Is security really possible for actors: an excerpt from a conversation with Director Valerie Curtis Newton

• Valerie Curtis Newton: How do we get more of us closer to some kind of financial security? Let’s start with saving. Even the old fashion Christmas club plan get you on the road. Make a pledge and ask a buddy to join you and stay accountable. If you can find a sou-sou that works for you, check it out. But do something. I don’t like thinking that some of us will never be able to age with security.
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• i absolutely think there is a financial future security that's possible....just not possible for me...my entire family made sure they got a good government job, invested in retirement, bonds, property and long term insurance and property. after getting out of the hood, that required years of sacrifice and commitment to their security and now they have it. 
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  it's totally possible, if you've chosen to be an artist, but don't make that big TV break in the first 10 years of your career, but remain in the theatre with no other job, that kind of security is not possible...it's not part of the structure of your life...you've not worked for a job that gives you any kind of long term security and rarely pays a living wage...so you've never had the free cash to make investments....it's a matter of choices...u need a day job with benefits to financially strategize...and even then, u gotta be frugal to make those earnings turn into something....its really hard out here for a pimp...
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  my financial advisor (yeah, I got one of those for my pennies) totally recommends there's no need to retire if you love what you do and you can do it forever...online coaching is one of those things....but security...not possible in the current structure. one illness that requires any kind of long term care and I'm out for the count....insurance never covers enuf to save you from total financial disaster unless u have a work covered plan (and even then: SAG/Equity ain't helping nobody and everybody running around talking about let's get back to normal have yet to have a medical emergency to know either no one takes their insurance or most of the covid related stuff is not even covered...one medical emergency and ur sunk.
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  that's been my research upon returning to the states....people live to get insurance (house insurance, car insurance, long term insurance, flood insurance, natural disaster insurance, medical insurance). ...u need all of that and the ability to make passive income and ur home to fall back on just in case you need to be in the hospital of which your insurance covers only 80% and the rest is on you unless you have 5 different kinds of insurances....
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  u need a whole lot of fuckin money to create real security in this country....I advise my clients who are series regulars to live like a starving actor and invest every penny while they're on that show...6 figure incomes are not enuf to create real security...too many things can take u out....and our society will not support u....it's why I've looked into living other places where healthcare, cost of living is reasonable as opposed to soaring as you age. in the USA, even if u retire and sell ur house and move into a condo: AT any point, ur perfect retirement plan can be upended by condo fees tripling or your insurance not covering everything....really take a look at how covid has changed the face of medical care in this country. we are all in for some rude awakenings...
  so yes, virgos, I agree, security is totally possible, but we need to not pretend that its' something easily available if you haven't had an steady employer for the last 30 years and an investment plan in place...without that, u can certainly create stop gap measures....but not fool proof security....
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  the middle age folks still running around doing theatre in the middle of a pandemic don't believe in security...not really and maybe that's just okay...people sacrifice a lot of things to live in the moment of the life they want to live....