[COLUMN] New laws taking effect in 2022
Minimum Wage Increases Effective Jan. 1, 2022, the California state minimum wage will increase to $15 per hour for employers with 26 or more employees. For employers with 25 or…
Category: Consumer Columnists
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[COLUMN] Can bankruptcy solve your debt problems?
A LOT of people who are contemplating bankruptcy as a solution to their debt problems often wonder if it can be avoided at all. They fear that they might be…
[COLUMN] Piercing the veil of a Nevada corporation
Should you operate your business as a sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation or LLC? You may have heard that corporations and LLCs offer liability protection for shareholders and members. You may…
[COLUMN] Should you be paid more for working on holidays?
Q: I will be working on Christmas and New Year days. Am I entitled to holiday pay? A: Hours worked on holidays are treated like hours worked on any other…
[COLUMN] Bankruptcy: How federal law can help you get a fresh financial start in 2022
I remember the story of a poor, old beggar who died one day – and to everyone’s surprise, a money belt found wrapped around his waist contained thousands of dollars…
[COLUMN] Q&A for Nevada LLCs
Can creditors go after my business? Yes, creditors can go after your business – but only after business assets (business bank accounts, equipment). But they cannot go after your personal…
[COLUMN] If your house value is close to maximum homestead exemption, use Chapter 13 not Chapter 7
CLIENTS are seniors and they have a house in Los Angeles County where the homestead exemption is $600,000. The exemption amount refers to the equity in their house. Equity means…
[COLUMN] Reimbursement for community contribution towards a spouse’s education and student loan during marriage
ONE of the biggest problem of millenials and Gen Z are educational cost and student loan debt. This eats up a large part of a households budget even among married…
[COLUMN] What is a ‘hardship’ discharge in Chapter 13?
CHAPTER 13 is a reorganization of your financial affairs where you pay a portion of your debts over 36 months or 60 months depending on where your household income is….
[COLUMN] Are you feeling buried under a mountain of debt?
ARE you facing a mountain of debt and don’t know what to do in order to avoid getting buried? Debt problems can wreak havoc on your personal life in many…
[COLUMN] ‘Managers’ may still be owed overtime
PAMELA Ruben-Knudsen and Marnine Casillas were employed as Client Service Managers by Arthur J. Gallagher and Co., a brokerage firm. Client service managers are salaried and considered exempt from overtime….
[COLUMN] Do I have to disclose my Bitcoin to my spouse in my divorce case?
Bitcoin and other cryptocurrency has become popular lately as a new store of value. It is decentralized and not subject to regulation in any jurisdiction. It can be stored in…
[COLUMN] How’s the housing market?
AS we come to the close of 2021, the data shows that the Southern California housing market has continued to appreciate for the past three years since 2019. As of…
[COLUMN] Client files Chapter 13 for $400K unsecured debt
THIS is what I call a borderline Chapter 7 case with asset. Therefore, it is the better part of caution not to file Chapter 7 because the asset may be…
[COLUMN] Defending discriminated co-workers is protected activity
IN 2016, Robert Fernandez, then 70 years old and disabled due to diabetes, was hired by Puente Hills Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram. Even though he had trouble walking and standing…
[COLUMN] Why using your married child as a co-borrower to refinance your house is a bad idea
MANY parents who may have problems refinancing their house due to low income in retirement or due to low credit score sometimes resort to the idea of having their married…
[COLUMN] Read this before hiring a debt settlement company
ARE you thinking of hiring a debt settlement company to help you solve your debt problems? Before you do, maybe you should read this article as it could save you…
[COLUMN] Remedies for employees fired due to whistleblowing retaliation
Teresa Brooke was hired by Aurora Santa Rosa Hospital as its Chief Nursing Officer in May 2016. The hospital provides in-patient care, partial hospitalization, and outpatient mental health care for…
[COLUMN] Filing bankruptcy to eliminate credit card debt
DO you have sleepless nights worrying about your credit card debts? Are you feeling hopelessly trapped with no way out? If you are up to your eyeballs in credit card…
[COLUMN] When is my prenuptial agreement not enforceable?
MANY people are of the perception that simply downloading a prenuptial agreement from the internet and signing it with their fiance offers them a bullet proof protection from a divorce. …
[COLUMN] Are you overburdened by debt?
Bankruptcy law has two basic purposes for individuals (as opposed to a business entity). The first is from the perspective of creditors. Bankruptcy law gives creditors a common venue to…
[COLUMN] Tax benefits of Nevada corporations
Nevada has no state personal income tax. It has no corporate income or franchise tax tax either. On the other hand, neighboring California has the highest personal tax rates in…
[COLUMN] How’s the housing market?
ENDING the month of November 2021, the Southern California housing market continued to appreciate in comparison to the prior year (Nov 2020) for single-family homes. Los Angeles County’s median sales…
[COLUMN] Filing bankruptcy: Sooner or later?
I WAS in line at the grocery store the other day and noticed the man in front of me smiling and looking at me as if he wanted to say…
[COLUMN] Grounds for annulling a marriage
MOST couples that want out of a marriage in California usually file for Divorce. There are circumstances though that allow a couple to have their marriage “voided” rather than “dissolved.” …
[COLUMN] Seniors need Chapter 7 relief for $50K various unsecured debt
THE client is 72. He still works his normal job and makes about $3K a month. He also receives social security of $1K. So, his total income right now is…
[COLUMN] Employer’s duty to find suitable job for the disabled employee
Q: I WORKED at a company for more than 20 years. I was injured at work several months ago and I was forced to take a leave of absence so…
[COLUMN] Will I have to pay spousal support if I file for divorce?
THE purpose of spousal support is not defined by the legislature in that its purpose varies according to the facts and circumstances of each case. The facts and circumstances of…
[COLUMN] Termination during approved medical leave may be illegal
Is employee’s travel an abuse of medical leave? Q: I HAD surgery and my employer approved the doctor-prescribed 6 weeks of medical leave. While on leave, I travelled to the…
[COLUMN] Will I have to pay spousal support if I file for divorce?
THE purpose of spousal support is not defined by the legislature in that its purpose varies according to the facts and circumstances of each case. The facts and circumstances of…