Women's Financial Health Week: Opportunity to market services. (Personal Financial Specialists).

Did you know that the percentage of women filing for bankruptcy rose from 17 percent of all filers in 1981 to 40 percent of all filers in 1999?

What's more, only 32 percent of women have a retirement plan, and save only half of what men save.

In response to these statistics, the AICPA created Women's Financial Health Week, beginning Jan. 13, 2003, to encourage women to take charge of their financial future and to position CPA financial planners as the experts who can help women reach their financial goals.

The week-long, Web-based program is designed to arm women with enough information to make educated decisions about savings, retirement plans, IRAs and more. Another goal is to educate women about the value of professional financial counsel, the importance of goal setting and retirement planning, and how to protect assets in relationships.

In 2002, the campaign reached nearly 18 million women through print and broadcast media. Its website garnered nearly 10,000 hits.

Key components of its website, www.womensfinancialhealthweek.com, include live chats with CPAs with the PFS credential, a financial makeover contest and a CPA/PFS referral database.