DEAR BRUCE: I am a savvy adult woman who was taken advantage of by my adult daughter. She used my name and Social Security number to apply for a credit card. She ran the card up to a very substantial amount, but of course didn't have the money to pay it off monthly. When I found out, after the shock wore off, I was livid. But now I have this debt in my name and Social Security number. I have contacted an attorney, and I have told my daughter that I will not pay these bills. The credit card is now in collection, and they won't take partial payments. Is my credit ruined because of this? -- Very Upset, via e-mail

DEAR UPSET.: I do sympathize with you for having a deadbeat daughter who has chosen to treat her mother this way. About the only thing that you can do, and this will be hard, is to contact the credit card company saying that you want to file an identity theft claim against your daughter. Essentially, your credit has been stolen. Unfortunately, it was by your own daughter. That should be the first step that you'll have to take to ensure that your credit remains in good standing. Unfortunately, there may be some action taken against your daughter and, as a parent, that's going to be difficult. She's going to have to learn however the consequences of her actions.

DEAR BRUCE: My mother passed away and left me and my sister co-executors of her estate. We are the only two heirs. The problem is that we don't live in the same state. My sister wants me to sign papers to relinquish my status so that it will be easier to clear up the estate, as opposed to everything having to come to me for a co-signature. My mother entrusted both of us to handle the estate and I hate the thought of relinquishing the status, but I don't know if I have another choice. What should I do? -- Reader, via e-mail

DEAR READER: What you have to ask yourself is, do you trust your sister, and do you think she's capable of carrying out the job as executrix? While I understand that your mother wanted both of you to be handling her affairs after she was gone, unfortunately, it can become cumbersome. If, on the other hand, you're not sure that your sister is capable of taking care of everything, then you're going to have to insist that everything be sent to you for your signature. In today's world, with overnight delivery, while there will be some small cost, there would be relatively little time delay.

DEAR BRUCE: My wife and I are interested in opening a Roth IRA, but we don't know how to go about getting this done. Do we go to our bank or do we have to use a financial broker? Does it make a difference where we open it? -- M.B., via e-mail

DEAR M.B.: Starting an IRA is as simple as walking down the street. My choice would be at a brokerage house, although you can do it any institution, such as a bank or credit union. The problem that one finds with a bank or credit union is lower returns than one might usually find at a brokerage house. It's a great way to save money for your retirement and, a few years down the road, you'll be glad you did.