At its core, direct indexing gives investors ownership of the individual securities that make up an index rather than owning a fund that owns them. Advances in technology and declining trading costs have made direct indexing more affordable and accessible than ever, unlocking benefits in tax management, customization and values-based investing that wasn’t possible in the past for the average investor.

Direct indexing didn’t begin as a retail product. Institutional investors and high-net-worth clients with specific mandates were its early adopters. They had the scale, sophistication and size to justify customized portfolios built one security at a time.

Over the last decade, these strategies have become much more accessible because of several factors: lower trading costs have dramatically reduced execution expenses, managers have streamlined the process to where automated portfolio platforms can now assemble and maintain hundreds of individual stocks efficiently with enhanced technology, and fractional share trading lets smaller investors own smaller slices of expensive stocks. Strategies once reserved for institutions or ultra-wealthy families are now available to investors with lower minimums than ever before.

How direct indexing works

Instead of buying a single ETF or mutual fund, direct indexing means you own the actual constituents of an index — for example, the 500 stocks in the S&P 500 — in proportion to their weights in that index. This direct ownership allows for tax-aware adjustments in which you can sell losing stocks to realize losses without selling a whole fund. On the other hand, it also allows you to make custom exclusions or tilts, meaning you can remove or underweight stocks that don’t align with personal values. This captures the most important aspects of direct indexing, which are tax minimization and personalization.

Tax minimization and harvesting losses

Perhaps the most celebrated benefit of direct indexing is its ability to generate tax losses intentionally. In a traditional index fund, you can’t choose which holdings to sell. A fund’s structure drives all decisions. With direct indexing, an investor can identify individual stocks that have declined below cost basis and sell them to lock in losses. These losses can offset gains elsewhere, lowering taxable income or deferring taxes.

This process — called tax-loss harvesting — is possible with ETFs too, but it’s limited. When you sell an ETF share, you realize gain/loss on the entire fund position, and your replacement must be a different fund to avoid wash-sale rules. Direct indexing unlocks far more granular tax decisions, potentially every stock in your portfolio. Over years or decades, especially in volatile markets, these accumulated losses can meaningfully reduce overall taxes and improve after-tax returns.

Value personalization

Another fast-growing appeal of direct indexing is customization. Investors can exclude companies or sectors they find objectionable, such as fossil fuels, tobacco or weapons manufacturing. Portfolios can be tilted toward other factors like low volatility, dividends or carbon emissions intensity. Goals beyond returns — such as values, mission alignment or social impact — can be embedded at the security level. With direct indexing, you define the screens and tilts that matter to you.

Who direct indexing is for

Direct indexing tends to work well for investors facing meaningful capital gains tax burdens on an ongoing basis, investors seeking customized ESG or values-based exposure and investors with longer time horizons and sophisticated planning needs who can benefit from systematic tax-loss harvesting and enhanced strategy.

It’s less compelling for those with very small portfolios where trading and management costs dominate, investors who prefer simplicity and minimal oversight, and those with primarily tax-advantaged (retirement) accounts where tax management is irrelevant.

Direct indexing represents a powerful evolution of traditional indexing — one that blends passive exposure with personalization and tax efficiency. Once the exclusive domain of institutions, it’s now accessible to a broad range of investors thanks to modern technology and lower costs. For investors seeking more control over what they own, how they pay tax and how their investments align with their values, direct indexing offers an intriguing option worth exploring — and one that could certainly become a mainstay of future portfolio design.

Zach Harney is a Wealth Manager at Creative Planning. He welcomes questions you may have concerning investments, taxes, retirement or estate planning. Send your questions to: Zach Harney, 2340 Garden Road, Suite 202, Monterey, CA, 93940. Or you can email zach.harney@creativeplanning.com. This commentary is provided for general information purposes only, should not be construed as investment, tax or legal advice, and does not constitute an attorney/client relationship. Past performance of any market results is no assurance of future performance. The information contained herein has been obtained from sources deemed reliable but is not guaranteed.

Rakitina observes that the podium long seemed an exclusively male domain because conducting was believed to demand qualities traditionally attributed to men, including strong leadership and character, strict and unwavering resolve, cool-headedness, and physical stamina. Although it is eminently clear these characteristics are shared by both genders, this division kept conducting closed to women, as it did many other professions and careers. In recent years, however, that landscape has begun to shift. From the Metropolitan Opera to Europe’s most storied festivals, women are increasingly guiding artistic vision and interpretation, a change as Rakitina suggests, that is as much about listening differently as it is about who holds the baton.

