Whether you want to admit it or not, the 2008 tax filing season is right around the corner. To help you get prepared, the IRS is sponsoring a Tax Talk Today program, "Getting Ready for the Filing Season 2008: Part 2 (Businesses)," on Tuesday, January 8 at 2:00 p.m. ET. It's a one-hour live webcast on the second Tuesday of each month except April and August. The show, sponsored by the IRS, will feature a panel of experts discussing business tax return issues for small businesses and self-employed taxpayers. Issues on the agenda include recent tax law changes and updates for the 2007 tax year, IRS regulations, business credits and common errors. To watch the show, register online for free at TaxTalkToday.tv. You'll need a Windows Media Player or Real Player to view the webcast, both of which can be downloaded from the site.

Part 1 of the series, for individuals, airs on Tuesday, December 11 at 2:00 p.m. ET.

Last month, we blogged about a Monster.com survey revealing the importance of work/life balance. Now, attitude research company Sirota Survey Intelligence has released similar findings. Their survey, which questioned 300,000 employees, found that employees with a reasonable balance between their personal and professional lives have more pride in their companies and are more willing to recommend their employers to others. Of those surveyed, 73 percent were positive about their work/life balance. Among that group, 89 percent rated their company favorably (as opposed to only 58 percent of those who were negative about their work/life balance), and 91 percent said they were proud to work for their employers. In addition, 88 percent said they were willing to recommend their company as a place for others to work.

According to the survey, work/life balance isn't all about how heavy of a workload an employee bears. In fact, the study found that employees who report having "too little work" were 25 percent less satisfied with their job than those who reported having "too much work to do."

Douglas Klein, president of Sirota Survey Intelligence, shares advice on how employers can help employees achieve better work/life balance: "Employers should take a long-term perspective toward work/life balance. If a manager goes out of his or her way to accommodate a personal crisis, most employees will redouble their work efforts later on," he said.

Downloadable ringtones are nothing new. But downloadable saints, now that's news. An Italian company based in Milan has decided to expand its cell phone offerings by adding downloadable "santini" for the cost of three euros (about $4.42). Many Italians carry around these small pictures of saints, called santini, in their wallets or handbags. But the company is receiving poor reviews from some members of the Catholic Church, who say it's in bad taste. "It is a distortion of sacred things … selling 'santini' for cell phones is horrifying," said Bishop Lucio Soravito De Franceschi, a member of the Italian bishops conference committee for doctrinal matters. The creator of the online santini, Barbara Labate, says she isn't trying to be disrespectful. "We are merely catching up with the times. I think this will appeal to young people as well as grandmothers," she said. So far, the online catalog features St. Christopher, St. Lucy, St. Pio of Petralcina, Jesus and the Madonna.