a non-retail environment. Additionally, you may perform accounting, budgeting or personnel matters.

How you land the position: A liberal arts degree is ideal, since specific career fields vary widely. Depending upon the industry, employees may have an emphasis in business, social sciences, computers, etc. Start in an entry-level position, then work your way up to middle management—or job-hop until you have the skills to land a middle management position at a new company. You can do this by acquiring relevant certificates, getting into a small but growing company, or laying out for an MBA.

Examples of companies to work for: This position exists in a broad range of fields. You may find employment in local government offices such as law enforcement, schools, nonprofits, or corporations. Job titles vary—just look for a “manager” suffix.

8. Agent and Business Manager of Artists, Performers, and Athlete
Mean annual wage: $81,550

Job description: An agent serves as a professional representative for another person. Agents introduce their clients to other important contacts within their industry and help negotiate deals and contracts. You should have a background and/or expertise in their desired field.

How you land the position: Education levels may vary greatly. A liberal arts Bachelor’s degree, complemented by strong communication and networking skills, is a good start. Agents also need the ability to look and act professional.

Examples of companies to work for: The Actors Group, Encore Talent Agency, Baron Entertainment, Cannonball Fine Art, Anna Goodson Management Inc., Flynn Sports Management, Progressive Sports Management

7. Stockbroker: Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agent
Mean annual wage: $92,050

Job description: A stockbroker buys and sells securities for brokerage firms. As a stockbroker, you may work with the public buying, selling or trading stocks, bonds, and other securities. Full service broker also advise their clients on investment matters, for an additional fee or commission.

How you land the position: Most stock brokers have a minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree, though education levels vary. Common majors include economics, finance, accounting, and business administration. But nobody’s going to kick you out for having a humanities degree. Additionally, to become a stockbroker, you have to pass the Series 7 and Series 63 licensing exams.

Examples of companies to work for: Charles Schwab, Merrill Lynch, Edward Jones

6. Education Administrator, Postsecondary
Mean annual wage: $92,920

Image: New America Foundation

Job description: Postsecondary education administrators perform administrative tasks at schools beyond the high school level. Administrators work in all departments. Organize course schedules, hire faculty and other staff, manage budgets, serve as academic advisors, and perform other administrative tasks.

How you land the position: Most colleges and universities prefer a Bachelor’s degree, though more advanced positions require a graduate degree.

Examples of companies to work for: Public and private universities, community colleges, vocational training schools, and technical institutes.

5. Pharmaceutical Sales Rep
Estimated wage potential: $100,000+

Job description: A typical pharmaceutical sales representative, also known as a drug rep, represents a particular drug or drug group for a major pharmaceutical company. Drug reps present product information and samples to physicians. For example, a drug rep specializing in cardiac medicine would sell cholesterol- or blood pressure drugs to cardiologists.

How you land the position: Have at least a Bachelor’s degree. Companies may prefer science degrees, but you can still get in with a liberal arts education. Previous sales experience is a plus. To make it as a rep, you need excellent communication skills. You should thrive in a competitive environment. You also need to look and act professional, and be willing to learn and speak clearly about the product you are selling.

Examples of companies to work for: Pfizer, Merck & Co., Bayer, GlaxoSmithKline, Johnson & Johnson, Novartis

4. Public Relations Manager
Mean annual wage: $101,220

Job description: Oversees employees within the public relations (PR) and marketing departments. PR managers help a company manage its public appearance, brand, and reputation, as well as generate exposure for its products or services. Specific duties may include generating and distributing marketing materials, creating press releases, and liaising with journalists.

How you land the position: Besides your Bachelor’s degree, try to take specific coursework in public relations, communications, speaking, journalism, or English. To work your way up to management, start in an entry-level position and build experience. Keep a portfolio of your press releases, media mentions, and other positive accomplishments.

Examples of companies to work for: Positions exist within communications, construction, information technology, education, sporting goods, and many other industries. Companies with more exposure usually need more PR help.

3. General and Operations Manager
Mean annual wage: $107,970

Image: Mitchell Haaseth/NBC

Job description: A general or operations manager organizes and oversees company operations in either the public or private sector. Duties may include creating and/or implementing policy, human resources, purchasing, and administrative tasks.

How you land the position: Gain industry experience to complement your Bachelor’s degree. Many companies prefer a managerial or supervisory history

Examples of companies to work for: Companies that employ this position may include jobs in construction, IT, sports, hospitality, freight, and a number of other industries.