Artistic leadership on the Monterey Peninsula not only reflects this broader moment but has long served as a cultural way-shower. Long before international headlines declared a changing podium, our region was galvanized by two remarkable women whose vision and leadership established world-class musical institutions here and profoundly influenced our cultural identity. Carmel impresarios Dene Denny and Hazel Watrous were early pioneers who demonstrated that women were more than capable of guiding major artistic enterprises.

For 25 years, the great American conductor Marin Alsop, shaped by the mentorship and artistic example of Leonard Bernstein, led the Cabrillo Music Festival across the Bay in Santa Cruz. Another Bernstein-mentored conductor, Kate Tamarkin, began her tenure with the Monterey Symphony a quarter century ago, strengthening the region’s connection to that legacy of musical leadership. Three years ago, the Denny-Watrous tradition continued with the appointment of Norwegian-born conductor Grete Pedersen as artistic director of the Carmel Bach Festival, which they founded.

Another bright star among the Peninsula’s women artistic leaders is acclaimed violinist Tien-Hsin Cindy Wu, who established Sunkiss’d Mozart Summerfest in 2024, a June chamber music festival featuring leading international musicians performing in intimate and beautiful settings throughout the region. Wu and Pedersen join an existing tradition that has quietly demonstrated the power of female musical leadership on the Peninsula for more than a century.

Monterey Symphony in March

Speaking of the ascendency of women in our musical organizations, the Monterey Symphony celebrates its Eighth Annual Women’s Night Out on March 21 at Sunset Center followed by the March concert program conducted by Jayce Ogren. The party this year is inspired by the “White Lotus” television series. Come dressed in your Maui, Sicily, or Thailand exotic resort chic attire and groove to the music of San Francisco-based Axon Orkestra.  By the way, for many seasons now, the Symphony has been administered by Nicola Reilly and her dazzling crew of talented women, in what I would describe as one of the best management teams in its eight decades of musicmaking. Women’s Night Out is just one of many innovations and creative offerings that people can enjoy each season in addition to the subscription concert series.

About this month’s concert, Ogren says, “Our March program features star violinist Stefan Jackiw in Tchaikovsky’s delightful and virtuosic violin concerto. We’re thrilled that Jackiw will be making his debut with the Monterey Symphony. The concert opens with Moño by Marina López, a Monterey Symphony co-commission and part of our 80th anniversary celebration featuring exciting new works. We’ll also play Sibelius’s seventh symphony, his greatest tribute to nature, humanism and spirituality.”

For tickets, information and details about pre-concert lectures, the Saturday Night Talk Back and the Sunday pre-concert Lobby Sessions music see www.montereysymphony.org or call  (831) 626-8511.

Ensemble Monterey ‘Romantic Ideals’

Ensemble Monterey brings us a “journey from Baroque elegance to modern reflection” in their third concert of the season, called “Romantic Ideals.” Described as a thoughtful program celebrating life, love, joy, playfulness and wonder, audiences will hear works by Pulitzer Prize–winning composer Caroline Shaw, J.S. Bach’s Wedding Cantata featuring oboist Peter Lemberg, and Franz Schubert’s Piano Quintet in A Major, “The Trout.” Soprano Lori Schulman brings her warmth and clarity to Shaw’s sound world.

Performances take place Saturday at 7 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church in Monterey and Sunday at 7 p.m. at Messiah Lutheran Church in Santa Cruz.

For more information and to purchase tickets see ensemblemonterey.org or call (831) 333-1283.

Dover Quartet

The Dover Quartet, hailed by BBC Music Magazine as “one of the greatest quartets of the last 100 years,” appears at Sunset Center March 28 at 7:30 p.m.  Dover has been favorably compared to great American string ensembles, such as the Emerson or Guarneri Quartets, for their depths of originality and musicianship.  Their last appearance for CMMB was a streaming performance online during the pandemic, so the organization is delighted to welcome them back in person.

They will perform a diverse program with works by Jessie Montgomery, Franz Joseph Haydn, Karol Szymanowski and Felix Mendelssohn, compositions spanning the years from 1772 to 2012.  The concert will be preceded by a 30-minute talk at 6:30 by UC Santa Barbara music professor and musicologist Derek Katz.  For tickets and information see www.chambermusicmontereybay.org, or call (831) 625-2212.

Carmel Bach tickets

A reminder: Carmel Bach Festival tickets go on sale on March 16 for its 89th season that takes place July 11-25. Artistic director Grete Pedersen has created a season of music that explores the theme, “the nature of sound.” This year the festival will collaborate with a featured composer, Puerto-Rican-born composer Angélica Negrón. Check out the website for details at www.BachFestival.org.

Question: Although active, my father at age 83 has a number of chronic conditions. Among them are painful knees and urinary incontinence. He believes both can be fixed or cured and continues to respond to ads that claim to be the answer.  How can I convince him that most of these are hoaxes? He just cannot accept the fact he is getting older. — B.K.

