Category: Consumer Columnists

INSTACART is one of the largest grocery delivery services in the United States. Instacart allows its customers to shop their local grocery using a mobile app or the website. The…

BOTH Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 trustees are now implementing the new procedure required by the U.S. Trustee for social distancing to avoid spreading the virus. The lockdown and social…

THESE are challenging times for California small businesses. Restaurants, retail stores, and other services sustained (and continue to sustain) coronavirus-related losses. Their damages resulted from severe business interruption, event cancellation,…

A LOT of people in debt often already know what they need to do once they realize that bankruptcy is their only way out. But they usually delay the decision…

THE U.S. Trustee has recently instructed bankruptcy trustees to conduct debtor hearings telephonically to comply with social distancing guidelines to fight the coronavirus. The Chapter 13 trustee in Riverside, California…

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…

I MUST admit that the $2 trillion stimulus package to counter the virus-induced slowdown is noteworthy. In the next three weeks, 93% of Americans will be receiving $1,200 each, according…

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…

Q: I work for a company that provides 40 hours of paid sick leave. This is about five days of work. If I ever need to take leave due to…

THESE are trying times indeed. We have been advised to self-isolate in the meantime that we are waging a war against the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). Sure, social distancing makes a…

Q: I am a working parent with a school-age child, who has been sent home due to fears of infection from the coronavirus. My work entails interacting with people throughout…

“ My senior client cannot do Chapter 7 because he has a lot of non-exempt equity in his house. He can only do Chapter 13 to handle those credit cards.”…

(Yes, if employer has control over employees) OVER a decade ago, four truck drivers sued Wal-Mart claiming Wal-Mart violated California’s meal and rest break laws. As part of their job,…

LET me give you the background on this case. The husband is 81 but still looks active. He is slim and sprightly. The wife is 79 and looks nervous. Normally,…

FILING Bankruptcy is a serious decision for most people.  Although almost a million people file Bankruptcy in every year, most don’t have a clue about how the process works until…

A 65-year-old husband has just handed in his application for retirement from his job. He makes a gross of $5,000 a month with overtime. Upon retirement, he will net about…

RIOT Games, Inc. is a multi-billion dollar video game developer, with headquarters in Los Angeles, operating in 24 offices around the world and employing about 2,500 workers, 80% of them…

IF you are in debt and are seriously considering bankruptcy as an option, I am sure a lot of thoughts are going through your mind. I just want to get…

EVEN though the economy and stock markets are positive, the coronavirus problem has dampened business outlook worldwide. Given this environment, not all businesses here are able to survive.  For instance,…

AMANDA Frlekin and others worked for Apple Inc. as retail store employees in its retail stores in California. Apple requires them to undergo exit searches pursuant to its “Employee Package…

IF financial start. Bankruptcy is a powerful remedy because it stops most collection actions, including lawsuits, wage garnishments, bank levies and foreclosure.  It also wipes out many types of debts….

LET’S assume that you have incurred too much debt. What do I mean by too much debt? By this, I mean that you are now a slave to creditors because…