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This column is the second and final part of my series on life insurance for young professionals. Part one considered whether you, as a young professional, should purchase a life insurance plan.

Jon Severson is the president and founder of the Colorado Young Professionals. From Friday, Feb. 26, to Sunday, Feb. 28, savvy YPs from around the country gathered in Colorado to hit the slopes and network. This first annual YP Ski Weekend was hosted by Denver Young Professionals, and also included mountain activities, ski parties with live music, and tons of give-aways and contests. Be sure to check out more YP events here!

Today's young workers understand they are on their own when it comes to their retirement savings. In a recent poll, young adults (ages 18 to 25) predicted that 61 percent of their retirement income, on average, would need to come from personal savings. A startling 59 percent of young adults-higher than any other previous age group-assume they will be financially worse-off and less secure than prior generations.

Some young professionals who are overwhelmed by the economic issues facing the nation are turning to the Tea Party to find a solution, said Tim Kraulidis, the state coordinator for the Illinois Tax Day Tea Party Movement.

Work-life balance. It's the goal of many young professional moms who are seeking harmony between quality family time and their career aspirations. But juggling the two is difficult, especially during a recession when flexible work arrangements may not be possible.

If you’'re a young professional looking for a job, chances are you already know how important it is for you to have an online presence so recruiters can find you. So you probably have a Web site, Tweet regularly and update your blog. BrazenCareerist.com, a social networking site, allows you to organize the best of your online content in one place.

Today's young professional job seeker probably spends more time typing on a computer than using a pen and paper, but old-fashioned etiquette practices - like sending a handwritten thank you note - may just be the way to make an impression on a potential employer and differentiate yourself from the crowd of applicants.

Noticed a number of "For Rent" signs on your block recently? If so, you wouldn't be alone. Apartment vacancies have been at record-high levels in the past year and many apartments are empty because young renters have sought alternatives to renting on their own during the recession.

YPNation is rounding out Black History Month by spotlighting an outstanding "Young Professional of Color" each day this week. Today's pick is Jamail Larkins. Having accumulated more than 1,500 hours of flight time, Larkin's career, which took off at the age of 12, shows no signs of landing.

YPNation will round out Black History Month by spotlighting an outstanding "Young Professional of Color" each day this week. They are pioneers in fields from business to blogging, serving as an inspiration to other YP's looking to excel in their own right. They are, without question, YP's to watch.

The final pick of YPNation's "Young Professional of Color" series is Tina Wells, CEO of the New Jersey-based Buzz Marketing Group, the number one resource for all things involving youth marketing. Wells has more than a decade of expertise in youth trends, and an impressive portfolio of more than one hundred partnerships.

The ordeal of the American college girl, Amanda Knox, who was convicted this week of murdering her roommate while studying abroad, can serve as a harsh reminder to all young professionals (YPs) of the value of protecting their reputations. It seems to be a consensus among the legal pundits across the spectrum of the networks that it was Knox's reputation in the Italian media, rather than hard physical evidence, that resulted in her conviction.

A group of young professionals gathered last Thursday at a bar in New Canaan, Conn., to raise money for the victims of the Haiti earthquake.

While most young professionals spend their days holed up in cubicles, Jared Talarski, 29, has made a career captaining a schooner and lending a hand to those in need. He spoke with YPNation about his sailing career and recent relief voyage to Haiti on the Liberty Schooner.

All job-seeking young professionals should have a strong online presence, otherwise they are going to be completely overlooked by recruiters, personal branding expert Dan Schwabel said.

With IRA's and 401(k)'s garnishing the most attention in the investment community, investors forget about the value offered from opening a good old-fashioned brokerage account. Most questions submitted by young professionals to the talking heads for leading money magazines and news channels deal with contributions to retirement accounts because that is what has been drilled into their psyche at an early age. Everyone hears "make sure you contribute to your 401(k) when you get that job" or "the tax breaks for contributing to an IRA are wonderful." And you know what, that advice is really good and I do recommend contributing as much as you can to your retirement accounts, but you need to diversify your investment accounts just like you diversify your investments in those accounts.

Over the years, life insurance has developed a stigma thanks to the stereotypical sleazy life insurance agent persona, not far removed from the used car salesman. And so it is one of those topics that doesn't get discussed very often these days, but should because it's an important component of a well-rounded financial plan.

How do you, as young professionals, manage your household finances? Who is the saver and who is the spender? Do you fight over money? A 2008 survey by Parade Magazine found that money was the leading cause of marital fights. And rightly so. There was no class in high school or college titled, "How to manage money in a relationship." So when it comes to figuring out finances, it's literally trial by fire. And the fire can cause burns.

Tomorrow, I'll join fellow YPNation contributors Ethan Pollack and Marc Goldwein on a panel discussion about America's fiscal future. (Be sure to tune in here.) As Ethan previewed, we'll be investigating what young professionals need to know about the current state of fiscal affairs and what they can do to build a better economic future. For my part, I'll be discussing the federal budget picture and what the government should-or should not-do to get it's fiscal house in order.

When Alex Yates, a marketing consultant, relocated two years ago to the Chicago area from San Diego he joined a running club. He had been a member of a track club in San Diego, and eyed the Chicago Area Runners Association, or CARA, as a way to integrate into his new community.