Answer: The quest for the fountain of youth is not new, yet it continues to endure. In a society that tends to value youth over old age, fighting to retain what we perceive as youth is understandable. Of course, quick fixes are always appealing.

Perhaps the first step is to determine whether your father’s physician has addressed the two issues you raised.

If so, what were the recommendations, and are they being followed by your father?

If you have some doubts about the conversation, consider accompanying your father to his next doctor’s appointment.

Next is the question of determining what conditions are related to normal aging and what are possibly caused by disease, medications or lifestyle.

Consider reviewing lifestyle habits that involve sleep, nutrition, exercise, social connections and having a purpose in life.

One approach to potential hoaxes is to have a plan that analyzes health information. Sandra Alters and Wendy Schiff, authors of “Essential Concepts for Healthy Living,” developed a
six-point approach that might be helpful. (This is an early edition, which has since been updated. I believe the points are still valid.)

Verify statements in the advertisement: Determine which are verified by fact, are unverified or are claims about the product’s value. Verifiable facts are conclusions from scientific research or statements from credible resources. Unverified claims are conclusions with no support. Value claims simply suggest something is useful or effective.

Evaluate the credentials of the person who wrote the advertisement: Articles that may be part of the advertisement usually state the name and credentials of the author. In some cases the credentials may be fraudulent. Anyone can claim to be a doctor, nutritionist or health expert. Credentials can be checked by contacting any institutions named; accreditation can be checked by contacting the U.S. Department of Education (ed.gov).

Determine the motive or possible biases of the author: Ads are designed to persuade the consumer to buy the product. If the author developed the product, that person may have a financial interest that could affect objective reporting of the product’s effectiveness and value.

Assess relevant and irrelevant information: In particular, be aware of red flags that may suggest misinformation such as the following: “all natural,” “chemical free,” “scientifically proven,” “guaranteed to work” and “everyone is using it.” Note that testimonials often are given by celebrities and sports figures who get paid to promote the product.

Consider if the source provides reliable information: Does the advertisement give the pros and cons of the product along with the risks and benefits? Look for the inclusion of referenced articles from peer-reviewed journals. These are publications with articles that have been reviewed by experts in the field prior to publication.

Determine if the advertisement discredits the credibility of scientists and medical authorities: “Unknown to western medicine” or “used for centuries in China” suggest the U.S. is lagging in scientific knowledge and application. Statements that attack usual medical practices might be unreliable.

The next task is to influence your father’s thinking about the value and relevance of the analysis.

If he is reluctant to change his mind, it might be necessary to go through this process for each product and advertisement that your father encounters to protect him from possible harm and wasting his dollars.
You also might have a conversation about gratitude for what is working well in his life. It might provide a level of new awareness.

B.K., you have a challenge. Keep at it and hopefully your father will acknowledge that factfinding is for his benefit. Clearly you are a caring daughter. And thank you for your good question. Stay well and know all acts of kindness count.

Send emails to Helen Dennis at helendenn@aol.com, or go to facebook.com’s Successful Aging Community

“I am 80 and remember like it was yesterday that in high school we all took a class called ‘On Your Own’ that taught financial and independent-living skills. This included lessons about budgeting, renting an apartment, co-signing and getting loans, banking, using credit cards, food preparation and so much more. It was part of the Home Economics Department. But schools have dropped all those valuable real-world tools.

“As our grandkids are clueless about so much that people of my generation learned in high school, the past couple of years, we have given them some of the more popular books on money management, but they tell us, ‘These make us feel talked down to,’ so they never finish reading a single one.

“Do you know of something out there on personal finance that is practical, doesn’t talk at or down, but to readers and isn’t boring? Thanks, ‘Barbara.’”

Barbara is right. Those classes vanished in the 1970s and ’80s when “everyone should go to college” became the flawed mantra. Educators failed to visualize the consequences of losing these practical classes, but fortunately, many states today are bringing those very subjects back to high school.

Yes, there is a new — and great — read, filled with real-life examples that are so accessible and relevant, regardless of your age and especially for teenagers, young adults and their parents.

It is “Wealth Your Way: A Simple Path to Financial Freedom” by Cosmo DeStefano, a financial strategist, retired CPA and also a fellow contributor to Kiplinger.com’s Adviser Intel. This is a pure joy to read. The author makes it seem as if you are sitting across the table from him for a chat over a cup of coffee. That’s how I felt during our interview, even though it was on the phone.

The central idea of DeStefano’s book is that financial freedom is achievable through simple, consistent habits — not high income alone. Building wealth and staying out of financial trouble results when we maintain these habits — these behaviors — instead of chasing after get-rich schemes. The outcome is a vastly improved quality of life at home, achieved through discipline and long-term planning.

