Category: Consumer Columnists

Establishing parentage rights for Moms is a lot easier than establishing one for unmarried Dads.  Moms can establish this by simply showing proof of her having given birth to the child.  Family Code §7610. Establishing parentage rights, including custody and visitation rights, becomes more problematic with unmarried Dads because proving yourself as the biological father…

According to a new report, the number of seniors filing bankruptcy is increasing rapidly. The average senior who files bankruptcy these days owes approximately $17,390 according to the report (although I have to say that most seniors who come to me for debt help actually owe a lot more!). Some of the reasons mentioned are…

AFROUZ Nikmanesh worked as a pharmacist for Walmart for more than 10 years. During her time as a Walmart pharmacist, Dr. Nikmanesh reported several noncompliance issues to management. These  included Medicare patients being charged above reimbursement rates, Walmart failing to provide beneficiaries with  Medicare discounts, and failing to report the dispensing of opioids and other…

THE first client is a senior who still earns $120K a year as a registered nurse but owes $130K of credit cards. The second client is also a senior who just lost her job as an accountant and now relies on social security of $2K a month. At first glance, you would think that the…

IF you have an existing child support or spousal support obligation (court order) and you are laid off from your job causing a major loss of income, you may want to consider modifying your existing child and spousal support order. You are not automatically relieved from your obligation to pay a court ordered child and…

MANY people find themselves in the position of facing overwhelming debt, with constant calls from creditors and no apparent way out. For some, job loss sent them into a downward spiral, and they are now unable to pay their bills and meet their obligations. For others, a recent divorce or costly medical emergency drained their…

QUICHANG Zhu (72 years old) and her grandson, Jian Hao Kuang (6 years old), were using a crosswalk to cross a street in Sacramento, CA. The intersection has no traffic lights and the crosswalk was poorly marked. Because the intersection is near a school, the street is busy. As the grandmother and her grandson were…

WHEN I say client is young, I mean client is young, in her twenties. She is married and has a son, a toddler. Before becoming a mother, she was working full time and earning about $60K a year. That’s a good salary for a young person. So how did she rack up so much credit…

IF you have an existing child support or spousal support obligation (court order) and you are laid off from your job causing a major loss of income, you may want to consider modifying your existing child and spousal support order. You are not automatically relieved from your obligation to pay a court ordered child and…

I’VE been asked this question a few times lately, so I decided to write an article on it. If you have filed bankruptcy before, you may be wondering whether it’s possible to do it again. Generally, the answer is that you can file bankruptcy as often as needed BUT subject to some limitations such as…

Divorcing couples with children sometimes worry about who is going to pay for their children’s college education after the divorce once their children graduates high school.  They want a guarantee that their soon to be ex-spouse will share in the college expenses of their children. This is specially the case when the other spouse has…

Divorcing couples with children sometimes worry about who is going to pay for their children’s college education after the divorce once their children graduates high school.  They want a guarantee that their soon to be ex-spouse will share in the college expenses of their children. This is specially the case when the other spouse has…

CLIENTS are husband and wife in their fifties. Their combined household income is a gross of $140,000 annually. They own a house with equity of $300,000 in LA. They have no dependents. At this point, I don’t see much of a financial problem because they’re grossing almost $12,000 a month. Even with a mortgage payment…

Q: I HAVE a heart condition that has become worse recently. I need to see my doctor periodically or when I feel dizzy or short of breath. This means I need to request a half-day off every now and then to see my doctor. I am afraid to tell my boss because I may get…

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 in cash. Apparently, he had found the money belt while digging through trash, decided to keep it but never really opened it.  Thus, he lived the…

TO most immigrants, obtaining their greencard has been a long and challenging journey.  However, it should not be regarded as the final destination.  The real American dream is to become a United States Citizen.  After obtaining permanent residence status, many green card holders desire to take that next step—becoming a United States Citizen.  As a…

Albert and Stephanie Garcia, a married couple, were hired in 2013 by Sierra Management to work as  on-site managers of an 81-unit apartment building in Canoga Park. The Garcias were paid  a monthly salary and were provided with a rent-free unit in the same apartment building. In March 2017, Albert Garcia was diagnosed with thyroid…

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 lost in Chapter 7, while Chapter 13 is safe enough because the Chapter 13 trustee, unlike the Chapter 7 trustee does not have the power…

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 in cash. Apparently, he had found the money belt while digging through trash, decided to keep it but never really opened it.  Thus, he lived the…

TO most immigrants, obtaining their greencard has been a long and challenging journey.  However, it should not be regarded as the final destination.  The real American dream is to become a United States Citizen. After obtaining permanent residence status, many green card holders desire to take that next step—becoming a United States Citizen. As a…

ARE you struggling to pay your debts every month, especially your credit cards? Do you barely have anything left to pay your mortgage, rent, food and other basic living expenses after you make your monthly debt payments?  Do you want to lower your payments and make life a bit easier? One type of relief under…

I recently finished attending the telephonic bankruptcy hearing with my client and am reminded of his bankruptcy saga over the last 12 years. The client is married and 82 years old. By any standard, he’s a senior. The first time he and his wife, who is 10 years younger than him, walked into my office,…

IN the wake of the #MeToo movement, there has been a lot of attention focused on non-disclosure agreements (NDAs), also known as confidentiality agreements (CAs). Sexual harassment victims who agreed to settle their cases are often asked to sign NDAs in exchange for payment. In work situations, a non-disclosure agreement is required by the employer to prohibit the…

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.  What many people do not know is that certain statutory requirements must be met in order for the prenuptial agreement to be valid and to…