What qualifications, training or certifications should my HOA manager have?
There is a wide range of qualifications and experience in the profession, so finding indications...
Business columns
How to not let stress get the best of you
Stress rarely comes from a single cause. More often, it results from an accumulation of...
Make money while soaking up the sun
These outdoor-friendly side gigs can help you make money for anyone who enjoys working in...
Business leaders and investors need to embrace the unknown
Serendipity is not the same as luck. Rather it is a way of thinking, behaving...
What to know about delaying Medicare enrollment
You can opt to keep employer-provided health insurance and delay applying for Medicare without being...
What to look for in HOA management contracts
Here are 9 points to consider when you're evaluating proposed management contracts.
Updated guidance on workplace age discrimination
As America's workforce gets older, do you know the laws that protect older workers —...
Why I continue to help inmates get a fresh start as entrepreneurs
Defy Ventures at Donovan State Prison changes lives. But training and education don't come for...
Can you make a living taking surveys?
Surveys can generate income of $250 to $500 per month. But only if you’re strategic...
The lowdown on inherited IRAs
IRAs inherited on or after Jan. 1, 2020, must typically be drained within 10 years.
Management: Which type does your HOA need?
Choose the management style best serving the community’s interests and needs, rather than automatically selecting...
What students need to expect when choosing a future career
As college students across the country prepare to take their final exams, the reality of...
What to know before getting paid to test drugs, medical devices and vaccines
These websites enlist consumers to test treatments and devices but testing comes with risks.
Tips on handling advance care directives, Roth IRAs
You can name different people to handle different tasks in your estate plan.
21 tips for healthier HOAs
Here are 21 suggestions on ways HOAs can become more positive communities.
Get paid to learn a trade
The economic argument for getting paid to learn a trade — vs. spending four years...
When and how much to invest in startups?
The puzzle of money, and valuation is fraught with nuance.
Workers’ compensation benefits unavailable for injuries sustained during commute
There are exceptions to this rule. But a California state appellate court reinforced how narrow...
Some pointers on paying capital gains taxes from home sales
You determine your potentially taxable capital gains by deducting your tax basis from your home...
Should the state require California HOA managers to hold a real estate broker license?
Currently, in California, managers need only convince the HOA client to hire them — there...
The art of talking to people you don’t know
Everyone says you need to network, but are you afraid to talk to strangers? Here's...
8 AI-proof side gigs
Some work requires a human touch. And that makes these side hustles AI-proof — at...
Founders must navigate the critical trade off between wealth and control
At some point, most entrepreneurs will need to choose between growing their company rapidly by...
Taking on premarital debt? Best to avoid it
Your new spouse’s debt could affect how much you two can borrow if you want...
HOA bills in the works: protected use, EVs, financial reports
3 more bills pending in Sacramento that would affect California HOAs if ed.
Court says employers can ask workers to waive meal periods in advance
The waiver must be freely agreed to by the employee, who can revoke it at...
SuperProf: Is this international tutoring platform good for freelancers?
The site presents some challenges for both tutors and students.
How to be a truth teller at work and not get fired
Focus on why the proposed plan in its current form is not good for the...
Counting freeloading relatives as a hardship? Not so fast, the IRS says
The IRS doesn’t consider freeloading relatives as one of the hardships that can modify the...
HOA Homefront: Pending HOA bill would ‘protect’ electric heat pumps
This week’s column reviews three more bills in Sacramento that would affect California HOAs if...
Pending state HOA bills to watch: Balcony inspection records, rebuilding parameters
There are at least nine bills introduced that could directly affect HOAs in various ways.
How to survive a layoff
These time-tested strategies can help if you’ve already been laid off, have been notified that...
‘May I get you something to drink?’ and other social tests during a job interview
Even though you’re not aware that you’re being judged about certain behavioral quirks in a...
Why startups shouldn’t skimp on hiring a legal eagle
Picking an attorney to guide you through VC deals is not the luck of the...