A significant challenge that many parents and spouses often face is initiating a conversation about money. “Financial discussions are often seen as criticism, even when no one has done anything wrong — it is such a sensitive area,” DeStefano said during our interview.

To get the ball rolling, “Wealth Your Way” contributes a helpful voice that explains how to build a foundation of sound financial behavior.

In the many years that I’ve written this column, more personal financial advice books than you can imagine have crossed my desk – many bark orders and make readers feel like they’ve missed the boat. DeStefano doesn’t go there. He respects our intelligence while gently challenging common assumptions, such as “I’ll start investing once things settle down politically.”

“The reality,” he noted, “is that things never settle down, and waiting for certainty is often the most expensive decision of all, as delaying action shrinks the impact of compounding.”

This is a valid, commonsense answer to a strongly held belief that gives readers something solid to consider, matching his emphasis on practicality and long-term thinking rather than one-size-fits-all rules that don’t fit many.

“Wealth Your Way” is so accessible, in large part, because DeStefano avoids using technical jargon that plagues many authors. He does not require readers to follow a rigid structure that may clash with how they live. A great storyteller, he illustrates how his recommendations work in the real world.

The book is especially timely as more and more employees who have little, if any investment knowledge must provide for their own retirements. It is sad that nothing like it existed in 1981 when the rug was pulled out from workers who had been promised retirement pensions but then were forced to transition to 401(k)s.

The move hung an albatross around the necks of American workers, shifting the burden of safeguarding their retirement onto their shoulders while employers saved big money by no longer having to fund pensions.

Traditional pensions are proven to prevent poverty. According to a 2023 UC Berkeley Labor Center report , retirees with pension income are significantly more likely to live above 200% of the federal poverty level compared to those without.

Economists and sociologists agree that the decline of traditional defined-benefit pensions has greatly contributed to increased poverty as workers transitioned to self-managed retirement accounts. And to self-manage these accounts requires the how-to provided in “Wealth Your Way.”

DeStefano’s book, especially if it’s read at a fairly early age (and, of course, if his advice is followed), will have a lasting, positive impact on many lives. Think of the book as a partial substitute for that On Your Own high school class you would have taken before those classes were discontinued. Give one to a family member if you suspect they lack solid financial literacy. It will be their ticket to dollars and cents peace of mind.

Dennis Beaver practices law in Bakersfield and welcomes comments and questions from readers, which may be faxed to (661) 323-7993, or e-mailed to Lagombeaver1@gmail.com. And be sure to visit dennisbeaver.com.

Answer: On Jan. 1, California’s statewide minimum wage increased from $16.50 to $16.90 per hour.  The increase applies to most employers regardless of size.

With the increase to the minimum wage rate, employers also need to ensure that the annual salary for their exempt employees meets the minimum salary requirements for an exempt employee.  To satisfy the compensation prong of the exemption, most exempt employees must be paid a salary of at least two times the state minimum wage for full-time work.  For 2026, this translates to a minimum annual salary of $70,304 (calculated as $16.90 multiplied by two over 40 hours/week multipilied by 52 weeks/year).  Paying the salary threshold is only one part of the requirement.  Employees must also pass the duties test to avoid misclassification issues involving overtime and mandatory meal-and-rest periods.

Certain exemptions have their own compensation floors that do not track with the general minimum wage.  For example, California’s computer software employee exemption (a narrow exemption that depends heavily on the work actually performed) requires at least $58.85 per hour, or a minimum annual salary of $122,573.13, in 2026.  Similarly, the licensed physicians and surgeons exemption requires a minimum rate of $107.17 per hour as of Jan. 1.  If an otherwise exempt employee’s salary falls below the minimum threshold, the exemption fails.  The employee must be reclassified as a nonexempt employee, requiring time tracking, overtime compensation, and compliance with all applicable meal and rest break regulations.

Industry-specific minimum wages can complicate the analysis.  Fast-food restaurants covered by the fast-food minimum wage law are subject to a separate, higher hourly minimum wage than the statewide rate.  Moreover, health care employers may be subject to a separate wage schedule depending on the type of facility and role, and the number of employees the employer employs.  If you operate in those industries (or contract into them), confirm which wage rules apply before you assume the statewide $16.90 rate controls your payroll planning.

Finally, keep in mind that many California cities and counties set local minimum wages above the state rate.  Unlike state law, many localities increase the minimum wage every July.  The rule is simple: an employer must pay the highest applicable minimum wage for the location where the employee works.  A list of California city and county minimum wage rates maintained by University of California Berkely is available here:  https://laborcenter.berkeley.edu/inventory-of-us-city-and-county-minimum-wage-ordinances/#s-2.

