[COLUMN] IRS warns tax preparers of new email scam
SCAMMERS become more active during tax filing season — their hunting season. The prey: your own tax preparer who has troves of social security numbers, birthdays and bank account numbers….
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[COLUMN] Debtor with $500K home equity seeks Chapter 7 relief for $420K lease liability
THE client is 50. He bought a restaurant in November of 2019. What’s the worst time to buy a restaurant in the history of the human race? November of 2019…
[COLUMN] Can I enforce a form I-864 Affidavit of Support in divorce proceedings?
THE Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 requires that US Citizens sponsoring an alien for legal permanent residency execute an immigration form I-864 Affidavit of Support. This…
[COLUMN] Caregiver law overview for 2021
Working as a caregiver in a private home, an assisted living facility or nursing home is hard work. If this is your job, you probably work long hours and return…
Get out of debt, improve your life
YOU may not like what I have to say in this article. But oftentimes, the truth hurts. But if you find yourself broke every payday because of too much debt,…
[COLUMN] IRS warns tax preparers of new email scam
A COMBINED task force of IRS, state tax agencies and the tax industry is warning tax professionals of attempts to steal Electronic Filing Identification Numbers (EFINs) with new scam email…
[COLUMN] Disabled senior needs Chapter 7 relief from $50K credit cards
AT some point in your life, you will have to confront your own mortality as well as the mortality of your loved ones. When you’re 12, you’re in a hurry…
[COLUMN] Death by COVID-19
As much as one might be prepared for the death of a dear friend or a close relative, we are never ready to receive such news. Over the weekend, I…
[COLUMN] IRS warning: Fraudsters exploit COVID to steal your identity
Opportunistic scammers are exploiting COVID to steal from you. IRS warns that dark web thieves are targeting tax preparers and taxpayers. These dirty criminals constantly mutate like the virus. These…
[COLUMN] Should I tell my boss about my medical condition?
Q: I WAS diagnosed with a spine compression fracture and severe depression. I want to request leave but want to keep my privacy at work. Do I need to tell…
[COLUMN] Is filing bankruptcy your best option?
THIS is one thing I hear from people all the time: “If you ask me, I really hate doing this, but I feel I have no choice.” Of course, no…
[COLUMN] Are income taxes owed to IRS dischargeable in bankruptcy?
ARE income taxes owed to the IRS dischargeable in bankruptcy? What do you think? Of course, they are dischargeable. There are certain conditions that have to be met but they…
[COLUMN] Tough financial times never last, but tough people do
You’re doing fine. You’re paying your bills on time and you have your debts under control. You’ve even managed to set aside a bit of savings in your bank account….
[COLUMN] IRS: Here are 12 ways to protect yourself from scammers
IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig described the combination of tax filing season, COVID, and work-from-home as hunting season for online thieves. Dark web scammers are the hunters and you are the…
[COLUMN] Employees’ right to sit down at work
EVA Sharp worked as a cashier for Safeway, a large American grocery chain with headquarters in California. She initially filed a class action case on behalf of cashiers and other…
[COLUMN] Life after bankruptcy: Get out of debt now
Sleepless nights… Stressed out… Worried about the future… Always broke no matter how hard they work…Feeling hopeless about their situation. This is what most people are going through when they…
[COLUMN] What is intent to repay in BK debt?
IN one case, the debtor borrowed $100,000 in credit cards, which he used to gamble. He then filed for Chapter 7 to wipe out the $100,000 of credit cards. The…
[COLMUN] IRS offers identity protection PIN to defend you from scammers
THE IRS expanded the Identity Protection PIN Opt-In Program to cover all taxpayers to include you. This Identity Protection PIN (IP PIN) is a six-digit code known only to you…
[COLUMN] Reporting time may entitle employees to additional pay
“It is the employer who directs the manner in which the employee is to present himself or herself for work – whether at the worksite or by phone. Either way,…
[COLUMN] Should you be paid if the boss requires COVID testing and vaccination?
AS the COVID-19 pandemic continues, government agencies have issued guidance on how to reduce transmission of the illness. On March 4, 2021, California’s Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH)…
[COLUMN] Stop foreclosure, reduce your debt by filing Chapter 13
HAS your income been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic? If you are currently unemployed and have no resources to pay creditors, filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy to wipe out your…
[COLUMN] IRS, FBI, FTC warn of new mobile phone scams
Thieves’ new target: Mobile phones. People are vigilant in protecting their computers but not their cell phones; accordingly, scammers are feasting on mobile phones. The IRS FBI FTC have issued…
[COLUMN] Chapter 7 vs. Chapter 13
IS Chapter 7 better than Chapter 13? I would say generally speaking if you have accumulated debt that is too burdensome for you, Chapter 7 is better for you than…
[COLUMN] How to get out of debt: Know your options
ARE you seriously in debt and don’t know what to do about your situation? Are you afraid that unless you do something about it, thing will just continue to get…
[COLUMN] 2021 IRS tax filing deadlines
Feb. 1, 2021: Employers to mail out W-2 Forms to their employees; businesses to furnish 1099 Forms reporting non-employee compensation, bank interest, dividends, and distributions from a retirement plan. Feb. 1, 2021: Financial institutions to mail…
[COLUMN] New paid sick leave law re: COVID-19
Last year, private employers with 500 or more employees were required to provide California employees with paid sick time for COVID-19-related absences. That law, AB 1867, aimed to close the…
[COLUMN] Classic Chapter 7 cases
FIRST of all, let’s have a moment of silence for the 10 innocent victims of the shooting massacre in Boulder, Colorado earlier this week. This was another senseless killing of…
[COLUMN] Filing bankruptcy: Lose your debt, not your assets
Filing bankruptcy can be a big decision that most people put off until they realize that they have no other way out of debt. Unfortunately, however, sometimes people wait too…
[COLUMN] The ‘Hero Pay’: LA enacts $5 hourly hazard pay for grocery & pharmacy employees
IT has been over year since California declared a state of emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, many employees have stopped coming to their workplaces and have worked…
[COLUMN] Q&A for third round of stimulus payments
HERE are simplified Questions & Answers about the freshly minted third round of stimulus payments under the new American Rescue Plan Act of March 2021. 1. How much is the…