Columnists
Zach Harney, Financial Planning: The power of direct indexing
At its core, direct indexing gives investors ownership of the individual securities that make up...
Barbara Rose Shuler, Intermezzo: The changing sound of leadership in classical music
The podium long seemed an exclusively male domain because conducting was believed to demand qualities...
Helen Dennis, Successful Aging: Falling for snake oil pitches
The first step is to determine whether your father’s physician has addressed the two issues...
Dennis Beaver, You and the Law: Looking for a financial book that won’t put your young adult to sleep
"Wealth Your Way" by Cosmo DeStefano offers a highly accessible guide for young adults and...
Marco Lucido, Workplace Law: Minimum wage and salary reminder
With the increase to the minimum wage rate, employers also need to ensure that the...
Steven Merrell, Financial Planning: Should I reduce the risk in my portfolio?
Risk is one of the most misunderstood concepts in investing. Many investors equate risk with...
Travels with the Mullallys: Searching for peak experiences around Palm Springs
Palm Springs rolls out an annual parade of events to highlight Modernism Week.
Patrice Vecchione, Walkabout Town: Walking with bees
I knew my pop was guiding me — his love had sent me bees.
Barry Dolowich, Tax Tips: Filing separately in a community property state
You should understand how community property laws affect the way you figure your income on...
Barbara Intermill, On Nutrition: The skinny on fat
While no one argues about the incredible health benefits of vegetables and fruit, there’s been...
Helen Dennis, Successful Aging: A crisis looms on Caregivers Day
Caregiving affects an increasing number of us. And many are currently feeling the impact, or...
Liza Horvath, Senior Advocate: My inheritance, my birthright
Our children may have the expectation of receiving whatever is left of our estates when...
Dennis Beaver, You and the Law: A wake-up call and a healthy dose of terror: How to survive your first days in prison
This young man needed to be scared straight after his mother expressed her fear that...
Zach Harney, Financial Planning: What about international stocks?
Investors who focus solely on the U.S. stock market may be missing a crucial piece...
Barbara Rose Shuler, Intermezzo: Carmel Bach Season 2026 set to go
“Our theme invites us to listen more deeply, not only to music, but to the...
Beth Peerless, Where it’s at: A unique pairing at Wave Street
One of the best Americana acoustic guitar accompanists together with the soulful free flowing, emotional...
Barry Dolowich, Tax Tips: Effective versus marginal tax rates
It almost ALWAYS makes sense economically to make more money. Only if the tax rates...
Barbara Intermill, On Nutrition: Real cowboys eat vegetables
Why popcorn? It’s light and extremely satisfying. Popcorn popped in oil has only 35 calories...
Helen Dennis, Successful Aging: New doctor search can bring good partnership
Choosing a physician is key, particularly in later life when we often are confronted with...
Liza Horvath, Senior Advocate: Trump Accounts for kids
As an employer, I view this as just one more way to benefit good employees...
Dennis Beaver, You and the Law: This is how you can land a job you’ll love
“Work How You Are Wired” leads job seekers on a journey of self-discovery. Understanding your...
Marco Lucido, Workplace Law: Reminders for drug-testing policies
There are circumstances in which employers can require drug and/or alcohol testing. However, employers should...
Steven Merrell, Financial Planning: Watch out for IRMAA
The acronym stands for income-related monthly adjustment amount, and while it sounds technical and harmless,...
Barry Dolowich, Tax Tips: Prize winnings
Generally, prizes you win from sweepstakes, raffles and contests are taxable as ordinary income.
Barbara Intermill, On Nutrition: Reader comments
In this week's column, Barbara Intermill is responding to a couple recent comments from readers.
Helen Dennis, Successful Aging: Judgments around age fade but persist
For many, it has been the age to receive full Social Security benefits; for those...
Liza Horvath, Senior Advocate: The ghost of Facebook
Laws are in place that can help dictate how our digital footprint can be dealt...
Dennis Beaver, You and the Law: Response to our story on AI and attorney fees: ‘You saved our company thousands!’
Attorney Dennis Beaver discusses the response from last week's column about AI helping lawyers cheat...
Zach Harney, Financial Planning: The SALT tax deduction: history, limits and the OBBBA
The state and local tax deduction is a federal income tax provision that allows taxpayers...
Beth Peerless, Where it’s at: Dark Star Orchestra a fitting tribute to Dead
We’ll find out Thursday evening at Golden State what music the band is bringing to...
Barry Dolowich, Tax Tips: Losses from side business
Generally, losses from your business will be deductible against your gross income. However, the Internal...
Barbara Intermill, On Nutrition: Feeding kids with Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is the most common type of diabetes in young people. It happens...
CSUMB teacher honored nationally
“It was very moving, and I felt very honored,” Jose Pablo Dundore-Arias said in a...
Liza Horvath, Senior Advocate: Why not name all the kids as co-executors?