After you implement wage changes, California also requires timely written notice of pay-rate changes under Labor Code section 2810.5.  The Department of Industrial Relations publishes template notices and the updated minimum wage poster that employers must display in a visible, conspicuous location in the workplace.  The “Notice to Employee” can be downloaded for use https://www.dir.ca.gov/dlse/dlse-publications.htm.  The required minimum wage poster can be downloaded at https://www.dir.ca.gov/iwc/MW-2026.pdf.

California’s minimum wage rules are increasingly varied based on a variety of factors, including industry, employer size, and the location of the business and its employees.  Employers are encouraged to review their payroll records to ensure compliance with the minimum wage increase, and any impact it has on exempt employees. Those with questions regarding the minimum wage increase or its impact on exempt employees should consult with their employment counsel.

Marco Lucido is a lawyer with Fenton & Keller in Monterey. This column is intended to answer questions of general interest and should not be construed as legal advice. Email queries to mlucido@fentonkeller.com

Answer: Risk is one of the most misunderstood concepts in investing. Many investors equate risk with market volatility — or how much prices move up and down. That definition may make sense if you’re a day trader with a very short time horizon; however, for long-term investors, volatility is often more noise than signal and focusing on it can actually cloud good decision-making.

A more useful definition of portfolio risk is this: the likelihood that something happens that permanently impairs your capital. Viewed through that lens, three risks matter most:

• Bankruptcy or default: If a company you own goes under or a bond stops paying, that loss is permanent.

• Forced selling during a market downturn: If you must sell stocks at depressed prices to meet cash needs, your portfolio may not fully recover when markets rebound.

• Inflation: Over time, inflation quietly erodes purchasing power and can do just as much damage as a market decline.

There are other risks, of course, but these three get to the heart of what long-term investors should be concerned about.

As you think about managing risk — especially during periods of market stress — keep a few basic facts in mind:

• Fact #1: Market timing doesn’t work. Decades of academic research has shown that trying to jump in and out of the market usually hurts long-term results.

• Fact #2: Market downturns are inevitable, but they’re not permanent. Free market economies grow over time, and stock markets have historically followed that growth.

• Fact #3: After a significant market decline, recovery typically takes about four years. Some recoveries are shorter (like after the COVID-19 downturn, which took only six months) or longer (like during the Great Depression, which took 15 years).

With these facts in mind, following are some practical steps to managing portfolio risk effectively.

Start with a comprehensive financial plan. A good plan clarifies your goals, puts market fluctuations in context and creates discipline around investment decisions. Many people want to skip this step. They shouldn’t. I’ve never seen anyone complete a thorough financial plan and not become a better investor as a result.

Once your plan is in place, you can focus on building a portfolio designed for resilience — one that can absorb shocks and still compound over time.

A resilient portfolio has three key characteristics.

First, it’s well diversified. That means owning many investments across different sectors and asset classes so that no single holding can derail the entire portfolio if something goes wrong.

Second, it emphasizes high-quality companies. Strong businesses with durable balance sheets and real earnings power are far more likely to survive economic stress. The dot-com bust provided a clear lesson here. Some companies simply disappeared. Others — Amazon being the classic example — suffered steep declines but had the underlying strength to survive and eventually thrive. That ability to endure is what resilience looks like.

Third, a resilient portfolio is structured to meet near-term cash needs without forcing stock sales during a downturn. Remember the four-year recovery guideline. If you know you’ll need money from your portfolio within that window, think carefully about how much of it belongs in stocks. For some investors, allocating near-term needs to short-term bonds or CDs can provide peace of mind.

Just don’t overdo it. Being “too conservative” carries its own risks. Investments that feel safe in the short run may leave you vulnerable to inflation over time.

Managing risk isn’t about reacting to the latest market headline. It’s about thoughtful planning, sound portfolio construction and staying disciplined — especially when markets make you uncomfortable.

Steven C. Merrell is a partner and managing director at Creative Planning (formerly known as Monterey Private Wealth). He welcomes questions you may have concerning investments, taxes, retirement or estate planning. Send your questions to: Steve Merrell, 2340 Garden Road, Suite 202, Monterey, CA, 93940. Or you can email steve.merrell@creativeplanning.com. This commentary is provided for general information purposes only, should not be construed as investment, tax or legal advice, and does not constitute an attorney/client relationship. Past performance of any market results is no assurance of future performance. The information contained herein has been obtained from sources deemed reliable but is not guaranteed.

