[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. …
Category: Consumer Columnists
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[COLUMN] Do you have debt problems caused by the pandemic?
WHEN the virus makes your income disappear overnight, it can be very frightening to realize that you can’t go very long without it because your bills don’t stop just because…
[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] Annual exclusion of gifts
Biden tax plan series WHAT Is a Gift Tax? Gift tax is a federal tax applied to an individual giving anything of value to another person. The donor must report…
[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] When is the best time to sell my house?
THERE are two conditions that can determine the best time to sell your house. The first condition is during a “seller’s market” and the second condition is seasonal. A seller’s…
[COLUMN] Step-up in basis for assets transferred at death
WHAT Is a Step-Up in Basis? The term “step-up in basis” refers to the readjustment of the value of an appreciated asset for tax purposes upon inheritance. It adjusts the value of an…
[COLUMN] Misclassified ‘salaried’ employees who work long hours entitled to back wages
AARON Kudatsky worked as an implementation consultant in California for Tyler Technologies, a company that sells business and public sector operations software being used in finance, payroll, billing, and others….
[COLUMN] What is the minimum payment in Chapter 13?
AS you probably are aware, an individual can file either Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 under the bankruptcy code when he or she needs relief from accumulated debt. In Chapter…
[COLUMN] Don’t let credit card debt ruin your life
WHEN it comes to credit card debt, a lot of people are in denial that they have a problem. Of course, denying doesn’t help because until you get to that…
[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] Required minimum distribution for retirement
Biden tax plan series WHAT is required minimum distribution (RMD)? A required minimum distribution (RMD) is the amount of money that you must withdraw from your traditional IRA, employer-sponsored retirement plan, …
[COLUMN] When does filing bankruptcy make sense?
NO one ever likes to talk about bankruptcy. However, it’s simply a fact of life. Things happen. Whether it’s losing your job, going through a divorce, having huge medical bills…
[COLUMN] Senior seeks Chapter 7 relief for $20K credit cards
THE client is 66. He says he is now old all of a sudden. He migrated here in 2004 so that’s 15 years ago. When he deplaned at LAX, he…
[COLUMN] The fight of misclassified independent contractors in the gig economy continues
BACK in 2020, Proposition 22 was voted into law. App-based companies like Uber, Lyft, and Doordash spent upwards of $200 million in funding to get Californians to vote on this…
[COLUMN] Are your debt problems getting worse every month?
IF you are searching for debt reduction solutions, no doubt you’ve been inundated with advertisements for various debt management programs, companies and solutions. The choices seem confusing to the average…
[COLUMN] Should I buy or rent?
THE ongoing debate of real estate is — “Should you buy or rent?” The right answer is: it depends. It depends on your situation and the factors in your lifestyle,…
[COLUMN] Social Security taxes
Biden tax plan series WHAT is the Social Security tax? Social Security tax is levied on both employers and employees to fund the Social Security program. It’s collected through payroll…
[COLUMN] Is unfair romantic favoritism at work sex discrimination?
William Maner worked for decades as a biomedical design engineer in the laboratory of employer, Dr. Robert Garfield. Garfield’s laboratory initially operated in Texas. Maner’s coworkers were Dr. Yuan Dong,…
[COLUMN] Defrauded seniors left with $100K debt need Chapter 7 relief
SENIOR no. 1 and senior no. 2 are in the same boat. They each have car repossession deficiencies of over $100,000 and business credit card debt of $50,000. Just by…
[COLUMN] Pandemic financial hardship: Can bankruptcy help?
Most debt problems don’t go away and solve themselves. They are there when you go to bed at night, and they’re still there when you get up in the morning….
[COLUMN] Treatment of 1031 ‘like-kind’ exchanges
Biden tax plan series A certain provision in the Internal Revenue Code allows you to defer (postpone) gain on the sale of a business or investment property. “Tax deferred” means…
[COLUMN] Bankruptcy is most effective & least costly way of getting rid of debt
PAY debt off completely There are, of course, different ways of getting rid of debt. The most obvious is just pay it off. Let’s say you owe $50,000 of credit…
[COLUMN] Misclassified independent contractors are entitled to back pay and damages
Lime runs electric scooters, electric bikes, normal pedal bikes, electric mopeds and car sharing systems in metropolitan areas to customers through its mobile app. Lime hires persons known as “Juicers”…
[COLUMN] My house needs major repairs and I need to sell now
IF you’re in this situation, your question is probably: “Do I need to make repairs?” The quick answer is “No, you don’t need to make any repairs.” The real questions…
[COLUMN] Are you facing a debt crisis?
NO one ever wants to face a debt crisis but at one time or another in your life, you may have to deal with one. Having debt problems does not…
[COLUMN] Multiple defendants, single cause
SOME premises liability cases involve multiple negligent parties who cause the plaintiff to suffer one single injury. In representing a single plaintiff in such a case, it may be difficult…
[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] Client seeks Chapter 7 relief for $100K credit card debt
THE client is 45, married with two sons, 16 and 12. He used to own and operate, together with his wife, a small business, which started in 2014. They sold…
[COLUMN] New guidance on sexual orientation and gender discrimination at work
CAN an employer fire someone simply for being gay or transgender? No, according to the U.S. Supreme Court in its landmark decision in Bostock v Clayton County. Title VII of…