Even though all three of your kids will share the estate equally, naming all three...
Dennis Beaver, You and the Law: Is your lawyer ethical or shady?
Research shows you can’t rely on some state bar websites to vet a lawyer you’re...
Marco Lucido, Workplace Law: A look at arbitration agreements
Arbitration is a private alternative to court that provides the parties with a legally binding...
Steven Merrell, Financial Planning: Find Your why
Understanding our why matters in the more ordinary—and often more persistent—challenges of daily life. Consider...
Barbara Rose Shuler, Intermezzo: Local soprano makes triumphant return
Murphy has appeared on some of the most prestigious stages of the world.
Barry Dolowich, Tax Tips: Deduction for sales taxes
Sales tax was a deduction until the 1986 Tax Reform Act “simplified” the tax system.
Helen Dennis, Successful Aging: Leaving legacy that’s more than financial
Q: I have been thinking about the concept of legacy over the past few years...
Dennis Beaver, You and the Law: Billed 12 hours for a few seconds of work?
The ability of AI to reduce the time required for certain legal tasks is exposing...
Marco Lucido, Workplace Law: New employer layoff notice obligations
Employers considering a triggering employment action should plan ahead and contact their labor counsel to...
Beth Peerless, Where it’s at: A tribute to Django Reinhardt
Coming to both Monterey and Santa Cruz this weekend are the Django Reinhardt Tribute Shows
Zach Harney, Financial Planning: How to do a ‘money autopsy’
A money autopsy has one purpose: to help you make clearer choices going forward.
Barry Dolowich, Tax Tips: Depreciation of rental property
Believe it or not, you are actually ahead of the IRS.
Barbara Intermill, On Nutrition: The ‘new’ food pyramid
The goal — to “shift our food system away from chronic disease and toward nutrient...
Helen Dennis, Successful Aging: What to consider when helping an older person to age in place
Sara Zeff Geber, an expert on solo aging, reframes the notion of aging in place...
Liza Horvath, Senior Advocate: When can I get my inheritance?
Question: I am a beneficiary of my grandfather’s estate. There was a lot of real...
Lisa Uttal, Finding Sanctuary: Restoring and conserving Elkhorn Slough through science, resource protection and stewardship
Elkhorn Slough, a coastal wetland visible from the Highway 1 bridge in Moss Landing, CA...
Dennis Beaver, You and the Law: An elder law attorney can help protect your aging parents from financial mistakes
If you are worried about older family members or friends whose financial judgment is raising...
Steven Merrell, Financial Planning: Stocks vs. Bonds: Finding the Right balance
Markets don’t move in straight lines and neither do investors’ lives. A formula that ignores...
Barbara Intermill, On Nutrition: Keys to surviving winter
Bundle up to get some exercise when you can.
Mary Jeanne Vincent, Career Talk: A toast to new beginnings
Speaking of change and priorities, I have committed to cutting back my work schedule and...
Liza Horvath, Senior Advocate: She is rich, he is not
Being a wealthy woman, I find that some men feel emasculated by my wealth.
Dennis Beaver, You and the Law: Embracing self-doubt can be a gift
An aging couple hired a remodeling company that illegally required large deposits, and then they...
Patrice Vecchione, Walkabout Town: Walking in the Dark
When I wake in the very early hours, there’s a sense of mystery and magic...
Zach Harney, Finanical Planning: Financial habits worth keeping — and dropping
The most meaningful financial changes rarely feel dramatic. Financial progress doesn’t require a fresh personality...
Beth Peerless, Where it’s at: Beating the post holiday blues
There are plenty of shows to catch at the many small venues sprinkled around our...
Barry Dolowich, Tax Tips: Taxability of unemployment insurance and worker’s compensation payments
You should receive a 2025 Form 1099-G by Jan. 31, reporting the amount of the...
Liza Horvath, Senior Advocate: A year in review
It is simply impossible to anticipate all the possible outcomes of our “planning.”
Dennis Beaver, You and the Law: How to protect yourself and others from a troubled adult child
This case of a violent and entitled adult son whose parents are in denial is...
Marco Lucido, Workplace Law: Protected leave for civic duties and victims of violence
The leave laws in California are ever-expanding. Employers are encouraged to stay up-to-date
Steven Merrell, Financial Planning: Surprise! When your IRA owes taxes
Unrelated Business Taxable Income issues are complex and frequently misunderstood.
Barry Dolowich, Tax Tips: The five stages of tax debt
The word combination of “Death and Taxes” has inextricably been linked together for as long...
Barbara Intermill, On Nutrition: Out with the old
That stroke of midnight that begins each new year seems to ignite something in us.
Barbara Intermill, On Nutrition: Recipe for healing
Besides key nutrients, my physical therapist also reminded me that my body really needs rest....
Mary Jeanne Vincent, Career Talk: Spreading holiday cheer
Every year for the last ten years, Mary Jeanne Vincent has taken a shift ringing...