One morning we decided to beat the sizzle by driving one hour northeast to Yucca Valley to hike the dog friendly 4-mile Chaparrosa Spring Loop in the Wildlands Conservancy Preserve. The Pionner Mountains’ granite boulders setting and temperate 4,000-foot elevation breeze was a fresh dose of stimulation for the whole pack! We spent the afternoon in an 1880s time capsule exploring Pioneertown’s Mane Street National Register Historic District, browsing around the old west movie set, museum, artisan shops and the Pioneertown Motel. We popped our heads in Pappy & Harriet’s Palace, famous for barbecue and live music.  I couldn’t believe Paul McCartney had performed here in 2016. Yucca Valley’s proximity to Joshua National Park attracts tourists, but the rugged outpost has been increasingly appealing as an escape from Hollywood glam. The Field Station Hotel’s minimalist Zen trademark and AutoCamp’s Airstream luxury glamping is tailored to a new “outdoor community” generation who value elevated creature comforts integrated into the rugged landscape. In contrast, the Yucca Valley airport’s Copper Room lounge and supper club celebrates Rat Pack retro glamour with classic cocktails in a vintage atmosphere.

Leaving Yucca Valley, a sign for the Save the Meow Meows Cat Lounge and Shop caught my attention.  Moments later I was handing my $11 donation fee for the privilege of mingling with over a dozen felines. This brilliant nonprofit model helps socialize adoptable cats on their way to their furever home. Later in the week, I discovered the Palm Springs’ Cat Café.  Claire and Sonny Von Cleveland’s business model aims at fostering community by blending a gourmet coffee shop with a cat adoption sanctuary in a certified neurodiverse workplace. Anyone is welcome to get their purring furry fix with a minimal entrance fee to the separate kitty salon.

Bicycling is David’s and my favorite mode for wandering around Palm Springs network of multi-use trails. The recently completed CV Link (Coachella Valley Link) expanded our range. The section along the Whitewater River Wash completes the visionary 40-mile “alternative transportation pathway” designed to link communities from Palm Springs to Coachella by foot, bicycle and low-speed EVs like golf carts. We sampled a section of the CV Link with a 20-mile loop and a refueling stop on Palm Springs’ Chicken Ranch’s bustling patio. We crowned our lunch with their famous velvety key lime pie.

The giant white spinning sentinels on the San Gorgonio Pass finally intrigued us enough to book space on a Palm Springs Windmill Tour. The guided tour began with an introductory film in a no frills office trailer before hopping in a golf cart with Bill, our eager guide and congenial retired horticulturist. Bill drove us around the outdoor museum and graveyard sprinkling information and pointing out details about each obsolete turbine. Braced by two mountain ranges, San Gorgonio is one of the most consistently windy stretches in the country. Staggering advances have reduced the number of turbines here from over 4,000 in the 1980s to around 1,000 much larger efficient turbines. Denmark is leading the pack in renewable energy with offshore turbine models boasting up to 500-foot long blades and a 1,000-foot rotator diameter.  Interestingly, the optimum “blade pitch” on wind turbines remains the same as on traditional Dutch windmills. The tour ended at the base of a 400-foot tower, where we sat dwarfed in the sea of turbines listening to the soothing rhythmic swish of the blades.

Palm Springs rolls out an annual parade of events to highlight Modernism Week. Our pick this year was a film about Big Sur Architecture and a stroll back in time through the Vintage Market where there’s a treasure waiting for everyone.

Palm Springs may be synonymous with golf, but Indio is polo time. The “Sport of Kings” originated in Persia as a cavalry training game and later caught on with British officers in India before becoming a modern sporting spectacle. We spent an afternoon at the dog friendly El Dorado Polo Club for a Canada vs. USA match with both teams stacked with Argentinian players. We circulated between the General Tailgating fans and the VIP Cabana guests enjoying the pageantry and mesmerized by the polo ponies’ spirited athleticism.

Our quest for a new challenge took us on the Palm Springs Aerial Tram to the San Jacinto Peak trailhead at the tram’s Mountain Station. I boarded the largest rotating tram car in the world (80 pax) up 2.5 vertical miles with my eyes mostly glued to the floor while David snapped photos from all angles. It’s no surprise that the engineering challenge was labeled the “Eighth Wonder of the World” in the 1960s. In 10 minutes you trade Colorado desert cacti for pines and are 40 degrees cooler.  Poles in hand and metal cleats on feet we hiked 12 breath-catching roundtrip miles mostly on ice and snowfields from 8,516 feet to the 10,834-foot peak, second highest in Southern California.  The final hand over hand scramble to the summit, rewarded us with panoramic views of the desert and a stadium of mountain ranges. On the drive to pick up Kulu from his day care romp, we detoured to the Krispy Kreme donut shop. David’s eye roll into warm dough and sugar Nirvana reminded me that peak experiences come in many forms. I couldn’t rule out polo lessons as my next desert high.