2. Sales Manager
Mean annual wage: $110,390

Job description: A sales manager leads a sales team, helps train and develop her employees, and makes or contributes to hiring decisions. The success of the sales team is based, in large part, on the successful communication, direction and leadership of the sales manager.

How you land the position: Most companies prefer a Bachelor’s degree. Industry experience and education in your field of specialization help. A good track record in sales is crucial.

Examples of companies to work for: Everybody needs to sell. Look for positions in healthcare, education, finance, insurance, retail, and any other industry you feel drawn towards.

1. Marketing Manager
Mean annual wage: $118,160

Image: Fly4Change

Job description: A marketing manager focuses on increasing sales and recognition for their organization through marketing activities. Sales, public relations and advertising may fall under a marketing manager’s umbrella. As a marketing manager, you need to monitor competitor activities, demand for your products, new client markets, and your budget. You need to have the ability to create a strategic plan based on those parameters.

How you land the position: A liberal arts degree works for this field, although any kind of coursework in marketing, PR, or business helps, as does industry expertise. Depending on the company, you may also want an MBA. Previous marketing experience is essential.

Examples of companies to work for: This is a versatile position available within many industries ranging from IT, insurance, architecture, sporting goods, publications, etc.

When I heard the GOP accuse the Obama speech to kids of pushing a socialist agenda, I had to get my hands on a copy of the transcript. This complete transcript comes from Whitehouse.gov. This rather boring, predictable speech turns the socialist agenda hype on its head:

Hello everyone – how’s everybody doing today? I’m here with students at Wakefield High School in Arlington, Virginia. And we’ve got students tuning in from all across America, kindergarten through twelfth grade. I’m glad you all could join us today.

I know that for many of you, today is the first day of school. And for those of you in kindergarten, or starting middle or high school, it’s your first day in a new school, so it’s understandable if you’re a little nervous. I imagine there are some seniors out there who are feeling pretty good right now, with just one more year to go. And no matter what grade you’re in, some of you are probably wishing it were still summer, and you could’ve stayed in bed just a little longer this morning.

I know that feeling. When I was young, my family lived in Indonesia for a few years, and my mother didn’t have the money to send me where all the American kids went to school. So she decided to teach me extra lessons herself, Monday through Friday – at 4:30 in the morning.

Now I wasn’t too happy about getting up that early. A lot of times, I’d fall asleep right there at the kitchen table. But whenever I’d complain, my mother would just give me one of those looks and say, “This is no picnic for me either, buster.”

So I know some of you are still adjusting to being back at school. But I’m here today because I have something important to discuss with you. I’m here because I want to talk with you about your education and what’s expected of all of you in this new school year.

Now I’ve given a lot of speeches about education. And I’ve talked a lot about responsibility.

I’ve talked about your teachers’ responsibility for inspiring you, and pushing you to learn.

I’ve talked about your parents’ responsibility for making sure you stay on track, and get your homework done, and don’t spend every waking hour in front of the TV or with that Xbox.

I’ve talked a lot about your government’s responsibility for setting high standards, supporting teachers and principals, and turning around schools that aren’t working where students aren’t getting the opportunities they deserve.

But at the end of the day, we can have the most dedicated teachers, the most supportive parents, and the best schools in the world – and none of it will matter unless all of you fulfill your responsibilities. Unless you show up to those schools; pay attention to those teachers; listen to your parents, grandparents and other adults; and put in the hard work it takes to succeed.

And that’s what I want to focus on today: the responsibility each of you has for your education. I want to start with the responsibility you have to yourself.

Every single one of you has something you’re good at. Every single one of you has something to offer. And you have a responsibility to yourself to discover what that is. That’s the opportunity an education can provide.

Maybe you could be a good writer – maybe even good enough to write a book or articles in a newspaper – but you might not know it until you write a paper for your English class. Maybe you could be an innovator or an inventor – maybe even good enough to come up with the next iPhone or a new medicine or vaccine – but you might not know it until you do a project for your science class. Maybe you could be a mayor or a Senator or a Supreme Court Justice, but you might not know that until you join student government or the debate team.

And no matter what you want to do with your life – I guarantee that you’ll need an education to do it. You want to be a doctor, or a teacher, or a police officer? You want to be a nurse or an architect, a lawyer or a member of our military? You’re going to need a good education for every single one of those careers. You can’t drop out of school and just drop into a good job. You’ve got to work for it and train for it and learn for it.

And this isn’t just important for your own life and your own future. What you make of your education will decide nothing less than the future of this country. What you’re learning in school today will determine whether we as a nation can meet our greatest challenges in the future.