Liza Horvath, Senior Advocate: A trustee’s costs and expenses
Finally, depending on how the trust is written, administration costs like legal defense, are charged...
Dennis Beaver, You and the Law: What makes this business so successful? We find out from the founder’s kids
The children of Morgan Clayton, founder of Tel-Tec Security Systems in Bakersfield, California, share how...
Hannah Rogge, Financial Planning: Tips for keeping your financial information secure
In today’s digital age, most of your personal financial information exists somewhere online. While this...
Barry Dolowich, Tax Tips: A gift for your loved one
Today's column is about peace of mind
Liza Horvath, Senior Advocate: Skipping the trustee
Being sensitive to our children’s vulnerabilities and creating an estate plan to best support them...
Dennis Beaver, You and the Law: Meet the world’s unluckiest — not to mention entitled — porch pirate
Attorney Dennis Beaver discusses the case of an inept teenage porch pirate caught by homeowners,...
Marco Lucido, Workplace Law: Don’t forget about new guidelines on harassment prevention heading into 2026
The Guide does not create new laws, but it is a practical roadmap from the...
Zach Harney, Financial Planning: Why predicting the next market crash is so dangerous
Market crashes are dramatic events. The 1987 crash, the dot-com bust, the global financial crisis...
Barry Dolowich, Tax Tips: Should I sign this tax return?
It would be a gross understatement to describe a marriage separation as an emotional trauma....
Mary Jeanne Vincent, Career Talk: Safeguard your job
The economy is growing at a modest rate; however, there is some concern the 2026...
Liza Horvath, Senior Advocate: We don’t have an estate
Putting together a strong estate plan can be time consuming and appear expensive and, moreover,...
Dennis Beaver, You and the Law: Uber takes aim at the bottom lines of billboard personal injury lawyers
Attorney Dennis Beaver talks about challenges to the personal injury law status quo and how...
Barbara Rose Shuler, Intermezzo: Catching up on holiday concerts
More concert bounty just came to my attention happening over the next two weekends.
Steven Merrell, Financial Planning: Using annual gift tax exclusion
When you give appreciated assets, you remove future capital gains from your own tax picture.
Beth Peerless, Where it’s at: We’ve got Christmas for you, too
If you missed the debut public performance by Slim Checkers on Halloween, there’s a chance...
Barry Dolowich, Tax Tips: Cancellation of debt income
If you borrow money (note: credit card debt is borrowed money) from a commercial lender...
Barbara Intermill, On Nutrition: Collagen supplements?
Susan. Unlike products sold as drugs, dietary supplements are not under strict regulations to prove...
Liza Horvath, Senior Advocate: When it’s a bad idea to share
While I certainly can’t answer whether or not you will care about this after you...
Dennis Beaver, You and the Law: When checkout charity gets uncomfortable
Attorney Dennis Beaver talks about checkout line charity pressure and when asking at the register...
Marco Lucido, Workplace Law: What to keep in mind for company holiday celebrations
As the holiday season approaches, companies planning holiday parties should consider various factors to ensure...
Hannah Rogge, Financial Planning: Planning for 2026
If you anticipate any significant changes to your income or expenses, work with your CPA...
Patrice Vecchione, Walkabout town: Take me to the river
Whatever life has on offer, get yourself to a river, risk the cold, and plunge...
Barbara Intermill, On Nutrition: Mechanics of nutrition
As we go about life, most of us probably don’t think much about what our...
Barry Dolowich, Tax Tips: The time for tax planning
The following is a sample of 2025 tax saving and deferral strategies available to you...
Mary Jeanne Vincent, Career Talk: Sharing your authentic experience
Providing authentic examples of your experience is a keystone to job search success.
Liza Horvath, Senior Advocate: My parents shared their plans
While the discussion was sad and some of us cried, eventually we felt much more...
Dennis Beaver, You and the Law: Why staying on course will improve (and may save) your business
Attorney Dennis Beaver discusses why so many businesses, large and small, tend to "drift" away...
Zach Harney, Financial Planning: How to best direct assets to charitable causes
As year-end nears, many think of ways to maximize their charitable donations and reduce their...
Barbara Intermill, On Nutrition: Thanksgiving food history
Why do I always make sweet potato casserole for Thanksgiving dinner? And why do grocery...
Barry Dolowich, Tax Tips: Bad debt deduction
There are four rules to prove a bad debt deduction.
Helen Dennis, Successful Aging: Telling powerful stories about moments in your life
After each of us shared, we all felt we knew and understood each other a...
Liza Horvath, Senior Advocate: Share detail of estate plans with kids?
At the very least, you should share that you have plans in place and have...
Dennis Beaver, You and the Law: Fish and Chips? More like fish and a side of customer confusion and anger
When a customer orders “fish and chips,” what should be on the plate? One seafood...