Have you seen your money lately? 

I just realized the only time I see my money is when I withdraw from an ATM. Ye gads, my wealth accumulated over 70 years is all in cyberspace.

I am at the mercy of computer systems and the folks who run them – and maybe someone in a tiny village in Mongolia. Everything hinges on a programing language which are all Greek to me. 

Even my last ATM attempt didn’t go well. There is only one branch of my bank on the Cape. I have to drive twenty minutes to get there. I walked into the lobby and found the ATM out of order. A teller said the drive up was working so off I go only to find at the moment it only dispenses $100 bills. I go back to the lobby minutes later and they have closed. Tapping on the door I attract the teller who signals through the glass she can’t unlock the door effectively saying “tough luck take $100 bills if you want cash.”

I know my online IRA and brokerage accounts say I own shares of stock, and mutual funds, but I don’t have any certificates, I have no proof. My wealth could go poof with a systems flaw.

I think I have cash in those accounts too. At least that’s what the website says. Where exactly is the Money Market? Have you ever visited?

Our several bank accounts are … where? Nowhere or somewhere…I hope. No passbook. If I lost my iPhone I’m broke because I can’t access my bank or investment firms app – or the ATM.  Is my debit card proof of anything? I think not. 

I have deeds, legal pieces of paper, showing I own my houses and cars, but not a visible “real” thing backing up all our investments. You can’t even get savings bonds to lock away in a safe deposit box anymore, instead you use Treasury Direct where your bonds are…

It seems wealth is nothing more than our ID, password and the last four digits of our social security number.