You’ll need the knowledge and problem-solving skills you learn in science and math to cure diseases like cancer and AIDS, and to develop new energy technologies and protect our environment. You’ll need the insights and critical thinking skills you gain in history and social studies to fight poverty and homelessness, crime and discrimination, and make our nation more fair and more free. You’ll need the creativity and ingenuity you develop in all your classes to build new companies that will create new jobs and boost our economy.

We need every single one of you to develop your talents, skills and intellect so you can help solve our most difficult problems. If you don’t do that – if you quit on school – you’re not just quitting on yourself, you’re quitting on your country.

Now I know it’s not always easy to do well in school. I know a lot of you have challenges in your lives right now that can make it hard to focus on your schoolwork.

I get it. I know what that’s like. My father left my family when I was two years old, and I was raised by a single mother who struggled at times to pay the bills and wasn’t always able to give us things the other kids had. There were times when I missed having a father in my life. There were times when I was lonely and felt like I didn’t fit in.

So I wasn’t always as focused as I should have been. I did some things I’m not proud of, and got in more trouble than I should have. And my life could have easily taken a turn for the worse.

But I was fortunate. I got a lot of second chances and had the opportunity to go to college, and law school, and follow my dreams. My wife, our First Lady Michelle Obama, has a similar story. Neither of her parents had gone to college, and they didn’t have much. But they worked hard, and she worked hard, so that she could go to the best schools in this country.

Some of you might not have those advantages. Maybe you don’t have adults in your life who give you the support that you need. Maybe someone in your family has lost their job, and there’s not enough money to go around. Maybe you live in a neighborhood where you don’t feel safe, or have friends who are pressuring you to do things you know aren’t right.

But at the end of the day, the circumstances of your life – what you look like, where you come from, how much money you have, what you’ve got going on at home – that’s no excuse for neglecting your homework or having a bad attitude. That’s no excuse for talking back to your teacher, or cutting class, or dropping out of school. That’s no excuse for not trying.

Where you are right now doesn’t have to determine where you’ll end up. No one’s written your destiny for you. Here in America, you write your own destiny. You make your own future.

That’s what young people like you are doing every day, all across America.

Young people like Jazmin Perez, from Roma, Texas. Jazmin didn’t speak English when she first started school. Hardly anyone in her hometown went to college, and neither of her parents had gone either. But she worked hard, earned good grades, got a scholarship to Brown University, and is now in graduate school, studying public health, on her way to being Dr. Jazmin Perez.

I’m thinking about Andoni Schultz, from Los Altos, California, who’s fought brain cancer since he was three. He’s endured all sorts of treatments and surgeries, one of which affected his memory, so it took him much longer – hundreds of extra hours – to do his schoolwork. But he never fell behind, and he’s headed to college this fall.

And then there’s Shantell Steve, from my hometown of Chicago, Illinois. Even when bouncing from foster home to foster home in the toughest neighborhoods, she managed to get a job at a local health center; start a program to keep young people out of gangs; and she’s on track to graduate high school with honors and go on to college.

Jazmin, Andoni and Shantell aren’t any different from any of you. They faced challenges in their lives just like you do. But they refused to give up. They chose to take responsibility for their education and set goals for themselves. And I expect all of you to do the same.

That’s why today, I’m calling on each of you to set your own goals for your education – and to do everything you can to meet them. Your goal can be something as simple as doing all your homework, paying attention in class, or spending time each day reading a book. Maybe you’ll decide to get involved in an extracurricular activity, or volunteer in your community. Maybe you’ll decide to stand up for kids who are being teased or bullied because of who they are or how they look, because you believe, like I do, that all kids deserve a safe environment to study and learn. Maybe you’ll decide to take better care of yourself so you can be more ready to learn. And along those lines, I hope you’ll all wash your hands a lot, and stay home from school when you don’t feel well, so we can keep people from getting the flu this fall and winter.

Whatever you resolve to do, I want you to commit to it. I want you to really work at it.

I know that sometimes, you get the sense from TV that you can be rich and successful without any hard work — that your ticket to success is through rapping or basketball or being a reality TV star, when chances are, you’re not going to be any of those things.

But the truth is, being successful is hard. You won’t love every subject you study. You won’t click with every teacher. Not every homework assignment will seem completely relevant to your life right this minute. And you won’t necessarily succeed at everything the first time you try.

