Credit Cards

Investigators tracked two-time Olympic gold medalist Sammy Lee through his credit card purchases as the 92-year-old drove through at least three Southern California counties after he went missing Monday. Lee, who suffers from dementia , was disoriented but in good condition when he was found about 9 p.m. Tuesday by deputies who responded to a report of a traffic hazard, authorities said. He left his Huntington Beach home Monday afternoon to go swimming at Los Caballeros Racquet & Sports Club in Fountain Valley, which was his common practice.

Dear Liz: Help! We've just received devastating news from our accountant that we owe around $11,000 to the IRS and the state for 2012 taxes. The reason for the huge bill is that we cleaned out my husband's IRA to pay for our son's college expenses. My husband is almost 65 and working part time after being laid off, and I'm 61 with a full-time job. What is the best way to pay this bill? Here are the options I can think of: 1) Cash out my three-month emergency certificate of deposit of $12,000 that I've saved to cover expenses in case I get laid off. 2)

David Myers returns to fine dining, inspired by - what else? - Japan. LOCATION 10 W. Century Drive, Century City, (310) 552-1200, hinokiandthebird.com PRICES Snacks, $6-$15; small plates, $11-$25; grilled dishes, $21-$38; vegetables, $5-$12; desserts, $4-$8. DETAILS Open 5:30-10 p.m. Tuesdays to Saturdays. Credit cards accepted. Full bar. Valet parking.

It's perhaps not so surprising that a Bank of America customer discovered recurring payments on his credit card bill for a service he swears he never signed up for. This kind of thing happens a lot. What is surprising is that BofA told the customer to pound sand when he requested proof that he authorized the bank by phone to enroll him in its Credit Protection Plus program, which came with a $212.50 monthly charge. BofA's stance: Trust us, we're right. We have nothing to prove.

The Hart & the Hunter Go for the biscuits, stay for the Brussels sprouts. LOCATION In the Palihotel, 7950 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles, (323) 424-3055, hartandthehunter.com PRICES Snacks, $3-$10; larger dishes, $11-$21; desserts, $6. DETAILS Breakfast 7 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. daily, lunch 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily, dinner 5:30 p.m. to about 11 p.m. Tuesdays to Sundays. Credit cards accepted. Beer and wine. Valet parking.

Marybeth Bond of Gutsy Traveler knows how to troubleshoot travel disasters -- even the unexpected ones. Here are five tips on how to head off adverse situations when you're on the road. She'll be giving advice on packing and preparing for trips at 3 p.m. Saturday at the Los Angeles Times Travel Show at the L.A. Convention Center. I don't court disaster, but it can strike unexpectedly away from home: a cracked tooth causes a toothache, a hurricane or tsunami shuts down stores and cash machines, or you are the victim of an accident or crime.

The millennial generation is aggressively whittling down its debt, as young people forgo homes and cars, according to a new study. The median debt of households headed by people under age 35 fell 29% between 2007 and 2010, according to the analysis from the Pew Research Center. That compares to a mere 8% decline for households of those 35 and older. Even more impressive, the percentage of younger households with debt of any kind dipped to 78%, the lowest since the federal government began gathering the data in 1983, according to the study .  But it ain't coming easy.