The Vault
Don’t let hackers steal your money!
First it was the Target store data theft that occurred around the holidays last year. That was followed up with the Heartbleed virus. Now some group of Russian gangsters has stolen a billion user IDs and passwords. I’m fed up! No one has time to keep changing passwords every few months. Most people are probably…
Get help to pay off credit card debt
35 percent of Americans have a debt in collections according to a new study by The Urban Institute. This means people have not made payments on things like credit card debt, medical bills or even a parking ticket. This is a serious problem that shows how much financial distress Americans are under. Now there may…
‘So Say We All’ is at it again
Back in 2011, I helped produce a wildly popular event at the San Diego Art Institute in Balboa Park. It was called The Fab and Furious Queer Circus of Dastardly Delights. The extravaganza was the largest LGBT oriented visual and literary arts event organized by So Say We All, the local non-profit dedicated storytellers of…
Five questions to ask before moving in together
It’s Pride season and the summer of love is in full swing. You’ve met that special guy or gal. There’s even the possibility of moving in together. That’s amazing and exciting! However, don’t be too quick about shacking up when starting a new relationship. It could do more damage than good if you don’t first…
Will I ever get anything from Social Security?
This is a question I am asked all the time. Will I ever get a penny from Social Security? Most people have come to the conclusion that they won’t get anything. Everyone has heard about Social Security running out of money in the about 20 years. However, I would like to go on record to…
Many wartime veterans are missing out on valuable long-term care benefits
The Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) has been in the news quite a bit lately, and not in a good way. However, this exposure brings to mind many great things about the VA and how they support our veterans. There is one benefit in particular that I am aware of that is not being utilized…
Something everyone needs — an emergency fund
All working adults should have an emergency fund. It is that important! In fact, I believe it is the very first thing to get in place once out of school and working full-time. An emergency fund is cash set aside in a savings account for those unexpected expenses and life events that inevitably occur. An…
New way to support and invest in LGBT-friendly companies
A new exchange traded fund (ETF) created in February 2014 allows investors to buy companies that support LGBT equality. It’s called the Workplace Equality Portfolio and trades under the ticker symbol EQLT. This new ETF is one of the few ways the LGBT community can easily invest in publicly-traded companies that support equal rights. The…
Savings tax credit for low income workers
There is a report called Making Ends Meet that has been in the news the past few months. This research, put together by the Center on Policy Initiatives, calculated the average income needed to cover basic living expenses in San Diego for different types of families. For instance, a single person needs to make $27,655…