Carmel’s Linda and David Mullally share their passion for travel, outdoor recreation and dogs through articles, hiking books and photography at Falcon.com. 

In February of 2015, a few days after my father died, just a couple of weeks after his 93rd birthday, I went for a walk on Fort Ord. Other than at my house, it’s where I feel most at home, not that I’ve ever had a meal there nor spent a single night. Rather, a sense of mystical reverence mixed with ease is what I experience when out walking on that land. To walk alone in a wide open, expansive place gives room for grief to loosen its grip on the body, mind and heart, and back then, oh, did my grief need loosening.

On that almost-first fatherless morning, not far from the parking area at Giggling and 8th, where a road heads east, cutting between two large swaths of land, I began to yell very loudly at my dad. Sometimes sorrow needs to be loud, to be freed from the body; sometimes it needs to be shouted, maybe, especially if you are Italian or maybe, just if you’re Nick’s elder daughter. I don’t know if he could hear me wherever he was at that moment, if he was anywhere. But it does kind of seem as though he did.

A couple of years before my father took his final departure, I asked him to paint me a bee because I love bees. All kinds of bees have my affection. This affection didn’t begin with the animal itself but with a poem by the Spanish Civil War poet, Antonio Machado, who was one of many poets, directly or indirectly, murdered by dictator Franco’s henchmen during that war. But long before his death, Machado wrote these lines, “Last night, while I was sleeping, I dreamed, marvelous error, that I had a beehive in my heart.” And with those words, many years ago, I fell in love with bees. Haven’t you?

My dad was an artist who for most of his life was blocked; there wasn’t anything he wanted more than to paint what he saw in his head-heart, but he couldn’t. For some reason, when I asked for a bee, he pushed through what stopped him, and painted me not one but two. One of them is only 3 inches wide. My dad’s eyesight wasn’t great by then, but the bee is completely detailed and lovely in its bee-body.

On my first walk after his death, after I’d stopped yelling, suddenly there were bees flying just ahead of me. First one and then more, buzzing their buzz, leading me on my way. Little bees and bumble bees —those big black and yellow ones with the sonorous buzz. I couldn’t explain this, and nor did I wish to. Sometimes what the heart knows is best trusted and left in peace. I knew my pop was guiding me — his love had sent me bees. They were there every walk I took that February. Come March, no more bees. None flew ahead of me during any other months, either.

Every February since then the bees have been on the trail ahead of me, leading the way. They encircle my head with their flight, making me feel as though I were wearing a crown of bees, the best crown I can imagine. And then I couldn’t walk for some years because of my foot that has had its troubles. I don’t know what happened to the bees for those years. Maybe they led somebody else; I hope so. I figured the bee chapter of my life had ended, that I’d be bee-less forever, and there was nothing to do about it.

Slow-forward to February of 2025, this very month. I’m able to walk longer distances again, have gotten up to 4.5 miles! There is nothing in the world as freeing and intoxicating as walking out past where cars, trucks and buses own the roads, out past most people and into the wide, welcoming arms of nature where the wind comes fast and the grasses bend with ease and the sky is a wide, dazzling blue and white dome above and the birds sing and the hills climb and the dirt is soft sand of the warmest light brown color and my feet take me and my heart and lungs are strong.

This ability to walk is not coincidental. It’s not the result of time and luck. There is one, and only one, person to whom my ultimate thanks belong and it’s not my father. To find the person who can help us to be able to do the thing we most want to do can take time. In my case, it took way longer than I wished, but finally, I reached out to a highly regarded, local physical therapist and secured an appointment. For all that is spiritual and sublime about taking long walks, the reality is that first and foremost, the body is required. Before coming under the care of James Takahara of Cypress Coast Physical Therapy, my body was unable to walk very far at all. Sure, I could do the grocery shopping and casually walk from here to there, but that was about it.

James has the skills few do, and certainly no one I’d worked with before. And my gratitude for his knowledge, kind, consistent care is boundless.

It’s February. I’m back on the trail. And, yes, there are bees leading my way. So many bees!

Del Rey Oaks writer and poet Patrice Vecchione is the author of several books including “My Shouting, Shattered, Whispering Voice: A Guide to Writing Poetry & Speaking Your Truth” and “Step into Nature: Nurturing Imagination and Spirit in Everyday Life.” Her titles are available wherever books are sold. More at patricevecchione.com

Answer: You should understand how community property laws affect the way you figure your income on your income tax returns. Your taxes are affected by community property laws only if you are married, live in a community property state and are filing separate returns. In most cases, your tax will be less by filing a joint return if you are married. Sometimes, however, it may be to your advantage to file separate returns. If you and your spouse are filing separate returns, you have to determine your community income and your separate income.