That’s OK. Some of the most successful people in the world are the ones who’ve had the most failures. JK Rowling’s first Harry Potter book was rejected twelve times before it was finally published. Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team, and he lost hundreds of games and missed thousands of shots during his career. But he once said, “I have failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”

These people succeeded because they understand that you can’t let your failures define you – you have to let them teach you. You have to let them show you what to do differently next time. If you get in trouble, that doesn’t mean you’re a troublemaker, it means you need to try harder to behave. If you get a bad grade, that doesn’t mean you’re stupid, it just means you need to spend more time studying.

No one’s born being good at things, you become good at things through hard work. You’re not a varsity athlete the first time you play a new sport. You don’t hit every note the first time you sing a song. You’ve got to practice. It’s the same with your schoolwork. You might have to do a math problem a few times before you get it right, or read something a few times before you understand it, or do a few drafts of a paper before it’s good enough to hand in.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it. I do that every day. Asking for help isn’t a sign of weakness, it’s a sign of strength. It shows you have the courage to admit when you don’t know something, and to learn something new. So find an adult you trust – a parent, grandparent or teacher; a coach or counselor – and ask them to help you stay on track to meet your goals.

And even when you’re struggling, even when you’re discouraged, and you feel like other people have given up on you – don’t ever give up on yourself. Because when you give up on yourself, you give up on your country.

The story of America isn’t about people who quit when things got tough. It’s about people who kept going, who tried harder, who loved their country too much to do anything less than their best.

It’s the story of students who sat where you sit 250 years ago, and went on to wage a revolution and found this nation. Students who sat where you sit 75 years ago who overcame a Depression and won a world war; who fought for civil rights and put a man on the moon. Students who sat where you sit 20 years ago who founded Google, Twitter and Facebook and changed the way we communicate with each other.

So today, I want to ask you, what’s your contribution going to be? What problems are you going to solve? What discoveries will you make? What will a president who comes here in twenty or fifty or one hundred years say about what all of you did for this country?

Your families, your teachers, and I are doing everything we can to make sure you have the education you need to answer these questions. I’m working hard to fix up your classrooms and get you the books, equipment and computers you need to learn. But you’ve got to do your part too. So I expect you to get serious this year. I expect you to put your best effort into everything you do. I expect great things from each of you. So don’t let us down – don’t let your family or your country or yourself down. Make us all proud. I know you can do it.

Thank you, God bless you, and God bless America.

If you have found any evidence of socialist indoctrination in this speech, please quote from the transcript and leave a comment.

DeathRiskRankings.com, a new website designed by Carnegie Mellon researchers, allows you to eyeball your chances of dying next year, based your answers to a few simple questions. The calculator uses public data from the US and EU to assign you a personalized mortality likelihood based on your gender, location, age, and other factors.

The idea behind the project is to make people aware of risks to their mortality, then engage them in public debate. According to Fox,

(Creators) Fischbeck and Gerard hope the site will add information to the U.S. health care debate.

“We believe that this tool, which allows anyone to assess their own risk of dying and to compare their risks with counterparts in the United States and Europe, could help inform the public and constructively engage them in the debate,” Fischbeck said.

To test out the tool yourself, go to DeathRiskRankings.com, then navigate to the Death Comparison tab. There, you will be able to generate a list of things likely to kill you.

Bloomberg has more on the CFA Level III exam test results:

A lower percentage of Wall Street job applicants passed the third and final test to become Chartered Financial Analysts, a designation that offers an edge during Wall Street’s worst shakeout in at least three decades.

Forty-nine percent of candidates passed the third stage of the test, down from 53 percent last year, the CFA Institute said in an e-mailed statement today.

Level II passes are also down, but Level I passes appear to be up. The CFA Institute shows the following pass rates:

Level I: 46%
Level II: 41%
Level III: 49%

The CFA Institute’s site has more details.

Like many hapless former students, Monroe College graduate Trina Thompson couldn’t find a job after completing her Information Technology degree. What did she do to ameliorate the situation? Sue her alma mater, of course (from Sky News):

An unhappy graduate in New York is suing the university where she studied because she has been unable to find a job since finishing her degree. Trina Thompson claimed Monroe College in the Bronx had failed to support her after she completed a BBA in Information Technology.

A spokesman for the university rejected the claim.

Ms. Thompson studied the wrong field. An internship with Jerry Springer or a law degree might more closely suit her temperament.

Wednesday is National Administrative Professional’s Day, formerly known as Secretary’s Day. The holiday was established in 1952 to honor people working in secretarial or administrative careers. Today, the name has changed, but the spirit of Administrative Professional’s Day remains the same.

The International Association of Administrative Professionals claims that…

…today, there are more than 4.1 million secretaries and administrative assistants working in the United States, according to U.S. Department of Labor statistics, and 8.9 million people working in various administrative support roles.