What to do when your HOA refuses a reduced quorum meeting
The cleanest approach is for the board to post an agenda four days in advance...
Court ruling on actor disqualified from role for refusing COVID vaccine has long-lasting implications
The court found Apple acted reasonably in requiring actors on its set to be vaccinated.
Is being nice a no-no when negotiating a deal?
Some fear they will be exploited if they show kindness, but others say a sprinkling...
5 great be-your-own-boss sites
These websites don't send you jobs nor dictate how much you earn. Instead they present...
Beware: Credit card debt doesn’t disappear when you die
Credit card debt would become the responsibility of your estate. Also, creditors can still go...
HOA reserve disclosures and the lending black list
Too many HOAs still have inadequate reserve fund savings.
How to be your own boss
Here's how websites can help you turn your idea or skill into a thriving business.
For entrepreneurs: A story about risk and reward from Broadway
Being in the right place, at the right time is not something that a VC...
Let internships prepare you for the “real” world
An internship is a way to demystify the unknowns and what-ifs of working in an...
The next chapter: How one San Diego retiree is embracing a newfound freedom
"Retirement can be whatever you want it to be," this former San Diego city worker...
Planning for retirement in a volatile market
Start with understanding why you are investing in the first place and when you will...
When can HOAs tap reserve funds?
HOAs are allowed to borrow from the fund to meet short-term expenses if they follow...
How to make money if you like to cook
Hotplate helps professional chefs and home cooks heat up food sales.
How to play the startup game
Every founder who has had the “monster successful exit” will it that somewhere along the...
Probationary workers and at-will employees. What you need to know
An at-will employee who completes a probationary period generally enjoys no greater workplace legal rights...
Losing a home in a fire, then being hit with a ‘casualty gain’
You can defer tax on this gain if you use the insurance payout to rebuild...
What you need to know about HOA reserves
HOAs failing to set aside money to offset the ongoing deterioration of major common area...
If your job is going nowhere, don’t get stuck
An exit plan forces you to listen to yourself and may even reignite your bigger...
Side gigs for night owls
What makes these side gigs perfect for night owls? In some cases, it’s simply when...
What the game of chess can teach startup founders about decision-making
Not every chess game — or business deal — is played the same way. Some...
Changing your married name? Expect a mound of paperwork
You’ll start by changing the name on your identification cards, including Social Security, your driver’s...
When ICE comes to your workplace
What employers and employees should know about expected increased activity in the workplace.
The art of persuasion for entrepreneurs
You might have a great idea, product or service, but you still have to get...
Bowing out of trustee duty, claiming Social Security benefits and other financial tips
Being asked to serve as a successor trustee is an honor, but you can’t be...
Before buying into an HOA, read this
14 items to consider before closing escrow on an HOA property.
Don’t be alarmed if you can’t check that degree box
In many cases, a degree for a job should be a “nice to have” instead...
The next chapter: Redefining retirement in San Diego
New monthly column by Barbara Bry will spotlight the diverse and inspiring ways San Diegans...
Turn a hobby into a profitable side hustle
Whether it’s crafting, sports or reading, your pastime can become a lucrative side gig.
Why entrepreneurs need to think like magicians but not trick people
Think like a magician means trying to create a moment of the willing suspension of...
How to handle cash savings of deceased parents
Don’t delay in depositing the funds. Theft is a concern. Also, cash can be lost...
7 great jobs that don’t require experience
Some jobs offer on-the-job training or are simple enough that you don’t need qualifications.
EEOC says it’s going after ‘anti-American’ employment discrimination
EEOC says it's going after "anti-American" employment discrimination. What does this mean for employers?
If you have a good story and a good company, the money will find you
But deal-sourcing has changed. Expect to get called by more VCs looking to find what you...
Reverse mortgages can be a boon, but come with potential risks
Reverse mortgages are helpful in some cases but also come with risks.