ARE you sick and tired of being in debt and having bad credit? Do you want to start over but simply don’t know where to begin? Is filing bankruptcy an option for you, or are other options available? As we go move towards the end of 2020, this is a good time to look at…
Commission-based employees owed for non-sales work STEVE Johnson and Scott Scollitt worked as mortgage loan originators for U.S. Bank National Association. These employees sued their employer for unpaid wages and for not being provided meal and rest periods. They alleged that the bank improperly averaged their commissions which resulted in them being paid less than…
THE client just turned 67 and has been working for 40 years at a job that pays him $70K a year. He retired two months ago so he doesn’t make the $70,000 a year anymore. He now gets a public pension that gives him $1,800 a month and social security that pays him $1,900 a…
MANY people find themselves in the position of facing overwhelming debt, with constant calls from creditors and no obvious way out. For some, job loss sent them into a downward spiral, and they are now unable to pay their bills and meet their responsibilities. For others, a recent divorce or costly medical emergency drained their…
THE biggest electronics convention in the world has traditionally been confined to gadgets of the future but the 2020 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas featured exciting new cars – cars of the future. Here are our favorite cars from that show. Mercedes-Benz Vision AVTR AVTR stands for Avatar – the movie – that merged…
FAMILY of 3: $40,000 credit cards owed Client no. 1 is so young. She is in her late 30s. I remember when I was that young —a young lawyer with a decade and a half of experience. Seems only yesterday. Yeah, time flies and waits for no man or woman. That is certainly true. The…
The overtime compensation for ‘live-out’ employees is computed in the same way as that of a regular non-exempt employee who works in other occupations. This means ‘live-out’ household employees must be paid time and a half for all hours worked that are more than 8 hours in a day or more than 40 hours in…
There’s been a buzzword in cell phone speeds: 5G. Just what is meant by 5G? Our Asian Journal crew found out some valuable data at the latest Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas early this month. There are three different versions of 5G with varying degrees of speed: • Low-band 5G: About 20% faster than…
FIRST of all, you are not alone. I just read the news today and experts are warning us again about expected spikes in COVID cases for the rest of the year. I know this is downright scary and depressing especially considering that a lot of people everywhere seem to have already suffered enough since the…
Q: WHEN California’s Safer at Home Order took effect in March 2020, I and my co-workers were instructed to work from home. Since then, I have had to buy a new laptop (something basic), a new printer, ink cartridges, reams of copy paper, envelopes, scotch tape, and staples– all of which I need to do…
Qualify for different chapters of bankruptcy code Most debtors prefer to have a Chapter 7 wipe out of debt. This is called a fresh start without debt. Most debtors who qualify for Chapter 7 debt relief get to keep everything they own but are able to get rid of all of their debt, thus, they…
SOME of us feel anxiety over robots taking over our jobs. Yes, they can take over repetitive chores, but let’s view them as helpers to release us from boring repetitive tasks so we can devote more time to creative, administrative, and managerial tasks. Robots don’t do well in unruly environment (like yours, so you are…
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 your income did. No one ever wants to file bankruptcy. But if you are one of the millions laid off and don’t even know whether…
Q: I WAS off work for 2 months as a result of my COVID-19 infection. I was hospitalized and received treatments while under quarantine, Thank God I was eventually relieved of my symptoms and a couple of tests later showed negative findings. My doctors informed me that I can return to work without risk to…
THE client is 42 and is going through a divorce after a short two-year marriage. He has moved out of the marital home and now lives by himself. He has a toddler who is with his wife, so he expects to pay child support. There is not alimony because the marriage has not lasted 10…
1. REPORT all income IRS receives copies of 1099s and W-2s from your work, bank, buyers – people who pay you. Failing to report a W-2 wage statement or1099 subcontract income is flirting with IRS scrutiny. 2. Check your occupation Your occupation must be consistent with your income and expenses. It does not make sense…
THIS has got to be the best news I have heard recently! Given the huge job losses and high unemployment rate that have left many unable to pay their debts, this may be the biggest change in the law that can help many people protect and keep the substantial equity they have in their family…
Independent contractors are in business for themselves and generally work on a freelance basis, often with several clients. They either have specialized skills (e.g., actors, writers) or advanced degrees (e.g., lawyers, doctors) that allow them to decide when, where, and how they perform the work. True independent contractors are not employees and, therefore, do not…
THE client is young in his 50s. Believe me, that’s young. This is not only mentally young, but physically, 50s is still quite young. It is said that the 60s now are the new 40s. During the olden days, people were not expected to live beyond their 40s. Even here in the USA, the average…
1. DON’T go to your appointment unprepared. 2. Don’t be late for the appointment. 3. Don’t volunteer information. 4. Don’t bully IRS personnel. And if they bully you back? 5. Don’t fight the auditor. This is the agent’s business assignment, not a personal attack against you. 6. Don’t insist on indefensible positions. You’ll lose it…
Lauren Scricca worked as a Clinical Nurse for the University of California Irvine Medical Center (UCI) and was assigned to the Acute Rehab Unit. Throughout the 10 years she worked for UCI, she was commended for her performance and had several promotions. She was fired in 2018. The Daily Journal reports the following: Lauren has…
THERE have been increasing talks recently about making needed changes under the Bankruptcy Code to protect families and business owners who are suffering during this pandemic. While the government has made limited efforts to alleviate the hardship experienced by millions of people with the recent stimulus payments, loan forbearances, the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and…
THE landlord of the warehouse leased by the client’s company has filed a lawsuit to collect $300,000 of unpaid rent from the company. The question that immediately comes to mind is whether or not the client, as in an individual person, is liable also for the unpaid $300,000 lease of the company. It looks like…
THERE have been increasing talks recently about making needed changes under the Bankruptcy Code to protect families and business owners who are suffering during this pandemic. While the government has made limited efforts to alleviate the hardship experienced by millions of people with the recent stimulus payments, loan forbearances, the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and…
MY Tax Tips are usually written from your perspective. Let’s make this interesting a bit – turn things around and discuss this from the IRS agent’s perspective. This is how they (IRS agents) are trained to interview taxpayers. • Establish rapport with the taxpayer (you). • Maintain a friendly and professional demeanor. • Recognize that…
IN continuing efforts to protect workers and their families from COVID-19, California recently enacted the following legislation: Notice to employees of potential exposure and report of outbreaks Assembly Bill 685 requires employers who were notified of potential exposure to COVID-19 to notify all employees who were on the premises at the same worksite as the…
Q: My coworkers and I have had to work from home due to COVID-19. We are slowly returning to the office and I am concerned. I am an older worker with well-controlled diabetes and I have family members at home who are immuno-compromised. I don’t want to be infected and I certainly do not want…
MOST people don’t talk about their credit card debt because they find it embarrassing. They can talk to their friends and family about everything else but when it comes to the subject of how much debt they are carrying, most people would not divulge any information. It makes them very uncomfortable. So, what happens is…
Q: I read about severe cases of COVID-19 infections requiring several weeks of recovery. Can the employer fire me while being on leave due to this illness? Do I have remedies? A: The California Family Rights Act (CFRA) protects employees’ rights to take a leave of absence due to the serious health condition of the…
IS there a constitutional right to file for bankruptcy? Yes, there is. The United States Constitution adopted 250 years ago provides for the creation of bankruptcy courts and the power to administer them. Our founding fathers believed that people should be given a chance to have a fresh start in life to become productive again…