The following are community property states: Arizona, California, Idaho, Louisiana, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, Washington and Wisconsin.

Community property

Community property is all property acquired by a husband or wife, or both, during their marriage while they are domiciled in a community property state. Certain property acquired by gift or inheritance, by purchase with separate funds or by exchange of separate property for other property is not community property. Community property also includes property that spouses have agreed to convert from separate property to community property. According to state law, each spouse owns half the community property. Community property belongs as much to one spouse as it does to the other. If property cannot be identified as separate property, it will be considered community property. For federal tax purposes, the property is classified according to the laws of the state in which you are domiciled.

Community income

Generally, community income is all income from community property. It includes salaries, wages, and other pay for the services of either or both a husband and wife during marriage. Income from real estate is community income if it is so treated under the laws of the state in which the real estate is located.

The classification of income as either community or separate is important if you and your spouse file separate tax returns. If you do so, half the community income must be reported by you and the other half by your spouse.

Community property laws disregarded

Community property laws will not apply to an item of community income and you will be responsible for reporting it if:

You treat the item as if only you are entitled to the income, and you do not notify your spouse of the nature and amount of the income by the due date for filing the return (including extensions).

Relief from separate return liability for community income

You are not responsible for reporting an item of community income if you meet all of the following conditions:

1. You do not file a joint return for the tax year.

2. You do not include that item of community income in your gross income on your separate return.

3. You establish that you did not know of (and had no reason to know of) that community income.

Under all facts and circumstances, it would not be fair to include the item of community income in your gross income.

Deductions

If you file separate returns, business or investment expenses incurred to earn or produce community business or investment income are generally divided between you and your spouse. Each of you is entitled to deduct one-half of the expenses on your separate returns. If you file separate returns, expenses incurred to earn or produce separate business or investment income are deductible by the spouse who owns the income.

Personal expenses that are paid out of separate funds, such as medical expenses, are deductible by the spouse who pays them. If these expenses are paid from community funds, the deduction is divided equally between you and your spouse.

Unfortunately, you will need the cooperation of your husband to determine whether you file jointly or separately. If applicable, I recommend that you seek legal counsel to help you obtain the required information to file your tax returns timely.

Barry Dolowich is a certified public accountant and owner of a full service accounting and tax practice with offices in Monterey. He can be reached at (831) 372-7200. Please address any questions to PO Box 710 Monterey, CA 93942 or email: bdolowich@gmail.com

While no one argues about the incredible health benefits of vegetables and fruit, there’s been much more chatter about the role of fat in our diets, especially as it pertains to the care of our hearts.

After years of avoiding some fats like the plague, these new guidelines tell us that “healthy fats are plentiful in many whole foods, such as meats, poultry, eggs, omega-3-rich seafood, nuts, seeds, full-fat dairy, olives and avocados.”

Really? Meat and whole fat dairy — typically higher in saturated fat — are now sources of healthy fats?

What has changed are the findings of researchers who — over the past 50 years or so — have studied various types of fats and their influence on heart health. For example, a 2023 systematic review on this topic in the journal Nutrients stated, “In contrast to the long-standing dogma, recent research has questioned the recommendation to reduce total saturated fat.”

Scientists base these comments on findings that all saturated fats are not created equal. Stearic acid, for example, is a saturated fat found in meat and dairy foods. It’s also found in coconut oil and cocoa butter (as in chocolate). The good news: This type of saturated fat has been found to have a neutral effect on one’s risk for heart disease.

Still, the latest dietary guidelines repeat past recommendations for us not to consume more than 10% of our daily calories from saturated fat. That’s because “more high-quality research is needed to determine which types of dietary fats best support long-term health.”

Some types of fats remain “essential” for human health, however. These include omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids found in foods such as olive, flaxseed and other vegetable oils, fish, seeds and nuts. And it’s still accepted that these types of fats can help lower our risk for heart attacks when consumed in place of saturated fats.

That’s one reason why the new dietary guidelines advise, ”when cooking with or adding fats to meals, prioritize oils with essential fatty acids, such as olive oil.”

So, in the midst of what we now know and still don’t know about the role of saturated fat in heart health, many experts say it’s safe to include nutrient dense foods that naturally contain saturated fats in our diets.

And we certainly need to continue our focus on fruits, vegetables and other plant-based foods. Dietary fiber in these foods is reliably good for our hearts along with other health benefits. That’s a plan that our hearts will love.

Barbara Intermill is a registered dietitian nutritionist and syndicated columnist. She is the author of “Quinn-Essential Nutrition: The Uncomplicated Science of Eating.” Email her at barbara@quinnessentialnutrition.com.