There are some things everybody knows. Credit card debt is bad. 401(k)s are good. (Following so far?) But let's face it -- once you get past the basics, money management is a pretty daunting prospect. Many of us, especially if we're single or without children, choose simply to ignore the issue. We live from paycheck to (direct deposited) paycheck, and as long as our bills get paid on time and our ATM card works we figure we're managing our finances.

But what happens when you decide to buy a car or a house? What happens when the tax forms arrive? What happens when you fall in love with someone, decide to spend the rest of your lives together, adopt children -- but you can't get married?

Obviously, gays and lesbians face many of the same concerns as everybody else when it comes to personal finance. Many of our questions, though, are specific to us, and can be hard to find answers to. We'd like to help you with both kinds of issues. We've put together a set of guides to help you make sense of the overwhelming choices you face as a lover, a taxpayer, a property owner, a spouse, and a parent. If you can claim any of those identities (and we're pretty sure you can) you'll find something here of interest to you.

When you're done, be sure to check out our Investing and Careers areas for related tools and advice.