Although flower shops would have you believe differently, a bouquet, according to the IAAP, isn’t the best way to appreciate your favorite admin. Instead, they suggest the following gifts and events:

1. Hold a special event for the admins in your company. Hire a speaker for the event, or have the CEO speak to the group.

2. Offer administrative staff the chance to register for a professional development seminar, such as the IAAP’s Professional Education conference.

3. Give staff an annual membership in a relevant professional or networking association.

4. Get them a new certification, such as the CAP (Certified Administrative Professional).

5. Offer admins a half day off.

If you need to keep your gifts small, the IAAP suggests presenting admins with gift certificates, desk accessories, computer upgrades, or a bonus.

YA is publishing jargon for ‘young adult’. It describes a genre of fiction designed to appeals to teenagers. And this is the group of people who, if we educate them properly, can make the biggest impact on our economy the soonest. So it’s great that someone is making an effort to entertain them and teach them about money at the same time. The problem is that when financially literate adults try to create something cool for kids, it’s usually a disaster. Take the dreadful Treasury campaign for example.

When I read about the new ‘Buck the Norm’ campaign produced by Oklahoma based Tinker Federal Credit Union to educate young adults about money matters, I couldn’t wait to watch it – so I could pan it. My pre-judgment was based partially the Treasury Department’s similar attempt and partially on the fact that Oklahoma City isn’t exactly the cultural hotbed of America. (I don’t say that as a coast dwelling media elite either – I’m right here in Middle America!)

However, I have to admit the video is not bad. The tune is catchy and the message is on point. Instead of going for a be-responsible-with-your-money angle, they encourage young adults to consume less and not buy into the oppression of the Marketing Man and the Credit Card Man. Rebel and sustain!

The associated website, www.BuckTheNorm.com, is pretty good too. Despite needing to be updated with a little more regularity, there is good information and interactivity. Along with information on how to get a truly free credit report, advice on interviewing and resume development, and a glossary of financial terms, they’re running a video contest, offering downloadable art and ring tones, and featuring some pretty decent local music.

In the words of Matt Stratton, TFCU Senior Vice President of Marketing:

“Personal financial management doesn’t have to be all doom and gloom.”

Buck it, baby!

Isn’t it great when your employer subsidizes your higher education? Education is a wonderful benefit if you can get it and turning in that reimbursement form may feel great, but many employees are surprised when they find at the end of the year that they have been taxed for the value of tuition reimbursements.

Employees are hunkering down to save their jobs, or try to get their resumes in order in case they are victims of the wave of layoffs. Many are looking to increase their market value with more education, and that education isn’t cheap. Take an MBA for example. If you want to get an online or traditional MBA it’s going to cost a minumum of $20,000. Anything your employer reimburses over $5,250 in a calendar year is considered taxable income.

Ouch.

The good news is that up to $5,250 of the assistance is totally tax free so long as your employer has a written  educational assistance policy in place. The assistance can be spent on tuition, fees , books, supplies, and equipment for undergraduate- or graduate-level courses and the course don’t have to be work-related. The only things you can’t use the assistance for are meals, lodging, and transportation.

If your employer shells out more than $5,250, you will see the amount over this figure in Box 1 of Form W-2 and you must include it in income.

The Loophole

There is a way around the $5,250 threshhold, but as an employee you probably have little influence over it. Benefits paid under the working condition fringe benefit can exceed $5,250 IF the benefit is one which, had you paid for it yourself, you could deduct as an employee business expense. (If it’s something you MUST do to maintain your current job.) This type of plan is allowed by Section 132(d) of the IRS code. Your human resources department should be familiar with this and can let you know what type of plan you have.

If the benefits over $5,250 also qualify as a working condition fringe benefit, your employer does not have to include them in your wages.

Easing the Pain

Many employers pay only a portion of the tuition. The portion of tuition you pay will probably qualify for the Lifetime Learning Credit. This credit is equal to 20% of the out of pocket expenses up to $10,000, allowing a maximum credit of $2,000.

Image Credit: blmurch, Flickr

Applicants can use the tax credit in exchange for 100 hours of community service. It is partially refundable. As part of the bill, the Department of the Treasury also has to conduct a feasibility study on the community service requirement vis a vis higher education.

We suspect it’s the latter. Between 2007 and 2008 alone, the number of people sitting Level 1 rose 25% to 36k, and candidates have increased 45% since 2003. With so many more entrants, the pass rate needs to remain low if the CFA is to retain any cachet. Expect it to fall even further in future.

Another question: Does passing the CFA make you a good investor?