[COLUMN] Do not conceal assets before filing for bankruptcy
WHAT are the things that you should not do before you file for bankruptcy? First on the list of things not to do is do not hide assets. Concealing assets…
Category: Consumer Columnists
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[COLUMN] Bankruptcy or debt settlement?
Most people are unaware that credit card companies will negotiate with you if they believe that it is in their best interest to do so. Many times, you can negotiate…
[COLUMN] Does job termination threaten your right to live in the US?
Q: I was petitioned by my current employer to work in a residential care facility in the U.S. While I worked 6 days a week, and often on a 10-12…
[COLUMN] Divorce mediation as an option prior to pursuing litigation
IF the divorcing parties are both reasonable in their expectations in resolving their family law case and if they don’t think involving lawyers in their divorce case early on would be…
[COLUMN] Higher inflation and higher interest means more bankruptcies
We’re now 3 years into the pandemic which started in 2019. The very sad American tragedy of more than 1.0M Covid deaths In America, we have the great tragedy of…
[COLUMN] Sooner or later, you will need to face your debt problems
Facing difficult financial times can be a frightening thing for a lot of people. When bill collectors are hounding you, at some point, you realize that something must be done…
[COLUMN] Landlord with $400K judgment vs commercial tenant proceeds against guarantor
WHAT are friends for? Friends, of course, like to help each other. But to what extent and what favors can you ask from a friend? The client’s friend wanted to…
[COLUMN] Rights at work of injured or sick employees
Q: I was injured in a recent car accident while returning to work on an errand. I had to undergo multiple surgeries. I missed several weeks of work and will…
[COLUMN] How bankruptcy helps when you can’t pay your bills
When your financial circumstances are forcing you to declare bankruptcy, bankruptcy can be one way of dealing with debts that you can no longer manage on your own. Of course,…
[COLUMN] 4 ways filing for divorce can benefit your immigration case
Couples get divorced for various reasons. California is a no fault state. The reasons why a couple is getting divorced are often irrelevant to the issues of the family law…
[COLUMN] Maximizing recovery in personal injury cases
Dear Attorney Tan, I was driving home and was at a complete stop when another driver rear ended my car. I was not feeling well after the accident, as my…
[COLUMN] Is $3.7M car accident liability dischargeable in bankruptcy?
18IT was 9 p.m. at night. Client had just finished his “hot pot” dinner at a famous restaurant and was on his way home. Home was only 10 minutes away….
[COLUMN] Can you become debt-free without filing bankruptcy?
Debt is a common problem that a lot of people struggle with and many people want to know how they can become debt-free. Of course, in today’s society, you can’t…
[COLUMN] Senior needs fresh start Chapter 7 for $80K credit cards after becoming a widow
THE client is 67. Her husband passed away five years ago after a long fight with kidney failure. He was on dialysis for eight years waiting for a kidney transplant….
[COLUMN] When something bad happens to employees for doing the right thing
How whistleblower laws protect them Denise Bertone worked as a coroner investigator for the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner (DMEC). For most of her 25-year tenure, she was…
[COLUMN] Bankruptcy: When life doesn’t go as planned
LIFE just happens. Sometimes even the best laid plans can go wrong. How do you respond when this happens to you? Do you easily give up when you’re overwhelmed? Remaining…
[COLUMN] How important is it to have a living trust?
THINKING about one’s demise is not something people want to spend time thinking about. However reality is that we all have to face this one day. It is just a…
[COLUMN] Which debts are discharged in Chapter 7 bankruptcy?
THE constitution of the United States of America allows bankruptcy to its citizens and residents to allow them to become productive again if they are saddled with accumulated debt. The…
[COLUMN] The fight for human labor trafficking (modern day slavery) victims continues
Q: MY employer brought me to America to work as live-in nanny for their youngest child. I would be paid $1,000 per month with weekends off. When we arrived in…
[COLUMN] When bankruptcy is the best solution: What you need to know
Considering bankruptcy is often the last option for most people in attempting to resolve their debt problems. Realizing the conditions for bankruptcy, the kinds of debts that may or may…
[COLUMN] Parent’s right to change child’s residence to another state in custody cases
Parents that are going through divorce and legal separation sometimes have to make a decision to move out of state for various reasons. It may be because their family network…
[COLUMN] Employees do not have to disclose immigration status in court
California lawmakers voted unanimously this month to pass Senate Bill 836, which reenacts and expands the provisions of an existing law (SB 785) signed by former Gov. Jerry Brown in 2018….
[COLUMN] Parent’s right to change child’s residence to another state in custody cases
Parents that are going through divorce and legal separation sometimes have to make a decision to move out of state for various reasons. It may be because their family network…
[COLUMN] Trustee & debtor mutually dismiss adversary claims for $1M
THE client’s company filed for Chapter 7 relief as it was bankrupt. It had two warehouses and rent for one was $15,000 a month, the other $20,000 a month. The…
[COLUMN] Time spent by employees on required bag checks must be paid
Amanda Frlekin and others worked for Apple Inc. as retail store employees in California. Apple imposed mandatory searches of employees’ bags, packages, purses, backpacks, briefcases, and personal Apple technology devices….
[COLUMN] Severe financial distress? Bankruptcy can help
AT 90 years old, this senior was my oldest client. Everything came crashing down on him during his golden years, unfortunately. He had a business, which looked like it never…
[COLUMN] How important is it to have a living trust?
THINKING about one’s demise is not something people want to spend time thinking about. However reality is that we all have to face this one day. It is just a…
[COLUMN] Debt problems: How can bankruptcy protect you?
Facing difficult financial times can be a frightening thing for a lot of people. When bill collectors are hounding you, at some point, you realize that something must be done…
[COLUMN] Misclassification as independent contractors harms workers
JAMES Karl signed a sales associate agreement classifying him as an independent contractor with Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc. a company that designs, manufactures, and markets medical products. Karl sold orthopedic…
[COLUMN] Senior passes away right after Chapter 13 plan confirmation
AT 90 years old, this senior was my oldest client. Everything came crashing down on him during his golden years, unfortunately. He had a business, which looked like it never…